The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-01

to their accredited Senators for the pur-
pose OF being enacted. When the Presi-
dent of the United States had honestly
and bravely discharged his executive duty
and vetoed an enactment which he con-
sidercd improper, he had been threatened
by the officers Of that organization with
personal insult II he dared 10 make his
presence known in the city where ii held
its annual meeting There was limit to
human endurance. He had voted for
pension bills. coerced by his position, be-
cause he had been Confederate, and be.
cause he was anxious for the honor and
glory Of the country. lie had voted for
them because no wanted TO evidence
10 the world that the men
with whom he had acted in the
unfortunate strife respected the fair and gal
liant soldiers OF the Union and were willing
TO give them even more than they de-
mandcd. But (he repeated with strong
cmphasis) there IL limit, and have
| reached IL. win be driven no farther by
claim agents and plunderers In the garb OF
soldiers, For the honest and brave and
real soldiers Of the Union am willing to
vote any amount OF pensions. In this
city IL q corps oil men engaged in Invent
ing legislation. TO take more money out OF
the Federal treasury. The report OF tho
committees upon pensions shows when
the arrears Of pensions act OF 1879 was
passed there were some 30, 900 applications
for pensions pending. The very next year
the number Of applications jumped to
10000. Tho claim agents invented that
law and put limitation on il, and the
number Of applications for pensions
jumped In ono year from 20, 900 10 no, 600,
and the amount OF disbursements from
$50, 000, 900 10 S57, 0000O0.
Mr. Vest said iliat OF the $500, 900 men
enrolled as soldiers during the four years
Of war there were applications from .200,-
600 for pensions on account OF disability.
Such military execution, he said, had
never been known In the history Of the
whole world. The Coniederatcs had thought
that they had poor powder and ordnance,
and yet, make due allowance for the effect
OF climate in producing disability, IL
would appear that one Confederate soldier,
halt clothed and halt fcd, had disabled
three Of his advcraries. There had been
no such distraction in military circles
since the childrcn OF Israel marched
through the Wilderness, destroying whole
nations In u single day. Tho inarksman.
ship OF the Persian prince in the "Arabian
Nights" whose arrows crossed mountains
and rivers aud despiscd space in their
fight, had been nothing 60 that Of the
Confederate soldier. Ills bullet must have
hit two or more at the same time and
struck where II was not aimed. Fifty
per cent. 81 MI ihclost OF the Union armies
were applicants for pensions ON account Of
disability. Who, he asked, believed that
they were honest applicants? Who be.
lieyed that these pension bills had not do.
generated into o political abuse, which
cried aloud IN the ficcs Of all honest men
for redress. lie Ind great regard for many
OF his friends on the opposite side 81 the
chamber, and, In the words which lac had
spoken, he had wished a. give an oppor-
tunity 10 some Of them who had bnrkcd
back in the contest over the bill, 10 throw
his shining lance among 'the Confederate
brigadiers' aud try to carry Oh the Re.
publican nomination for the presidency.
A recent dispatch from Paris had caused
political candidates 90 become ~ thick ~
''leavcs in valhnbrosa"
Before that dispatch had come under tho
vcasty waves OF tho ocean, the Republican
party had been In the condition NJ the
man who, having gone home some hours
before his usual time In the morning, and
having been asked why he had gone home
40 aoon, replied that every other place In
town was shut up. The doors Of the Re.
publican party were now open, and prcsi-
DENTAL candidates were coming 10 the
front without limit rs 10 quantity or local
ity. The Senate had been engaged for
some days past IN q. political auction for
the soldiers vote. First had como his
friend from Nebraska Maaderson), backed
by the q. A. r., and lac Vest had
listened with real qualification 10 his dia-
lcct and modulatcd voice from the bc;,in.
ming 10 the end OF his speech. Even that
Senator's filings NJ the President hal not
dclracled rom the general merit OF his bid
Tor the soldier vote, and when he received
q floral tribute NJ token Of regard from
his admitting constituents behind him. he
(Nesi) had but one single suggestion "a
make, and that was the lilies should have
been embroidered over the portals oi the
While.housc. Tint WIS the object Of all
the debate, OF all the bidding for the
soldier vote Of the country In the coming
contest. When the Senator from Ncbrnska
took his scat he tVcBtl had thought that
tho bid waa In his favor. But the present
occupant Of the chair, the senator from
Maine (Fye), had caught the eye ~ the
auctionecrh--tl,c q. A.K-and had "gone
one better" Tho Senator WIS prepared 10
vote q. pension 10 every man who hal
served n day IN the Federal army. lie
(vestl was about Ia knock down tho prize
TO the Senator from Maine when his friend
from Kansas l'lumbl camo 10 the front
and outbid the Senator from Maine by an
amendment IN the hill which would In
crease che expenditure under II $50, OO0,-
600 OF S75,0O0,OOO lie Vest had then
been strongly OF the opinion that the nc.
ton should close and the prize be- given 10
the Senator from Kansas, but the Senator
from Illinois (Culloml had come 10 the
front aud made bid from that great pacific
State which had staggered his Vests
conviction a. 10 the propre,y Of closing
the sale. since that time he had been la
n condition Of anxiety waiting 10 hear from
other bidders in lhegreat national auction.
The Senate bad not yet hcard irm his
dulccttongued friend from Iowa (Allisonl,
who had kept his scat and merely noldcd
acquicsccnce To the most exircmc proposi.
tons Tor the benefit Of tho exsoldicrS.
Nor had tho Senate yet heard from the
distinguished senator from Ohio (Sher-
mani, who In such contest ought Ger.
tainly TO coms 10 the front and bid some
thing for tho vote which candidates
,houghtl WIS 10 determine the contest.
Neither had the senate yet heard from
the presiding officer Qlngalls), who had
been nominated by the District OF Colum.
bia, and every one know that the District
of Columbia only acted nom the most dis.
| Interested and unaelnsh motives lie