Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-11-27
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PEN
SION.S TO TWENTY SEVENTH
NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT
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NIT the fotIo,0ing Report and Resotat-
tions on the subject Of pensions:
s'To bind up the Nations wounds;
to care for him who shall have borne
the battle, and for his widow and or
phan. ''Thus spoke Lincoln the Great,
Lincoln the Just, standing reverently,
with uncovered head, in the immedi-
ate presence of a cruel and devastat-
ing war, that had already lasted four
years, the end which, although SO
near, his prophetic vision was not
able to see; speaking to, for and by
the authority of the American PEG
pie, concerning one of the supreme
duties of the hour and the future, when
entering for the second time upon the
dischar ge of trust committed to him
by that people
Within q few short weeks that end
SO long hoped for had come; but his
dying eyes were not privileged to see
the full fruition of his labors, and the
work so well, begun and carried On by
him fell into, other hands, charged
with all the trusts that the condition
implied and required; and those who
had 'tborne the battle' after SO many
days "turned their happy feet toward
their long deserted homes"
A grateful nation met and received
them, and gladly showered upon them
the plaudits and the honors they had
SO well and hardly earned.
IF 10 hot 1nO
then, in the main, in the prime and
vigor of manhood, with all the hon
ors and possibilities Of life before
them, with all the hopes born of lofty
courage and patriotic and successful
achievement beating high in their bo-
SONS; and they little needed and still
less cared for material aid from the
country they had preserved and made
free, save where loss Of life Or limb or
impaired health and broken constitu-
tions were presently visible; and for
such, in the main, ample and prompt
provision was made by that country.
But as the years passed by, middle
life too frequently developed into
premature old age, and youth passed
into ripper years with galloping feet;
and alas! too soon the exultant and
hearty soldier found that in the race
of life there were weights upon his
feet and burdens upon his shoulders,
as the result of premature and over
heavy draughts upon his vitality, that
sadly interfered with successful COM
petition in the crowd and iostle of the
fierce struggle for advancement. And
still the nation sought to keep abreast
of the necessities of her heroes, and |
by additional enactments to measure
bly, make provision for the necessity
of those who chad borne the battle.0
A quarter of century had elapsed. |
Thd young had become old, the mid
dle-aged had become feeble, and the
old had crossed the river. Time, with |
its ruthless fingers, had joined hands |
with the ravages of war, and the two
combined had proved burden upon |
the aging soldier greater than he could |
bear; and the cry went abroad that in
too many instances for the crdeit, hon
or or good name OF the nation, many
who had followed the flag and faced
the fiery furnace of battle, had in want
fallen by the wayside, and in the poor
houses were looking longingly for the
relief and comfort Of the grave.
Their sympathizing comrades and a
a patriotic people, with one accord,
voiced the sentiment that such was
not human administering of the sa-
cred trust recognized and announced
by Lincoln. AS to what the remedy
should be, mems minds differed.
Many, possibly majority of the sur
vivors of the war, believed that the
time had fully come when the name
of every honorably discharged sur
vivor should be placed upon the pen
sion roll. Others, denying the right
that they should receive aught from
their country through the pension
roll, stoutly resisted the demand.
1t was under such circumstances and
dealing with these conflicting opin-
ions, that congress enacted the disa-
bility pension law Of June, 1890. This
act was accepted by the surviving
soldiers and by the people in general
as settlement of the question. I'm
der the administration of that law. the
poor house gave. up it's veteran-he
who had borne the battle was cared
for; and thus the sacred trust accept
ed and left legacy to the nation was
faithfully administered.
Within few months we hear with
profound sorrow and regret that all
this must be changed; that the con-
struction of the law has been chang