Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-22

PensiOning General Grant.
The old, old story of pensioning on
General Z. S. Grant by placing him on
the retired list Of the army with liberal
allowance is now experiencing its custo-
mary revival in Congress. Senator Lo-
gan, of Illinois, appears. as usual, as the
champion of the measure, and has al
ready occupied a good deal of the time
of the Senate with his stereotyped
speeches eulogistic of the ex-President
and contending that his distinguished
services in the field entitle him to retire
ment with good rank and pay.
There is not one single soldier who
fought on the Federal side during the
late war. who is not more entitled to re
ceive honorable aud competent retire
meut than is General Grant. As Senator
Butler well saws. the retired list has been
reserved for disabled officers. and not
only did Grant emerge from the war
hale and hearty-n0t even wounded,
much less dissb,ed-but il any man in
any country OF the globe has ever been
well paid for services rendered Grant IS
that man. Twice he was made Pfesi-
dent Of the United States in recog-
milton of the fact that he hap
pened to be the ranking Genersl
of the army when the war ended,
ard on his account specially the salary
of that office, which hsd been cOnsid-
cred q sufficient remuneration for Wash
ington. Jefferson ard al other of his
illustriOus predecessors, was increased
one hundred per cent. This, however,
was but a very insignificant portion of
the pecuniary benefits be has received.
From the close Of the war to the present
time be has been the steady recipient of
pr sents Of all kinds and values, from
houses, lands and vast sums of money
down to cigars and bull pups.
This variety of gifts surely ought
to have anticipated his every possible
wish, and placed him above the remotest
chance of want, but. besides all these,
he has been Travelled, feted, dined,
wined, received receptions" and load
ed with all manner of hOnors, and it is
but recently that another large fortune
has been subscribed for and invested for
him in the North. Assuredly if there
can lie too much of good thing in this
world, General Grant ought really to be
surfeited with wealth and gifts.
General George Washington. the ami
verssry Of whose birth is this day cele-
brated, was far from being so wealthy a
man as General Grant is at present,
while the services he performed for his
country were much more self sacrificing
than those which have been rendered
by Grant. and certainly as much deserv-
ing of the gratitude of his fellow ciu-
zens. Yet, so far from either himself
OF any member of his family having been
supported at the public expense, his
nearest connections to-day are illegally
and Unjustly deprived by the government
Of their homes and property, while
not even a monument to his
memory has ever been erected at the
public expense. But personal friends
Of Mr.. Grant not only seem to think that
no amount of honor and wealth is too
great 10 be bestowed on him, but per-
sistently claim that he should, by al
means, become still more the psmpere1
child Of the State, and that the public
should be taxed 10 support him in prince
IL atiiuence for the rest OF his life. And
he very cOmplacently looks on, takes in,
without murmur, all their fiattery, and
quietly displays willingness to receive
anything further which his fellow citi
zens may. see fit TO bestOw upon him,
from a third Presidential term to sol
dier's pensiOn-providet, of course, the
latter is in proportion TO his late rank in
the army.
Naturally enough this proposition TO
impose General Grant on the charity of
the American people for life is meeting
with considerable opposition, based on
good grounds. If he is retired or pen
stoned either as an ex General or as an
ex President, all other Federal Generals
and all other ex-P Presidents should receive
ike consideration. This would benefit
Hayes, 1t is true, and would consider.
ably swell the present enormous pension
list of the country. Nevertheless justice
is Justice, and it should be done
if the heavens fail. We think, how
ever, that it will be far more just to the
American people If, instead of
pensloning Grant on their bounty,
he be henceforth quietly permitted
to live in the enjoyment of his
present competence. In this way the
country would be relieved of any further
burden for the support Of either himself
or anyone else, who is fully able to live
comfortably without heavy tribute being
exacted for their benefit from the toiling
masses, who frequently find it difficult
at times even to support themselves and
families.