The National tribune., 1884-04-24
A STIRRING DEBATE.
Sound Sense Aboat The Requirements
of The Pension Office.

IN fhe House Of Representatives, on Thurs
DAY las, the pension appropriation bin being
under discussion la Committee OF the Whole,
Nf COT. OF West Virginia with a view TO in
cooperating in the Aill prov isiOn by means Of
which the claims nsw pending before the Pen
sion Department Inight he adiudicafed at an
early date offered the following amendment:
And proceeded f1lr4lcr. That no proof snail here
after he required cililsr ~ pending cases or those
hereafter nied ar K the physical condition OF the
soldier in whose be half sR application is slace
the time he Was mustered into the service OF the
ltlrted States and al claims heretofore rejected
tlsat ground stall he seheard and il the proof is
satisfactory in other respects Je granted.
ia support Of his amendment AFR. Goff said /:
MF. Cllsirnian. the men in Whose iaterest
legsiatc and discuss questions presented here to-
day are rapidly growing cd Iaey are last pass
lnE away. lac widows 81 the dead soldiers oi The
army al tfe Union growing weary ol waiting
iof tae lnEieili OF tiie promises ioug since mace
10 tiienl. Congress tsss been. may say, even lev
isla ~ ~ legislative promises But IN many par
tlesrs j il's bcea nsos dereiict IA their Irsg!il
neut. Do gon realize ar. Chairman Inst
SJotEs5 claims are yet 0aadlu 'ile.tedg These
clitIls were 4iled in The aEne csf those who Tor
iiseIr csgasrg gave all they lac Egvether lives
thelr heEllh, and their strong Tlsnisiod. These
csiine are tlias unatiiudlcatco although twenty
Seats baEe elapsed since the tanle when these
suffered alid died
At this point Mr. COTS attention was called
90 the Tact thai the Committee on Invalid Pen
s0as had already reported a bill of the same
tenuF a. the amendment, but he very Justly
replied that The sesi way 90 secure this ieg5sla-
fion WAS through amendment 20 the pension
appropriation bifl rather than 10 take the
cllaacss with I'll that Eas low dawn on the
calendar. aa6 if ihey were all agreed as ia the
equity % the proposed legislation there was no
reason SHY it should not be enacted as he pro
posed. hesUDlnE his argument. he sand:
AN ELOQUENT APPEAL
For long weary years. have said the men in
<
wasting, foT u, aud coi8e tloi Thee soldiers
the arssis of the uHou sbese dead SOLDIER are
freedoms martyrs. rarg are Jewels ia the crown
OF eTgyi they worthy 81 the attention Of THIS
Congress; they are entitled TO your serious consid-
eraiiUh to-aay; they gathered from al sections;
They neglected al lDgslessiOiss they gave up an
ooll pailti4s they sacrificed homes; they deserted
wives, children. all and they marched under your
oaneT u De'itiif 70 the IN 81 duty down INTO he
gass oi Geaih And they did 80 moi for "a party not
tor a section; Nor did they 60 il FOR creed Tor
nle 81 ti parties tasted 81 he dregs OF the bitter
cup, a'ld soldiers OF AL sections and ali oreeds
sharedln Tie pfivaiions and the dangers and
the hoisors o. te battles Of the Union.
Why. MT. Chairman do you realize that The
mothers .. youf Them fay soldiers. many. very
nlaIy Of ilei are without pensions io-,iayy II l.
even not short ~ that tlis Of affairs
isis IA ilas !and to-day know thai many 0f you
Miil CLAIM tiai there has been immense
OF leeialailon IA favor OF the soldier. And yet
say. whe ys examine the reports ii the Commits
sigiler 81 Pensions yslu these suffering
mothers o. Lac dead soldiers Of The land still
es@4ns i yain Tor Tie relief that has been pTofiered
them " ny, sir ibiak what the country has
gained; then pause and contemplate what they
have iost They taNe been taught IA the school Of
adversely Trey noi unacausiiiied with grief
The children of their love given the cause
OF ct.ntstry and al tlle call OF duty.
All over your land to-day. in this beautiful
apFln9Fsille the grass Ii growing green the
graves iii talsr loved aid their l,,s I,r-e mothers
Tor islom speak gave al thai they could give for
the cause u their country. They have suffered
more Than we can here depict in language.
weigh laii- very hour 10 them Is full Of hitter
anguish known only those who Ia the bitter
ness oi grief are continually longing
For the touch Of a vanished hand
Aiid The sound 81 q voice tlizt is STILL"
WERE OUR soLDIERs ABLE BoDIED9
Now. Mr.. Chairman 7 claim that the men who
marched wiiil Grant. the sraIsdesi of grand SOL
clelsi tlIat the who marched with sherman
on has wonderful march, L. the sea: that the men
Who followed Phi. Sheridan ia the valley OF the
Siehandoell-fn Eden turned seetlIiiie he'll;
that tue nisn who followed le gallant young Gus
ion ii'as the who followed the lsnIier OF that
superb -oioier. grand his and true his
steel. hancock saai the nen who followed Gar
Aela. orr nflit1'ren and murdered President,
The thread Of hose renown
The faits to-day spin round and full.
