The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-13

l
| fepsrt on Pensions.
AT the twenty.seventh National En-
| campment, q. A. r.. held ut Indiana
polls. Ind. Sept. Z. 1893, the following
report and resolutions on the subject
| of pensions were adopted:
10 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 Grent,
| Lincoln the just. standing reyerently,
| with uncovered head. in the immediate
presence of cruel and devastating
war, that had already lastrd four
years, the end of which, although so
near his prophetic vision was not able
| to see; speaking to. for and by the au-
| thority OF the American People. con.
| corning one of the supreme duties OF
the hour and the future, when enter
| ing for tho second time upon the dis.
charge OF trust committed to him
| by that people.
Within 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 30 we'll 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 "borne the battle" after go many
days turned their happy feet TOWARD
their long deserted homes."
A grateful nation met and received
them, and gladly showerod upon them
the plaudits and the honols they had
so well and hardly eprned.
These hearers OF the battle" were
then. In the main. in the prime and
vigor OF young manhood, with all the
honors and possibilities of life before
them. with all the hopes born OF loft,
courage and patriotic and successful
achievement beating high in theli
bosms; 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 OF
constitutions were presently visible,
and for such, in the main. ample and
prompt provision was made by that
country.
| hut us the years passed by, middle
| life too frequently developed into pre-
mature old age, and youth passed Into
ripper years with gnlloping feet; and
! alasl too soon the eSultant and hearty
soldier found that in the race OF life
| there were weights upon his feet and
burdens upon his shoulders, as the re-
| tuib vi premature anu ONbT-neuNy
draughts upon his vitality, that sadly
interfered with successful com petit
| ton in tho crowd and jostle 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 measurably|
| make provision for the necessities OF
those who had borne the battle"
A quarter of century had elapsed.
The young had become old. the mid !
dle.aged had tecome feeble. and the
old had crossed the river. Time, with
It's ruthless fingers, had Joined hands
with the ravages of war, and the two
combined had proved burden upon
the oging soldier greater than ho could
bear; and the cry went abroad that mi
too many instances for the credit,
honor or good name OF the nation,
many who had followed the flag and
fLced the fiery furnace of the battle
had in want fallen by the wayside. and
In the poor houses were looking long
ly for the relief and comfort of the
grave.
1he!r sympathlzing comrades and a.
patriotic people. with one accord.
voiced tho sentiment that such was
not human administering of the
sacred trustIecognized and announced
By Lincoln. As to what the remedy
should be, mems minds differed. Many,
possibly q majority OF tho survivors,
of the war. believed that the time had
fully come when the name OF every
honorably discharged uryivor should
be placed upon the pension roll |
Others, denying the right that they
should receive aught from their coun-
try through the pension roll, stoutlyI
resisted the demsnd.
nNN 30
and dealing with these conflicting
opinions, that Congress enacted the
disability pension law of June,
1890. This act was accepted by the
surviving soldiers and by the people
in general as settlement OF tho queB-
ton. Under the adm Illustration Of
that law. the poor-house gave up It's
yeteran-he who had borne the battle
was cared for; and thus the sacred
ust accepted and left as a legacy to
tie nation was faithfully admins
Tired.
Within few months we hear with
profound sorrow and regret that all
this must be changed; that the con
btructiUn Of the law has been changed,
and the regulations and rules in re-
gard TO proof and ratings, under
which more than three hundred thou
sand claims have been allowed aud
lad, lave been revoked, and auotlerl.
construction of tho law has been estab-
lished. and new regulations for proof
and ratings, less favorable to claimants,
have been adopted; that u board OF rd-
vision has been organized in tho Pen
sion Office, charged with the duty OF ,
revising all these adiudicated claims J
N accordance with this now construc-
ton. and such changed regulations as
to proof and ratings; that under these
changes, thousands of pensions have I,
been suspended without notice and '
thousands of pensioners have BEEN
dropped from tho rolls. 1t Is claimed I
that an adjudication Of a pension set.
ties nothing; that tho Secretary Of thele
Interior and Commissioner OF Pen. I
sions are invested by law with abso- a
Lutte power over the pension roll, and T.
that 1t is within their legal authorityle
to reopen and revise pensions allowed .
1y predecessors under regulations /
by them, whenever they SEQ a
lit to change the rules oil evidence ana
tho scale of ratings under which al
lowsnce was made; aud this III coun-
Try OF law. where from the infancy OF a
he government the United States, by
It's organic law. is in terms denied the
right to deprive any person of prop
orty without due process OF law, no III
lice and an opportunity to be heard, "a
and where In every other relation and r,
In life fraud lie never pre- p
sumed, hut must lie clearly proved IN
and every person shall have the right I,
10 face hia accuser. 10 emphasize the n
of the situation and accu. "
sation, we learn that it IL said, as ii
though by authority. that at is eX- Ia
pected that many of the pensioners
so suihmarily suspended or dl Jp- K
ped will be able to prove 81
hat they are still entitled al
10 the pension of which they have m
been deprived; thus saying in no un. 4,
certain voice that the burden Is not 81
upon the party alleging the fraud but s
hat tho government which they had h
preserved shall first brand with In "
Amy by the charge, then sentence N
and after the stigma has been effective.
then concede to them, whose barriers a.
and support of character have been Fl
-hus undermined, the pitiful privilege al
1f moving for new trial upon The W
OF newly discovered evidence; a
md this not upon stranger aliens or
oes, but upon our own flesh and oil
blood, our comrades, tho savlours OLD
he nation--those who. in the language "
u Lincoln, the Immortal, have borne IN
he battle" nj
We deny that the Score tary Of the
Interior and Commits sioher Of Pen.
ions have any such power. We H. o,
list that the ndjudIcEting dIyieIOns of p(