Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-08-13
A BIG MEETING
OF OLD SOLDIERS OF THIS CITY AND VIOINI-
TY HELD LAST EVENING,
At Which Addresses We're Made and Strong RssO-
lutiOns Adopted in Opposition to the
Present Pension Policy Of the
Government

G. A. R. hall was well filed last eve
ming, with veteran soldiers from this
city and surrounding points on the
Ohio side of the river. in response to
! the call for q meeting to express the
sentiments of the veterans upon the
present pension policy of the govern
ment, as outlined In the recent rulings
OF the department.
Richard Robertson presided over the
gathering, which comfortably filed the
hall. Among those present were nu-
merous we'll known citizens, and all
manifested a deep interest in the mat
ter under discussion.
After the preliminaries incidents to
the organization OF the meeting had
been gone through with, a committee
on resolutions was appointed, and pend
| ing the presentation OF its report numer-
Gus short addresses were made upon the
pension question, there running through
all the remarks strong current OF hos
tility to the recent action OF the head OF
the pension bureau in dropping names
from the ROLL The committee report
was presented In due season, and was
read, as follows:
WHEREAS. The new officials OF the
present ad administration are preparing 10
make war upon the admirable pension
system inaugurated and maintained oy
the patriots who have conducted the
affairs OF state for so many years, and,
"WHEREAs, The public press, that
should be the educator OF the people In
morality and truth, as we'll as the expo
nent Of public opinion. has been lately
engaL ed in publishing charges OF iraua
in the distribution OF pensions, which
. charges are not true, but are gotten up
purely for political effect, and which
do great Injustice to the Union soldiers,
tending to beittle their deeds or valor
In tho ewes of American citizens, and
abate the influence which the glorious
deeds OF our volunteers ia the late wars
would exercise upon the rising genera
tions; and,
"WHEREAs, these charges, original
ing In the money centers OF the East,
are propagsted by the reconstructed
rebels of the South, who are envious
because their soldiers, for their efforts
TO disrupt our glorious union, are not
also receiving pensions, they are echoed
bv that portion Of Northern sympa-
thizers known as Copperheads during
the war, as also by those demagogues
who think that, by opposing the pay
ment OF pensions, they will be chosen
as leaders of the eX-Confederates and
thus bring that element TO the leader
ship OF public affairs; therefore,
''ReSotued, BY the Union. soldiers OF
West Virginia and the contiguous PEI
tion of Ohio and Pennsy lvania, In mass
meeting assembled, that we most en-
pbatically deny the right OF these
calumniators of the heroes OF the late
war TO have any voice in the question
of the distribution Of pensions TO the
men who risked their lives, lost
their limbs, or destroyed their
health in the task OF
protecting this best OF all governments,
while they ANONYMOUSLY stayed
at home, thus aiding and abetting our
enemies, slandered us through the press
or ranged themselves on the side OF
those who were srrayed In arms for the
destruction of our government; that our
heroes who fought and bled at Gettys-
burg, who rushed through fire at Fort
Donaldson, who left their limbs behind
them on many field Of battle, facing
death and destruction, from Nashville
10 Richmond, or who starved and rottec
i'm the rebel pens OF Salisbury, Libby
and Andersonville, are surely entitled to
some recognition at the hands OF the
country they saved from destruction.
"Resolped, That while we have faith,
however, in those in authority and be-
ieye that In the main they waat to do
Justice to the soldier, we deprecate any
Interference with the present system OF
distributing pensions, which was
ipaugurated by meR who took part In
the war and were intimately acquainted
with the deeds of valor and heroism per
formed by these men, as well as with
the privations and sufferings TO which
they were subjected while defending
their native or adopted country against
the assaults Of ruthless domestic foe;
who. leaving their families without the
support and protection that can only be
afforded by the fathers, husbands,
brothers and sons, devoted their lives
and fortunes TO the salvation OF their
1 country.
"ResoLued, That We emphatically and
unreservedly deny the charge that large
sums OF money have been paid out I'M
deseryedly TO men who were not, by
their acts, entitled TO such bounty at
the hands of the government. For,
where, by some mistake, one person has
| fraudulently crept on the pension roll,
| there are twenty who have deserved
pensions that have failed TO receive
them.
"hesolUed That newspapers through
out the land be requested to desist from
publishing supposed cases OF pension
frauds until they havd positive evidence
| that such frauds exist, in which case
We pledge ourselves TO do all In our
power to seek out and bring TO justice
all such offenders against law and JUS
J tice.
"Resolred, That we regard as I'M
| manly, disloyal and unpstriotic In the
| men who stayed al home when our
country was in danger, sheltering
themselves behind our battle lines and
heaping up private wealth; also In
those who were yet unborn in those
! terrible times, or were too young to
know anything about it, TO criticise or
I malign the noble men who came TO the
rescue OF their country in danger, up
held her honor, preserved her institu'
tions, and made it possible for them &c
enjoy the privileges aud the protection
of their rights at home and abroad.
"ResoiUed, That we, the remnant OF
that glorious band who preserved this
] Irninn intsct Will nsa our utmost en-.