National Republican., 1888-03-21
THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIER.
THE WAR WAS An OLD MANS WAR
AND A YOUNG MANS FIGHT"
Senator BIair's Bill Discussed mt Con-
siderable Length Congressman John
j. o'Neill Makes Gallant Fight in
the House-Allen Opposes.

yesterday from ex-letter carriers OF Phla-
idelphia asking for the investigation OF vio-
lations Of civil service law at that postoflice,
and its bad management by Mr.. Harrity,
The postmaster. II was ordered printed aud
referred TO the select committee on civil SER
vice.
Among the bills reported from committees
and placed on the calender were the follow
ing:
For the presentation of badges to the off
GERS and men Of the Greedy relief expedition.
To encourage the holding Of n national
industrial exposition of the arts, mechanics,
and products of the colored race in the
United States in 1SSS-'s9.
To authorize the Secretary of the Treasury
to apply the surplus money In the treasury
to the purchase Of United States bonds and
o. the prepayment of interest. Notice was
given by Mr.. Aldrich who reported this BILL
that he womld call II up ut an early day.
Mr.. Blair, who on Monday introduced n
bill giving preference for civil service ap-
pointments (among men who had been dis
loyal during the war; to those who had
served in the confederate army, and who
were suffering from wounds or disabilities,
asked Mr.. Platt (who had objected to the
second reading of the bill to withdraw his
objection.
Mr.. Platt said that he could not object to
the bill being read a second time aud re-
ferrcd to u committee His objection on
Monday had been based on what seemed to
be an inference from the title of the bill.
Mr.. Blair remarked that the object of the
bill was simply to provide that, in appoint
ments to the civil ser, ce, made from among
those who had been sloyal, the preference
should be giveh to th.s who were suffering
from wounds or disabilities resulting from
service In the army of the oonfederacy.
lie had introduced the bill in entire good
faith He understood that in the one state
of North Carolina there were to-day 10000
ex-sodicrs of the confederacy who had lost
limbs in the service; and that a very large
number of them were In poor circumstances.
II seemed to him that II the government
under this administration, or under any other
administration, gave appointments to men
who had been disloyal, preference should be
given to those who had served in the con
federate army and were now disabled. other
things being equal.
Mr.. Hale inquired of Mr. Blair as to the
purpose of the bill. Was II to be applied to
disabled soldiers of the confederaby as
against other soldiers of the confederacy who
were not disabled, or was II to be applied to
disabled soldiers of the confederacy as
against individuals living In the south who
had been disloyal but who had not served In
the amyY He, for one, would not consent to
any such discrimination in favor Of confede-
rate soldiers as had been made in the statutes
in favor of federal soldiers.
Mr.. Blair read and said that the bill itself
clearly answered the suggestions or ques-
tions Of the senator from Maine.
Mr. Hale said II was very clear to him
that the same discrimination now made by
statute for the loyal soldier was to be made
(under this bil) for the disloyal soldier.
The crowning merit Of the latter would be
that he had served and been wounded or
disabled In the army of the confederacy, and
that was to place him above the man who
had been disabled in the Mexican war for
the whole republic. While he (Mr. Hale)
did not wish to revive in any way old ques-
tions or to call up the past he felt that the
introduction Of this bill was premature.
Mr. Blair repeated that the bill simply
made discrimination among those who had
been disloyal, giving the preference to the
man who had served in the confederate army
and been disabled, as against the man who
had been dsloyal, but had not served In the
army.
Mr.. Hale Precisely. II is made merit,
by this bill, that the applicant for office had
served in the confederate army and had
there been disabled
Mr.. Platt said that the more he looked at
the bill the more he disiked it. OF course,
he recognized the benevolence and philan-
luTOpy WHICH ottIueu W uuNC uSbuutcu thC
senator from New Hampshire, but he (Platt)
did not wish to engage In any legislation for
the benefit of any confederate soldiers. He
thought that the bill was fraught with dan
ger. He thought that the senator from New
Hampshire Carried away, perhaps, by senti-
ment) had introduced bill which ought not
to go any further He would, therefore,
ask for the yeas and nays on the second
reading of the bill.
Mr.. Berry said that the wounded soldiers
of the south had not asked for any prefer
ence over their comrades He recognized,
however, the fact that the senator had done
very generous thing in making the propo-
.ition. lie recognized that such generosity
could only come from man who knew
something of thosewho served on both sides.
lie would sayto the senator from Connect
cut (Mr Plati) that, while eX-cOnfederate sol
liers asked DL.hing from the government
except that uuY' b. permitted to take care
OF themselyyg las they had been able to dc
of aHe Of nas sonyv .nsy wers end %
xther particular, 20 any other man,
was unjust, unfounded, and unwarranted.
Mr.. Platt protested that he had made no
such intimation. He was as little disposed
as any man In the Senate to do anything
which would recall the controversies OF
those days; but when the senator from Ar
kansas (Mr. Berry, said that the confederate
soldier was the equal and peer of all men IN
love of country, some objection should be
made to such statement In the Senate OF
the United States. He would not sit IN hi:
seat and have the confederate soldiers 10y
atty, devotion, and love of country put
upon a par with those of the soldier who
had fought to maintain the government.
Mr., Blair said that the bill had originated
with himself, after conversations with va
rious paries, and from information derived
from various sources as to the condition OF
the wounded confederate soldiers in tn,
south. There were many of them who
were not only grlevously wounded, but in
great destitution.
Mr.. Spooner asked Mr.. Blair whether ht
did think that appointments of eonfed
crate leaders under the present administra
tion We're sufficiently potential in influence
to take ample care OF wounded confederate
soldiers withou. the intervention of Con
gress.
Mr.. Blair replied that the wounded eX
soldiers Of the confederacy had not received
that consideration In the matter Of appoint
ments that they were entitled to, when ap
pointments were made from among thos
who had been disloyal during the war. Ill
thought that there was just cause for com
plant on their part, II seemed TO him tina
10 give preference to these men was tn
proper thing TO do,
Mr.. Hoar said that he was very much graf
flied to learn both from the senator iron
New Hampshire and the senator from Al
kansas that the proposition had not com
from ex-confederate soldiers or from any
body representing them. The proposition
is that In dealing with this class of person
we shall say that the fact that men have ren
dered services TO the whole country shall no
weigh In the scale against the fact that othe
men have served In the army OF the confedel
acyand have been there wounded or incurTe
diseases. do not believe there is senate
on the other other side who would hay
thought of introducing such bill. / do nc
believe there is representative man at tn
south who would say that such bill is reG
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