Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-07
MR.. PETERS PENSION AMENDMENT.

MR.. PETERS PENSION AMENDMENT.
To the Editor of the Eagle
The representative of this district in
the national congress has offered an
amendment to the constitution prohibit
ing the repeal of the general pension
laws. The EAGLR, in its capacity of a
metropolitan newspaper, noticed it in an
editorial paragraph terminating in the
expression of a conservative opinion as
to the permanent acquiesence of Ameri-
can sentiment and staple public opinion
in the results of revolution and war.
| Whether the editor of the EAGLE, in the
necessary hurry of writing that para
graph, comprehended the historical sense
of the words: But we are 10th to believe
the time will ever come when the senti-
ment of the country would permit the
repeal of the pension laws" we do
not know. But from the day
on which the English barons stood
before King John at Runnymede all along
the historical path travelled by those
from whom we get our institutions we
find that the great enactments of internal
revolution have ever been held inviola-
| bic by the sentiment of the people. 1t
was in vain that the Stewards and the
cavaliers in their flush of return to power
assailed the revolutionary acts of Lord
Protector Cromwell. Even those Of the
confiscations of estates were held invio-
liable by that sentiment of the people
| Long after the prosecuted individuals of
the Puritan party had suffered eXecu-
! ton, expulsion and imprisonment under
the Stewards their revolutionary enact
ments had been sustained by English
public sentiment and English courts. A
failure to acquiesec in the results of
progressive revolution in accord with
English public sentiment led to the ex-
pulsion of the Stewards. And are we
not more stable and enlightened than
our English ancestors were in all social
and political matters:
1t is the opinion of representative liv-
| ing Englishmen that the United States is
the most conservative country in the
world, ana nothing in the history of our
country denies it. To the remainder of
the world the enlightenment and con-
servatism of our people falls little short
of the miraculous. That we have gath
cred the poverty stricken hordes of the
world within our population and raised
it from three to sixty odd millions in the
first century of our existence, and
moulded them to our institutions, not
only proves the excellence of the English
system. but that the essence of that SyS-
tenn is found in its highest type in our
country.
If we have truly stated the nature of
our associated ancestry and drawn the
proper conclusions from that of our peo-
pie. the five ex-Confederate soldiers Of
the judiciary committee have been
placed in very awkward position, as
Mr.. Peters says-''If they will report,
constituted as they are, his joint resolu-
ton favorably, it will go long
way towards convincing the Union SOL
der that there is no disposition on the
part of the south to jeopardize the legis-
lation which has been enacted in his in
terest." If in Difference to this joint
resolution the ex-COnfederates vote TO
place a law enacted for special interest
in the constitution they have at once set
pernicious precedent for like amend
ments until the fundamental law NAV be
burdened with them. If they refuse. it
will be in the estimation of Republicans
like Mr. Peters evidence that they con-
template at no distant day to repeal. out
of motives of revenge, the general pen
sion laws. Mr.. Peters position takes no
account of the stability of American
public opinion and institutions. 1t does
not get above the suspicious of a state of
perpetual internecine hostility.
II it is rejoined that prominent ex
ConfederateS have in the domestic
and foreign public service sup
planted ex-Union soldiers by
thousands we can only answer.
as history and true craftsmanship must
answer some day. that they do SO not as
rebels but as lawful citizens. And that
they were born and reared under insti-
buttons prevalent in fifteen states of the |
Union, so peculiar, as compared TO those /
of the other states. that they constituted
a civilization distinct within itself. That (
ont of this alone the sentiment of rebel /
hon and civil war grew: that in the APP /
peal to he arbitrament OF the sword the
existence of this peculiar difference was
staked and lost: that the gain embraced |
what did not exist before, /, e., gov
eminent united and national III free in /
situations for all its citizens regardless of /
previous disabilities and limitations. and ,
with the questions of secession forever
settled.
The legislation growing out Of the war
against the eX-Confederates was more
largely dictated by sound and magnani-
nous policy than by a narrow spirit of
revengefuI discrimination. We
would have been less than
human if ordinations and recrimina-
tons had not followed the war between
two great peoples representing two
arbitrary principles Of social order within
a government where the question of a
possible coexistence had .een the princi-
pal one with their leading men. Since
the formation of the constitution itself
representing compromise between
them. But happily American conserva-
tisn has been industriously RELOCATING
those settled issues TO the pages Of history
and the evil passions growing out OF
them to oblivion
The Democratic party, vastly in the
loaded down with the sins
of its policy before and during the war.
acquired power exactly in proportion 10
its adjustment to q changing pubic
opinion against the ultra prescriptions Of
the Republican leaders SUCH Rspiibh
can leadership and policy vas natural.
lii the nature of things and
have no doubt beensproliiic OF results
now latent In both great sections OF the
reintry. which, are Ia spring into
life in the great future ahead OF us to