The National tribune., 1888-09-27
THE CLEAR CASE AGAINST COL. MAT
SON.

THE CLEAR CASE AGAINST COL. MAT
SON.
Were the grievance of the veterans against
Col. c. c. Matson, the Chairman of the House
Committee on Invalid Pensions, something
in the nature of civil action, no Judge in
the land would hesitate to give judgment
against him.
Were it a criminal prosecution, any jury
that could be impaneled would convict him
without leaving the box.
This is because the injury done them by
HIM is so grievous, because the intent to do
it is SO clear, because his agency in doing it
was so direct and well defined, and finally
because the evidence is SO overwhelming
that he knew precisely what he was doing,
and shaped his course shrewdly and cum
ningly to produce the exact result that has
been accomplished.
No plea of abatement or extenuation can
be entered to mitigate this crushing verdict
He cannot deny that if he were put at the
head of the Committee on Invalid Pensions
for the express purpose of strangling pension
legislation, he would have acted no differ
emily from what he has.
He cannot deny that if this were part of a
compact entered into with the Adninistra-
ton for and in consideration of the Admin
istration's inf uence being exerted to give
him the nomination for Governor of Indiana
and secure him the election, that it would
have any other look than it has at present
He cannot deny that if there was such a
compact, that he entered into it knowingly
fully understanding all its sad conse-
quences to the men whose interests he was
to betray-fully understanding that the
bauble of the Governorship was the price Of
his abandonment of the suffering veterans
of the Union.
He cannot deny fullness of information as
to what was due the veterans, what they ex-
pected and what they had the right to expect
of him. No man in the Nation was better
informed on this point. Only few months
before he had pleaded earnestly for the
measure of relief which they asked for, and
which he said he had carefully formulated
after long consideration in the committee
room.
But in the 10 months in which this Congress
has been in session he has done absolutely moth :
ing Of practical UaJue to secure the passage OF
any general pension legislation, including the
arrears bin.
He cannot urge any sort Of excuse for such
abandonment of the cause If the relief af
forded by general pension bill was just, right
| and imperatively demanded in 1887, it was
no less just and right, and even more impera.
lively demanded in 1888. The reasons that
impelled him to urge its passage over the
Presidents veto in February, 1887, were
still stronger that it should be promptly
introduced and passed in January, 1888. This
need of the soldiers, widows and orphans
whom it would relieve, was much sore
then than it was year before, the voice 0
the people favoring it was louder anC
stronger, and the unanimity and earnest
ness of the Grand Army of the Republic il
support of it were much greater.
In the face of all this he seemingly plottet
deliberate betrayal of the men and womel
whose interests were coniided to him as
sacred charge and he made his treacher
successful He sacrificed on the altar of hi
ambition the relief due the men who save
the Nation, and deprived them and thei
dependent ones Of the help that the countr
was anxious to give them.
Fortunately it is rare in our history tina
any man gratifes his personal ambition 6
such fearful cost to so many others as Co
Matson has in this case.
s JUDGED FROM A DEMOCRATIC sTANI
n POINT.
! We have been no stronger in our chara,
y terization of President Cleveland's hostilit
. 10 tho ratarans thon ,,arnbars &c I,;o o,r