The National tribune., 1884-01-03
GuRrISi THE DEAD
Prisoners Pensions.
To tho Editor NAr1osAL TRIBUNE:


Prisoners Pensions.
To tho Editor NATIosAL TRIBUNE:
The following are some reasons why Union
exp prisoners of war are entitled to pensions:
J. Because it is a fact which every intelli-
gent, candid physician in the land who has
considered the subject viii admit, that every
man who was confined in rebel prisons, cyen
for a Short time, was more or less injured, both
mentally and physically, on account Of such
confinement and the consequent priVatioa, cru
ely aud exposure.
1t is well known TO every ez-prisoner now
living, that of all VITO were prisoners Of war
for any considerable length Of time, only those
who were possessed OF more than ordinary
physical force, energy and determination lived TO
get home, and those @lio did were mere wrecks
OF humanity. VIII anyone who looked upon the
paroicd prisoners as they came into our lines
during 1853, 1884 aud 1865 believe that the
famisied living skeletons which they saw at
that time have fully recovered, and are to-day
enjoying good health.
z Because il is almost impossible for any
ex-prisoaer, although he is, and has been for
years, suffering from general disability on
account of prison life to establish a claim for
pension under the pr sent laws, which requires
the solder TO prove q specific disability caused
/ by some specific injury or disease. He has TO
hospital recoTl--ii faee, no record of any kind.
lis pElovsl fIAC u allh Ills dEc
etAd, or their addrcsges unknown The solder
vino received woagd while in the field can
/ establish his claim and receive liberal PEN
! sion without difficnlty-as of right he should.
/ YET he may have lost a foot or a leg. still he
/ enjoys good general health, both mentally and
/ physically, and is IN much better condition to
/ fight the battle of life and earn living than
the man whose nervous system is wreck, whose
energy is gone, whose memory is impaired
/ whose digestive organs have been diseased by
reason of the long and weary days and nights.
weeks and months of hope long deferred, of
/ cruelty, starvation and woe, III the midst of
suffering, wretchedness and death, the horrors
/ of which no pen can describe.
3. Because they were the victims of q policy
| adopted by theirowu Government in neglecting
! or refusing to exchange them within reason
| able tiale.
q. Because their long confinement, resulting
in their permanent disability, made it possible
for the Government TO hold much greater
number Of rebel soldiers as prisoners Of war,
4 thus depriying the enemy of an army Of one
hundred thousand trained soldiers, and thereby
shortening the war BY at least one year.
8 Because. by reason OF the extreme war
measures adopted By their own Government IN
stopping the exchange Of prisoners, they were
compelled 10 take unequal and more desperate
chaEces for lifo than other soldiers in the SER
viee Of the Government.
Statistics will show that the mortality of
| Union prisoners Of war was over 81 per cent.
o. the whole number confined in rebel prisons,
| while but 81 per cent. OF the whole number re-
cs4vcd into the service WAS killed IN action, or
died from wogads received in action ON the
field of battle. Or. e we take the whole num-
be- Of those who Wefe killed III action or died
from wounds received in action, or died from
i diseasc or unknown causes, not including pris-
ontT5 oil War, Nge find the total mortality of the
army in the field, rot including prisoners of
war to be 1o7-l0 per cc1f, or 41psr cent. less
thGa tie mortality Of prisoners Of argg
AotY, one word TO my fellow prisoners, and
viii have done for tlis time:
Comrades what are you doing to secure your
just rights from the Government you helped TO
save
am not one who believes our Government
is uagratefu or unwilling to do us justice.
Wesliave many true and tried friends, both in
and out Of Congress, who know our cause is
Just, and are willing and anxious to help rs
but God helps those who help themselves. =
You have much to do: much that must bedone
by some man or set Of men. We must agree
ON what VIC want We mast make a fair and
reasonable demand, and once having agreed
upon and made Our demand, we must stapd to-
gether as we did in line of battle, and contend
for what is due us. One man OR one dozen
mef cannot DO the work, and you should not
ask them to. 1yerily believe if we do not sue
ceed in obtaining liberal pension for every
deserving Union prisoner of war, it will be the
fauit of ex-prisoners themselves. Every Union
ex-prisoner should az once become a member
of some association Of Union ex-prisoners oil
war, either local or national, and support with
your influence and your means those who are
willing to do The work We now have associa-
tons in almost every State, and most of them
attaehed to the National Association, as all
should be. Weshould have one common center.
Vow, comrades, let it not be said that we
have appealed to you in vain. We have brave
men in the front fighting your battles. Come
to sheir support at double,quick.
@. r. McNARy,
s. Secretary Kansas Association Union ex-Pris
oncrs of War
IEAvENwoRTn, KANSAS.