The National tribune., 1893-02-23
PENSION N-,HATERS,
Some Views Expressed by Comrades
in All Parts of the Country.


J. c. Ferreld, Altoona, Pa. has this to say
regarding pension-haters: Reading in your
valuable paper letter written by Comrade X.
b. Sigafoose, will say said letter meets my
heartiest approval. Flie blatant. loud mouthed
ex-rebel Brigadiers are now in the Congress of
country that thcy)tried their hest to destroy,
and Government that was liberal enough to
return them to citizenship, which no other
Government OIL the face Of the earth would have
done, but would have exiled them and contis-
Gated their lands. Now their old blatant brag-
gadocio is the same as it was in 1861. when their
boast was that one Southern gentleman could
whip three Northern mudslls; but the same
mudsills pushed their braggart lies down their
thrOats with bay0nets and bullets. They could
only fight behind intrencbments with nothing
but their ears sticking out of the ground for a
Yankee to shoot at. / defy them TO point to
one single battlefield upon open ground. with
equal numbers, in which they were not whipped
out of their boots. But, comrades. let them
howl; it is only the old rebel yell. They
think it will strike terror into the hearts Of the
Veterans But they have heard it before. and
did not faint. Keep up courage and keep in
line, and remember we had two Bull Runs. but
we had an Antietam and Gettysburg after, aud
grand windup at Appomattox.
So, comrades, keep your ammunition dry
until 1896; then take good aim, fire low, make
every shot count. Yet. comrades. it is pretty
hard to think that such men as Buck kilgore
the brave and valiant warrior on widows pri-
vate pension bills whose husbands and sons
were killed in battle or died in Southern
prison pens, helpless victims of rebel hatred,
can defeat pension legislation for them.
"Oh! great and noble Kilgore, your name
will be handed down to posterity with equal
infimy with that of Benedict Arnold. / won
der. comrades. if Kilgore, Antony & Co. are
GO, Vn,
that it is a notorious fact that Texas settled
by renegades from Mex leo, and cutthroats and
escaped criminals from the United States, who
usually left between two suns, fleeing from
outraged justice. But, comrades, they are fit
representatives of people descended from such
ancestors.
as it any wonder that the bIackest treason
able act of the whole war was consummated in
Texas by Twiggs at San Antonio, Feb 16, 1861?
This diabolical act of treason is the most in
famous in the history of America. Are these
the men to say whether the veterans who
stood by the Government in its darkest hours
are to have pension in their old age or not?
/ think the American people will decide very
differently. / think our Commander in Chief
ought to look into the antecedents of these
two men. and see if they are descende ed from
the renegades from Mexico or the cutthroats
from the States or combination of both. Com
rades, let us hear from you. Wake up! Let
US hear your rifle-shots all along the line"
DEsERTERs AND PENSIONS
J. N. Hawk, Co. B, 10Th Pa. keystone Zou-
aves) ! was just reading in one of our County
papers an editorial which says it is estimated
that there were 250, 900 deserters from the Union
army during the late war. 1t would be inter-
esting news TO know how many of them are
now drawing pensions Now, | can truthfully
say that among all Of my soldier acquaintance,
both in and out of the GAR, fail to know
of single one drawing q pension that don't
possess an honorable discharge. l would like
to hear from others on this subject. am not
a peHsioner, but think it is to the best interest
of all old soldiers to have the pension roll roll
of honor" %
N. b. NJ, Cos. d and f. 55th Pa, Clearvlle
Pa having noticed that the Southern Brigadiers
and their allies, the Northern Copperheads are
calling halt pensions and wish to econo-
mze, suggests that they drop the river and
harbor appropriations and let the Senators and
Representatives who die at Washington be
buried at the expense Of their friends; that
the salary of the President be reduced to S.
per day; the members Of the Cabinet be paid
$50, Senators 81, and Representatives Sl.50,
while all the Government employees be paid ut
the rate farm hands now receive throughout
the country, from so cents to 81 per day; re-'
peal all existing pension laws and pass
placing everyb body on an equality, from General
to private, having but two grades-$1 per day
the highest, and 80 cents the lowest let the
tariff laws remain as they are now let the
u. S. Treasury issue all the money, and dis
continue National or State banks, and substi-
tute for them banks of deposit in postoffices;
control Of railroads and telegraphs to be in the
hands of the Government, and rates reduced to
one cent per mile and five cents per message.
He thinks this would reduce expenses.
J. w. oheaffer, Co. ID, 10Th H., Sterling,
H., says that the Confederate Brgaders
in Congress are living off of the bounty Of
the Nation they so earnestly sought to de-
stroy, while their subaltern hosts are feeding
with the swine, eating husks and lamenting
their helpless condition. He thinks that :" if
tho nation can. without prejudice TO its future
liberties and prosperity, endure the pension
ing of the Confederate Brigadiers, by a sys-
TEN of placing them in positions of power,
honor and trust, Legislative judicial. and ex-
ecutive, then, indeed, can it also afford to
pay a pension to all surviving. MANNED and
helpless soldiers of the rebel armies and
thus avoid the necessity for those noisy and
nvidious hat talkings for their edifcation.
We are commanded to do good to those that
hate u.s.; bless those that curse US. and
pray for them that despitefuly use u.s. Here
is an opportunity to re-enaGt the symposium
Of breaking a few lOaves Of bread. feed the
hungered mnltitudes, and then take up car
loads of nationally vitalized fragments"
A. thinner. Commander of Post $50, York
vile, Ind, late a private SD Ind, thinks
that the war is over. hut that every Grand
Army man and every Confederate veteran
who served at the front should discounten-
ance such offensive journals as the Nashville
american, and quit sending men to make our
laws who are opposed to the veterans. He
knows that the men who fought in the
rebel army are not opposed to pensions. If
the pension system is wrong. repeal every
law regarding it. But if it is right, let tho
Government pay the pensioners and not
shrink like coward from its duty.
THE GRANT COTTAGE.
Proposed Abandonment of the Historic
Building Mt. McGresor.
BuGii0 Enquirer.
Pension Agent Orr has received letter from
c. p. Clarke, who is at present in charge of the
Grant Memorial Cottage at Mount McCir