The National tribune., 1882-07-15
THE SOLDIER IN CONGRESS
INTERESTING DEBATE IN THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Able and Patriotic Speeches in the Interest of the
Men who Saved the Union-Scme Facts
which congressman Should Not
Foryct-The Nations Debt
TO the BOys in Blue.

the QcHGlCNCN blu Dy the house OF hepIC-
sentatiyes in reference to the support of sol
diars' national homes and the regulations for
admission TO those institutions The amend
ments, when under consideration, led to pro-
tractcd debate, some Of the more interesting
portions Of which We reproduce.
Mr. MoREY said: If there are soldiers and
sailors of the army and navy OF TIE United
States who have become incapacitated from
earning their support by reason Of disease con-
tracted or wounds received while III the line OF
their duty, and who are not yet provided for by
this Government, il is the duty of the American
people to take care of those wards of the Nation
whenever they apply to it for those comforts
which in battling for their country they have
lost the power to win fer themselves.
! submit that it is the duty Of this Govern
ment not only to take care Of those dependent
men who have lost their limbs or their health
in their country's service, but submit that 1t
is the duty OF this Government to provide Tor
their support out of the Treasury Of the United
States and not at the expense OF the bounty
which the Government has extended to any
wounded or manned man. The spirit of the
legislation which contemplated that reilet
should be extended to one class at the expense
OF those who were drawing pensions from the
Government is vicious and unjust.
II there is not room now in our national
homes LOT lnOSe VINO are ttlflltCBb u 'Jil VIC
Government, and who have become dependent
by reason of loss of health in service or wounds
received in battle, it is time we should enlarge
those homes and pay the just debt which we
owe to these men. This committee has just
said, on motion OF my hOnOred friend from
Ohio (Mr Shultz) that the national home is
a monument to the just regard which our Gov
ernment has for its Obligations to the disabled
soldiers of the Republic.
This very bill contains an appropriation to
cover the full estimate Of the expense of sup
porting these homes and suitably caring for
their inmates. 1t is not pretended that the
pension money is needed for that purpose. The
recommendations Of Generals Franklin and
McMahon are not put on that ground. 1t is
said sir, that many OF the inmates, rather than
lose that portion Of their pensions above So per
month, would iOrego its benefits and leave The
home. and thereby make room for the disabled
soldiers whose admission is provided for in the
clause which the gentleman from New York
proposes to strike out.
He says 1t must be struck out now, because
the provision appropriating the soldiers pen
sion money to the support of the home has been
struck out; that there Will not he room TO care
for the applicants who viii come from the
ranks Of the disabled sailors unless the number
of soldier beneficiarics is Iessened by present
ing 10 them the option of losing its benefits or
OF losing their pensions.
Sir believe this is not just, or in the spirit
of our legislation on this and kindred subjects.
/ do not believe either that these asylums
would be overrun or crowded beyond their ca
pacity. Their history does not justify that
conclusion. In the last annual report of the
board of managers the following significant
and suggestive statement is made:
The increase in the number of inmates during
the past year has been four hundred and eighty
three, about per cent, beng less than II has
been III any previous year. THIS met SHOWS that
the number Of inmates on the existing basis Oh
admission has arrived nearly at its maximum, as
the dra;h-rate must increase in greater ratio
from year to year.
The following statement of ages also appear
in the same report
Thirty TO 1913
Forty to = ~
fHtE 10 SKI 30.
sixty eight 81
Eighty To one hundred. ~
These figures sir. are silent and pathetic
witnesses to the statement of the board OF
managers that the death rate Of our veteran
heroes must increase III greater ratio from
year TO year.
A few have passed beyond the ripe old age
of eighty years, and look back in near cent
ury Of their country's history. They have seen
/ il grow from its carly beginnings and expand
| into the grand proportions it has now assumed.
/ In their ripe old age, while they await the
/ summons Of the grim harvester, grateful peo-
/ pie throws around them all the comforts and
/ joys that can come to age and dccrcpitude.
All are marching rapidly forward to that
! period in years when they must cross the line
/ between time and eternity. In the national
cemeteries lie buried more than three hundred
/ thousand Of the soldiers of the Republic, who
gave their lives that their country might live
/ Nature has already repaired that loss. SurNlv-
/ ing friends may mourn the absence OF loved
/ ones who have gone before. Nature has en-
/ 4 ilV
throws over them the mantle Of her beauty
/ while the swelling tide of our fifty millions OF
| population sweeps on to the glorious possible
| ties of the future.
Let us now take care of the living and re-
I deem the pledges that were made to them. The
. Republic said to her sons, " Go forth and battle
for your country. The Government Will care
for the manned and wounded and those DIS
ablcd by disease. We will care for the widow
and the orphan and for the dependent father
| and mother who lose the stay Of their declining
| years in loved and cherished son on the field
! of battle
| know that our pension roll is tlse largest II
! the world, and that our expenditures Tor th'
! heroes of our wars and their families has NJ
parallel in history. That our pension law is ;
monstrosity, as asserted by the late postmaster
general of the confederacy, Mr. Reagan
deny. 1t is in perfect harmony with the spiri
/ of our institutions.
Our Government pays pensions to its soldier
who endured the hardships of the march ant
were exposed to the dangers of battle, as i
agreed to do Other nations pay them to roy
atty and to rank.
England gave Lord Nelson and his heir
! $1,310000; To the Duke of Marlborough anC
his heirs So, $4,000; to the Duke OF yelling
ton and his successors more than $3,0OO,01O
while the heirs of the Duke of SchOmberg, wh'
fell nj the battle of the Boyne have drawn
from the royal treasury the enormous sum o
s. 100000. No such example can be found II
the history of our country.
i Englands army numbers 131 600 men. TIL
army Of the United States numbers $4,000 men
Her army costs near $l00,000000 per annum
Our army costs $40, 100000 per annum.
England pays $l2,000O00 per year on tn
average for pensions. The United States pay
an average sum since the war Of the rebellion
of S5O,0G00OO
But, my fellow-mcmbers, our army and on
pensions costs us less than England's cost hen
Our army is the patriotic and loyal citizens o
the Republic. We take care of our veteran
and OF their little ones, and because we are jus
to them we can call to arms to-day, il needs be
an army that will defy the world.
Our national cemeteries with their sacre
dus,, our national homes filed with the M
lions waIds, our pension-rOll sending relic
and comfort into thousands of homes wher
otherwise would be hunger and want and sui
/ fering, are the monuments a grateful Republi
has erected, and the Just recOmpense it pays t
those who were its defense and succ0r i'll til
hour Of its extremity.
Mr.. CANNON. | would like to ask the gentle
man question.
Mr. Nancy