McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-30
DEFENDERS OF TIE COUNTRY.
Proceedings Of the Soldiers and Sailors
Convention Held at Indianapolis.

The national convention of soldiers
24th In response to call issued by General w.
Hascall and General Merrill The delegates
present represented about |, 100 organizations.
The object of the convention was to take ac-
ton looking to the securing Of pensions for ali
soldiers and sailors of the late war. General
J. X. Canadian was elected chairman and
John o. Hardesly secretary. The states were
called, showing delegates present from New
York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Penn
sylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Ne
braska, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana,
Maryland and the District of Columbia. Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois were largely represented.
1t was ordered all resolutions be referred to
committee on resolutions without reading:
The call for the convention was then READ anu
a committee on resolutions was appointed, the
committee consisted of one member from each
state, with S. S. Burdette, of the District OF
Columbia, chairman. The committee retired
to prepare its report and the intervening time
was occupied in listening to recitatlons, etc.
When the committee returned the following
resolutions were read:
We, eX-soldiers and sailors OF the Union
army and navy in the war of the rebellion from
1861 to 1865, now in mass convention assem-
bled, do now present to our comrades ana our
representatives in congress our views ana our
desires on the question of pensions. BelleVlhS
that our comrades who are now suffering from
disease or wounds are entitled to the kindest
consideration at the hands of congress, there
fore be 1t
Resolved, That we ask the following amend
ments to the present pension laws
First-That every person who served IN the
military or naval service of the United States
g.. r he al ttriY hp
the rebellion and has an honorable discharge
therefrom, and who is or shall become disabled
and shall also be dependent upon his own labor
for support, shall be placed upon the Ist Oh
pensioners of the United States and be entltled
to receive pension duriug the continuance Oh
such disability at rate proportionate TO the
degree thereof.
SecOnu-rhat all widows or minor children
of soldiers or sailors who as such are now re-
ceiving under existing laws the sum OF % per
month be ENTITLED to and receive the sum Oh
SIP per month, and all such widows or minor
children who shall hereafter be found TO be
entitled to the rate of IS per month under the
existing laws, shall be entitled and receive
pension at the rate of $40 in lieu of said rate
of So
Third-That if any invalid pensioner have
died or shall hereafter die, leaving widow or
minor child under eight years OF age, both OF
such pensioners, such widow and minor child
rem shall be entitled in the order OF succession
named to the original pension IL their own
name, without being required to prove that the
death of such pensiOner was due to his military
or naval service for the United States.
Fourth-That pensions granted widows on
account of minor children shall be continued
without limit as to age whenever it shall ap-
pear that such minors are of unsound MIND, or
physically so helpless as to render them 1ncapa-
BILE of subsistence.
Fifth-That in considering the claims OF de-
pendent parents, the fact and cause of death,
and the fact that the soldier left no widow or
children having been shown, it shall be neces-
sary only to show that such dependent parent
is without other present means OF comfortable
support than his or her own manual labor.
Sixth-That in all applications where it ap-
pears that the applicant was regularly enlisted
and mustered into service, that TACT snail DE
prima facie evidence of soundness at the time
of his enlistment, but such presumption shall
be subject to rebuttal by record or other COM
petent evidence.
Believing that the foregoing embraces only
the just and equitable demands OF the veterans
of the late war, and as all legislation TO that
end must depend upon the active cooperation
of the legislature and officials OF the country,
we earnestly urge upon soldiers and sailors to
give their support at the polls only to such party
or candidates as are, and ever have been, IN
favor of Just such legislation in the interest Oh
the men who stood in the defense of the coun-
try in the hour of need. The resolutions were
unanimously adopted, and Mr.. Burdette, chair
man of the committee, instructed to bring the
matter before congress. Adjourned.