The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-03-22
BLAIR AGAIN.
The New England Senator's New Bill
in Favor OF Disabled Con.
federate Soldiers.
Berry and Hampton Say Old Confeder-
ates Don't Need the Proffered
Kindness.
FIFTIHrH CONGRESS.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, March 2O.-Among the
bills reported from committees aud placed
on the calendar, were the following:
To encourage the holding of a national
industrial exposition of arts, mechanics
and products of the colored race in the
United States in 1888 SO; to authorize the
secretary of the treasury to apply the
surplus money in the treasury to the pur-
chase of United States bonds and to the
pre- payment of interest (notice was
given by Senator Aldrich who reported
this bill that he would call it up at an
early date), providing that pensions be
rated according to the rank held at the
date of discharge.
Senator Blair, who yesterday introduced
a bill giving preferences for civil service
appointments among men who had been
disloyal during the war, to those who had
served in the confederate army, and who
were suffering from wounds or disability,
asked Senator Platt (who had objected to
the second reading of the bill) to with
draw his objection.
Senator Platt said he could not object
to the bill being read the second time and
referred to q committee. His objection
Yesterday had been based upon what
seemed to be the reference from the title
of the bill.
Senator Blair said he had introduced
the bill in entire good faith. He under
stood that in one state-that of North
Carulina-tnere ware to-day 10000 eA-
soldiers of the cOuf adera'e army who had
lost limbs III the service,
and that very large number of
them were in poor circumstances
It seemed to him that if the government
under this administration, OF under any
other adm mis- ration, gave appointments
to those who have been dislOyal, the pref
erence should oe given TO those who had
served in the confederate army and were
now disabled (other things being equal).
Senator Hale inquired of Senator Blair
as 10 the purpose of the bill. Was 1T to
be a piled to disabled soldiers of the CON
federacy RS against other soldiers of the
confederacy who were not disabled! Or
was it to be applied to disabled soldiers
of the contederaCy as against individuals
living in the south who had been disloyal,
but who had not served in the army? He,
for one, would not consent to any such
discrimination in favor of confederate
soldiers as has been made in the statutes
in favor of federal soldiers.
Senator Blair laid the bill itself an
swered the question of the senator from
Maine.
Senator Hale said it was very clear 70
him that the same discrimination now
made by the statute for loyal soldiers was
to be made under this bi | for dislOyel
soldiers. 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 ths whole republic
1t is made a merit by this bill that the
applicant for the Office had served i'll the
confederate army and had there been dis
abled.
Senator Platt said he would ask for the
yeas and nays on the second reading OF
the bill.
Senator Berry said the wounded soldiers
of the south had not asked for such
a bill, though they would recognize the
generosity of the proposition. Any init
nation that confederate soldiers were not
equal in point of love of country and in
every other particular to any other man
was unjust, unfounded and unwarranted
Senator Platt replied that when the
senator from Arkansas Derry said that
the confederate soldier was the equal and
the peer OF all men in love of country
some objection should be made to such a
statement in the senate of the United
States. He would not sit in his seat ano
have the confederate soldiers loyalty, de-
votion and love of country put up on
par with those of the soldier who hat
fought to maintain the government.
Senator Blair said the bill had origi-
mated with himself.
Senator Spooner thought that the ap
pointments of confederate leaders under
the present administration were suf
ficiently potential in influence to take
ample care of wounded confederate sol
diers without the intervention of con
gress.
Senator Blair said that the wounded ex
soldiers of the confederacy had not re-
ceived that consideration that they were
entitled to when appointments were made
from among them who had been dislOya
during the war. He thought there wal
just cause of complaint ON their part.
seemed to him that to give preference
to those men was the prope
thing to do. He said that the diff