The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-07-21
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,
From our Regular Correspondent

of criticism. However this may be
it is fact that, with all our boosted
intelligence, there is an immense
amount of ignorance upon the gener-
al subject. There certainly is no safer
thing for republic to do than to re-
member its soldiers, for other times
OF peril may possibly come, when the
strong arm of the nation must be
found in it's citizen soldiery. Abra-
ham Lincoln in his wonderful inau-
gural during the war said "Let us
bind up the nations wounds and
care for him who has borne the heat
and burden of the battle for his Wild
ow and his orphans" This utter
ance is in perfect accord with all the
history of our national life. Prior to
to the war of the rebellion it is diff
cult from data at hand to ascertain
how many were pensioned as invalids
in old war service, June 80, 1882
there were 81 surviving widows of
revolutionary soldiers and sailors
who were drawing pensions, and not
a single soldier. Evidently these old
heroes, like their gallant descendants,
believed in the theory of marrying
the young women. February IA,
1871, the act was passed granting
napciOpc fo COlJiaro Of Tho x,,oro F1o1O
which was followed by the act of
March 8, 1878, granting service pen
sion to every soldier who served IA
days or was in one engagement. or to
the widow of any such soldier or
sailor. When the first act was pass
ed it was supposed the whole num-
Der of applicants would not exceed
10000, but up to June 80, 1882, appli-
cations were made by "a, 533 survivors
and 1928 widows, and 1851 suryi-
vors and 1855 widows were pension
ed and have been paid the gross sum
of S25, 234, 232.S5.
grant service pension to the Next
can soldiers, but they have heretofore
failed on account of opposition to
pensioning JEFF. DAVIS, for heroic SER
vice in that early struggle, after his
disloyalty during the rebellion. Such
action should be had as to apply this
measure of justice to these old battle
scared veterans who were at Mont
Grey and at the storming of Chepul-
tepec. The question that most in
terests the public is How many of
those who served in the late war are
entitled to a pension? The enlist
ments embraced 2,045 men for 60
days, los, 416 for three months, 49,
507 Tor 100 days, AZ for four months,
26,11S for six months, 37S for eight
months, S9,S99 for nine months, $751;
706 for one year, A, 400 for two years,
2,O28,63O for three years, 1,042 for
four years, making a grand total of
2,780, 178 enlistments. From the most
reliable data it is found that an ag-
gregate of 2,046,969 different soldiers
did service for longer or shorter
period. 1874 ,2O9 of the 2,7S0,178 being
Refreshments. Of this vast, number
304, 1863 died on the field, in camp, or
in hospitals 2S5, 545 were discharged
for disability. 49, 53 living soldiers
and sailors and 379, 1903 relative of de-
ceased soldiers and sailors have ap-
piled for pensions, making grand
total of 1877 1861 claims which had
been filed in the Pension Office up to
July July 1. 1882. OF this aggregate
nearly 100000 were applications for
old war pensions. Including old war
applications the grand total of claims
allowed since July /, 1860, reached
472, 776, of which 2S5.697 were still on
the rolls June 80, 1881.
The total pensions allowed in the
seeding States was only Is, 220, leav-
ing 254,642 which were granted to
soldiers in the States and Territories
loyal to the Union. New York had
80, 1853 pensioners on the rolls July 1,
1882, who received during the pre-
vious year as annual pensions and
arrears 81, 674,12 Pennsylvania had
80, 1855 pensions, ETC., paid 81 ,555, 1886.
Ohio had &c, 1926 pensions, &C., paid,
So, 769 O53. Illinois had 21,498 pen
sioners, who receive $3.50, 672, and
Indiana had 17,400, who were paid
pensions and arrears 5,S56,089. The
total payments of pensions to old war
claimants, to soldiers and widows of
war of 1912, and pensions and arrears
of soldiers of the war of the rebellion,
from July 1, 1860, to July 1, 1882,
amounted to the enormous sum of
$500 .641 ,324.75. This vast sum shows
what kind of an estimate the nation