The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-06-19
ually dampening the patriotic ardor of the
coming neneration
Time for Congress to Act.

1t was but the other day that the news
papers announced the death, in poor-house,
of John Lawrence, Admiral Farragut's pilot
from 1861 until the close of the war. He
died a paralytic and pauper. This same
John Lawrence it was, who at the assault
and reduction of the defenses of Mobile,
standing on the deck of the flagship Brook
lyn, led the naval column past the rebel
fort and through the iron hail that poured
upon it from the Confederate iron-clads, and
was thus instrumental in winning one of
the most famous naval engagements of the
war. In that moment of peril he did not
once falter in his duty to his country, but
stood steadfast at his post. Yet an migrate
full Government permitted this hero to die
neglected and uncared for. He had never
received a pension.
But hard and intolerable as it must
seem to every one that such should be
the fate of a man who served his eoun-
try so long and CALAMITY, is this by
any means an isolated case? On the con-
trary, is it not true that in nearly every
town and village in the North there are to
be found cases of injustice and suffering and
neglect that, if not equally notorious, are
ct least quite as pitiabIe as this? There
is not a Senator or Congressman from
any State north of Mason and Dixon's Line
who does not know this to be the fact
whose daily mail does not bring him pa
thetic proof of it. In spite of all the charity
that the Grand Army has been able to dis
burse, the number of disabled and poverty
stricken veterans of destitute widows and
orphans continues to steadily increase.
Nearly twenty years have elapsed since the
var and many soldier who has hardly
passed the prime of life is prematurely old
and broken down. The hardships of war,
willingly endured at the time, are beginning
to tell upon our companions in arms They
have borne up bravely against adversely.
They have struggled hard against the en-
croachments of disease; they have made a
desperate battle against poverty. Many,
solely from motives of pride, have RETAINED
to this day from asking of the Government
that support which is justly their due, and
many others who have demanded it have
been compelled to submit to long years of
glieYous suspense and delay. It has been
said fiat our veterans are avaricious that
the Government has already treated them
with unexampled generosity, and that all
| deserving soldiers and sailors have been am
ply provided for. ''Avaricious when they
ask nothing more than the fulfllment of
the Governments own contract with them
Unexampled generosity when it is con-
ditioned upon their ability to prove their
claims to the satisfaction of more exacting
tribunal than any court or jury in the land
Amply provided forp-when they are COM
PEELED to seek refuge in the almshouse OF
die of want? No. we do not believe that
any such sentiment prevails in Congress OF
among the people. It is the desire of the
/ Nation that the laws delay shall be brought
TO an end, and that every poor and disabled
veteran and the helpless widows and or
phans Of the dead shall be promptly placed
upon the pension roll, and we believe that
Congress as whole is disposed to respect its
wishes. Nevertheless, it is a fact which
must be apparent to every careful observer
that so far this session Congress has practi-
cally done nothing towards putting an END
to this pension tragedy, and it is high time
that the friends of the soldier in both House:
should put aside all petty differences o
opinion, and, uniting solidly in support o
some just and comprehensive measure, pres:
it to vote.