The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-02
A GREAT DAYS WORK IN THEE
SENATE
Phila. Ledger

Inlla. AfeuSSIJ
At least four incidents connected with
the defeat, on Monday, of the 'arrears"
amendment to the Mexican Pension bill
are very satisfactory. First, it was a re-
buke demagoguery; second, it endorsed
"caucus" in a lmatter of legislation
third, it has checked for time the head
long plunges of Congress into schemes
for squandering the public money; and
fourth, it has preserved for future use
and for more pressing needs of the Coy
eminent not less than hundred millions
of public money-some estimate it at
| two hundred millions. 1t must be con
ceded that it was good days work for
the Senate when all that was accomplish
ed.
Almost continually since the close Of
the war, party leaders and party organl-
cations have been trimming for the
Soldier vote" entirely reckless of the
public interest, and some of the devices
have been IN the nature OF insults to the
soldiers, placing them in the attitude of
mendicants and jobbers, Demagogues
on both sides have gone wild in their
attempts to capture the "boy5 in blue
as if the latter had their votes in the
market to be auctioned off to the highest
bidder. There has never been time
when the people of the country were
not ready, willing and eager for Con
gress to grant pensions to those disabled
in the war, whether by wounds or sick
ness, and to the widows, orphans and
other dependent kindred of those who
were killed or died because of their ser
vice. Laws to effect these purposes were
always promptly passed by Congress and
approved by the people. But this did
not satisfy the demagogues-nor the
pension claim agents-and so, after
several just pension laws were passed
providing or intending to provide tor
all meritorious cases, the second "Ar-
rears" bill was introduced in 1879 and
was whirled through the House of Repre-
sentatiyes in frenzy of excitement and
of cOwardly Sinking of public duty, in
spite of the warning that it would cost
the treasury hundred millions of waste
full expenditure. The bill then passed
the Senate and was approved by the
President under the same influences.
The House was Democratic, and the
Senate and the President (Hayes) were
Republican, but all of them equally
shrunk before the demagogic hurrah.
General Grant (soldier himself and un
impeachably loyaD did not allow him
self to be swung from his duty that way
for he vetoed a similar bill This last
defeat of a new edition of the "arrears"
schemes ON Monday now gives another
check to demagoguery.
1t is welcome thing also to observe
that the defeat was brought about by
the position taken by nine Republican
Senators against an attempt to bind
their consciences and their oaths as
Senators by party caucus dictum on
most important measure of legislation.
These were Messrs. Sherman, Aldrich,
Edmunds, Hawley, Morrill,, Sewell
Riddleberger, HOar and Plat, the first
seven voting against the bill, and the
last two being paired against it. They
Joined thirty Democratic Senators, who,
to their credit, stood firm, as significant
contrast to the way the Democratic
representatives went into a craze and
tumbled over each other in their eager
ness TO vote early and as often as thew
could for the Pension arrears" bill Of
1879. All OF the above named or indi-
'ated Senators of both parties exhibited
moral courage; and who will
undertake to impeach the loyalty 10 the
Union soldiers of General HaYley or
General Sewell?
But the Republican Senators had 10
ACE another sort of music than any that
confronted the Democrats. Their fellow
1arty men had held Caucus" and
had decided that this "arrears" scheme
hould go through the Senate, and there
S a "plank" in the recently constructed
chicago platform that endorsed its pol
cy. Senator Ingalls, undertook to re-
'rove Senator Sherman for going in OPP
'osition to the Chicago platform. But
Ieither the caucus nor the Chicago re-
olive had any terrors for the seasoned
)hio Senator, and he in turn admins
cred & grand lesson to the Kansas Sen
tor Referring first to the way the
'hIcago platform was got up, he contin-
ed by saying:
TO call document framed RRdek
lch circumstances a guide for Senators
influence them in the deliberate exer-
sc OF their public duty h an extra
'dinary thing. have as much respect
u my party associates as anybody or
lybody ought to have, but it is Con
TESS, chosen under the Constitution.
at must prescribe the laws of the coun,
y"
That Is worthy Of print in Conspicuous
pc. 1t is not for party caucus de-
ee, or q Convention resolve, to in
lence the oath-bound duty of a Sen.
or Of the United States. It is Congress
at is to make the laws, and not caucus
Convention. That is the way to look
public duty; and in this instance it
IS saved to the public not less than
inbred millions Of dollars, for, in all
disability, If this amendment had pass
the senate, there would have been
lough trimming demagogues in the
ouse to whirl it through.