The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-05-15
TIE ROBINSON BILL,
A Strong Report in Favor Of Pen
Sioning All EX-PriSonerS.


Asstated in our last issue, the majority of the
members of the House Committee on Invalid
Pensions have signed report in favor of the
Robinson bill to pension eX-prisoners 1t is true
that Mr.. Matson, the chairman, reported the
substitute bill, signed by himself and four
other members of the committee, as the recon-
mendation of the majority, but that was not the
case in fact. In regard to this the ten signers
of the report in favor of the Robinson bill say
1.-The records of the Committee on Invalid
Pensions show the undersigned to be in
minority owing to the absence of some men,
beers of the committee when the bill under
consideration was acted upon. The fact is
shown, however upon an expression by all the
members of the committee, that the within
views supporting the bill, ii. R. 1119, as amend
ed, known as the Robinson bill, meet the con-
currence of majority of the whole committee.
The body of this report has been prepared
upon the theory that it would be minority
report This explanation of the reports pre-
sented and the standing of the committee is
deemed but Just to the committee and TO the
House"
Appended to the report in favor Of the Rob
insou bill are the names of the following MEM
bers of the committee: A. j. Holmes kRep,
Iowa., William Cullen Rep, III }, L. G. Houck
(Rep, Tenn. Ossian Ray rep, N. II. Z. N.
Morrill, rep, Kan.), HI. B. Lowering (Dem.,
Mass }, j. d. Patton Dem, Pa, Benjamin LIE
Fevre (Dem., o., James Il. Budd Dem, CALI,
and John S. Wise (Readjuster, Va.) Mr.. Budd
states over his signature that he concurs in
the report for the above and other reasons;"
and Mr.. Wise, while also concurring, expresses
the opinion that Union citizens of Southern
States who were confined in rebel prisons
because they refused to enlist in the Confed-
crate army ought to be given the benefit OF the
bill.
The members of the committee whs signed
the report in favor of the substitute were Mat
son Ind, Winans Mich. J, Fyan (Mo), Sumner
wis. and Bagley IN. Y.)-all Democrats. We
gave in last issue the full text of both bills,
AS also the report in favor of the substitute The
report on the Robinson bill, which we now
have before US, is very voluminous, occupying
sixty -four printed pages. 1t says:
THE REPORT ON THE ROBINSON BILL.
The members of the Committee on Invalid Pen
sons presenting this report cannot accept the con-
illusions and action of the official majority. The
services and sufferings of the men named as bene-
eiaries in this bill too great to be subordinacd
in courtesy to the majority-too intimately con-
neced with the preservation OF our national life to
be ignored. In thus dissenting from the views OF
the majority shall attempt to present some
pertinent reasons for supporting the bill under
consideration. We premise by stating that Union
prisoners confined in Confederate prisons under
went greater deprivations and suffered inoompar-
ably more In loss of health and life than they would
have done had they been in active service in the
field.
The further proposition that the surviving pris-
embraced in the provisions OF this bill are
disabled class cannot we think, be successfully
controyerted.
The claim made by the majority that there may
be an occasional individual coming under the pro-
visions of this bill who has not lost his health
wholly or In part, even If true (which do not
conceded does not affect the proposition that they
are disabled as class; evsn exceptions would but
prove the rule.
Fortunately the facts that support the justice Of
this bill have been long established in the most
solemn manner known TO the law.
The number of graves of Union prisoners, I'd
ascertsined at the different Southern prisons,
SO 4Di but this estimate does not include those who
died in prison and of whom record was kept,
and whose graves were not marked, nor of those
who died while being transferred from prison to
| prison, nor of those dying their way home or
Immediately after their arrival there, of those
dying In hospital after exchange which, from the
most reliable data, swells the total number Of
| deaths from confinement IN southern prisons to
/ COCOA vast body of men, indeed, to remove by
cruelty and systematic murder.
The necessity of fixing some minimum term Of
| imprisonment that would be reasonable seems as
justly met by the terms of the bill is practc-
bic to do. IL would be perhaps possible to frame
4 any pension law that would DO exact justice 10
/ every peEsioner-one not open TO criticism; but
the present BILL with the suggestions herein pre-
sented, is, we believe, as happy approximation
be devised for the degree of relief extended
In this connection it is proper 10 determine the
degree Of hardships endured and the treatment
ceived by those imprisoned; also. whether prison.
class disabled by reason of their imprison-
ment. To that end we viii consider
! i. The treatment of Union soldiers while prison
ers, and their condition when released from con-
Gnement
g. The mortality statistics relating TO them dur
Ing captivity and subsequently.
! The treatment Of Union prisoners by the rebel
authorities must, in the light Of history be consid-
cred the most cruel and inhumsn known among
| civilized people in modern times In support OF
| this. not compelled to rely upon the evi-
deDce Of the sufferers or their friends.
We first quote extracts from the official report OF
Joseph Jones. VI. D., professor of medical chemis-
try IN the Medical College of Georgia, at Augusta
who made thorough inspection Of Anderson Vile
prison, under instructions from the surgeon-gen-
crsl Of the so-called Confederate States.
REBEL TESTIMONY.
This report, which viii be found among the
testimony taken by the special congressional
committee TO investigate the treatment of Union
prisoners, is very full and exhaustive re-
view of the unsanitary condition of Anderson.
vile and the inhuman treatment of its inmates
The report then quotes the testimony of the
acting assistant Confederate surgeon at Ander-
sonville at the Wirz trial; the evidence of Lieu
tenant-Colonel d. t. Chandler. inspector gen.
eral of the Confederacy, before the congressional
investigating committee; articles from the
Southern newspapers; the testimony of Am
brose Spencer. resident of Americas, Ca; oil
Father Hamilton the Catholic priest who min
istered SO faithfully to the inmates of Ander-
prisoners to the same effect, and showing that
the condition of all Southern prisons closely
resembled that of Andersonviile. Proceeding
TO the consideration of the mortality In South.
ern prisons, the report says:
The entire numbe- of officers and soldiers white
and colored killed in action during the of the
rebellion II 49, and the total number of officers
and soldiers who died of wounds received in action
during the same time was 1893 This is against
the 80 coo who died In prison or Immediately after
being released show difference of but ID 22l more
men killed in action and dying of wounds received
IN action than died from confinement In rebe
prisons.
The aggregate number of officers and soldiers
entering the Union army during the war; as APP
pears by the records was 2.335 ISL while the tota
number OF Union officers and soldiers captured by
the rebels Including mortuary record was 1873 218
but of the latter number one-haf estimated to
have been IN confinement less than thirty days. Sc
that Of the last-naIned number it will be remern
bered that large majority were either paroed Oh
exchanged Immediately after capture within .
few weeks of that time; few, any, prisoners were
kept In confinement ee long sixty days unit
after the cartel interrupted less than 100 00t
being kept and retained prisoners for the period
sixty days or longer.
Although the number OF prisoners so held Dor.
the proportion TO the whole number of troops In
the service of one to twenty-three. yet the number
of deaths. as above shown, of prisoners and thoss
SIS ten TO thirteen. In other words, had the number
killed in action and dying of their wounds received
In action equaled the mortality of those confined il
prison more than sixty days the loss by death In
killed and those dying OF wounds received Tia,
field would have been more than 100000 men
| instead of 76. 22I, the actual number.
The number of enlisted men who were killed anC
HSfN do