The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-04-15
The SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY.
TUESDAY, APRIL Is, 1884.
From the N. Y. Sun.
The Senate and the Mexican War
Pensions.

Pensions.
Upon the Senate is now placed the re
sponsibility OF accepting or rejecting
NJ. Townshend's Mexican pension bill
which the House passed under suspen
sion Of The rules, BY 227 yeas against Al
nays, AT members not voting.
The measure thus driven through lbt
House Of Representatives with whip ana
spur, after a debate OF only thirty min
utes, was a manuscript bill, loosely
drawn, sipshod in grammar, but i'm
measurably more Objectionable in its sub
stance. II possesses the great merit over
the many printed bills for which ii is a
substitute OF combining itself to the var
With Mexico, instead OF sweeping in, to
share its reckless bounty, every survivor
who served unhurt for even thirty days
in the Seminole or Black Hawk wars, or
in what one bill diplomaically styled the
Creek disturbances" But it contains
the unsound and dangerous principle OF
giving lifelong pensions at 50 month
for simple acts Of service, without any
reference to wounds, sickness, death. or
even the need Of Government assistance
The House bill contains seven Sec
tions, of which tue 6rst is the one that
deserves the Senate's special attention:
"That the Secretary Of the Interior be
and be is hereby authorized and directed
to place on the pension roll the names OF
the surviving officers and enlisted men,
including marines, militia, and volunteere,
of the naval and military services OF the
United States who served sixty days in
the war of 1S46 and 1S47 and lS4S W tn
Mexico, or who, being enlisted as afore-
said, actually served with the army or
navy OF the United States in Mexico in
SAID war, or we're actually engaged in a
hattie in said war, and were .honorably
discharged, and to such other officers
and soldiers and sailors as may have
been personally named In any resolution
OF Congress for any specific service in
said war, although their term Of service
may have been less than sixty days, and
the surviving widows OF such officers and
enlisted men as were marriedto such off,
GERS or soldiers or sailors prior to the
discharge OF such officers and enlisted
men: Provided, that such widows have
not remarked: and provided further,
that this act shall not apply to any per-
son not a citizen OF the United States"
10 the Senate prepared 10 concur in
this bill? 1t includes among its pro-
posed benefciaries men who not only
do not need Government aid, but are to.
day independently rich it may include
men who did not reach MEXICO till the
war was over, or never reached it all it
may pension men who never had days
illness, who never fired q musket or smel,
powder; and 1t even gathers in the Wild
ows OF sach veterans.
1t will probably be ans wered that how
ever vicious, this principle OF pensions
for service only is not new one, having
been already applied to veterans of the
Revolution and of 1912 No one, how
ever, can seriously claim that the pecu-
liar sentimental considerations felt for
the founders OF our Government were
as precedsnts for every war in
which the country might engage. Yet
even theSe veterans we're not pensioDed
for mere service until 1878, and then
we're required 10 show that they had
served at least nine months, and also
that they were in actual need of pecuni-
ary assistance--restrictions not removed
until 1882, or more than hall q century
after the surrender at Yorktown. Even
the 1912 veterans, although some we're
soldiers, were not put up-
on this exceptional footing OF pensions
for sheer service until ffty-six years az
ter their war was ended and then, in the
year 1871, when the few octogenarians
surviving we're popularity looked upon
much like the Revolutionary patriots.
the sixty days service pension was al
lowed to them. But now the country,
thirty-six years after the Mexican war,
is asked to confer lif- long pensions upon
men who served in 1t only two months,
and who cannot make the affidavit of
need required even of Revolutionary
pensioners in 1878.
The Senate, then, can hardly put the
pending measure on the single ground
OF precedent There are, on the con-
trarv, several distinct reasons for main
tanning that the Revolutionary and 1872
pensions are not exact precedents. But
what the Senate will do by concurring in
this measure 10 10 create . precedent of
most perilous character. Does any
body think that Congress would for
many years withhold from the three
years veteran. who fought for the Un.
ion what il had given TO sixty days sell
ders who invaded Mexico 2 There were
more than two million enlistments for
three years Of The war, from 1861 to
1855 inclusive, Independently OF the
great numbers for shorter periods. The
army in Mexico was. insignificant in
comparison. and this pending measure
is simply open ng the way for others
that will heap hundreds Of millions or
billions Of pension debt upon the coun-
Try. ~
This is what the Senate is bound to
consider. II is clear that some members
OF the House who have been notorious
for pension extravaganza, and who are
bent on further and greater prodigaIity,
did not iail to consider II, and to vote
for the Mexican bill, largely with view
to its momen:ous bearing on future leg.
islston.
No Quarter.
There is sign over butchers shop
on Michigan avenue which reads: "Beei