Milford chronicle., 1896-01-17

the gentleman from New York Mr. Bartlett
who has just concluded his remarks declare.
ia this presence, that there IS no one her
who adnires more those veterans who fougt
the battle ofth country and stood in tn
hour Of dargerin the front than himself
am inclined to ioiH issue with hitn-- Ap
piause A. understand the plain purpor
and effect ofthe amendment TO which TIL
gentleman objects and to which he ad
dresses his remarks, it is simply this II
make il more difficult to take away one 0
these mems pensions-a four, six or eigh
/ dollar pension than it has been heretofore
Is that righi2 Applause
Several Members That is right.
Mr.. Bartlett of New York, Will the gen
tlemau allow me a single interruption
! MIR Willis Excuse me. I cauuot an
swer questions or permit Interruptions in
Eve minutes Give me a half hour and
will be very glad to engage ID colloquy on
this floor with the gentleman as long as he
chooses upon this subject. But now have
not the time.
1 say. is It not right to make difficult the
taxing away of the pensions Of these men
Is it not right to make il difficult 10 hang a
person or imprison man charged with
crime Does not the gentleman, himself a
lawyer, give voice before jury and court TO
the eli sentirn sn- has he not quoted il
theusaud times over-that it is better to
let 90 niuety-nine guilty men than 10 con-
demu one innocent MANI Aud the same
principle that viii apply to criminals in
court of low ought 10 apply to these men
who get seventy FIVE or eighty or a hundred
dollars year.
The gentleman says that this is not
vested right-this right of pensions / say
to him if it is not It ought to be lapplausel
and the FIRST thing that will be becoming in
the gentleman to-day is to devote his time
TO making it a vested right. He can not be
engaged in a more patriotic duty, or one
that will accomplish iuster or a grauder
result. i would be one of the beautiful
paragraphs Of his life, that wonld stand As
an euconium Of his patriotism, aud a testi-
mony to his manhood long after he was dead
and in his grave. It is a vested right. He
admits that it is moral right, ana what IS
vested right except a moral right incorpor-
ated into law Aud if it is not incorporated
into law it is tine it should be.
Suppose, for instance by way Of illustra-
ton, that there is a derelict in the ocean,
and braAe sailor with his crew saves this
dismasted, abandoned vessel and brings her
into port What is done Why, they give
him at least half Of her valuation, and prob
ably he gets all.
That Is Just the relation that these meu
sustained to this grand old ship of state when
she was in the trough Of the sea Every
timber in her was wrenched, and everybody
aboard of her was in alarm.
These brethren OF ours from the South |
went whoriug after strange gods. The |
gods mage them mad. In the hour of their |
anger they tried to pull down the house over
their own heads and over our heads, These
brave men came to the front and stood in
the breach and saved the country To whom
does the, coIutry belong, sir Who has
better right to it? It is a case Of salvage
without comparison in history. [Applausel
If the gentleman wants precedents and ex-
emplars that he may safely follow with re-
gard to these matters, let him follow that
brave old hero whom saw upon the floor
lew minutes ago, Gen. Daniel E. Sickles.
Applausel Let the gentleman get his in
'piration from him and. and he will safely
ollow the light in a brave mans hands.
No, sir you may traduce these pension
avs aud the men who receive these pen
ous You may suffer these heroes TO be
Iuricd in the potter's field You may sub
ct them to the narrowest and most strin-
rent circumstances fin Aucial and of social
ife. and thew may go down at last in shame
md poverty, amid the regrets. Of those
round them but
On fauie's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And glory guards. with solemn round,
The bivouac Of the dead.