Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-08-14
EXREBEL PENSI0NERS
Harrisburg. Pa. Patriot.


 ident Clevelands action in sending troops into States torn by strikes and riots a few of the more frenzied of the bloody shirt wavers, finding themselves somewhat stopped by these incontestible evidences of loyalty, have been forced to take up some other circumstance to assist them ip their nagging of the South and to help them to keep open the breach between the two sections of tue county. Robbed of all other material they eagerly take up the fact that there are ex-rebels on the pension rolls.
 If q careful examination be made, it may also be found that there are bounty jumpers and skulllers and eamp-followers and abusers of women on the pension rolls. Now, here is a question in moral ethics which the wavers of the bloody shirt win decide against the ex-Confeder- ate or ex-rebel, whichever may be preferred. The real patriot, argu- ing from the standpoint of reward for services rendered, will not give such a decision.
 The ex-rebels who are drawing pensions receive them for services in the Mexican or other prior wars. They don't get the pensions because they were rebels, but because they risked their lives in aid of their country. It is rather strange that in the raid upon the Treasury so much cupidity and lying and fraud and petty animosities were engendered. Men lied and periured themselves outrageously when the raid was or ganized Patriots whose most heroic service was rendered in the suffers or the chemists tent, sud- denly discovered, after more than twenty years of dissipation and reckless living, that their eyes were weakened by their hardships or their bodies facilitated by their arduous services in tue war, and they swore the service was the cause and got their pensions. They smelled very little powder smoke at the front.
 When the rebellion began some of tho soldiers of the Mexican war fought for the South. The army which defeated Mexico was recruited largely from the South, and many of those who composed it furnished their own equipments and helped materially 10 pay the cost of travel it could not be called traospor- tation--to the scene of operations. They Were in q word, the ideal oi heroieally patriotic and self-sacri- ficing soldiers, and won deathless fame in scattering the legions ol Santa Anna Being Southerners they naturally cast their fortunes with their States in the rebellion Since that time the North has been the dominant power in the Iegisla. ton of the country, and as a natural result sectional hatred has been kept alive for political advantage The service of the men who con. quered Mexico and brought an i'm mense tract of land into the Union have been forgotten. Only the poor fact that a few of these Mexican heroes-and all the world called them heroes then-are in their old age drawing pensions notwith- standing they were rebels is suffi- eient now to arouse the animosity oi the sectionalist
 It requires a very small spirit tc object to the payment of these pen sions, which are more honestly given and received than many of those now given veterans" of the late war. This spirit is not exhibited by the real Union soldiers, who are as generous as they are brave. II comes altogether from the politi- eians and their abettors who meas ure politics with the United States money table and fathom national honor with a line baited for office. Whatever may be said of the par ticipation of these pensioners iu the rebellion, Congress long ago re moved all the disabilities of all oi them, and if there be a spark of feeling for a soldier there should be no regret that q few old men are drawing pensions for ser vices to their county fifty years ago, just as real soldies of the late wat ara hOpara hfxy anrNIfaj ,,Oo, tn.