The National tribune., 1882-06-24
RIGHTS OF THE SOLDIER.
MANLY SPEECH OF A VERMONT REP.
RESENTATIvE IN CONGRESS.
Col. Joyce Defends the Men who Saved the
Nation from SIandcrous Assaults, and
Points Out the Duty OF the Gov
ernment-An Unanswer-
able Argument.

bv Col C. H. Joyce. of Vermont, in support OF
the bill rrovidinC for an increase in the clcr-
icaI f rec in the Pension Bureau. Such is the
widespread interest IN the subject that we
nrint complete abstract Of Colonel Joyce's re
marks. and commend his patriotic uttcrances
to the earnest attention Of comrades all over
the land.
Mr. CuATEMAN: Heroic achievements, manly
courage. unSclfish patriotism. and noble devO-
tjon. even unto death, in the cause Of ones
country. have always commanded the respect
and admiration of mankind and covered the
hero with glory and honor.
In all ares and among all nations those who
in the hour of danger have periled their lives
in defense Of their country have been honorcd
with titles and orders. with PROFESSIONS and
triumphs with rewards and pensions. while
living and with statues and columns and monu-
ments when dead History informs us that
orators sculptors, and poets have WED with
each other in sounding and peTpetuatinE their
fame and in handing their names and history
down TO postcrity for example and emulation.
The hrazcu pillar and marble shaft arc reared
TO mark their final resting place, and to tell
the weary and anxious pilgrim that the soil
vhereon he stands is holy ground.
II is the universe and spontaneous tribute
of affection and reverence which a grateful
country pays 10 her devoted sons.
Tbenat1Ir,,l instincts Of mankind have always
prompted them 10 honor the memory of the
patriot and hero.
The silent cities of the heroic dead have
everywhere been held sacred. Art has adorned
them with the most beautiful monuments. and
over them genius has uttered those sublime
sentiments of universal gratitude and vcnera-
tjou which men have ever cherished for those
whose ashes they contain.
Greece had her Monuments and tunuli; ;
I"gr,-v, Inv.
mids; England has her towers. hersqUareS, and
her Westminster Abbey: France her columns
of victory and her Hotc, deS Inr0l'dcS; while
here the hero. whose sword wins the battle for
the free receives Just and grateful recognition
by the Republic, political prccrmeut and
honorable distinction from the people, and an
enduring monument in the hearts OF his fellow
citizens. This patriotic and generous policy
adopted and followed by all nations, is based
upon the theory that every good citizen is
ALWAYS ready. and that il IS his hOunden duty,
10 not only contribute OF hIS means 10 the sup
port of the Government. but 10 voluntarily
give his services and his life, if need he, for his
country.
The service which the soldier renders may
be voluntary. but ii IS no; a service which he
may give or withhold a pleasure, hut one
which if not ofCrcG. may be compelled by the
strong arm the Government.
The recognition hv Inc state Of the distin-
Cuehcd military services OF its citizens in its
support and defense III the form Of a pension,
though sometimes granted as a charity, or as
an act of grace. is generally given in fulfill
mcnt of solne promise made by tho Government,
or induCCmcut held out to the soldier either At
the time or after his enlistment. It Is not
given % every man VINO performs military ser
ylrc. however distinguished aud mcrltoriOus
that service may be- but to those only who re-
ceive wounds or contract disease while in the
Of 5sf- he ion pf ia
Government is to make the soldier good, as far
as money can do it, for the injuries he received,
or. in other words, to make up to him as
mush rs he could have earned at his trade
OF vocation if he had not been wounded or had
not contracted the disease.
UuaeT this rule, and IN my judgment It is
both Just and nagnanimOus, no man is entitled
10 pension Tor military service except those
who have received disabling wounds or injuries
during the waT, and the widows. minor child
ren, and dependent relatives of tnosc who were
killed or have since di q from the elects OF
such service. This IS the humane policy rccog-
nlzed and acted upon by every civilized Coun-
try on the globe.
In this connection desire also 10 say that l
would not create civil pension llst by grant
ing pensions TO men who arc UnlmjurrG IN the
civil service Of tfle Government They 20
into that service voluntarily, and cannot be
compelled TO enter i against their Will, and
can leave when they please. When they as
sumo the duties they take al the risks and are
pad for doing 50. / believe pensions should
only bc granted 20 men who have bocn injured
in the military or naval service Of the country
and without stopping here to elaborate the
point, ! viii simply say that in my judgment
we are not called upon in granting pcLsion5 "a
break down the barriers set up by our fathers
between the military and civil service, and
launch out into 4 sea which fear would prove
shorcless and bOttonless.
The soldiers whose names are now on the
pcusOn-rOlls and those whose claims arc now
awaiting action in the Pension Office, as well
Is those now pending before Congress, are not
receiving OF asking for charity, or a gratuitT
but their claims are based upon solemn prom
iso made to them by Congress at the time O!
their enlistment, or immediately thereafter
that in case they were disabled the Govern
ment would protect them and their families
from want and starvation.
When the war broke out in April, 1861
there was no law upon the statute book givint
pensions to volunteers, but following the grca
unwrittcn law of nations, based upon justice
and humanity, Congress, as early AZ July, 1861
passed "A law entitled An act to authorize tht
employment OF volunteers 10 aid in enforcing
the law and protecting public property"
The very title Of the act clearly indicated
what the purpose or intention OF Congress va
in its passage.
That act among other things provided
"that any volunteer who may be received int
the service of the United States under thi
act and who may be wounded or Otherwis
disabled in the service, shall be entitled to tn
benefits which have been may be COnierrc
OH such persons disabled IN the regular ser
vice and the widow, if there be one, and
not the legal heirs of such as die may b
killed in service, III addition 10 all arrears o
pay and allowances shall receive the sum o
800.
Here. sir, we see that almost before maj
went into the field, before the great mass O
cnlistments was made, the public law declaTe
that if the soldier was disabled in the seryic
he should be pensioncd, and if he WAS killc
or died of disease contracted in that service
his widow, his orphan children, or, if he wa
not married, his dependent father and mothe
should be entitled TO the pension bOunt
prescribed by the law
3" So that the contract, whatever il was, Wa
entered into in view Of the fact that ther
was provision made for the unfortunate con
tingencics of death or disability contracted il
the service"
This act of July, 1861, was followed b.
others affirming and extending the principle c
pensioning the disabled soldiers Of the wal
aud their relatives, as embodied in that act
and at the close of that terrible struggle, whe
most Of this great pension debt had been III
CURED, so sacred was IL considered by tn
people and so anxious were all parties that
should he paid that the Legislatures of thiTt
Of the then thirty-siX States crystalIzed thef
acknowledgment Of its sacred character, an
the obligation to pay 1t, into the form of