The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-02-13

Providence, r. l., Feb. l2.-General
A. @. Weswert, commander-in-chiet OF
the G. A. r., furnishes for publication
letter addressed by him to Congress-
man 0'Neil, OF Massachusetts, IN which
he says; ~ notice in the morning
papers you quote me in approval OF
your proposed amendments to existing
pension legislation affecting pensions OF
inmates OF soldiers homes. Later, |
received your letter OF the 4th
inst, asking endorsement OF some
interview said to have been
held with me on that specific
point. Uncertain whether represented
or misrcpresented in that interview |
say to you that, while am in favor in
legislating OF giving the major portion
OF the pension OF inmates OF homo to
his family, yet il he has no family let
him have it all even II it amounts to
so cents a day. For your proposed
amendments generally Us published !
have no favor. They are all calculated
to restrict benefits heretofore accorded
surviving veterans or their widows,
Your restriction to less than 5000 per
year is particularly obnoxious because
it requires public acknowledgment OF
poverty. Health and loyalty were all
that Lincoln asked OF US when you
we're babe, and we were battling to
preserve Congress for you to sit in. |
commend for your consideration tho
words OF another son OF Massachusetts
aa he voiced the country's estimate OF
the services OF the founders OF the re-
public who were survivors in his time.
refer to Webster. Your warfare in ad.
vance on those who, in the providence
OF God may become soldiers widows is
utterly repugnant even to average man
hood.
IN the body OF which you are n
member sits many man who fought
us man fashion, open and above board,
iront-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, md that sturdy
fighter, Moore, OF Texas; they were
line OF battle soldiers in time oil 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 appropriations for pensions,
and capitalists and towards comprise
tho majority who OF those who applaud.
Figure the total on ali pensions from
1865 to 1898 and II is little more than
half the amount paid in the same time
for interest alone 70 tho bondholders.
He bought his bond below par,
Mt times as low as 3S. The men
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 a premium in the
financial marts OF the world. With tre-
mendous unanimity they stood for
honest money in peace, insisting that
Uncle Sans promise TO the bondholder
should be redeemed at 100 cents on the
dollar, with all interest payable in
gold.
"The next President OF tho United
States goes into Office, having been
voted for by hundreds OF thousands Of
veterans. have no criticism for their
course. The soldier earned the right
to vote as he pleases, be it Democratic,
Republican or Populist. If some
of them, advanced in years, en-
feebled by disease, sec fit to go to
the polls and vote the Mugwump
ticket that is their right, and | beg you
to stop this warfare, which will drive
them 10 lay aside their consideration Of
other matters germain to our system Of
government and tend to weld them in
to nearly solid political mass. Your
present course, persisted in, renders
that nearly inevitable in my opinion