The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-06-01


dedicated the best years ST his Young ,l1.l.,
manhood to her service, who willingly
suffered fatigue and hardship and en-
Idured wounds and mutilation to pro-
i tect its interests and maintain its
4 authority against armed enemies, and
l around q whom that government now
/ throws tn its protec ting and generous
arms arr. and says that q No worthy and
needy soldier or his family shall suffer
1 want, should be first to check the
avarlce an restrain the greed Of the
utnprincipled and designing. Every
4 soldier who faithfully and honestly
] served his country during the war, and
us suffering from disease or wounds
contracted while in service to an ex-
tent that his ability to earn a compe-
tency Tor Tor himself and family has been
impaired II All should be literally assisted
4 by the government. Such an one ought
to be on the roll Of honor.
During '1a seasons Of prosperity ex-
4 travagance creeps into our life. In
many departments this has been the
case. The broad iberality Of the gov
eminent toward its brave defenders
has led to an expenditure in the mat
/ ter OF pensions which has reached the
enormous sum of 100000, 900. Into
/ this many abuses have entered which
demand '7ll[l the closest scrutiny, and which
is commanding the attention of our
ablest statesmen in their efforts to de-
4 wise ways to correct the abuses with
i out injustice to the deserving.
Did it ever suggest itself to YOU that
every good soldier who is not on the
pension rolls is constantly being taxed
to support those who are, therefore it
IS the duty Of every honorable soldier
and citizen to expose imposition on the
government wherever practiced. Thou
sands are drawing pensions who would
be ashamed to do so if it was paid
them from the treasury of the county
in which they live and where all their
neighbors would know it. 4,
The speaker knows of one instance
where a colonel who was once impris-
Eoned as a defaulter to the government,
j then permitted to resign to save the
1 disgrace of being dismissed. and who
/ had never. seen his regiment in line
outside of Washington, never heard a
bullet whistle in battle, was on the
rolls, and drew a large back pension.
1 Certainly such cases do not add honor
to any roll. Care for every worthy
needy soldier and his family to the ut
: most, but relegate bounty-jumpers,
shysters and impostors where they be-
long. Comrades, your knowledge of
OF them will designate the place.
It would be unjust as it were impos-
slble for any historian to attempt to
write the story of the war without re-
counting the part performed by the
. women Of the land. Their work was
not generally done amidst strife and
1 bloodshed, but in homes and hospitals.
4 Many however shared with husbands
the fortunes Of war. Other countries
furnish l rare instances of women who
have broken through the walls of
prejudice or custom and become dis
tinguished for daring or philanthropy.
But our country and our times have
supplied hundreds of Grace Darlings
and Florence Nightingales, whose self
sacrificing deeds Of bravery and love
enrich an every page Of history. Recall
the heroic mother, the devoted wife,
and the 'affectionate lover of those try
ing days sending forth their dear ones
to an unknown destiny. 'tMy son I
would gladly have you remain at home,
but your country asks for you to go,
and may God bless, protect and pre-
serve you, were not alone the words
OF the speakers mother, but were the
counterpart of motherly utterances all
through the land. Thousands of loyal.
loving women exhibited Spartan cour-
age in the face of persecution and dan
ger. Mrs. Fanny Ricketts,, wife Of
General Ricketts,, was an example of a
host or others. After the first Bull
Run fight she received word that her
husband was badly wounded and a
prisoner. She obtained pass and
fastened to enter the ene1ny's line:
when General Stuart demanded her
signature to a parole that she would
! not act as a spy she instantly tore it to
pieces and Indignantly exclaimed, Il
am no spy, but the wife of a, wounded
i officer }; rrhro,oh tbo ;n+o,,,,.;+;