The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-25
AN ANOMALOUS POSITION.
Ex-Confederates in the Pension Office Pass
ing Upon the Claims of Union Soldiers.

ing Upon the Claims OF Union Soldiers.
Washington Letter in Pittsburg Dispatch.
Il often think of the very anomalous po-
sition l occupy" said an ex-Confederate or
Ger to me, the other day.
He is a clerk in the Pension Office, and ex-
amines and passes upon the claims of ex-
Union soldiers and their heirs for pensions.
ut does look little queer, but then the
war Is over, and | am just as capable of tell
ing who is entitled to pension as any
Northern man." he continued.
Nevertheless" said 1. sit strikes me as
place an ex-Confederate. There is said to be
an eternal fitness of things, and this is a
conspicuous disregard of it."
Yes. i wonder sometimes how such
things come about" he replied musingly,
stroking his mustache, or rather the proud
upper lip which once wore one.
DO You ever come across the claims OF
those who were in the army of the Poto-
macp'
"Oh, yes; sometimes of those who were in
the commands fought. l tell you felt a
little delicacy about it at first. Now il
amuses me to think of it,"
Are there any other ex-Confederates In
the Pension Officer
Yes; several" r..
who put them there? Who put you
there?' 900 .s--s
Senator Mahone.n ,t5
Not all of them?'
mo; but lie has a number of men In Of
flee; more, 1 reckon than any other senator.
Malone is a man who takes care of his
friends" This was said with an air which
showed my ex-Confederate friends good
opinion of Malone.
"As much as | esteem you"-for my Con-
federate friend is Virginia gentleman
worthy of esteem-"as much as ] like YOU
personally in the flesh, I think if were a
dead soldier and you were passing or sus-
pending, or rejecting the claim of my widow
for pension, think my bones would burst
through the sod at Arlington"
"Ah my boy, l thought you were one of
those men without such prejudices" remark
ed MY Virginia friend, clapping me playful
ly on the shoulder but l don't find fault
with it, and as for examining pension cases
it is an accident, you know-a queer acct
dent" ' l.es
A queer accident, should say. And what
a world this is for such accidents! l thought
never pass the stately building occupied
by the Pension Bureau, but think of the
queer accident" which finds these ex-Con-
federate soldiers passing upon the claims of
the heirs OF their victims. | have known
my ex-Confederate friend for number Of
years He is an intelligent and well-educated
Virginian, and is doubtless a good clerk as
far as the civil service goes. There is some
thing repulsive in the idea of his being there
in that particular of1ice-repulsive to me as
an ex-Uniou soldier-must be repulsve to
every exUnon soldier, Democrat and
Republican, in the land. / do not
say it is not right. merely acknowl-
edge the sentimental feeling which is
within my bosom, and which causes it
to thrill impulsively as we near the day
set apart for the solemn ceremony of decor
rating with flowers the green graves OF the
Union dead. My ex-Confederate friend was
brave soldier as we'll as a Virginia gentle
man. By brave soldier is meant that he
rode at the head of his command sword in
hand, and killed as many Yankees as no
could. And having carried fire and sword
through the valley of Virginia, and with a
band OF reckless men, whom our own war
authorities called outlaws and guerillas,
made as many widows and orphans as a brave
man and dashing leader could make, he has
been assigned to settle the claims of these
widows and orphans for pensions. The fact
is as wonderful to him as to me. He is a
frank and honest gentleman, and we always
chaf each other on the subject when we
meet.
when l was securing the valley OF the
Shenandoah With my command | should
have thought it the most absurd and widest
dream, said he to me one day when We were
talking of it.
when l was Juggling musket In the val
ley Of the Cumberland at the same time,