Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-04-08
That "Medal Of Honor. "

The Pittsburgh Times with great zeal
and heat protests against this papers
belittling Mr.. Quay's services during the
war. The Press has made no effort and
has not the least disposition to detract from
the glory, military and otherwise, which
Justly belongs to Senator Quay. On the
contrary, the ecomiums which the Quay
Press are pronouncing upon the junior
Senator for his services and sacrifices in
the war of the rebellion met our hearty
concurrence, so far as they are not exag-
gerated, silly or absolutely false.
Mr. Quay's military career is disclosed
in the official records on file in Washington
His partisans and his opponents alike must
adhere to that record. 1t shows that Mr..
Quay left berth in the Commissary De-
partment for active military duty, and
after several months Of camping and rest
less marching, and one days actual fight
ing, he returned to service "near the
person of the Governor" and never beheld
the smoke of battle again. fit is cruel TO
call attention to these facts, then 1t was
very unwise in Mr.. Quay and his friends
to make his military achievements one OF
the issues in his canyass for reelection
Mr.. Quay has chosen to pose as the
soldier candidate. One of the documents
issued by his literary bureau is devoted
entirely to the glorification of his military
career. 1t claims in his behalf that the
"soldiers of the Keystone State should
have at least one of their number in the
United States Senate" His "medal OF
honor" procured from Cleveland's Secre-
tary of War when Quay was in the Senate
and able to reciprocate favors, is paraded
in this pamphlet as proof that his services
in the Union cause in the war OF the
rebellion were specially distinguished
and meritorious." The impression IS
sought 20 be conveyed that the medal Is
the spontaneous gift of the Government,
made soon after the services were rendered,
instead of having only been obtained only
as the fruit of special solicitation twenty
five years after the war terminated.
We have never questioned Mr.. Quay 8
courage. In civil life certainly he has
proven that he possesses it in an eminent
degree. But Pennsylvania is full OF
soldiers of the war, both officers and
privates, who have thousand times
stronger claim upon the Government than
Mr.. Quay for medals for distinguished and
meritorious services" and yet have not
the smallest prospect Of receiving them.
If Pennsylvania must have soldier
Senator, let him be real soldier and not
one who, tor reasons which may be en-
tirely honorable to himself, was obliged to
retire to civil life after doing staff duty in
a single battle.
The record shows that Mr.. Quay's claims
to recognition for distinguished military
services are humbug; that his part IN the
war was as unimportant as 1t was briei;
that in getting medal for those services
he has been absurdly overpaid, and that
he can on the strength of the medal so
obtained make no legitimate claim on the
support of Uuion soldiers whose services,
sufferings, and battles were protracted
through all the years of the war, yet are
without the political influence to obtain
from camplaisant Secretary of War the
Nmeda, of honor" awarded to this aide de
camp of single battle.-Philadelphla
Press