The Portland daily press., 1884-09-10
What the Republican Party has Done
for the Soldiers.

for the Soldiers.
AS long ago as 1866, the Republicans in Con :
gress in framing the 18th amendment took
care to insert a clause "That the validity of
the public debt incurred for the payment of
pensions and bounties for services in suppress
ing instruction or rebellion shall not be ques-
toned"
The Democrats opposed this, but it passed
both Houses by party votes, Republicans sus-
tanning it, and the Democrats opposing it.
During the 40th, 41st, AID and 43d Congress-
es, in all of which the Republicans were in the
majority, our pension system was organized (;
and from time to time extended and liberal
lied. In the 45th Congress, the House being
Democratic, Dudley G. Haskell, Republican
from Kansas, on the 10Th of June, 1878, moved
to suspend the rules, and take up and pass the
arrears of Pension Bill" which motion was
agreed to by 1854 yeas, to 81 nays; of the yeas
1l6 were Republicans and 48 were Democrats;
of the 81 all were Democrats, and with
three exceptions from the Southern States. At
the next session the bill passed the Senate by q
vote of "A yeas to nays, of the affirmative
vote q were Republicans and 16 were Demo.
Gratis.
The next pension bill which provoked divi-
sion of opinion was at the last session of Con-
gress; on the third of March last the House,
(Which has 70 Democratic majority, passed a
bill to pension soldiers and sailors of the Next
can war: when it came up for action in the
| Senate, the bill was amended for the benefit of
| the soldiers and their heirs of the late war of
| the rebellion; one provision of which was to
| give pension to all who served three months
| on the Union side, and were honorably dis
charged. and is, or shall become disabled from
| any cause, not the result of his own gross care
lessness or vicious habits, and is dependent on
his own labor for support; the amount of PEN
| sion to be proportioned to the degree of dis.
| ability, not however to exceed $24 per month
Now to show the justice and humanity of
| such provision as this, will cite one case
| among many knownito the writer. james Wal
| ker enlisted in the summer of 1861 land served
faithfully over four years, being three times
wounded in battle, made no claim for o PEN
sion, as he only lost part of finger, the others
| being flesh wounds. In June, 1868 he fell from
his barn loft, breaking his spine, and causing
paralysis OF the whole body, rendering him a
| helpless cripple for life When his means be-
came exhausted and his wife an invalid in
caring for him, both were obliged to go to the
| poor house.
Another provision of the amended bill was
to increase the pensions Of widows and depend
ent parents who receive but So per month, to
$12 per month.
Another, to continue the pension to widow
or minor children, after the death of a PEN
sioner, without requiring them to prove that
his death was caused by wound or disease con-
tracted in the military or naval service, as the
law now is.
Another provision was in favor of dependent
parents, and only required that proof of death
OF son in service, or OF wounds or disease con-
tracted therein, and that no widow or children
are left, and that they are 7ao1o without other
means OF comfortable suppart than his or her
own labor.
Another senate amendment made the record
OF enlistmen. and muster into service. prinaG
fdcte evidence of soundness at the time of en-
listment.
There were several other minor matters, all
favorable to the Union soldiers and sailors or
their heirs.
Now who could dispute the Justice and
humanity of all these amendments, or grudge
pendent parents?
The amendments were all agreed to in the
Senate by strict party vote, yeas 81, all Re-
publicans, nays 81, all Democrats. On the
final passage of the bill. four Democrats voted
with the Republicans in favor of it, and two
Republicans voted with the Democrats against
it.
OF course the bill had to 90 back to the
House for action on these Senate amendments,
and on the I'd day of July was taken up, when
hllbuster1ng was at once resorted to under
the leadership of G. FL. Hewett Democratic
Representative from Alabama, to prevent con-
currence in the Senate amendments, and was
participated in principally by the Southern
Democracy; all means known to parlamenta-
rians under the rules of the House were re-
sorted to, to kill the bill, such as calling for
the yeas and nays. motions to adjourn and for
recess, and when vote could final
ly be reached, enough Democrats refused to
vote to leave the House without quorum,
and in this way the whole bill was defeated
AT the very last of the session the friends of
the measure to increase theIpensions of widows
and dependent parents, prepared and sent up
bill to the speaker with this single provision,
which could pass only by unanimous consent,
one objection would defeat it, and there was
one Southern Democrat mean enough to raise
an objection; SO that was also lost. All of this
shows plainly enough which party are the
friends OF the soldiers, sailors and their heirs.
Mr.: Hewett Of Alabama did try to excuse his
action on the ground that the bill would take a
large and unknown amount to pay the PEN
sions under it, Did our soldiers stop to count
the cost to them, when called to put down the
rebellion at thin teen dollars month?
z, X. HARMON,
Portland, Me.