Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-09-18


sion bill was before the House, We attempted
to secure amendments similar In some re-
| spects to the amendments now under consid-
Grafton, but failed. On the night when We
had our first all night session went TO Mr..
HEWITT and requested his consent to these
amendments, promising in this event that
We would support his bill and break the
deadlock which was then impeding all legis-
lation; but he refused, and his side OF the
House then as now stood by him in his oppo-
sltlon to this class OF legislation.
When the present bill was passed by this
House it was also passed under suspension
OF the rules, when no amendments could be
made and when all discussion was limited to
thirty minutes. The Hewitt bill was aban-
doned when We showed a determination TO
amend it, and the present bill, the Townshend
bill, was passed, in the manner l have indi-
Gated, and sent TO the Senate, where it was
amended and put in its present form.
We are asked why these amendments are
not presented in a separate bill, when this
/ House knows very well that numerous bills
embracing every line OF these amendments
have been introduced, and were introduced
| at the opening of the session, and seven
months have elapsed and yet these bills in
which the soldiers of tins country, and in
which the patriotic people of this country
u
| single report has been made in regard to the
equalization of bounties, in regard to the
| payment OF arrears OF pensions, in regard to
the increase of the pensions OF widows whose
/ husbands were killed in battle or died from
| diseases contracted in the service, in regard
| TO continuing the pensions OF the imbecile,
| blind, and idiotc children whose fathers gave
their lives to their country, or in regard to
| any one of a hundred bills introduced in be-
half of the soldiers in order to make good
the promises and obligations of the Govern
ment to its brave defenders. These bills have
been throttled and hearing denied. Dem
ocratic committees do not deign TO consider
such bills, nor do they dare to report against
them.
The course pursued by this House in re-
gard to the claims of soldiers is certainly
marvellous Aside from a bill or two remov-
ing the charge of desertion, this House has
passed no bill during this long session chang
ing in any way the pension laws, bounty
laws, back pay, or any other law affecting
the soldiers, except the bill before referred
to as reported by General WARNER. Not
only this. but the Republicans have been
given no opportunity 10 amend any law or
to attempt to amend any law in this direc-
ton. The Hewitt bill was abandoned, the
Townshend bill and the Warner bill were
passed on suspension day and under a sus-
pension of the rules, so as to prevent any
amendments whatever. The House and
every committee of the House is under the
domination of the Democratic party, and
the only way in which we can hope to get
any legislation in the interest Of the Union
soldier is to attach it to the Mexican pension
bill, a bill in which the other side appears
to be more interested than in bills pensioning
the soldiers of the late war.
The objections to the Senate amendments of
the Mexican pension bill now under consid
Grafton are based on the fact that it makes
certain provisions for the Union soldiers.
Let us see what these provisions are. 1t
provides that no honorably discharged SOL
der shall be prevented from receiving pen
sion because he can not prove he was sound
when he entered the service; or because he
can not show when and where he contracted
the disability; or because he can not show
that he was treated by surgeon for this
particular disease; or because the hospital
records fail to show certain facts. Or, in
other words, if a soldier has disability
which might have been incurred in the
vice, and is also dependent on his own labor
for his support, under this bill he receives
pension. The same provision is made for
the widow in case the husband is dead.
In cases in which minor children now
draw pension until they are 16years OF age
this bill proposes that the pension shall con-
tinue after they are Is if they are imbeciles,
idiots, or blind. They are as dependent al
ter they become Is as they were before; and
as their father, their natural protector, gave
his life to his country, the Government owes
these helpless dependents support. 1t also
provides that the widowsiHnd minor children
of soldiers and sailors who are now receiv-
IN
thereof $l2 month, an increase of 81
month. And in another section it provides
that dependent parents shall not be tequired
to prove that son who lost his life in the
service intended to support them, but this
fact will be presumed where the soldier left
no widow or children. 1t also provides that
in case of the death of any pensioner, leav-
ing widow or minor child under Is years
of age, or both, such widow and minor child
or children shall be entitled to a pension,
without being required to prove, as at pres
ent, that the death of such pensioner was
due to his military or naval service.
These are the provisions which are OBJ
jected to by the other side of this House. |
These are the changes in the laws which are |
resisted here from day to day and from night |
TO night by the Democratic side of this
House, with some honorable exceptions. In |
worlds history, no law was ever proposed |
which had more of the milk of human kind |
ness in it, more of patriotism and gratitude |
in it, more OF justice and equity in it, than |
the one now under consideration. And gen. |
tlemen will find that the defeat of this meas |
ure will follow them as blighting memory |
wherever soldiers grave is marked, where
ever a soldiers widow weeps, and wherever
a soldiers orphan suffers the pangs of hun
ger or cold. This is only an act of justice,
a debt of gratitude, sacred duty. How
dare you shrink from this solemn obligation?
The graves of these soldiers are all about
you. The wants of these widows meet you
in all the pathways of life The voices from
half million graves plead for the support
and maintenance of their helpless children.
Let me warn you to-day that in defeating
this measure you will enkindle a storm of
indignation which will sweep you and your
party from the power you now so shamefully
abuse.
The passage of this bill as amended is OBJ
iected to because it will cost the Government
an immense sum of money. What if it does?
Can any government afford to repudiate its
Just and fair obligations? We can better af-
ford to pay to these dependent and merito-
rious wards of the nation every dollar con-
templated in this bill, and as much more,
tnan we can aHOrQ 10 repuulate Sucn Olnu-
ing obligation. The other side of this
House advocates revenue system which
would compel us to pay three or four hum
dred millions year to foreigners and to
foreign lands, while they object to paying
few millions to our own deserving poor.
1t has been stated here on this floor that this
bill would cost the Government from fifty to
one hundred millions year. At the in
stance of members of both Houses, Com
missioner Dudley has carefully computed
the cost, and he declares that it will not cost
over $4,000 900 year-the bill and the
Senate amendments. He estimates that pen
sions to the survivors of the Mexican war
will not exceed $3,500,C00, and that the PEN
sions provided for in the Senate amendments
for the Union soldiers will not exceed Sl2,-
100000. General Dudley is thoroughly
competent to make this calculation, and has
the assistance of the best experts in the
United States. He has made it, and risks
his reputation on its correctness. 1t was
stated to you correctly by Mr.. TowNsHEND,
and 1 only repeat it because the amount has
been given me twice by General Dudley
pending this contest. And this $4,000, 600