Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-10-22
UNION SOLDIERS DEGRADED.
Twelve Hundred Veterans Disfran.
chised in this state.

Twelve Humdre0 veterans DAs1fans
chised in this state.
Assemblyman John Martin issued a
circular Yesterday exposing the Republi-
cans for disfranchising the 1,200 Union
veterans OF the Soldiers Home at Bath
and placing them on the same level as
paupers Here is what Mr.. Martin says: !:
sat this time, when Republican writ
ers and orators are claiming for their
party monopoly OF love and care for the
veteran and accusing the Democratic
party of an utter lack OF patriotism and
care for the rights of the soldier, it is
we'll to look and see how their practices
square with their professions
The gratitude of the nation to the defenders
of the Union cannot be measured By laws. The
legislation of Congress should conform to the
pledges made by loyal people, and be so en-
larged and extended as to provide against the
possibility that any man who honorahly wore
the Federal uniform shall become an inmate Of
an almshouse.
"The above quotation is from the Re-
publican National platform, and is the
official declaration OF the party. How
much of sincerity it contains the follow
ing facts will show:
Sin 1874 the members OF the Grand
Army. of the Republic of the State of
New York, finding it impossible to in
dividually care for those OF their COM
rades whom the vicissitudes OF war and
advancing age have rendered helpless,
formulated plan for the establishment
of soldiers home at Bath, Steuben
county. By fairs, entertainments and
various methods of subscription,
the necessary amount was raised,
and in lS45 the work was COM
menced. In 1873, finding that the cost
of equipment and maintenance was more
than they could bear, an agreement was
entered into with the State by which the
Grand Army OF the Republic surrendered
its property and the State guaranteed
the maintenance of the institution
(chapter As, laws 1879. The Home
was opened December 25, 1873, and the
sick and disabled found a home and
content, if not happiness, enjoying all
the rights of citizenship which they had
so dearly earned, and to aid them in so
doing the county authorities, in 1880,
made the Home a separate election dis
trict (No. s. of the town OF Bath.
Everything ran along smoothly until
the election of 1885. In that year one of
the Governors of the Home became the
Republican candidate for Governor OF
the State. He was heartily disliked by
the veterans, and, as a result OF his un-
popularity, the district gave a majority
for his Democratic opponent.
"Now mark the sequel. At the
town meeting in February, 1886, man
named Silvey, willing tool OF the Re-
publican managers of the town, was Sc
lected who, upon being challenged,
signed prepared statement so worded
as to bring him within the operation of
article section 3, of the State Constitu-
ton, which prohibits paupers from vot-
ing. This statement was presented to
the courts without any notice to those
interested and railroaded to decision.
From this time the veterans were not
allowed to vote, and those who attempt
ed to do so were indicted and are now
awaiting trial."
''Such vas the condition OF affairs at
the opening Of the last session OF the
State Legislature. On Jan. II, 1885,
Gov. Hill, ever wa.chful of the welfare
OF the poor and helpless, by special mes
sage communicated these facts and asked
that immediate attention be given to
remedial legislation. An effort was
made to smother the message by
reference to the Judiciary Committee.
To avoid this a motion was
made by the Democratic leader
that the Committee report within ten
days, and on this the party lines were
drawn, the Republicans voting to bury
the subject. One hundred and thirteen
votes were cast-yeas, 81 (Republicans)
nays, 46 (Democrats).- Il Assembly Jour-
nal, Jan y, 1888. p 81.
"Then commenced running fight, the
Democrats fighting for legislation, the
Republicans against it, until February
II, when two reports were submitted by
the Committee, (Assembly documents,
SO 54.) The Republican proposition was
to submit Constitutional Amendment
that could not reach the people until
1891. The Democratic proposition was
the immediate passage of a bill defining
the status OF the Home (Assembly bill,
p. 572.) Pending action on the amend
ment, the Democrats accepted the Re-
publican proposition and demanded a
vote on theirs.
"This brought the issue squarely down
to the question whether the Soldiers
Home should be declared an almshouse
and it's inmates deprived OF the right to
note. On this question there were 1l3
votes cast, sixty-four Republicans obey
ing the party lash and voting for disfran-
chisement, forty-nine Democrats voting
to give the veteran manhood suffrage
Assembly Journal, April Is, 1888, p.
1,O5S.
"Soldiers Of the Union This is no
political buncombe. The facts as pre-
sented cannot be controver.ed. The
records CT the Legislature prove them.
What, then, are We to think OF party
| which solicits our suffrage with fair
words and brands the Home we have
built with our hard-earned dollars as an
'almshouse,' and degrades its inmates to
the level OF the pauper, the idiot and the
criminal?
"The cry comes up to US from our
manned and crippled comrades to enter
our protest against the acts OF those who,
to gain a supposed petty political advan.
tage, have deprived them of the highest
and holiest right OF American manhood,
right earned in every battlefield from
Gettysburg to the Rio Grande, a right
that is recorded in every National ceme-
terry in the land.
Veterans! This most contemplate
piece OF political dirty work must be re-
buked. The cry of our comrades must
be answered, and the answer must be
emphatic enough to teach the Republi.
can managers that the gratitude Of the
Nation to the defenders of tie Union
means more than mere clap-trap, is more
than idle sound.
| tsOur nrotoat ynuat lo s,1ch that mr.