The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-10-06
"PAY oRtEoUNrY..

Like all other Copperheads, MI. Cleveland
has always been greatly distressed over the
vast amount paid soldiers during the war.
Unable to conceive Of anyone doing dan
gefous, disagreeable. duty for any other than
purely selfish consideration, he has always
assumed and asserted that money was the
prime inducement for men to enter the
army and remain there Whenever he has
had occasion to discuss pension questions
this idea has forced itself to the front in the
most obnoxious way. Thus, he said in his
Message vetoing the Dependent Pension
| bill:
| cannot but remember that the soldiers Of our
civil war, In their pay and bounty. received such
| compensation for military service as has never
been received by soldiers before since mankind
| first went to war.
If this were intended as CHASTITY sarcasm
instead of the statement of fact it would
be vastly more appropriate. Every man
who entered the army had to make many
sacrifices and among those sacrifices was
that of money he would have made by stay
ing at home. This rule applied alike to
officer and priyate-to those who received
big bounties and those who received none.
The largest bounty paid was yet less than
the soldier could have made by staying at
home and receiving the high wages then
ruling. This fact was clearly brought out
in a debate in the Senate on Feb. 49, 1865,
on resolutions introduced by Senator Henry
Wilson, Chairman of the Military Commit
tee, to raise the Communication price of off,
GERS rations from 80 to SO cents and to give
three months extra pay to those officers who
should remain in the service until the close
of the war. Senator Wilson showed that,
after paying for his clothes and other neces-
sary expenses Second Lieutenant had but
1923 SO month left for incidentals and to
send home to support his family.
Senator Sherman said that though opposed
to raising anybody's pay until the country
was better able to pay, and had more money
to pay with, yet "it is manifest to every In
telligent man that, owing to the high prices
of provisions and clothing, officers cannot
subsist on their present pay"
Senator Wilson said:
There Is everywhere now . strong disposition
the part Of officers to get out OF the service.
The reason Is that they do not get sufficient puy 10
supper: their families they ought to be support
ed. They have to make great sacrifices; they bear
from home that all persons engaged In business
are making money. and many Of them want to
get out of tho service and go home and take care
Of their families, after having served some two
some three, and somesnearly four years Now in
order 10 show these men that we want them to
stay in the service in spite OF the present condition
Of the finances Of the country. we propose to say
to them. Remain in the service to the end of the
war. and when you mustered out we will pay
you three months pay" sort of bonus.
If this were true of the officers, how much
more so was it of the privates? The off,
GERS got from $1o3. so IA Second Lieutenant's
pay and allowances up to several times that
amount. A private got SIG month, with
rations and clothing. ANY man capable Of
being soldier could make treble or quadru-
pie his army pay and allowances by staying
at home and following any of the highly
paid pursuits that were then clamoring for
men to engage in them.
Comrades, get your retoes ready.