The National tribune., 1888-06-14
ITO be coniinued.I
OUR REVENUES.
They Should Not Be Reduced Until the Nations
Debts Are Paid.
5. GRANT.

Debts Are Paid.
The following is an extract from the speech
Of Hon. J. p. Cheadle, of Indiana:
Mr.. Chairman am not in favor of any material
reduction OF the revenues OF the Government NO
greater mistake could be made by Congress than
10 largely decrease the revenues at this time The
funded debt of the Governments over 200 600 900,
two hundred millions and more of which fail
due inside ot i've years. The current expenses oil
the Government exceed three hundred millions a
year. There Is q great outstanding debt not yet
adjudicated, which viii run up into hundreds OF
millions Of dollars-claims pending for half CEN
tury. Besides ali these there are now pending IN
the Pension Department in this city 100000 claims
OF Union soldiers and their loved ones; claims for
pension which ought to be allowed; claims that are
g. legal, just and binding claims can be- claims
that cannot be allowed under existing laws, be-
cause of technical failure of proof. The Govern
ment owes these heroes sacred debt and 1t should
by general law enable these claims to be allowed.
To meet all these solemn Obligations will require
sixty millions more. and thereafter largely IN
crease the annual pension list We cannot euact a
law which viii secure so large measure OF justice
70 the people IS one which shall provide for these
claimants. We should by general law provide
for every Union soldier who Is now broken IN
health, aud for all the widows and children OF de-
ceased Union soldiers
The Government very wisely pensioned all the
Mexican war veterans at the age of O.. say, sir,
and with all due respect TO those veteran heroes,
/ that great and honorable as their services were,
they become dwarfed into insignificance when
compared with the services rendered the Govern
ment by the Union soldiers The Union soldiers
Won the greatest NlctorS Of ali the ages III DeLil! OF
| humanity. They saved the United States TO the
arts of peace and industrial development. They
preserved the unity OF tie Nation and rescued our
/ flag from destruction and made IL the proud en-
/ bem of a Government of the people, whose chief
! glory is that the people are equal before the law.
/ The Union soldiers saved this temple Of human
hopes aud Of liberty protected by Law TO bless all
/ the countless millions who shall occupy Il,
Who can measure the obligation we owe these
Union soldiers? They risked life for country and
humanity What more could they do? " hat better
] evidence of cOusecTaied devotion could be pre-
sented? Having done much for the Govern
ncnt now demand that in the hour of tile Ma
tions prosperity, when its Treasury groans be-
meath IFS weight Of silver and gold, when all the
current obligations are met and there still remains
q surplus, that the Government these heroes saved
shall properly care for all Of them and their wild
ows and children. Care for them as a Govern
ment Of the people should for its citizen sol
dlers who IN iae hour OF its greatest peril risked
i life In its behalf.
/ Mr.. Chairman, I cannot speak for other mem
bers; j cannot know into what lines of thought
and action duty may call them. j do know this,
however, that, on behalf of the million surviving
4 comrades Of the Union army, the men TO whom we
are indebted FOR all the blessings of constitutional
liberty and Government Of the people. shall OPP
pose any snd all material reductions of the rev.
enues Of the Government uutil all its solemn obli-
cations 10 all these Union soldiers for pay bounty
! and pensions, shall have been fully paid. / shall
insist that 1he promises made these soldiers shall
be sacredly kept 10y the Government every promise
20 every soldier and to hs widow and his children.
The surplus Is theirs. IL belongs Of right TO the
men who saved not only the surplus, but the Gov
| ernment Itself, from total destruction.
Again. Mr. Chairman Of the results of the
late war Tie eRfFHnCsefneEt of the colored
| rsce-a race that had bcen held ina legal bondage
1 under the laws Of the land. Other laws made the
act Of teaching them to read and think for them
selves crime punishable by 6ne and impTison.
ment. The law not only held them in slavery, il
also kept them ia ignorance. The war has changed
their legal status; then they were slaves now
they citizens, equal before the law with their
more highly favored brothers of Saxon origin and
every consideration Of national honor and safety
demands that this be educated and through il
/ be made capable Of exercising intelIigently the
rights and duties of citizenship intelligence being
| one of the greatest safeguards Of the state. The
! presence Of slavery IN the South made Ignorance
the birthright and heritage of all the poor white
people of that section, and to them education
/ should be sent. / hold, .sT Chairman-aud 1t i.
| the judgment Of the people / have tie honor tC
represent well as my own-that, under these
circumstance the Ine of duty S very plain for tn,
| Government to pursue. The least il can do, the
least t ought TO do, Is to take out Of its overhowiug
! Treasury not less than SiZ 90 go a year and ex
pend u ~ organizing and aiding tae pubc schools
! In the South. The Government made the slaves
citizens il should qualify tilcsn for ciizens anC
then bet them alone 20 work oHt a their owl
destiny.