The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-09
Ghe Gatelligsncem
waKrLINd, ". va, JANUARY o, 1888.


Wednesdays lNTELLIGRNCER refers 10
Pension Commissioner John o. Black as
"Phyhical Wreck Black" General Black
was slmoa! shot to pieces while CALAMITY
fighting for the Union, but because he
votes Democratic ticket the INTELLIGENT
CIR ieela called upon to make merry over
his wounds. Thu editor Of the lETELLI-
GESCgR, however brave warrior now,
was not in the field when the real fighting
wac going on and perhaps does not know
that there are many old soldiers In the Re-
publican party who regard even the
wounds Of their Democratic comrades as
honorable and worthy Of respect oil every
patriotic citizen. The IETELLIGKNcER be-
longs 10 that class Of Republican journals
whose double.leAded love Tor the soldier
Is measured By the use they can make oil
him.-FdirmOnt Inds1,
The Under ia mistaken. The INrELLr.
orXcER has never iel! called upon to make
merry over the wounds Of Pension Com
missioner Black. On tho contrary, this
paper cheeriully sccords the distinguished
soldier all the honor he deserves. 1t
knows tina. Gen. Black received his
wounds while calamity leading Union
soldiers 10 fight to preserve the Govern
ment. Many other Democrats also re-
csiyed wounds while fighting for the
Union, and the IETELLIdRScRR honors
them all. The fact that they now vote
tho Democratic ticket and uphold an 3D.
ministration that sneers at Union SOL
disrs who vote tho Republican ticket, does
not Lessen the INrELLIGESCER's admiration
for the bravo snd loyal deeds done by
them quarter Of acantury ego. The IN
rELLIaBScRR is content to allow its Demo-
cratic contemporaries to enjoy monopoly
in tho matter OF making merry over the
wounds OF Union veterspB. No Republl-
can journal has asen fl! to refer to the sol.
diers as "pDnsiOn grabbsrs," raiders
on the treasury" "slleged veteranF," etc.
o1Iy Democratic papers and Democratic
politicians do that.
II at any timO the INTELIIaRNcKR has
referred 10 Commissioner Black rs "Physi.
cal Wreck Black" it wsG not with spirit
Of merIiment over the alleged fact that he
iB phyrical wreck. The term is applied
in quite different spirit, and with the
fact in view that General Black was grant
cd a pension OF q hundred dollars por
month on the strength Of his own sworn
asasement thst he Ia "a total physical
wreck" from wouads rocsived in service.
The pension was granted him under Q
impression that he was totally disabled and
unable to earn a living. That Is the only
condition upon which an ox.soIdier is
granted penhion for total disability.
The fact, however, that General Black is
able to attend to the arduous duEies Of an
important Government Office, for which
he draTB GALAXY Of five thousand dollars
per year, in spite of this alleged "sotsl
disability" renders him G ct subject for
critic!am, and il the circumstance Of his
obtaining penalon under false pretenses
is frequently brought to the attention Of
newspaper readers in the manner above
alluded to, General Black has himself to
thank forit,
General Blsck should do one Of two
things; he should togfeit the pension he is
trauduleatly enjoying and be content with
one Of proper grade, or he should resign
tho government petition which he Is ply
sically unit to hold. II he Is physically
able to attend to his duties as Commits
siousr, and to tho duties OF the Office Of
Vico President, for which he is a candi-
date, then he Is receiving pension to
which, by law, he is not entitled.
That General Black bears severe wounds
is not doubted; that he Is not a "physical
wreck" is spparent; that the newspapers
have right to expose and denouncs the
fraud ia upquestionsd, save by Democratic
papers "whose double-leaded love for the
soldier is measured by the use they can
make OF him."