The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-19
A Question of Patriotism and Pay.

WIN USSoALt lI4toAISA-
A Question of Patriotism and Pay.
The fayorite argument of those who are
opposed to the granting of pensions to our
ex-soidiers is that they "went into the war
with their eyes OPEN, and that, inasmuch as
they received the S13 a month which the
Government contracted to pay them, they
have no further claim upon it,"
This is equivalent to saying that our
veterans volunteered to take up arms in de-
Tense of the Union simply for the sake of the
promised pay-and that if it turned out bad
bargain for them they have only them
selves to blame, and should, therefore, make
the best of it. Granted that the premises are
sound, and the conclusion follows, as mat
ter of course; if they are fallacious, then no
form of reasoning, however subtle, will war
rant such an inference Now, what are
the facts? Is it true that our soldiers went
into the WARMTH their eyes open? In one
sense yes; in another, no. They compre-
hended that the secession of the Southern
States and their refusal to respect the au-
thority of the Federal Government threat
ened the integrity of the Republic, They
realized that the rebellion could only be put
down by force of arms, and that sacri-
fee of human life would be the inevitable
consequence. They knew that in offering
their services to the Government they placed
their lives in its hands to be disposed of as
it might see fit. They could not forsee, of
course all the hardships incidental to war
to which they would be subjected, for of
these they had had no experience; but, so
far as the ordinary risk of life which mill
tary service involves, they unquestionably
did 90 into the war with their eyes open.
Nay, more, they went into it eagerly and
with enthusiasm. inspired by the belief that
country which was worth saving would
not prove ungrateful to lis preservers
In all other respects, however they went
into the war stone blind. They did not
stop to consider, as no doubt the men who
are now defaming them did, whether they
could afford to give up comfortable homes
and lucrative employments for the beggarly
pay Of thirteen dollars per month, nor did
they pause to inquire whether they would
be paid In gold or deprecated currency.
Had they done SO, the capital might have
fallen into the hands Of the rebels while
they were yet higgling about the amount of
their wages, and that to say the least, would
have been az unlucky thing for the holders
Of Government bonds. They did not even
take the time to arrange for the support OF
their families In case they should be killed
in battle or staryed-but no, the possibility
themselves would permit them to starve to
death in prison had not then entered any
| body's thoughts. Even the shrewd eyes of
these modern cynics were not open to such
| contingency as that! The fact is that
/ they trusted implicitly to the Governments
sense of justice. Had it not promised to
/ care for him who should bear the battle and
for his widow and orphans, and was it to be
supposed that it would ever disregard a
pledge given in the name of whole Nation,
and at time when its very existence hung
upon their willingness to risk their lives in
| its defense? Could they have foreseen, then
that the very men who were loudest in APP
plauding their patriotism and urging them
| to hurry to the front would one day be
equally yociferous in protesting against the
fulfllment by the Government of this
pledge, perhaps they would not have been
so Indifferent to their individual interests
perhaps they would have held back and
rendered it necessary for the Government
: to order draft, in which event the fraud
shriekers of the present day might not now
be enjoying the profits of cowardice and
dishonor But they did not and could MOI
foresee the shameful treatment which they
were destined to receive at the hands of al
ungrateful Nation, and SO they went int
the war with no other thought than tina
the Union must and shall be preserved ~
TO their eternal honor be it said! They hay,
Jared badly, indeed; but to declare tina
they simply made a bad bargain with til,
Goyernment-as if they ought to hay,
made their own terms and refused to sti
from their homes until their terms had beer
accepted-and must now make the best 0
it. is TO make the most monstrous and crue