Morning journal and courier., 1893-02-13
AROUSED PATRIOTISM,

| General Weissert, Comma ande r-in 1 Chief of the Grand Army of the Re public, Speaks His Mind Resardins 1 Pension LeeisiatiOn.
 | PROVIDENCE, R. L, Feb. 12 -Genera | A. G Weissert, commander in chief G. A | R furnishes the following for publica tion, which he has sent to Congressman O'N=il of Massachusetts:
 PROVIDENCE, R l., Feb. 8, 1898 I notice in morning papers you quote me in approval of your proposed amendments to existing pension legislation affecting pensions of inmates of soldiers homes. Later I received your letter of 4th inst, asking endorsement of some interview, said to have been held with me on that specific point. Uncertain whether represented or misrepresent:d in that interview I say to you that, while I am in favor of legislation giving major portion of pension of inmate of home to his family, yet If he has no family l say let him5 have 1t all. even If it amounts to fifty cents day. For your proposed amendments generally, as published, I have no favor. They are all calculated to restrict benefits heretofore accorded surviving veterans or their widows. Your restriction of less than $500 income per year is particularly obnoxious because it requires public ao- Acknowledgement of poverty. Health and loyalty were all that Lincoln asked of us when you were babe and we were battl- ing to preserve congress for you to sit in. I commend for your consideration the words of another son of Mass schues stts as he voiced the country's estimate of the services of the founders Of the republic who were survivors in his time, I prefer Webster. Your welfare in advance on those who, in the providence of Gc1, may become soldiers' widows, is utterly repug- nant to even average manhood.
 n the body of which you are member sits many a man who fought us man fashion, open and above board, front face. Gordon, his face scanned with the track of union lead; Butler, short one leg; Wheeler, the wild rider, who gave us SO little rest, and that sturdy fiyhter, Moore of Texas; they were line-of battle soldiers in their time of war. But hazard the prediction none of them could be induced to lead in such fight as you are making. You cry out against the sum total of the annual for pensions and capitalists, and towards comprise the majority of those who applaud. Figure the total of all pensions from '65 to '93, and it is little more than half the amount paid in the same time for interest alone to the bondholders. He bought his bonds below par, at times as low as 3S. The men I now have the honor to command, and their deceased comrades, endorsed these bonds with their hearts blood ,and by their valor put them on the road to par and at premium in the markets of the world. With tremendous unanimity they stood for honest money in peace, insisting that Un- ,le Sam's promise to the bondholders should be redeemed st 100 cents on the dol | ar, with all interest, and payable in gold. |
 The next president of the United States l goes into office, having been voted for by | hundreds of thousands of veterans. have | 10 criticism for their course. The soldier | earned the right to vote as he pleases-be | t democratic, republican or populist. If | 'ome of them, advanced in years, enfes- ,led by disease, see fit to totter to | he polls and vote the mugwump ticket, that is their right. But 1 | 'eg you to stop this warfare which will | lrive them to lay aside consideration of | 'ther matters germane to our system of | # government and tending to weld them | nto a nearly solid political mass. Your present. course, persisted in, renders that | learly inevitable, in my opinion. [SigDed A. o. WEIssKRT,
 Commander in-Chief