St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-03
LOGAN AND BLAIR.
Congressman MacDonaid's Speech
in Favor OF Granting Pensions
to the Widows of These Great
Soldiers.

in Favor OF Granting Pensions
to the Widows of These Great
Soldiers.
Iregret exceedingly that on account
of the bad cold | am now 1aboring under
| cannot speak as would wish; but |
cannot allow the occasion to pass with
out saying word in behalf of these two
bills.
l will not atthmpt any lengthy eulogy
OF Gen. Logan or Gen. Blair. Their
eulOgleS are written upon every page of
the history OF the late war. Gen. Logan
has been well named the ''grand repre-
sentative of the volunteer soldiers of the
war;" and he has been regarded by the
veterans of that war as their personal
representative, as well as champion.
Where l to attempt to describe
him as he led his troops upon
many bloody field, insensible of
any such feeling as fear, | would
be but describing that which is familiar
to all. Politically we did not admire
him, but it is as the patriot hero that we
only think of him now; and | feel con-
fident that many of the brave men sit
ting around me, who, by their brave
and stubborn defense of what they be-
NOu W DC llSilt, liIoluc III pOSSlDlt lOl
Gen. Logan to reveal to the world the
brave soldier that he was, will join with
us in showing our appreciation of his
services in behalf of our common coun-
try, by voting with us for these bills.
The claims of Gen. Francis p. Blair
to grateful remembrance by his
countrymen have been SO ably
and so eloQuently set forth by the
honorable gentleman from Missouri that
it were folly for me to attempt to add to
what they have said. But there is
view of this case presented to us which
is more practical; or, as some might
say, more worldly, and to that will adj
dress myself. 1t is urged-In fact this
is the principal criticism - that the
amount is too great, and the distinction
is made in favor of the widows of Gems.
Thomas and Hancock, that their hus-
bands died in the service, while Gems.
Logan and Blair had returned to civil
life before their deaths. 1t is a we'll
known fact that Gems. Logan and Blair
LEFT BUT LITTLE PROPERTY
after them, and while this may be large
sum compared to what many receive, |
am much mistaken in my estimate of
imOusly indorse the passage of these
bills. National gratitude has always
been given expression in this SubStan-
tial manner; and we all know, from eX-
perience, that this pension is not more
than enough to support these widows of
distinguished officers whom the country
has always been ready to applaud and
cheer.
To the argument-if such it may be
called-that Gems. Logan and Blair died
out of the military service, L have but to
answer that all veterans to whom pen
SionS have recently been granted were
out of the service. and hundreds of the
widows of veterans who died out of
the service have been granted pensions,
and hundreds more will. | am
fully committed to this principle and
policy of pensiOning widows without
their furnishing proof of the cause of
the death of their husband-a thing i'm
possible to majority of them, however
meritorious may be the claim. [ have
introduced here bill, which is now be-
fore the committee on invalid pensions,
which has for its purpose, in part, the
allowance of pensions to widows with
out requiring them to furnish this
proof This being the case, there is no
danger of my stultifying myself by OPP
posing measure of this kind. | believe
this would be just and humane change
in the law of evidence i'll pension cases,
and hope to see it made. [Applause.]
do not agree with gentlemen who
express fears as to this being made a
precedent that will trouble us in the
future or endanger the financial sta
bility of the government. There were
many generals who distinguished them
selves in the late war, and each should
be decided upon its own merits when
brought up. While there were but few
LoganS, there were some; and so long
peal in their behalf while living, OF of
soldiers of lower rank, or in behalf of
their widows, will never be made to me
in vain. Applause