The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-08-19

law. but now IL appears tnat tnes'
very same claim agents are sending ou
contracts for soldiers to sign, covering
all the old claims they can. This wa
not contemplated by the law, and 20 sol
dier should sign such q contract.
The foregoing IS a concise statemen
of the work of the committee of whic|
General WARNER is chairman, and nj
com mittee ever gave fuller consideration
to the question of Pension laws than dlt
this committee, and nobody or any pre-
vious committee ever gave more time o.
did more work than did Gen. WARNEI
as its chairman.
And now let US look at the record or
the
MEXICAN PENSION BILL.
This bill, when first before the House
10 February last, on a motion to hx
day and make it a special order for con-
siderston, a vote upon this proposition
was deemed to be q vote npon the bill
itself This was Mr.. HEwITrs bill, and
provided pensions at $S per month fo'
all soldiers who were borne 60 days on
the muster rolls of that war, whether
they were in Mexico or not. Genera
WARNER voted against the hill on the
ground that it changed the basis of pen
sions entirely from disability to service
and in that Disseminated against the
Union soldier and in favor of the Mexi
can soldier. Gen. WARNER said that i
a Mexican soldier for 60 days enlistment
was entitled to an $S pension for life, the
Union soldier who served throughout
the war certainly was and he insisted
that IL that principle we're adopted, then
the Union soldier must be put on the
came footing. Mr.. TAYLOR also voted
against this bill on this occasion. -
When, later in the session, Mr.. Towns
HEND, Of Illinois, moved passage of the
bill, under a suspension Of the rules,
General WARNER voted against the bill
for the same reason-that it discrimina-
ted against the Union soldier and in ia
vor OF the Mexican soldier, and insisted
that they should be put on the same foot
ing both as TO the amounts and the con-
dltions Of their pensions.
This bill, like Mr.. HEwrrr's bill, grant
ed pensions to Mexican soldiers for 90
days enllstmen ent AMI to the widows of
those before or during enlistment, but
not to the widows of those married after
wards.
THE PENDING BILL.
This is the bill to which the Senate
added its numerous amendments, and
sent back to the House in the last days
OF the session, but ,ohich never came to a
vote in the House. Gen. WARNER never
voted for the bill, nor did Mr.. TAYLOR
vote for it-the bill as whole never
came to vote. The Senate had kept il
for months, and then, just as the session
was drawing to close, sent it back to
the House, never intending that it should
pass; and if it hal, the President would
no doubt have served 1t like GRANT die
the eq,aliz ,tion bill killed it With
veto.
When the bill cane back to the House
it contained this amendment, changins
the period of service which should entitl'
a Mexican soldier to pension: "Whr
beng duly enlisted, actually served Il
days with the army or nav7 of the q )
10 Mexico, or on the coast or frontier
thereof, or en- route thereto, in the wa
with that nation" Tnis provision i
broad enough, and intended to be broa'
enough, TO include every soldier who's
name appears on the muster roll OF tn
Mexican war; but it includes no Uaio
soldier, nor is there like provision 10
him IN any of the laws. A Unlou sol
dier may have served 4 years ard Tough
| in a doz,n battles, bat he is excludes
from the list. Gen WARNER opposes
this amendment as be dill the origins
bill and for the same reason. He insist
ed that, if the basis of pensions was t
he changed from disability to service, th
Union soldier must be plscet on tn
some footing as to amount Of pension
and conditions unier which it should b
given him Mr. TAYLOR voted for til
ameudment-General WARNER vote
against it. and he is no doubt willing
let the Uiion soldier decide who is righ
On all other v ,:es on the bill they stan
recorded the same.
Gen. Warner did not oppose the bi
itself, but this priactple IN the bill ont
Indeed most Of the Senate amendnen
relating 10 the Union soldier are the vel
provisions which we're prepared by Gel
WARNER and reported from his commi
tee long before the S,nste took up tt
Mexican pension bill, as will be seen o
a comparison Of the two bills. And b
distinctly announced in his speech Of
posing the amendment qnoted above
"The other amendments / am 10 fave
Of. as they omnrace substantially what
have indorsad and what this House hs
already in part passed upon"
Put Up, or Shut Up.
The Rallaira Tndsnendent ia anYiou