National Republican., 1882-01-21
ARREARS OF PENSIONS.


At the Capitol to-day Critic reporter hearing
considerable comment upon Senator Bccks
criticisms on the act of Congress of January, 1879,
granting arreaIages of pensions to soldiers Of the
late war, took occasion to look the matter up.
Meeting a prominent Democratic politician, the
Critic man inquired of him what he thought of
Mr.. Becks position on repeating the arrearage
pension act.
ITO what particular position do you allude ~
inqrlredthe p. ID. p
ITO the position taken by that Senator In his
tariff speech last Tuesday," replied the reporter.
"And what was that2" queried the p ID. p.
ain his speech last Tuesday" continued the
reporter, "M Mr.. Beck said: l would promptly re.
peal the arrears of pension act 1t was conceived
In sin and brought forth in iniquity II is q fraud
upon the American people, and a standing monu.
ment to the Ignorance. selfshness, and cownrdice
of the American Congress-"
"Well," said the p. D. p., "Mr Beck has right
to speak for himself and If those are his senh-
ments aud he feels like uttcring them it is his
business and not mine"
"But," said thereporter, do not sucli declara-
tious commit the Democratic party to position of
opposition to the souiers of the country who saved
tile Union?
p. D. P-"Not at all. 1t is high time the people
of this country should understand that the Demo-
cratic party does not belong to any one man; that
no one man Is authorized to speak for the party
and that no one man can commit the party to any
ny HIS
either in the Senate0r out of it,"
"What do you think of his charges as to the
cowardiCe of the American Congress?"
=. ID. p" Well, think he Is the last man IN the
Senate that should talk Of CowaTdiCe in connec-
ton with the net granting arreHrages of pensions
II you will take the pains TO examine the Record
on the day that bill passed the Senate YOU will
find that Mr.. Beck was In the Senate on that day
and voted oil the last amendment TO the bill,
which amendment was not agreed to. The ques-
ton then recurred on the passage Of the bill. The
yeas and nays were ordered, and "a cowardly
Republicans and lG cowardly Democrats and /
cowardly lndependent-ii in all-voted yea and
| 4 Democrats voted nay. OF course you will say
| at once that Mr.. Beck was one Of TIE four But
was he? The Record shows that he was one of
! the brdue.twenty eight who were reported absent
| Now, when measure that was conceived In sin
and brought forth in iniquity, and fraud
upon the American people, was pending
| before the American Congress- and he was present
when It was being discussed, voting upon its
amendments, he ought 10 have faced the music
and voted NO.o.o! upon the passage of the bin,
thus putting 10 blush the forty four COwardly Sem
atOrs who had the tGmerity and the Cowardice to
| be present when the roll was called and to vote
for this standing monument to the ignorance, self
| ishness and COwardiCe of the American Congress-
"No, Mr. Reporter Mr.. Beck cannot commit the
! party to his rash declarations; neither can he
| make the world believe that he Is bruYer than any
one else until he cOrrccts his record. The fact is
| II is the abuses that have arisen under that aCt
that are to be complained Of and not the act itself
and Mr.. Beck should know it,"-Saturddys Critic.