The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-04
LOCHRENA A HERO IN BATTLE
Black Tells The Story Of His Bravery
at Gettysburg.

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Time to Rally-The Story Told in the
Course of the Debate on the Pension
Appropriation Bill-Democrats Not
Prejudiosd on the Pension Question
Washington, March 8-Several private
pension bills were passed by unanimous
consent, and then the House, at 1875
o'clock, went into committee of the whole
on the pension appropriation bill, and Mr..
Cultivate, of Ohio, took the chair
Mr.. Pickler, rep, of South Dakota,
spoke at length in eulogy of the soldiers
of the union army aud of their great
achievements, and described the mag
nanimity with which the south was
treated by the commanders and leaders
of the victorious forces In concluding,
he said: Il submit that the nnion
soldiery, whose sentiment had been
the handspring Of the magnanimous ac-
tion of this government toward the
people who had opposed them in battle, are
entitled to the generous treatment, at
least just treatment, from this whole ma
tion. And never until justice is conceded
him and his rights, freely and duly recog-
nized, will there be that era of good feel
ing and good fellowship amOng the people
of this nation which ought to prevail 1t
is but justice that the union soldier should
be as well treated as the soldior of the
revolutionary. Mexican or Indian wars
The bondholder was not promised gold in
payment of bonds. but great people,
jealous of their credit by future legisla-
tion, made the bonds payable in gold. On
the other hand, the soldiers were prom
ised payment in money as good as gold at
any bank and government offices through
out the United States.
MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF.
'Not the enthusiastic promise of the
recruiting officer, not the promise
of the governors of the states all
ing for troops, but from the highest
authority in the government came this
promise on Sept. 3, 1861, that "all future
payments of the troops should be in
money as good as gold.n
Mr.. Picker read copy of that order,
now thirty-two years old, copy growing
yellow with age, which he procured a few
days ago at the war department.
Discussing the question ofpcnsions, Mr..
Pickler said; The revolutionary soldiers,
of the war of 1912 and of the Mexican
war, were first granted provisions for
wounds and others disabilities incurred
in the service in the line of duty, and
their widows, orphans, and the depen-
dent parents of deceased soldiers received
the benefit Of such laws Aud after the
lapse of years, service pensions were
granted to all the soldiers Of these early
wars. To like recognition, benefit
and provisions the union soldier
is entitled. He is entitled to it now. Now
that generation has passed since that
war commenced, every soldier, as mat
ter OF justice, in recognition Of his serv-
ices and not as a charity, is entitled TO a
pension. Nothing less is justice, and with
nothing less will Justice be content. For
this great government to treat the SOL
diers as paupers and his pension as a
charity is damnable insult TO every
man who followed the flag.
THE DECLARATION OF THE LAW.
''The fourth section of the fourteenth
amendment of the amended consti-
tuition of the United States de
clares that the validity of the
public debt of the United. States au-
thOrized by law, including debts for the
payment of pensions and bounties for ser
vices in supprl ssing insurrection or re-
belliOn, shall not be questioned There
can be no fair Interpretation of this prom
Use of the cOns.itutiOn other than that the
debt for pensions, lust pensions, liberal
pensions, should ever be a sacred one
This promise does not warrant a narrow
and mean construction of the pension
laws. 1t does not warrant a tech
nical construction of the law, rules
and regulations against the pensioner
1t does not mean arbitrary and unfair
rulings and constructions which tend to
a disallowance of the pension II docs
imply an open, fair and liberal construc-
tion of the laws that will be an honor to
the soldier and an honor to the nation he
saved. The pension roll is a roll of the
survivors of all the wars in which this
great nation has engaged; it is "a roll of
undying honor, and so it will ever be, and
10 class more than the soldiers themselves
will demand thati be 50 kept"
- In the course of his remarks, while
quoting John r. Fellows upon the manner
in which the people of New York had re-
ceived the $4,000 southerners who had
gone to that city since the war, Mr.. Pick
Ter was interrupted by MIR. Boatncr, dem
of Louisiana, who said that many
northern men had come into his district
and been received in the same spirit of
friendliness and courtesy. Some Of the
leading residents, the most influential of
his district, came there in blue uniforms
after being mustered out of the union
army. Applause by the republicans.
RUSHING THROUGH CLAIMS.
INepTGSCu LdIlNe j. -. BLACK. dem, OF
Illinois, ex-pension commissioner, was the
next speaker. He said that ifhe had at the
beginning of Mr.. Picklers speech enter
tanned any bitterness Of feeling il would
have entirely disappeared under the in
tiuence OF the lofty sentiments expressed
by him, and he congratulated the speaker
upon the excellent temper in which the
speech was conceived and delivered He
intended, however Mr. Black said. TO ad-
dress himself to the three points made in
the speech of Mr.. Grout yesterday
These were First, that the present
administration of the pension bu-
reau is unfriendly to the soldier;
second, that the policy pursued in the bu-
reau is inimiCal 10 the rights Of the sol
der; and. third, that the Democratic
party is opposed TO pensions. The law Of
1880, said Mr. Black, required that the
Establishment of three things must be
clearly made out ~ every claimant be-
fore a pension can be legally allowed
under it. An officer, who did not require
these three things TO be established be-
fore issuing a certificate did not faith
fully observe the law In 1912, con-
tinued the speaker, there was tremen-
dous pressure brought to bear upon the
bureau for the issue of certifi-
Gates. Under this pressure, in
that year. in 305 working
days, 81 900 certificates were issued
over 1000 a day Some examiners passed
as many as 100 claims a day, and one
made a record of 2,40O a month, and after
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