National Republican., 1888-03-10
Burning Their Bridges

The last few days have witpessed de-
late in the United Ststee Senate Uf remark
able significance. To stranger, unused to
tie u,ages and history of our republic, the
tceLe would have borne startling import.
Ila' who bad Si9Sh ip 81 arMad sfesfS3seiiqB
tie congress Of the rebelious people, should
lie here passing Judgment upon the deeds
Cf tie loyal sOlGiery would appear to be
Mf.gieltly Anomalous. That they should
he tauDtiLg their disoyalty In the faces
Wi the people through whose uneXampled
EtLtroti,y they enjoy American citizenship,
add that they should exhibit the very gall OF
hiterress toward the volunteer soldiers who
ovtrcame their disloya intrigues and saved
tie Union, is incomprehensble TO the i'm.
partial observer
Tie subject OF this debate WAS the de
lcbdert pensions bill, which tine Repuoi.
,aI senators have pressed to passage as a
dn'y TO those to whom the country owes its
existence, IL is supported also by some
Democrats who are at once furthcst re.
moved from relationship To the expiring
C,I,tdsracy and the influence Of the al mia.
is'ration. Since the President vetoed
lurtiplc, this Is modified measure ex.
lected TO overcome bis objections, and
there was NO suspicion TO the contrary
until the assault upon 1t began, as II by pre-
arrangement from the extreme senators
M Uu The Demccratic side. The cIarse re-
i!,ctiuus cast upon the federal soldiers by
Senators Beck, Blackburn, and Vest were
iustly amazing and obnoxious TO the Re.
Ub!cabs, who had contemplated this
legislation In no spirit OF partisanshlp.
ne diglifed and earnest replies Of Scna-
tors MaudersoD, llOar, Teller, and Others
laced before the country the merits of the
controversy, and pnt to shame the blus'er
q tie BuurbouS, which seemed to be a re-
yiyal Of the confederate "boody shrt" in
tsrIest.
The event will not he lost upon the c0u-
s.ISaiive leople Uf this republic. inG
anln us!ty aud the language Of the eX-
r,rftGer6'e spIrits Is not the worst feature
Al il. That which viii cause people who
have ignored the questions OF suffrage aud
tIcisl rights ia the soutl to stand and re.
feet is the renewed confidence, an | dash
With which these southern leaders cut loose
fCn the Eear past, and, under the mis-
taken confidence that they have got their
hSLCs permanently on the wheel Of govern
IGut, sIrounce the new and real Demo
cratic policy. The only enduring p1litI,
cal rsity we have to face today sub.
srhltially said Mr, Blackburn, sis the
Grhld Army Of the Republic" And that
ft,med to he the reason why he hoped for
NE defeat .o' the bill or for veto. 'He
tUinre ! have been coerced by cream.
s'RLCes, substantially said Mr., Vest, Unto
1he support Of pension measures like this
Eut ! am done with the business" And
lie emphasized his remarks by necessarily
fsun,ing in the face OF the Senate
his relation to the late coll
ttderacy as we'll rs his en-
during animosity for every thing that was
loyal in the days when the country stood
upon the verge Of despair,
Both these senators sneered at this lcgis.
lation as dishonesty solicited Ry the SOL
diers and promoted in bad faith by those
who aye supporting 1t, and intimated by
their expressed wishes what they expect Its
IH,e ~0l be should II reach the Executive.
Both are representative Democrats, and as
TO their opinion OF the soldier and OF his
friends, hotp will be accepted as speaking
fer the Democratic machine which Is al.
ready In motion to renomInate Mr.. Cleve.
land. Nsinglorious in the delusion that
their hold upon the republic is firm and
pIotTacted, they burn their bridges and
ylise The gonfaoD Of their deiunct confed
pacy. sR aLo'ber stern signal, warning