Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-11
TANNER ON PENSIONS.

/
The Corporal Makes n speech Before the
scotch-Irish Consress-How He Will
Reduce the surplus-PeusIons whenever
Possible-The South should Assist Their
Errine, But Needy Soldiers.
COLUMBIA, TENN, May 1O.-Dr. Kelley
was the first speaker before the Scotch Irish
Congress to-day. DR.. Kelley traced in a
mastery manner the birth and growth of
constitutional liberty, which he claimed
sprang from the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians
in Cromwell's time. He spoke of the famous
high rank in the wars of this country, and
eulogized them all.
DIR. Kelley was followed by Commissioner
of Pensions Tanner in a lengthy speech.
Commissioner Tanner prefaced his remarks
with some allusions to the many incidents
that American history affords of the mag
niticent manner in which on American soil
the representatives of the Scotch-Irish races
have upheld the reputation of these nation
alities He paid compliment to President
Harrison, the broad-gauged patriotic states
man, firm in the determination to be Presi-
dent of the whole country, no less anxious
for the prosperity of Tennessee than of In
diana, of Mississippi and the Carolinas. as
we'll as of New York and Ohio, and pre-
dicted the happiest results as proceeding
naturally from the high plane of elevated
craftsmanship on which the President
moves.
THE BLUE AND GRAY.
He then spoke of the relations of the blue
and gray, of the soldiers of the Union and
Confederate armies, and declared that how
ever dear the ambitions which were swept
away by the smoke ofbattle they were proud,
on both sides above all other things of the
fact that they were citizens of the United
States of America. The history of the
nations of the past, he said, could furnish no
such exhibition of the ratification of
permanently rent asunder, and en-
gagged in such mighty and sanguinary
strife. When Lee surrendered atAppomat-
tox, the settlement of the question at differ
ence between the two sections of the country
could have been left the two lines of men
dressed in blue and dressed in gray, and
they would have been settled honorably,
amicably and lastingly, and the politicians
would have been out of business during the
whole of the reconstruction period
Speaking of the pension list Commission
er Tanner referred to the fact that thousands |
of pensioners were drawing pensions rang
ing from $3 rs to 81 per month. but felt |
thankful that there rested in his finger tips |
some power, and said that as soon as possi- |
BILE he intended to call in every one of these
certificates and reissue them On the basis of |
the truth that no man ought to be down on
the pension roll of the United States for |
less than the miserable pittance of 81 per
week, even though this might wiring from
the hearts of some the prayer, "God help |
the surplus.
THEIR HARD FATE.
Mr.. Tanner spoke of the hard fate Of the |
Confederate soldier. The crime of secession, |
and it was crime, rested not upon the |
shoulders of the many, but upon the should
ers of the few. The youth of the South, the |
bone and sinew of the Confederate battle |
column, drew in the doctrine of States |
right with their mothers milk, and God !
above who judged us all, would ac-
quit them Of crime. The sympathies Of his |
heart went out toward the thousands who
had fallen by the wayside, and it was the
moral and religious obligation of the States |
of the South which passed the ordinance of
secession to assist the disabled Confederate
soldiers.
The speaker was here interrupted by the
statement that Tennessee had made such
provision for her soldiers. Mr. Tanner re-
piled that he was glad to hear it. After he
had concludeda number Of other gentlemen
delivered brief but pleasing addresses.