The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-03-02
SENATOR VEST ON GRANTS
PENSION.

The speech of Senator Vest against
LOgan's bill to place Grant on the re-
tired list was able and eloquent, as are
all the efforts of the Missouri Senator.
He turned against Logan and Edmunds
and HOar their own weapons, quoting
from the two former against the princi-
pie involved, the remarks of Edmunds
being against the bill to retire General
Shields. He said, HOar's picture of
the corruption of Grants administra-
tiOn would live as long as the English
language is either spoken or written.
Concerning the effort to retire Shields,
Senator Vest said:
During the second session of the
FOrty-hfth Congress a bill was passed
by the House of Representatives, with
only SIX votes in the negative, authOriZ-
ing the President to place upon the re-
Jlreu list my predecessor upon this floor,
General James Shields, of Missouri.
That bill came to Republican Senate.
Broken IN body and fortune, MANNED by
shot and shell, with the SHOWS of sew
enty winters upon his head. this gallant
lrishman came to the Congress of his
adopted country and begged for the
pittance which would give him comfort
in his declining years.
Bulwer, with matchless pen and
pathOs, has drawn the picture of a
wounded veteran about to pledge for a
crust of bread his cross of the Legion of
Honor, given him upon the battle field
by the Emperor himself; but this pic
ture of fiction grows faint and cOlOrless
when | state that the gallant old sol
dier who came for relief to the Forty
fifth Congress had been forced by act
ual want to pawn the swords presented
to him by grateful States for gallantTy
and herOism. 1t would seem, Mr.. Pres
ident, that case like that would exOr-
else even the fiend of party; but let the
record show.
The bill placing General Shields upon
the retired list passed the House with
only six votes opposing, and was taken
up III the Republican Senate. By a
party vote, only one Democratic Senator
voting in the affirmative. the bill now
pending, placing General Grant on the
retired list was added as an amend
ment
The bill placing General Shields and
General Grant upon the retired list was
defeated by vote of 80 to 81 in Re-
publican Senate.
In reference to Grant the Senator
said;
We have been told of the hOnOrs and
wealth conferred by European Govern
ments upon distinguished soldiers, and
especially of England's munificence to
Wellington and Nelson. Sir, in this
country we have no privileged class.
To the aged and disabled officer, who
has given his life to military service,
| the retired list is open; for the Justice
of the Supreme Court, at the age of
| siXty-twO, there is honorable retirement
! with an Income; but beyond these two
| classes the people are the fountain Of
| office and salary. General Grant knew
| this, and yet deliberately and vOlunta-
rily left the life position provided for
him to try the brilliant but uncertain
chances of political life. Nor was he
dragged an unwilling captive to the
White House. He accepted the nOmin-
alton of political party, not the Presi-
dency from the spontaneous and uni
yersal acclaim of people.
To Grant the soldier, this country,
forever united, will be forever grateful;
to Grant, the politician, it owes nothing.
Not the American people, but General
Grant and his political followers,
marred the symmetry of his colossal
figure as it stood before the world at
AppOmattOx. To the pages of history,
emblazOned with military achievements
unequaled i'll modern times. has been
added another page, unequaled in the
pages of modern corruption.
In conclusion, Mr.. Vest denounced the
bill as a measure without a single
claim on the justice or generosity of the
American people.