The Washington critic., 1890-05-19

sity. Here is his description of the in.
cident in his Memoirs:
] then said TO him [Lee1 that Thought
this would be about the last battle of the
war--I sincerely hoped so; and said fur
tber took IL that most of the men I'm the
ranks were small farmers. The whole
country had been so raided by the two
armies that II was doubtful whether they
would be able to put in a crop to carry
themselves and their families through the
next winter without the aid of the horses
they were then riding. The United States
did not want them, and would. therefore.
instruct the officers ] left behind to re-
ceiye the paroles Of his troops, to let every
man OF the Confederate army who claimed
to own horse or mule take the animal to
his home. Lee remarked again that this
would have happy effect.
II would be almost impossible to ex.
aggerate the hardness of the ex Con.
federate's lot when he returned to his
home. Even if disabled by wounds or
disease he could not look to the arl.
thorities anywhere for relief, since the
Federal Government treated him as q
traitor and his State was too poor to do
anything for him. Indeed, at first he
really had no State, living under mill
tary rule. In short, he had only him.
self to depend upon. But he was not
daunted by the difficulties of his situa-
ton. He set to work, and was soon
making his own way in the world, and
gaining both confidence and self-respect
with every forward step.
The victorious army also returned to
the million homes from which 1t had
been gathered. The nation it had
saved was prompt TO recognize its
services. Generous provision was made
for the pensioning of any man who had
suffered wound or contracted
chronic disease during his service.
The sufferers quickly availed them
selves of the offer of aid, and, within
ten years after the close of the war, the
annual appropriations for pensions
then less than $50, ,000, ,000-began to
shew the falling off which was to be
expected from the ravages of death
among those on the roll. In 1875 the
Union soldiers reputation in peace
worthily sustained the honor which he
had gained in war.
The situation is different in 1890.
Instead of having fallen off, as was ex-
pected fifteen years ago, and would
have happened in a normal state of
things, the annual appropriation for
| pensions has more than trebled, until
IL now reaches about 800, 600, 900. while
| one branch of Congress has just passed
| bill which would increase the demand by
about $50, 900, 900 more year. Instead of
being roll of honor, containing only
the names of those who earned claim
| upon the nations especial consideration
| by casualties of service which disabled
them from earning living, the list
| OF pensioners already contains thou
sands of men who are in no sense dis
abled, and who therefore have no moral
| claim to an allowance from the Treas,
ury. The pending proposition to give a
| pension to every soldier when he
reaches the age of 60 involves grants to
| tens Of thousands who not only were
never wounded or otherwise injured,
but who are as well off as the majority
of their fellow. countrymen who ara to
be taxed for their benefit. And there
is another project earnestly supported
which proposes to abolish the limit Of
age entirely and enable any man of 45,
though he may have competence, to
draw IS month for the remainder of
his life from the Federal Treasury pro
| vided he was in any way connected
| Will INC Ouluh hiihy iOl INC SpdCO vi
| ninety days.
These wholesale pension schemes to-
day threaten to ruin the reputation of
the Union soldier While the soldier
who served in the Confederate Army
represents the best element in Southern
society-the men who have built up q
new prosperity on the ruins of the ole
by working hard and depending upon
themselves-the ex. Union soldier il
coming 10 stand in the public mind fol
helpless and greedy sort of person
who says that he is not able to supper
himself, and whines that other peopl,
ought to do it tor him. According u
the claims now made, victory left tn,
representatives of the rich North wors,
off than defeat left those of the devas
tated South.
1t is truly an unpleasant contrast
The mischief, however, is not a
yet irreparable. If the self-respectinl
veterans everywhere throughout tn
North will follow the example of thos
In Galena, ILL.,, who declare that tn
pending schemes are degrading to th
old soldiers" and who call upon thei
Congressman to vote against all sue
bills, the demagogues at Washingto
will be forced to listen and obey, Th
only question is whether demoraliza
tion has already gone so far that tn
spirit of manliness which has jus
blaZed up in General Grants old hom
will die out again and leave the reputi
ton of the Union soldier tarnished b
himself.