The National tribune., 1882-03-11

/ not forgotten the services which entitlc these
! 2G900C claimants to the support Of the Gen
cral Government, and it IS not by their wish
that this support has been 50 long withheld.
Stoutly as they have upheld the doctrine
that the public debt should be paid to the
uttcrmoSt iarthing, they have never placed
! the rights Of the capitalists who invested
! their money in the gold Understanding
! bonds Of the Government above those Of the
| patriots who risked their lives in defence Of
the Union, and they are not now prepared
! TO let the latter be neglected while the for
mer are so well protected. We are not dis
| posed TO under-value the aid which our own
and foreign capitalists rendered the Govern
ment at time when the issue of the war
was still prohlematcal and the resources of
the Treasury were taxed to the utmost to
meet the heavy drain upon it. But for
| their readiness to accept the notes of the
NoNCIhNhclt, the Iat(er WOuld nave DCCh
forced to lay ruinous imposts upon the wealth
and trade and industry of tho country, and
the unhappy conflict might have been pro-
! tracted some years longer. They are entitled
to receive dollar for dollar the money they
loaned on the strength of the Nations prom
iscs to pay, and the country could better
afford to submit to a special tax than not to
observe good faith with them. But at the
same time it should not be forgotten that
the transaction was of purely business
character, and that in order to ncgotiate its
securities, the Government offered the most
tempting inducements to investors, accept
ing its own deprecated currency at face value
in payment for its bonds, while stipuIating
to pay them iii gold, and guaranteeing a'high
rate of interest. There is not a capitalist in
the country that wouldn't Jump now at such
an opportunity for investment, and we have
lately seen that even at 3 per cent. interest,"
United States bonds find plenty of takers
The obligation to pay the public debt while
sacrcdIy binding upon the country. Is one,
therefore, of Il business nature solely, and
quite free from any sentimental consd.ra-
ton.
Far different is it with the debt which is
owing to the soldier. No selfish motive
entered into that compact Patriotism OF
the most exalted type was the inspiration
which prompted the response Of the Ameri-
can people to the call for volunteers and
impclled them to offer up their lives for the
preservation Of the Union. When. the pub
lie debt shall have been paid oil. as it viii
at no distant day, in accordance with our
financial policy, there viii he an end of our
obligations to the bandholJrr, but money
can never rccom?cusc the soldier for his
sacrifices. By It's magic touch, it is true, king
doms have been .Iyatcd and empires over
turned; ii has proved an open sesame 70 the
Glyorof kings and the friendship
Bat it Gnno; bring back the dead to lie OF
make the cripple whole, How small and con
temptildc il is, then, to let the soldier wait
On crutrhcs al The door of tho Treasury for
the settlement Of his claim, while the fat
and prosperous bonlhoIdcr is paid upon the
spot!
But to double the force in the Pension
Bureau win cost 4 good deal! Ios, it viii
You can figure i. out fer yoursclf MI
Congressman, and YOU VIII find that to
employ 1850 clerks, Tor on, year. viii cost
jasr twice as much us 60 clerks for the same
period, bat not a cent more than to employ f.
90 clerks for two years! 1t is simply F.
question whether you choose to spend the T.
money q, once OF dole it out in SMALL sums .
froa year to year and thus keep the claim .
ant waiting as long as possible. If there hc .
anything approaching economy indeed .
ausht save parsjnony Of the inc.mcst SOY, I
in the latter course, we fail to comprehend .
it,
Let us see: The first shot Of the rebellion .
was fired in 81. Those who were in their .
prime then, by this timc if they have
survived. must be in their old u-c. Iru .
takes ten years to settle tie pending claims, .
some of the claimants viii. long before that .
time, have fled their papers in another
world, where Justice is less ton'y than u .
this. VIII CONGRESS, through sheer neglect.
let this appeal he taken? We should he
10th to aduit it. II would bc the crownug
disgrace of fine Republic, and We do not
believe that the public viii allow il 80 hc
cousummatcd Congress must I@ce this issue
squarcIy and fairly. It concerns tie comfort,
and perhaps, even, The very existence of
and its consideration has been
delayed too long already.
The Common Soidicr.
As Time casts its glamour over The battles
Of tho war the achievements of its ,,r.,t /