The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-04-17
TIlh OLD SOLDIERS DEFENDED.
Democratic Attacks Answered by II Form,
wa.t vlrptoI,u

democratic Attacks Answered by u Former
West ylrgininn.
During tho debate In the House o.
Representatives last week on a special
pension bill, one Of the most eloquent
speeches in defense Of the old soldiers,
In answer to tho Democratic attacks, was
made by Hon. J. P. Dolliver, Of Iowa,
the youngest member Of the House, and
a former West Virrinian. Following are
his concluding words:
The old soldiers stand before tho pub
lie Treasury, not ns paupers, not M men.
dicants, not yer rs heneliciaries. They
are the preferred creditors OF the Nation
Of America. They hold the bonds OF the
real National debt. To its payment the
public faith is sacredly pledged. We
must not question it. We cannot without
Infinite penalties repuliate II. Norought
we to 20 into partnership with tho grave
and plead the precedent that enables It's
to drive q hard bargain with old age.
Now Is the accepted time to complete the
act OF National gratitude. Within
twenty years the most OF tho veterans
will be gone. Already the great COM
manders, except one, have joined tho
innumerable company Of their comrades
on the other shore.
Every year time touches tho wasting
ranks with II heavier hand. Soon the
last will have departed, and little child
ren playing upon the streets will hush
their laughter to look With curious
reverence upon bent aud white-haired
men, the last OF the Grand Army OF the
Republic. l do not know what others
may think, but in that day I want to
feel that the public faith has been kept
in the ample measure OF gratitude and
Of justice. l shut my eyes while the
busy fingers OF calculation compute the
cost. 1t makes absolutely no difference
what it costs. The defense Of the Union
was an undertaking so vast that no
worldly arithmetic can estimate Its ex.
pence. But the American people, with
eager patriotism. were ready to pay all
that it cost to the last farthing. Tap
plause. Nay, more, they were willing
to bury their dead; they were willing to
put the signs OF mourning upon nearly
every family altar; they were willing to
take back their loved ones from tho hos.
pitfalls OF disease, from the stockades OF
merciless prisons, that the flag of the
great Republic might live through the
storm OF battle. [Applause.]
My countrymen, it was a costly sacri.
lice; but it Bas worth all it cost and
Infinitely more. (Applause. And to-
day there is not III all our borders one
veteran Of the civil wal but We are his
personal debtor; not one woman whose
broken heart gave IL the nation bus.
band, or son, or brother, but we are her
personal debtor: not one old man,
stricken by years, the staff OF his sup.
port taken away by the service OF bis
country, but We are his personal debtor.
[Applause.]
l could not help feeling a sentiment
OF indignation when I heard their
necessities sneered at on the floor of this
Congress. I say to the gentleman from
Missouri, and to you, gentlemen, that
the need which standsi in pathetic elo.
quence behind the pressing urgency
OF the demands OF the old soldiers Of the
United States is no badge OF dishonor.
[Applause.]
1t is rather a mournfuI witness, like
the homeless lot OF the Workingman OF
Nazareth, that they who were rich in
the exultaut. wealth OF youth and
strength Tor sakes have become
poor. [Applause. And so when l
hear men talking of the extravaganza Of
pension appropriations and read in news
papers the idle babble that the old
soldiers Of the country are seeking to
loot the Treasury, | reply that every dol.
lar Of the national wealth, in the Treas.
ury and out OF it, is encountered first OF
ali by the invioiabie lien of our duty to
the men and women who thought not Of
their blood and their tears in the hour
OF the national trial. [Applause.]
Horace Greeley, in the editorial
columns Of the old Tribune Of the com.
mon people, just alter the war, ~foresee-
ing the hardships that must follow the
return Of the country to a sound cur
rency, predicted that the discomfort
would BIO organized by demagoeucs and
used to deetroy the public credit. He
was mistaken. For the American peo-
pie stood in the midst OF their shriveled
and scattered fortunes for six patient
years, deafto every whisper ofseduction,
and to-day among the money.changers
OF tho world the American promise is
better than the shining gold. [Applause.]
And for one ], am glad that it is SO. /
am glad that in all the earth there is no
bank, no bonrse, no narrow street Of
speculation that questions the credit Of
the United States OF America. Zap
planse.] But, before God, I had rather
see the whole framework OF our financial
system put 10 m open shame before the
whole world than see the care.worn
remnant OF the old Union Army driven
from the public Treasury by the money
power Of the United States. holding in
theirtrembling handsth broken promise
Of Abraham Lincoln. Loud and pro-
[onced apptause on the Republican aide. I