Wichita eagle., 1888-02-05
PERMANENCY OF PENSIONS.
a Letter From Hon S. r. Peters on
the Subject.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

11OCSE Of htfRESENIAIlFE EN.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 'SS. !
To the Editor of the Daily Eagle
My Dear Sir: In your paper OF the 25th
inst. find the following editorial:
''The solicitude for the future welfare of
| the soldiers OF the republic and their de-
pendents manifested by Judge Peters in
tie bill offered by him proposing a consti-
tutional amendment prohibiting the re-
peal of the general pension laws will be
fully appreciated by those in position to be
affected thereby, and by the loyal people
! OF the country generally, but we are 10th
TO believe the time will ever come when
the sentiment of the country would permit
such an act.
The suggestion which led to the intro
! duction OF the joint resolution referred
to came from a one-armed soldier. He
asked me, in the corridor of the National
hotel in this city, what assurance a SOL
der had, in view of what had transpired
during the last ten years, that his pen
sion would be paid during the remainder
of his life. ard added: at would not be
more surprising in the next ten years to
see a repeal Of all general legislation re-
lating to soldiers in the last war than is
now the fact that the party in power in
the house Of representative is controlled
by those who fought against us in
1S61-J.'
The more | thought about the subject
the more was impressed with the i'm
portance of his suggestion, and finally
concluded to prepare and introduce the
joint resolution which | did. In 1868.
after the war was over. we would have
been 10th to believe, thatssin 1885 prom
inent Union soldiers representing this
government abroad, would be recalled
and their places supplied by prominent
rebel soldiers. We would have been
10th to believe in 1865, that within
twenty-five years. 10000 Union soldiers
would be languishing in the county poor
houses, with over 500, 600, 900 Of a sur
plus, in the treasury of the United States:
| we would also have been 10th" to
believe, that within twenty-five wears
! from that time. the moneyed interests in
one OF the great northern states of the
Union, would support and uphold the
veto of a president, refusing pittance
to the disabled soldier. l might instance
a number of other actual occurrences,
within the last five years. which would
have been denounced by the loyal people,
if suggested in 1865.
The amendment to the constitution
suggested by me, can do no possible
harm. 1t simply secures beyond repeal,
general pension legislation already enact
ed. If the southern people are sincere in
| their statements. favoring liberal pen
sions to Union soldiers, then they can
evince that sincerity, by having their
legislatures ratify this constitutional
amendment. It will give thema chance
to express the desire, to place this char
acter of legislation beyond repeal. This
joint resolution was referred to the com
mittee on Judiciary. This committee is
composed of fifteen members, nine of
them Democrats and six of them Repub-
licans. Six Of the nine Democrats are
from ,the Southern states. Five of
the six fought on the southern side dur
ing the war. Two of them were colo
nels. one a captain, one first lieutenant
and one a private in the rebel army.
The sixth was only thirteen years of age
when the war closed. If this committee
constituted as it is, will report that joint
resolution favorably, it certainly will go
great ways towards convincing the
Union soldier that there is no disposition
on the part of the south to jeopardize
the legislation which has been enacted
in his interest. Very respectfully,
S. r. PETERS.