The National tribune., 1886-05-13


money which have forced this issue upon the peo-
pie ofthe United States This House should address
itself 10 OF relief 10 the reduction Of taxa
ton. aud te the opening oi the avenues ior the en-
plogment OF labor.
Mr.. Bragg Wis.,:
When gentlemen talk about oppressive taxRton
they are not tallSing about what underlies TINS b
This Is a bill TO execute a covenant maoe by the
a Government with these people AZ they would and IN
lie defense. IL was n covenant made with the men
who went Tor the defense OF the Government 10
protect the property that Il represented by the gen.
teman from New York. Their blood Is property
lAppiause IL Is not question OF tax go,
IhelONenment said on the call Tor 3OJ,UJ0 men,
that every man who served two years OF was dis
charged dor disability, should receive a bounty OF
Sloe 30 spoke the Fresident OF the United states
IN his proclamation. Three hundred thousand men
20 the field. minor officer, one OF the audit
ing officers of the Government, concluded he had
charge OF the honor OF the Government as Wen as
the Treasury and 80 he commenced TO hold that II a
man was discharged for disability IN two years
lac would he entitled % his 500 bounty
hut If las served two years IL months, and % days
aid sor gallant conduct was promoted he should oe
punished hy taking away what had been given TO
flc ulan who went out of the service year before
Vas thai keeping faith on the part OF the Govern
ment will these men? Ii was not, and thank God
AZ thcre be 40 other thing for which this Admins
tmtion ought TO be thanked il Is that the Con-
troller las decided that that was not the proper
construction Of the law. and has commenced for all
cases not decided TO make allowances for what the
Govemmeni contracted TO pay the men under the
30eeuo call
Ia ls6i when the Government was supposed 10 be
was willing 60 lei up on lis party organization ana
call for Union men independent Of men who be-
longed 70 that organization, and even made Union
tickets in many States the Government then made
another proclamation that all persons who We're
serving under their first term OF elstment and who
re-enlisted ian order 90 keep mp the ranks Of the
army should be allowed for such enlistment s402
IL 4 Tocoec, the precise amount.
il was order made by authority OF Congress
issued fTDm the War Department. The payment OF
fliaf money by the orders oi the War Department
apportioned 50 that u practically paid IN IN
slaiincHs the private soldier and non-comniS-
stoned officer who veteranized; his first INSTALL
meui. ii 4 recolleci rightly, would be 80. II he
served six monts and was promoted IN the last OF
the CREST battles Of the war, when he went 30 settle
his account officer this honest, generous
Government charged him up with the money
had paid him and made him pay ii back noiwith-
This lAI Is 70 provide that those officers so pro-
moed that were entitled 10 their 500 when they
were promoted did not forfeit il 10y reason of Their
guoa conduct, and that they shall not be punished
by imposing thnt as a tine upon them. And Il goes
frtlnr II provides that those officers who were pro-
moied ago compelled 10 pay back the bounty which
they lad earned and which belonged 10 them shall
have their account settled by credit Of the amount
thnt the Government improperly took from them.
S8lr Breckenridge Ark spoke against the
bill, and was replied 10 by Mr.. Laird, who, adj
dressing the Democratic side Of the House,
said:
Gentlemen on this side Of the House had oooa-
sion 20 learn your quality upon other fields than
this when ] looked down the leveled barrels 0l
barrels of ours, and am perfectly willing 10 intrlsi
the case of these soldiers 70 the magnanimity Of
except when was iaia aside FOR repairs, and that
without amy appeal 10 past passion
There is no disposition upon my part, none
trust upon the part OF any man here, TO attempt the
triolzs OF r demRgog and in the name Of patriot
ISM 90 pcrpetrate crime against peaceful condl-
ton Of things an this country. This Nation Is your
Nation thank Gods "a well ours and II Is 50 by
the courage and the valor Of the men for whom i
plead. % noi our fault thai You were not with
them, 80 that you might to-day oe the beneheiAIles
OF this act the passage OF which we seek at your
lIands aud al the hands Of your colleagues IL Is
not our fault Nou made your election, and we
Insde onrs. We fought IL % an end. il Is Done,
and let 81 remain done since tits vel done. Now,
then If you are honorable nen-and you have at
tested u upon a hundred helds-the appeal lies ne
stfonqiy " you IL does 10 There II no di-
pifilng iine here. The honor Of the Government
aarAihsi Niinh YOU fought ought 10 he as dear 10
yonnoN a. ii Is 10 tbe- men who then fought 10
IlhiIarin 10 honor THIS is cold question Of a
contrac, and my nfnarz this side Of the HOuse
WIS rHiiieT I'm the nature OF compliment, the
recognition Of the oourRge Of men who could see
couTnee in their opponents although IN the end
they had 10 h through tie bitterness OF defeat
That remark was no appeal To the spirit oi party
il was 90 appeal 10 difference upon the great
question of LOYALTY. Here II cold question Of a
contraci made by the Government OF the United
States with ts soldiers which contract that Govern
ment rcpndialed; aud the question b. whether or
not this Congress viii now do that which the Gov
eruneni A's a. solemn proclamation aud deelnra-
tlon promised 70 do for IL soldiers then.
