The National tribune., 1894-05-03
THE RIGHTS OF VETERANS.
external Vigilance is the Price of Liberty"


That eternal vigilance is the price of lib
erty was fully demonstrated by the armies
and navy of this Republic from 1861
to 1865. It is just as necessary since the
war that those who survived the struggle
should be constantly "on guard" The ex-
ercise of vigilance occasionally will not
answer if any efforts made to aid comrades
are to end in fruition.
f.e'When the clouds hung darkest over this
I Nation, and hope of Union restored
tpseemed almost gone, their silver lining was
disclosed almost simultaneously in the East
and in the West. At Gettysburg and at
Vicksburg, in July, 1862 the magnificent
armies of Meade and of Grant, defeated
often, dismayed never" did much to inspire
and encourage public confidence. And when,
later on, after Sherman had marched to the
sea and Appomattox had come, the men in
these armies, having wrought better even
than they knew, their work well done,
passed in Grand Review for the last time as
veterans at the Capital of the Nation, and
then disappearing away, as it were
to appear again only as citizens of the
United States in the walks of civil life, the
whole civilized world applauded and the
Nation spoke its gratitude.
1t did this in Congressional enactment
even before that great struggle, which
crowded centuries of human progress into
four years of war, was over.
Sections 1854, 1855, Revised Statutes,
passed March 8, 1865, are in evidence of
this fact; and they have never been re-
pealed.
The first of these-a mandatory statute,
Sec. 1754-provided that those discharged
from military or naval service, by reason of
wounds or sickness incurred in the line of
duty, should have preference in appoint
ment to public offices.
The other one (Sec. 1852 recommended
those honorably discharged by reason of ex-
piration of their terms of service or the
close of the war to the business men and
firms Of the country for lucrative employ
ment.
AS the years came and went, the pledge
then given by the Government was more
honored in the breach than by it's obsery-
ance. The mandatory statute was forgot
ten; nay, worse, ignored, disregarded; and
finally, when contested for on principle, it
was declared clearly not mandatory" by
an Acknowledgement of the United States.
The foregoing, from the report of the Com
mittee on Legislation to the National En-
campment, GAR, at indianapolis last year,
tells its own story of neglect of duty and
patriotism on the part of our National law
makers in the past.
To remedy this FL. R. 80 was introduced
at the special session last Fall, and is now
pending. 1t reads as follows:
bill to insure preference in appointment, employ
ment and retention in the public service of the
United States to veterans of the late war.
Be ii enacted By the Senate and House of Represent
atiucs Of the United States of america in Congress
assembled, That i'll every public Department. and
upon all public works Of the United States Govern
ment, and in competitive and noncomp etitiye ex-
aminations under the United States civil service
laws, rules or regulations of the same wherever
they apply. honorably discharged Union soldiers.
sailors, and marines, who served in the war of 1861
to 1865 shall be preferred for cert;ficaton, appoint
ment, employment, and retention therein; age,
loss of limb. or other physical impairment which
does not In fact incapacitate shall not be deemed
disQuRlify them, provided they possess the busi