New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-23


OF THE WAR FOR
THE UNION.
TO the Editor Of The
Sir, u ,be deliberate Insult offered by Congress 10
IN. Grand Army Of the Republic sllonld lie a'o ooo
the respective state departments OF '"a' o'u'' 80,
ls M doubt that the proposed encampmeht q, was"
,+o, rou,d he abandoned, and there may YET DC
,,n,o o., rho veterans to withdraw their acceptance
and 90 avoid the humiliation Of convenng mere a'o'
Congr.ss has assured them that they VIII not DO Wei
come. ,,. on,
Tbere IS no city in the Union whose RESIDENTS "'o
mora Intelligent moral and uniformly prosperous "
limited way than those Of Washington an" '"e.r =
also no city whose residents are so insgh'n'" ~
inc no cboIce of officers mo Representative III Non
oss M ballot they are politically emascuiated. III
only the faintest sense are they eiUzenS' ''o w.
local pride often proudly say Il am o'''a "r
Chicago. or d" | am o citizen OF New-iorA' vi w
a citizen OF dear old Boston, but never II "u'
citizen OF Washington never heard a man ue'n''0
that ne was a citizen OF Washington, but only Ts'
,ent There are scores Of cities of only ooooV III.
bab,tants whose invitation to the Graho ARMY """.
haye commanded much more r~sec' '""u "" ~
wosh,noton Everywhere the veterans recognize ta'
the residents of the Capital, despite their ih'esc.
and noraty are Insignificant and yet IN Nauohai
council they gladly accepted the invitation u h'ee'
here in September a grand encampmch'. lhes u'u
co h.couse they considered that that invitation WAS
the prolfer Of the courtesy and gratitude OF 'e o
they had saved Could they have believed thh9 WI"
gress the Congress OF that saved Na''oh' "o"" ""'
refused 20 entertain them, coldy relegauhs 'ne'h
the attentions Of few private citizens OF "ho 'n'y
knew nothing the invitation OF "'Sh'hs''" ~
been scOrnfully declined.
Thor. Is not a living veteran but understood, moe
or less clearly that the Nation had invited him 10
Washington. For year they nave Pro""y '
making preparations 10 be the Nations guests IL,
hundreds OF cases. by family Sacrifices tey nave pun
inside their weekly pIttance that the HUSBAND .'ie
father NAV see Washington once more be'ore MS
shortened life ends In other hundreds OF cases. CLUBS
OF soldiers made and kept poor by the war; have been
FORMED so that at least OF their number m'ghs
proudly march over Pennsy lvanlaave.. as when IN the
triumphant May days Of 1865 they brst fy reahzeo
that they had saved their country They c0nd never
forget the Grand Review and that for one prei
season they had been recognized heroes To repeat
that march, joyously TO tramp, tramp from inc oe'''
Old dag waving the Capitol I'LL they should as
band beneath its folds before the White House has
becn the dream VI many a life. Aud On 10 WISH
ingtonr has been the cherished desire OF th'S year
What cared they or thought they of the residents oil
Washington Tie Nation had invited them, ana that
Mutton began at the Capitol and ended at tn" Psi-
dents Nan sion. Thank God. that from that mansion
came no uncertain Of welcome. They hcari thc'r
comrade President recommend Congress freely 10 mp
roprate for their reception. and reading that Soo0
has BEEN conditlonally appropriated, they have con
,nded that all Is right. and ARE now douby snushen
that the Nation has formally hidden them 10 De lis
guests
Bu that Nation, as represented by Congress, mas
done lust N. contrary has refused to give one cent
Tor their entertainment, and practically decided moi
| 10 receive them. their coming going being matter
| In which Congress has interest. Lncoln's eyes
filled with grateful tears h save the 9th Massachu
march By the White House. and not nfrcquety
the patriotic Congress Of 1881 adjourned to greet the
very men In whom the LID Congress has Just declared
they interest and have no desire TO enter'au
| Washington + "A city OF 10000 Inhabitants and
$50 600 900 property. but, having no Legislature
| no Aldermen Council she cannot spend one dollar
| Of money until Congress has Appropriated therefor
This property belongs 10 Its citizens but they nave
no control OF IT, and must duly petition Congress for
authority 10 use the smallest part Of their revenues
| Because the Government much property which
The CITY must look after. and because OF sitsfahtsl
ravors received from the city, II has been decretd thst
| I'm. expenditures Of The city shall fall equally upon
| the Government and Tie properly Of the citizens
Tins IL I, be found that ~ 100000 Is necessary 10
| carry on the Affairs ~ the city for the year. Con
! grcss on, Of the National Treasury appropntes one
| half OF That amount AMI the other half from the
| revenues OF the city but, / repeat H. from neither
half can the city spend one dollar until Congress mas
| duly authorized it 10 do 1t Is n one sided ar
| rangement, for Congress can order any expenditure
| III, matter now nlU'H oppoEu w ~"
citizens and out Of taxes collected from them those
| citizens must pay onc-hnlt Of those expenditures.
Every ycnr what IS called the District Appropriation
iii IS passed providing for the expenses OF the city
| from July TO the following June 30 II II new nt
proprtation bill shall not have authorized continued
| expenditure on June 30 the wheels Of the District
| government must to stop, II being pia'
| offence TO spend a dollar until appropriated
| In due time President Harrison recommended Con
re. TO appropriate 100000 for the entertainment OF
| The coming veterans. 1t being patent TO all that the
money needed for such entertainment coud not DC
secured without The action of Congress- The Repub-
| llcaus In the senate gave cheerful assent 10 fhe
| recommendation Of the President, but Immediately
Cockr,l OF Missouri. OK Confederate general moved
that no part Of the money should DC paid ont 81 The
National Treasury. but that MI OF should be taken
from the paid by the citizens That meant 'a'
| Congress would not donate dollar 10 entertain the
invited guests that II any attention or courtesy SHOULD
be shown to who saved the country, II should
be done exclusively by the citizens and out OF inc
| funds raised by taxation Of the property OK SAID
citizens Congress virtually said to the veterans:
| 1--WE did not invite you 10 come here; we VII not
| recognize you will not appropriate do'mr LOT
your comfort; the utmost We will do Is to allow the
| poplc Of tie District 10 their own money though
| not a few Of us opposed even TO that; bat We
stOuly refuse 10 give you one uoiiar OUT VI o Az"
| lional Treasury
This singing insult Is the more unbcarable that this
il the only instance record where Congress has re
fused 20 pay one half Of whatever expense was lahi
| upon the District. IL stands alone. Thousnnhs OF
dollars have been appropriated on various OCCASIONS
10 enable the District 10 do its proper part on pubic
| occasions and gala days. and Congress has always
appropriated one half thereof out OF the public Treas
ury IL was reserved for this memorable occason an
occasion that touches the patriotism OF the people
and the pride OF the veterans nothing else since
| the Grand Review TO make this invdlous dstinc-
| tion DO Won wonder that many Of us are seriously
contemplating taking organized and oficial action 10
recall our acceptance of the invitation to Washington?
| That acceptance was made under misrepresentation
| ~ the circumstances Not officially, but again and