The National tribune., 1882-03-25
LET JUSTICE BE DONE.

LET JUSTICE BE DONE.
Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Nothing since the close of the war has done
as much to allay sectional feeling between
North and South as the honorable and manly
course Of the Southern members in both Houses
of Congress regarding the payment of pensions
due Union soldiers. There yet remains an act
to he performed before the bill is complete
Under act of jan, 10 pensions are paid from
date of discharge, if filed prior to July 1, 80;
if after that date, only from date of filing.
This IS unjust, and should he remedied. JUS
tice should be meted out alike, and no distinc-
tion in the payment of pensions to our soldiers
ought to be tolerated, they having fought
under the same flag and for the same cause.
For instance The writer knows of two worthy
soldiers, both totally disabled from wounds and
disease, the one having filed his claim before
July l, 80, was paid at the rate of $40 per
month from discharge; the other filing his
claim since, and, if allowed, can only be paid
from date of filing, both being disabled and
helpless. Is there a man in Congress who
would make distinction in the payment of
their pensions? The bill already introduced
extending the act of jan, -, ought to be
passed, in order that all honest and deserving
claimants may be treated alike The Govern
ment can afford to be generous, but not unjust.
The soldiers of the country will look to, and
expect of such men as ingalls,, Vest, Garland,
Butler, Maxey, Voorhees,, Call Teller, Brown,
Plumb, McPhgrsOn, Cameron, Allison, Window,
and others, in the Senate, and Representatives
Curtin, Bingham, Rosecrans, Browne, LIE Fevre,
Houck, Bragg, ONeill, Deering Harmer, Barr,
Everett, and others, in the House, that proper
measures are taken before the close of the ses-
sion; that the bill extending the time for FL
ing claims under act of JAM '79, is extended
and pushed to q successful completion. JUS
tice demands it. Every soldier" says a
writer, "who served faithfully, and was hon.
orably discharged, is entitled to all the Gov
ernment, through Congress, has promised to
give him." Money cannot restore health or
limbs, or the father to the wife and children,
but it can, by simple act of justice on the
part of Congress, ameliorate the sufferings of
many, who, through neglect, are now debarred
from the benefits of the original arrearage act.
Let it be extended to Jan. or July, SO, that all
may be treated alike. Who will see that it is
done? ANTIETAM.
WORD FOR THE NINE MONTHS MEN.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
1t appears that all ex-sOldiers of the late war
are favorably legislated for from the three
months to the three years enlistments, but in
all these legislative enactments the nine
months men (drafters and substitutes) are
entirely ignored. There were quite number
of these in the war of the rebellion, and while
they We're in the service their fare was the
same as that Of the three, six, twelve, twenty
four, or thirty-six month men. They endured
the same fatiguing marches, were in the same
engagements with the very same foe, were
alike killed, crippled, mangled, or disabled,
and suffered equally with the others in all
these particulars; then why these unjust dis
ordinations against their interests in nearly
everything thatfs done for the deserving con-
servatOrs of our Nation? Are not the equal
ization of bounty bill and the bill granting 100
acres of the public domain, equally applicable
to their cases; or ought they not to be? The
writer is one of the nine months recruits, and
knows that his suferings are as severe, and
life and health as dear, as though he had been
in the service three months or three years.
WOOSTER, o., March 20. G. WB.