Oil 81 their yiiOicrsi and their wbiiest wool;
that the men y 10 went with Fighting Joe Hooker
above tile clouds. thai Ihc nles aud lbe boys who
were siEpis enough 20 seize fle tiger OF rebellion
~ sl,e ti.1i aa slsasiige Il IN the jurgies q The
aiiaerse@s-filat those men should not be told
Gas thai they are not and not then strong
aOi's-isg.iiad nien. They should not be re-
eUifre ~ Essg witnesses 10 prove that hey then
Ia tisi dx performed well duty that men could
only perform when strong men
tise fleii. AIr. Chairman who fought in the
ErIes u Ice and Jackson brave headers Of brave
teii-iiisil Nitc are t-iSen usIer the Of
the American s,,ldier-tlose r,ls.t. saw ..,-das
Should is0t lie iistsited by being told iiley were
Nangi'siied ~ weak. disabled II IL only
sn insult - tlfe men who fought with Lee aua
jackson bi !. y iiso Insult To the soldier Of
eilis % i.se ta'ion 70 Say 10 him that the foe e
co''ietaea Mis was mol brave. gallant. aud
generous himself SOY The time has come
Wien We should have tiiis legislation and he done
Nlth these continual appeals Tor justice all Of
which ! conceded ~ esauh and every member OF
tli. Hosse.
Tie whose Interest il intended this legis-
iati'A Hlrl tine honorable chairman Of The Com
n3gfe ittva8d Pensions MIR saisuDn rys has
tr iloleres iie fteI whom she .+ieiis, from
ar4-issa- sr. Rogers sys llis rolsIt.liifee on the
faselil 0i Pensions Bounty a,d ISack la.l bz
siso Pr'skfded Tor. iic men for whose beneiil
have offered tiiis ameIldiaeui-sand dear knows
eii t'si saAIiis hon II II doi.e thai IL done-
t1e men ia Whose Interest tins II yToiIeFrd have
Hiasie Il i'"ssiisi- Tor Republic Of over 50Vg1mDs
fe''i'ie strong ga sie eiciiuils o; MI ctizells
"a fssiiIze ii iHsi tluti 10 faci Nation Of
ffiseH "i'o dread iio master. fear no king. and
kiieei 10 none hut their NiVa- Great applause.
MR. RANDALL OBJECTS.
A. tie concinsion o. Mr. COTS remaEks Mr..
Randall Desa.l. Of Pennsylvania rose TO
point O. order, and the following colioqny en-
sued
The cHAIRMAs. The point Of order must be
EnaIl tIpOa II.
Air- RANDALL. The point Of ORDER L. that the
u ee.H5Ill1. ~ ~Onia involve greater expense
bnt iils siilEi vi8essi 10 lIai does not come
Win iHs approval 81 tise COMMITTEES on Iavalid
Feiisi'3n- ~ t.ie Committee on Pensions
a Ml1EER. what difference Goes that maker
Aif- RANDALL 4 do nol want 70 legisiate Ia
thai way
Dir GoFf. A word ONLY as TO the objection that
te amendment IL Tie substance rs ti bali
reihisN ~ tlie COMMITTEE Invalid Pensions or
Tie nesset AsIItit the ia u Pensions
1Soossy aud isaek Pay 81 Tie gentleman from
feirs ig4liia sflA the two ls. viii haze
no diiietiiia reaching the conclusion, tl,at the
PROVISIONS 81 tie bail aid - tiiis amendment are
hVA the same This amendment may accomplish
oie - Tie oiecfs intended lac aelfllI sied l,y
the DIS 81 tis IsSsnIniee Invalid Pensions but
II SVS further tsaau That. The amendment have
ohefe4 provides liiat oen ~ lao recognized ar
eist i0 at'le ior DUTY II the time Of the begin.
aug - hAsl4itIss "a issl and who we're mustered
INTO tlie service. whose names appear ups.p the
fl5t-tssr-rGstls those men IN III de- considered
Capable 81 ctiy al the tiHIe their names were no
plaersd on te nItsitsf-Fos
ROW, siF. you aiu ia common With citizens
ftsfiliiy are esl''ps by cOiduca aud our sssas
" ly should tis m this particular the rule Of sssts,r,
pc apply 10 the Government alsog IN IA said
even tie gentleman from Pennsylvania viii mo-,
oeisy 'i-tbAt ~ial Intended Ice ACCOMPLISHED
should iDe dome. lie wis also adlit I filink we
have much bettef opportunity Of SECURING t!ais
legislation IA tiliz appropriation hill than viii
iiase iy waiting 10 enact either Of the isolated
provisions tiisi have been alluded hope the
gent cisin unless ir tliiuk absolutely essential
vii not insisl upon his point OF order.
Mf. RANDALL ilsslsl upon my point Of order