New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-11

inc. and whose injuries or disabilities are
fictitious. In every regiment, from the pe4ih-
ming of the war to the end there were some
so-called soldiers who waged war prihclpahy
in the CONDITIONED or the hospital who never
oot ont of one or the o.her of those safe retreats
if they could help it. except to draw pay; who
,vero disgrace to their regiments and bur
den 10 their country. These creatures were
not carried off by hostile bullets. lhey s'oou
ten times the chance OF surviving 'hat any
honest and loyal soldier stood, ana lnoSt "i
them did survive. The real soldiers VINO wont
down in battle or before disease, were anie 10
make their proof under the old laws prior 10
the passage of the Arrears OF Pensions ACT.
That iniouitOus measure was especially devised
TN fit the needs of those who could not prove
ANYTHING that staunch and faithful soldiers
could. Tn many thousand cases it did serve TO
enrich shirks and dcad-brats, and to ron the
Treasury. Honest and faithful soldiers there
were. undoubtedly. who were unable 10 prove
inst claims until this bill passed, and who nave
since been favored. The real question Is
whether il was right to honor aud reward the
cheats and the shrks as well and rs hlghly AZ
the best and worthiest soldiers.
Mr. INGALLS, does not meet the two principal
charges as to this bill. 1t was passed by misrep-
rescnt9tion. That ugly fact has been proved
from the record. and the worst misrepresenta-
ton was repeated before the Senate by
Senator Ingalls, If he was deceived, he had
good opportunity to show it, ana great many
friends would have been glad to see him clear
his name from stain. For Mr.. ingalls, ought
70 know. if he does not, that it does stain his
name to have it on the record that he, IA the
chairman 0fthe committee, publicly the
Senate that the bill would take ont OF the
Treasury only SIS, 100000, when in fact 1t
will take ont of the Treasury $1.2OO00O,oOo.
Such An outrageous falsehoOd as this cannot
have originated in mistake. Somebody lied.
and Senator Ingalls, is the person by whom that
untluth was palmed off upon the senate H.
as we believe, he was deceived, why
has he not the grace to say SOL
He does not care, inst now. whether the
amount taken from other peoples pockets Is
large or small but he did care when he was
trying to get votes for this most iniqntous
bill. and he knew that other people cared.
His statement was designed to secure votes
and il did so. Many Senators undoubtedly
voted for the bill in the belief that the chair
man in charge oft would not deceive the Sen
ate and had not been deceived
The other phase of this question which Sen
ator ingalls, does not venture to meet, Is that
tbe net in question involved a pure gratulty.
He attempts to create the impression that the
Government was in honor bound to do what
il did. but that is not the fact. Soldiers who
volunteered did so in full view of acts of Con
gress which fixed n time within which all
claims must be presented, and "a mode 10y which
all claims must be proved. No soldier had anv
claim whatever against the Government, legal
or equitable, who did not comply with the law
in force when ne enlisted. All this Mr.
ingalls, knows as well As any other man living.
Yet he lab0rs to make the public believe that
Congress was really bound to pay certain pen
SONS from the date of disability, whether
claimed within the prescribed time or not, and
whether supported by the required evidence
or not. On tins unfOunded plea the doors were
thrown wide open to fraud, and the Treasury
has been robbed to an almost incredible ex-
tent.
The majority of the Senate, it is said. sym
pathizcs with the Senator. So much the worse
for the majority. There will come a time, and
it is not far distant when robbery III the name
of Union soldiers will not be honorable There
will come a time when every man who votes to
defend or to continue this plunder Of the public
will keenly regret it.