Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-04

Fellowship among the people of this nation
which ought TO prevail IL IL but justice
that the Union soldiers shall be IA well
treated as the soldiers OF the Revolu-
tiorary. Mexican. and Indian wars. The
bondholder WIS not promised gold I'm pay
ment OF bonds but great people. jeai-
Gus OF their credit, by future legislation
mado the bonds payable 10 gold on the
other hand the soldiers were promised
\ payment IN money "as good as gold a
any bank or government Office through
| out the United States Not the enthu-
| sIastic promise OF the recruiting ofhcer.
rot the promise OF the Governors of the
States calling for troops. but from the
highest authority in the government came
| tbia SOLEMN promise on the 90 day OF
| September, 1861 that all future payments
| OF the troops should be in money as
| good as gold
MIR Plckler read copy OF that order
now thirty-fwo years old, copy growing
old with age. which he procured a ie"
davs ago AT the War Department.
| Discussing the question OF pensions. MT
picllcr said: THE revolutionary sol
| dlera and the soldiers Of tho war OF 1872
| and Of the Mexican war were first granted
ncnslons for wounds and other disabilities
incurred in the service In the line OF
duty and their widows and orphans. ana
tho dependent parents OF deceased soi-
dlcrs received tho benefit OF such laws
And after the lapse Of years, service pen.
slons were granted 10 all the soiuiers OF
| those early wars. To like recognition
bcno0t and provisions. the Union soldier
,s entitled lie Is entitled 10 81 now. NOW
that 2. generation has passed since that
! var commenced, every soldier, AS mat
ter Of Justice. in recognition OF his ser
vices and not as a charity, ~ enuuen
10 n pension. Nothing less is justice, ana
with nothing les VIII Justice be con-
tended For this great government to
treat tho soldier as pauper and his pen
sion ~ q charity IA damnable Insult 10
cyorrv man who followed the flag.
| 'Tbe fourth section Of the fourteenth
! amendment Of the Constitution or the
United States declared that tho validity
OF the public debt OF the United states
authorized By law. including debts for the
| pnyrncnt Of pensions and bounties for ser
vices IN supprcssing insurrecton or re-
| belllon, shall not be questioned There
can be no fair Interpretation Of this
uromlse OF the Constitution other than
that tho debt for pensions, Just pen
| sl,us, liberal pensions, should ever
be n sacred one This promise
| docs not warrant n narrow and
moan construction OF the pension laws
| IL does not warrant n technical construc-
| ton of tho laws. rules, and regulations
AGAINST the pensioner II does not mean
| arbitrary and unfair rulings and cOnstTuc- |
| tons which tend 10 n disallowance Of the |
pension IL does imply an open, fair, and !
/ liberal construction Of the laws. that Will !
DO an honor 10 the soldier and an honor |
/ 20 the nation he saved The pensi0n-roll |
! is roll Of survivors Of all the wars IN |
which this great nation has engaged; It |
| IS "a ron Of undying honor, and 50 it viii !
! ever bee: and no class more than the SOL |
| dicr3 themselves Will demand that it be |
SO kept"
IN tie course Of his remarks. while |
| quoting John l.. Fellows upon the man. |
! uer in which tho people OF New York |
| had received the 5000 southerncrs who |
| hd gone 70 that city since the war. |
| Alr. Picker was interrupted by Mr.. Boat |
her Democrat, Of Louisiana, who said |
that many northern men had come INTO !
his district and been received in the same |
spirit Of friendlness and courtesy. Some |
Of the leading residents. The most infu-
cntial men OF his district, came there in
blue uniforms. after being mustered out |
OF the Union army. applause by Re
pubAcans)
MIR. BLACKS SPEECH.
Representative J. G. Black DemocraD.
or Illinois, extension Commissioner. was
the next speaker lie said that if he had 4
at the beginning Of Mr. Picklers speech /
entertained any bitterness Of feeling n
would have entirely disappeared under tie
influence Of tine lofty sentiments express
od by him. and he congratulated the
Speaker upon the excellent temper in
which tho speech was conceived and de-
livcred. lie intended, however, Mr.. Black
| said 20 address himself TO the three
points made IN the speech Of Mr.. CIRCUITS
| yesterday
These were O. that the present admin
tration Of the Pension Bureau is uu-
friendly 10 the soldiers: C. that the
policy pursued in the bureau IS iuimical
o. the rights Of the soldier, and go that
tho Democratic party is opposed to pen
si1us.
The law OF 1890, said Mr.. Black re-
quired that the establishment Of three
things must be clearly made out by every
claimant before a pension can be legally
allowed under II. An officer who did not
require these three things to be establish
ed before issuing a certificate did not
faithfully observe the law. In lS9l-g2
continued the speaker there was tremcn-
dous pressure brought to bear upon the
bureau for the issue Of certificates Under
this pressure. in that year, in sos work.
Ing days, 3l1.000 certificates were issued
over loo a day. Some examiners passed
as many as 100 claims a day. and one
"a
doing this was twice promoted for eff
cheney This was at the rate Of a case
I'm less than every four minutes The
actual work he had 10 do IN each case.
said Mr. Black. was TO read the face
brief. sign the facc-slip, make a face
sio sign his name, and make n judgment.
There had been examiners who made a
record of 900 cases a day Under such a
practice. he said. It would he miraculous IL
great errors did not occur
Illustrating this point, Mr. Black said
that The records Of the Pension Bureau.
according 10 statement made by the
Commissioner. showed thar regiment
recruited In n northwestern State near
the close Of the war. serving one hum
drcd days, contributed ca names to the
pension list, with two companies not ac-
counted for
4 yollcy Of questions was fred at the
speaker by Messrs. Grosvanor Ncpulli-
cam. Of Ohio; Lacy 0Iepublicam. OF
Iowa; and Ray Republican,. of New
York 10 which h replied That the regi-
ment was HcnlcrsOn's OF Iowa., that H.
Gid lot know how many Of the members
of the regiment were veterans who had
re-culist,J aud were pouSiOncd for in
iuries received In prior service. or wheth-
cr. ON the other hand. ;he claims for pen
sions were based upon the experiences Of
the lJl days.
Mr.. Ray: Let me suggest in all kind
ness that the charge is serious one .
against the soldiers.
Mr. Black: 1t is rot n charge against
the soldiers, ana :hc gentleman shall not
put me in that attitude. 1t is charge
against the system.
Mr. Black said ne all not produce these
facts 70 criticize the management OF the
Pension Bure1u. but the policy mat ne
ccssity compelled IT 10 pursue. tie then
took up the aeveral specifications pre-
scented yesterday 10y Er Grout. under ,
ire charges ne had made. 70 defend the ,
present pension commissioner from the
charge of mf.iondlinass 10 the soldiers ,
lie covered in his part of his speech the
prosecution of frauds at Norfolk. Buffalo,
and New Orleans. the rule governing the
action Of local examining boards-an-
nouncing that he agreed with AIR Grout
H. 40