MF Chairman, J cannot pass without comment
the extr.,orlinary defense which the gentleman
iron. New York Mr. Hewitt secs iii 10 make f0I
the gent enen of the South who are supposed by
him to BE- suffering under some sensitive disability
which closes their lips When did the gentleman
become the guardian Of the SOUTH Who y raising
the ghost OF the defuno CoBiederacy IL not the
gentleman from New York; Who asks the votes
Of southern men for this measure unless they be
given matter Of c0nscienceP Certsiuiy Do
not. The gentleman says be- dOes not blame Mem
bers from tic south fOr voting FOR river and haroi
bilis 10 gel even with file NORTH II the business o
tf Al s4vtg Il
that ie high level Of the gentlenlan's defense o
the South? MF. Chairman, against The deep dam.
nation of ihiE petty defense Of men Of the south
protest. This is not game Of larceny. We pre-,
seIii thus measure upon ~ merits and iei a stand
or fall by the votes Of Members of this House. Wbiot
fhey ore free to give or withhold.
The biz was vigorously opposed by Mr. Rea-
gan Tex and Nr. Rogers Ark.
Mr Holman Ind.), while not assailing the
BILL criticized some Of It's features as lacking
in equal justice 20 different classes OF soldiers
Hc said:
Now whal IL Che second case in the bin, the oass
of fhe vetrITnsf In tbe Fall ~ 1858 after the inva
zion of Rcnnsy wanna nileT the fall Of NicksburR
nfleF the defeat az Chick kamauga. the Government
fnding iseii n srails ith iie terms oi rt three
ycare men expiring during the coming Winter, hele
out 81 proposition and said ulai " the old regi
gaenis would come 20 thc front and re-enlist veteT
Ruize. tlTe Government would extend 10 each q
those men n bounty Of S112 There was nothing
eaid about being discharged on account of disease
81 shout being discharged - accept promotion
those men Who bad already borne the bruut 20
thrce ycslrs would bow come forv ard and rc-en.ist
fbey should each receive kfQ2 VI bounty Ihel
came zap ike gallant and patriotic sOldlers; the!
laA siooa tlie irni tor three years aud they weTl
willing 10 stnuo ii FOR three years more II neoes
Hary. Tiey accepted the proposition of the Gov
cnnicmt, md theu that proposition became q con
tEtct binding ~ all intents and purposes upon la
oyyelnuicut aud upon both Iartles unless th
soldier brokc ID hy desfai0n.
Agaiu. when these veterans. for gallant scrvio
~ ~ superior ability, were mustered out, az
faror in order tliai they might accept promotion
tlic cDiaiFuctiOn 81 the Government Officers WA
that tiicy thcTeby forfeited ttc unpaid bannce q
theF bounty. Not ouly illai bat by force thc Gov
ETuIufnt officers deducted rom the pay of tIos
Tfet evef8 dollar Of tle bounty that they bad a
Feady retsFed. Thai u what protest against
pTOLesi against rgpudiaiiOu hy this Government y
auy form. sud ] think tliis repudtai iou par
nHu Simple. Perhaps H might have been cacllelbi
81 illc lnIe under our great financial stress wbo
our inancy exhausted and were puisin
oni ISSUE ailfl Issue Oi paper currency aiid eKia
tuE uur credit LH tie markets Ol the wOrld-loss
by. sas there mlglh have been some excuse
ttlr hur Tor the Government puttiug tins COZ
ewtrnQH up0n the cOnirant. Bnt that excuse hs
loco lo1g since exhausted. We are now alb
hbf lalalty able a. 1--we up ~ the coutraci We has
male. nHd without any reference Whatever 60 So
t@f4ai freBg 40 amy other eNtrinsic consider
fiou, lei us aii stand 5y lhr honor of The Cover
nicni ane redeem tiic p.odgc which II nlaae In a
hosr ~ lls nrceasily.
NJ. Perkins Kau):
aElcuop tlai there are Fncn upon this floor n
since ths uebatr began i have cOuKeFtcc with
IFulbeT cf tirn and simply HugGcsi that Ha g
MalafrtilgH ue0auHe thcy represent many ln q
sans condition nCntiefed through Dll thc los-
Naffsi who served loF almost yGFs a. eIiIi-ii
wearing the uniiorml and carrying tie musk
81 lhc private soldier, bat who because Of the
NN4rr llecaHsc ui their EaHHutry bocHusc ~ thf