Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-05-19
CLARk'S LETTER
Republican Hypocrisy o.
ward Old Soldiers.
BRAVE DEEDS FORGOTTEN.
Humorist Of the House Makes a
Telling Point.
nnnn hnuTnr TOD d

Telling Point.
GOOD ADVICE FOR PATRIOTS.
Some Southern Members Who Are Out OF
Place In the Republican Party. Which
Is Always Sectional, Unjust and Usually
Neutrality-suspicious. In Passage al
Private Claims.
Especial Washington Letter.1
In q recent letter I quoted In extenso
from a speech Of James NJ. Robinson OF
Indiana on the pension question in gen.
eral, but as Robinson Is a Democrat Re-
| publicans might be disposed TO claim that
his scathing arraignment Of the Republic
can administration and Republican con-
gress as to pensions was not based on facts
and was for political effect. Such doubt
ing Thomases will certainly believe the
evidence Of Major Charles e. Pearce Of
Sd. Louis, who is not only a Republican
congressman, but was for four years Q
soldier in the Union army. His words
not only show that Robinson was right
in what he said about Republican
hypocrisy as to the old soldier in gen.
eral, but that there is q settled purpose
among the Republicans now running
the machine to discriminate against the
Missouri Union soldiers, than whom
none better or drawer ever wore q Fed
eral uniform.
Now, back of the words I shall quote
from Major Pearce and ranking in his
heart was the fact that in spite Of all
the Missourian congressman, both Re-
publicans and Democrats-for we all
helped him-oould do the house out the
senate bill giving Mrs. Stephenson, wild
ow Of Major General John d. Stephen
son, from $50 per month to $50. Sena-
tor Vest, q Confederate soldier and sem
ator, had passed IL through the senate
with the aid Of Senator Ccckrell, who
fought his way from a captainoy to q
| major generally In the Confederate ar
| my. All Observation-Disclosures and
| Republican, Confederate and Union
| take pride in the career of General Ste
phenson and revere his memory, for,
| while he was o splendid soldier, he
warred against armed men In the field
and not against old men, women and
| children. He was the only man in the
Missouri legislature In 1881 who had
the nerve to object to the two houses Of
that body listening to the commissioner
from Mississippi In trying to persuade
| Missouri to secede. After the war began
| he happened to be in command at Boon
Vile while Mrs. Vest gave birth to one
| of her children, her husband being then
fighting In Prices army. Observing the
humanities, General Stephenson placed
a guard about the house where Mrs. Vest
was confined to shield her and her new
born babe from disturbance and harm.
| That was a knightly deed, still treasured
| by Senator Vest and all who knew of 1t.
| Still when the poor and aged widow
Of this brave Christian soldier, a hero
of two wars, who shared the hardships
Of army life with him, applies to oon-
gress for a pittance whereby to live COM
fortably the little remnant of her days
a Republican house cuts 1t down from
$50 to $40 per month Notwithstanding
| the fact that the widows of corr Of
| other generals who never rendered half
| the service that General Stephenson did
have received $50 and 500 per month
| and In several cases %, 900 per annum
Missouri soldiers should remember this
| treatment; so should all true soldiers
everywhere. Remembering 1t, they will
wrathy.
Cutting Down Pensions.
Now, Major Pearce had introduced o
| bill to pay q pension of 800 per month
to the widow of Major General A. J.
| Smith of Missouri, the man who at
| Mansfield and Pleasant Hill saved Gem
| erei Banks entire army from destruc-
| tion and capture when that redoubtable
| soldier was advancing into the enemy's
country with his wagon trains In front
and when Dick Taylor, the son of old
Zachary, pounoed down upon him mex
pectedly.
The invalid pension committee Of the
house reported the bill, but out the
amount from 800 to $50 per month.
Major Pearce, having run up against
the Republican house In the case of Cen
eral Stephenson's widow, concluded he
| would be modest and moderate In his
demands, 30, instead Of moving to re-
store the 800 per month as was pro-
vided by his bill originally, he only ask
ed for $50 and did not get that. Among
other things he said:
son the 18th day of January, 1897,
congress passed a law granting q PEN
sion Of 800 a month to the widow Of
| General John F. Gibbon. The year be-
fore, in the month of April, congress
| passed o law giving to the widow Of
| General Abner Doubleday a pension of
| 800 o month. On the Sth day of Janu-
AIRY, 1895, congress passed a law giving
to the widow of General N. P. Banks
800 a month, and in 1894 congress
| passed a law giving a pension Of 800 a
month to the widow Of General John
M. Corse. It was because of this legis-
lation that ! introduced this bill and
| asked Of congress to give to the widow
| Of this gallant old majer general Of the
| United States army a sum corresponding
TO that which had been granted by con-
| sress to the widows Of generals Of sim.
| liar rank.
"There Is not an instance in 90 years
Of the legislation Of congress when the
| widow Of q major general of the United
| States army has received a pension Of
less than $50 a month.
General Smith was In the armies Of
| the country for over half a century.