The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-31


This is the only instance on record
where congress has refused to pay one
half of whatever expense was laid on the
District. Thousands of dollars have been
appropriated on various occasions to en-
able the District to do Its proper part on
public occasions and gala days. and con-
gress has always appropriated one-haif
thereof ont OF the public treasury.
Against the G. A. r.. against the Union
veterans, Who marched in ''the Grand Re-
view" of May, 1865, through the streets OF
the city they HAD saved, alone has con-
gress made this lnvidious distinction.
The Republicans desired to donate
the full amount from the national
treasury by separate bill but
the citizens committee stated that the
Democratic house would never agree to
that, and that the only way to succeed was
to tack 1t on to the District appropriation
bill, for that bill must pass or the District
would be without q dollar to carry on its
affairs. Then the struggle was, whether.
as has always been the case, the appropria-
ton should be divided between the ma
tional and District treasures. or taken ex-
clusively from the latter.
The Southern Democrats almost to a
man, and many of the Northern Demo-
Gratis, opposed allowing any money, even
from the District revenues, to be expended
for the entertainment of the veterans.
When the District appropriation bill was
returned to the House from the Repub-
lican Senate with this Grand Army ap-
preparation added, the Democrats of that
body made fierce onslaught against it.
Five successive conferences between the
two Houses were held before an agreement
was had. The Senate stood loyal to the
veterans, but the House would consent to
nothing unless the District revenues should
be saddled with the whole expense,
any part in the entertainment of the vet
Grams. The House also demanded that
the appropriation be reduced to $4,000,
not to be available until the citizens COM
mittee had raised an additional sum Of
$4,000, which was known to be an impos-
sibility, for there are few wealthy or large
business men in Washington, and one
third of its residents are negroes.
The Confederates Of the House were de-
termined to sacrifice the District bill
rather than allow the general government
to spend one dollar from its treasury to
welcome and entertain the men to whom
the gratitude of the nation had been
soiennIy pledged. Finally the Republican
Senate was obliged to yield on the 18th of
July. Owing to the persistence of the
Senate the appropriation was raised to
$50, 1000, conditioned upon the citizens
committee raising $500 That commit
tee is now at work. and August 5th they
were still s. 600 short.
A leading Democratic veteran" of
Washington. to whose letter to the New
York Tribune we are indebted for these
facts, writes:
1t is still an open question whether the needed
5000 can be raised. II not, and unless our few
wealthy residents, not citizens, who have al
ready subscribed most literally, come to the
rescne, it will not be raised, and the appropria-
ton of 900 will not be available, and the en-
campment must be abandoned, or the veterans
must make up their minds to submit to many
Inconvenience.
In the final vote so great was the hostility
of the Democrats, particularly from the
South, to any national recognition Of the
veterans, that sixty-six Southern and
eleven Northern Democrats voted against
it. Rather than extend any courtesy to
such guests seventy-seven Democrats put
themselves on record as preferring the de-
feat of that vitality important bill.
OF the Democrats in the House 1O5 are
from the South and $50 from the North.
Nearly every Northern Democrat put him.
self on record as opposed to the govern
ment giving any national recognition to
the Grand Army.
The los ex-Confederates were determined
that not one dollar should go from the ma
tional treasury to entertain the men who
had vanquished them in honorable battle,
and the large majority of the $50 d emo
Gratis from the North weakly yielded to
them.
There are but eight Northern senator's,
and Of them only Hill New York; and
Palmer UIlinois) were loyal to the vet
Grams. On the test vote Blodgett New
Jersey. Brice (Ohiol Turpie and Voor-
hees tIndiana) were absent impaired, but
Voorhees,, at an earlier date, had sup
ported Cockrell's amendments to saddle
the whole appropriation upon the Dis
trict. Mcpherson New Jersey was
paired against any recognition Of the G.
A. r. by the national government, and
Villas (Wisconsin). Cleveland's postmaster
general, never wavered in his support of
the rebel brigadiers. Every Alliance
congressman voted steadily against appro-
| priating any money from the national
treasury for the entertainment of the SOL
diers, and so bitter was their opposition
that all Of them voted against the District
bill itself because it allowed $4,000 to be
taken exclusively from the revenues of the
| District for the comfort of the invited
| guests.
This Democratic "Veteran" closes his
letter to the Tribune with these words of
earnest rebuks:
Northern Democrats! You did not well 70
mar the enjoyment Of the one week on which
| We had counted 30 much; the one week when
we hoped 20 be the guests Of the nation We
saved. Be the remark ever so trite. IL remains
the eternal truth-we saved this nation, aud II
was not unnatural for US 10 believe that we
would be received with the high honors com.
inensura'e with our deserts True, you have
| again downed the Republicans, but could you
not have chosen some other occasion for par,i-
san victory, some occasion when many OF tina
nourners would not b of your own political
faith? As there WAS no partisansh In the
NJ hasa .t1