The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-21

1
the war was still going on, and the gen.
uemnn from New York was fifteen
years of age. In 1863 we were still IN
that terrible trouble. md the gentle
man from New York was sixteen years
of age. In 1864 he was seventeen years
of age, and still the war went on and
the draft riots OF New York went on Mt
the same time In the presence Of that
gentleman. knowing that the govern
mont was needing forces,
have already said that In my state
VIZ labored under considerable dlBnd-
vantage. We raised seventeen loyal
regiments and sent them Into the UNI
ted States army, with thIrty-slx or
thirty-seVen thousand men from my
section. and we did not have any draft
either. We raised these regiments. aud
in 1868. on the 10Th day of June. they
recognized us free. sovereign, and
independent state. and placed one or
the brightest stars upon the nag OF our
country in honor OF West Virginia.
When they dld that the general gov
,ernment said: "You have assumed the
duties OF statehood: you must assume
also the responsibilities OF 1t and must
furnish Your quota Of men" and, Mr..
Chairman, we did so. Therein We were
a little unfortunate no doubt Possibly
n pJAllH Va un llul uGGH ltsA pukIlChiG anu
the draft had come on US. there are
some no doubt among US who might
have had the pleasure Of hiring n sub
stitutC. and then we would have been
in the direct line OF promotion and pos
sIbly President Of the United States
some day. uauEhter.)
Now, my friends, / want to say to You
this: | recall another instance OF pa
trlotlc sacrifice. and commend tho
history OF the man TO my friend Dom
New York, AZ sixteen years OF age
muclp younger than my friend was-a
youth left the state OF Ohio Yho served
honorably in the ranks of>the Union
army, He returned to his state and
Inns been mn honored ornament to II
ever since; and on yesterday. reeogiTlz-
ing his worth and merit. he was I'M
anlmously chosen by his party as sem
ator from the great state OF Ohio to
represent that state from the 18th day
OF March. 1897. speak of the Hon.
Joseph q, Foraker. who at sixteen
years OF age went into the Union army
(Applause.) So that my friend need
tot have tecu deprived OF the opporr
tunlty 10 serve In the army II he had
desired.
AS said, think my friend hardly
appreciated the situation when he made
the remarks which he made the other
day. During the war heard the eX-
preston "Lincoln's hirellngs" applied to
US. Since the war. In the newspapers
OF the country. have seen the words
pension bummers." have also heard
the pensioners called treasury loot
ers." but l never expected to hear Il
gentleman who regretted that his age
prevented him from being in the ranks
OF the Union army. and who claimed
to be so loyal to this government. make
use OF language OF the same character
such as hooters and pillagers OF the
treasury" and men ''Indulging In car
nIval OF pIllaEe"-such language as
heard the gentleman use the other day.
AS suggested by friend ut my side.
that fixes his condition very safely.
Does my friend from New York CNIr.
Dartlett) for one moment comprehend
who he Is insulting by calling them
Hooters OF the treasury" and "organ!Z-
cd pillaEers OF the treasury" Aye.
although he may not have been dlspos-
ed to risk his younger days in the
army OF the union. yet he was Of age
sufficient to have at least read and
known the history OF his country, 70
have known something OF the men
whose surviving comrades he cdlls.with
their widows and orphans. Hooters OF
the treasury" II he would refer to the
books that he was then studying. to
the history OF the times when be was
sixteen or seventeen years OF age, he
would recollcct who these men were.
Does he remember when that grand
old vessel OF which we all speak with
pride. the old ship Of state, was out on
the sea OF dissolution? Does he remem-
Der when tho clouds hung low? Docs
he remember when the llghtnings flash
ed, when the thunder rolled, and when
the gale bent the masts OF that old YES.
sci. when in her distress Abraham LIN
coin. OF sainted memory, grasped the
helm OF state and cried FOR men to man
that vessel. and the response came from
shore TO shore, Eve are coming, Faith
er Abraham, 100000 more?'
The sons and widows OF these men
and their surviving comrades are the
ones who are charged here with being
hooters OF the treasury. Their comrades,
their husbands and their fathers
many OF them lie dead. They are re-
qulred to prove that death came In the
line OF service. Many OF them sleep In
unknown graves in front OF Richmond.
Many OF them sleep in the wilderness.
and at Gettysburg. and along the banks
of the Ohio and the grent Father of
Waters, amid the pine woods OF Geor-
gia and the everglades OF Florida. They
sleep in honored graves, although I'M
known. Their sunken graves may be
unmarked by any stone or monument.
but Will say TO the gentleman from
New York (Mr. BartletD that In the
heart OF every loyal American citizen
there Is erected TO their memory mon
ument around which the flowers OF re-
membrane will bloom in eternal YER
dure, when the remarks OF the gentle
man hope will have been forgotten.
Mr.. Chairman, having said this much,
do not wish TO detaia TIE commits"
longer. shall support the amendment
OF the gentleman from Illinois. | am
willing to go further and support the
amendment suggested by the gentle
man from Indiana and to pass law
commanding the commissioner OF PEN
sions not only TO cease prosecuting and
striking from the roll arbitrarily the
veterans, their widows and thelr chill
dren, but to place back every soldier
and soldiers widow and soldiers or
phau who has been stricken from the
roll under the arbitrary orders and
technical rules OF this department; and
then IL there are any charges against
them let them be informed OF that fact:
let the man who makes the charge sub
stnntiate Il. Until that is done, let them
remain upon this roll OF honor as brave
and honorable soldiers Of the Union or
as the widows and orphans OF such,
(Applause.)