Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-02-01

thieves to rob the treasury Of which we car
ried the keys our shoulder from '6l to |
90 l blush for the man who can say |
aught against granting a pension |
to every disabled soldier. When we !
took our honorable discharge after |
four years of war, broken in health, manned |
in body and limb, having sacrificed as
young men our bright prospects for hap |
py, healthful future, having faithfully per- |
formed our duty having preserved the
Government intact with all its valuable
property including its bankrupt treasury
accepting the plaudits of "A patriotic people,
and the generous provisions of law giving
us pensions for disability, in language mono
but n traitor to his country could gainsay;
returning to peaceful pursuits, VIC little
thought that in less than thirty years we
should be dropped from that contract with
out our day in court. That we should be
such a source of trouble to the ma ority of
the American Congress that after we he'd
become permanently old and and in need
of the pension granted us, while sustaining
the position of respected citizens at home,
we should be bounded and shadowcd
us frauds, our pension claims buried in
the vaults of the pension Office for
years, thousands dropped from the rolls
whose claims had been proved and pensions
granted, all without notice or trial to the
extent of 81 900, OO9 a month. Not one
| word of recommendation OF late to Congress
| that the pension claims so long duo and
! promised. should ever be settled, and then
to be branded frauds! Oh, ye heroes of
! Bull Run to Appomattox! If there is with
| in your knowledge pcnsioner who is fraudu
| lently drawing pension, expose him, pub
| lish him. he does not deserve the name OF
| comradc. But my comrades, that is not
| the trouble The Congress that should be
| willing to pass laws and the officers of the
| government who should see them enforced
| is composed by large ma ajority of the very
| men whom We faced on the field of battle
Their unprecedented policy and assumption
of fraud without proof is too unjust
and I'M American to receive the approval
of any loyal patriotic citi,en of this
country. We demand the stricken names
placed back upon the roll to remain until an
| unbiased court finds evidence of fraud; we
| demand the claims So many years pending
shall be settled at once. We demand that
preference be given eX-soldiers for positions
| in the clerical and mechanical departments
of this government if upon examination
| they are found competent.
IN CONCLUSION,
| ] desire to call your attention to the desira-
| bilitv of writing a conpletc roster every
| ..., - an a.. ,,,,a,'o,, ,bo ro1l e ,.,,,,
S'"' VI ,iii 'H' names C 0 i' ~ 1''
post. with the officers, giving postofllce ad
dress of each comrade. and forward the
same same 10 department heauIuaIters Many
'lmes commander desires 10 oeIall conf
radc from a certain post posts; he knows
there are GOOD men there Int cannot name
them. Elect competent oihcerS ior your
a fh1N hnl1
in 10 post, have rendered correct returns
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR.
= II, .-. r 7 p..,..l;a. 1.......
nnrt in.nertor i found rho folIo,yinr
tabulated statement of the standing of the
! department December 81, 1873:
| Whole number Of posts in the de-
par ment reported ;......i..:...i. Ill
'H,,t''' im,t VI ''''''' j" 7''' H''i'' 52o,
Number of mu,kcts owned by the
posiS,,.,: ....;.....:;.'..:.,.;:. @'l
->mldngI a,,,i %. Io7'N "'''' ''c 'l'u"'l IS q
Number of posts whcrethe rituaiis
partly committed ...... .;....... n
NuilDeT" OF "i ho7'S "iiere rI'uai III not -
NUmbrr, of posts whose officer, and
guards are uniformed and
,equipped d..........;'..... j!
awe nnifnrncd "'i''' A
Number OF posts where records are
.comppletc and well kept..,;.t.;;..; II,
Cntii ,In"int ~ of r"iinf 1,,nd 5,l-i
Total amount of relief expended ) l.IH!R
Total amount OF post funds in hands .-
81 w ion ,,. '''N'
not in hands of q. VI N..............S.i6sla.
Num6cr Of posts haYinsa camp OF .,
>GiiiF't nf VI p''''S '"'i'R " camp u II
are good d....................'.. :.