The National tribune., 1900-04-19
MASS MEETINGS ACTION.
Resolutions as to Service Pension and
Removals of Charges of Desertion.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: y mass meet
ing of soldiers of the civil war was recently held
Cincinnati, o., to take into consideration why
graded service pension bill should now be passed
as well as to protest against a restoration oil de
scrters to the rolls en- masse.
1t was the sense of the meeting that the trSt o
carly volunteers of 1861 62, the long term soldiers
who served from the beginning TO the end; who
pension until infirmities compelled them to do so
who have Sown IN their systems germs oil disease
cmanating from the service; who are now unable
TO support themselves. are poor IN purse; wht
were deprived of the opportunity of learning 4
trade, or obtaining collegiate education; Wht
are barred from obtaining Governmental posi-
tons for various reasons, as given by European
nations TO their defenders; who never received
local OF National bounties, or other emoluments
who were paid with a deprecated currency, WINE
the bOndholdcr received 100 cents on the dollar
that now, 80 years since they went to the rescue
| of the Nation and 35 since they resumed the gart
of citizen, something should be done Tor them
SO that they reap the benefits OF their service
in person. md ere they join the silent army above
where pensions are no more needed. Soldiers o
other all wars in which our Nation has enEage
have not only received service pension, Dut IN
addition have received bounty land which
soldiers of the civil war have not. w
1t is believed that the passage OF q service Di n
graded by the amount of service rendered, as the
disabilities cases are now graded by the amount
of biiity. will in manner prejudice the
Gently passed by the Senate and now pending in
the House, providing how disabilities shall be
rated under the 1890 act and for a more liberal
construction of the ordinary rules of evidence by
those claiming under the general law for dis
abilities, amply providing remedy ior such
cases.
II is believed that by the passage of n service
bill it will not take years 10 adjust claim; that all
pension legislation has been for the invalids,
whether from wounds disease; or for the dis
ablcd by infrmitieS old age since the war,
which was right Just and proper; that now, some
Legislation ought to be had for those who bore the
brunt of the battles, hardships and sufferings,
al, lid
tinual service. and who by the grace Of God cS
capped the bullet or shell or other casualties.
The following are the resolutions adopted:
Whereas VIC believe that the time has arrived
when the enactment of service pension is a plain
and simple net of justice 10 all surviving veterans
of the rebellion and with the iniirmlucs oil al
yanCinE age and the consequent disability to earn
n sufficient livelihood. We believe that every sur
viving ex-Union solicr, sailor, or mar inc, is
fairly, justly, and honorably entitled to assistance
from the Nation he helped 10 save; and
Whereas in addition 70 those now upon the pen
sion rolls, there are thousands of such surviving
veterans, who served their country faithfully and
we'll and were honorably discharged, who are
unable to obtain the benefits of the existing pen
sion laws. either from inability To furnish the re
quircd evidence or from the too rigid and un-
warranted construction Of these laws by the Pen
sion Department; and
Whereas we can not and do not believe that the
people OF this great Nation have so far forgotten
the services Of its defenders in the hour Of danger
to deny them this assistance in their hour of
need, and, we further believe, that the IN
creased expenditure, II any, HOuiu ne lar more
than met by the decreased cost OF administering
the Pension Department, under law such as is
proposed: Therefore be it
RcSOIced, by the cxUnion Veterans OF Gin
cinnati and Hamilton County, o., III mass meet
ing assembled, that we unanimously lndorsc and
fully approve the per diem pension bill introduced
in Congress by Hon c. II. GrOsvenor, except the
retroactive clause therein, being u fair, Just
an honorable measure: and
RcSolred, That in our opinion, the enactment
Of this law would vastly reduce tn, present cnor
nous expense of adiudcating pc lsiOns. would
greatly simplify the business Of th Pension De
partment. would tend to lessen or wholly diSsipate
the intense feeling now existing against that De
partment, and above all. would afford sadly
needed assistance, in their declining years and
increasing, infrmities TO the survivors of those
who freely offered their lives that the Nation
might live;
ReSoircd, That our Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress be and they are hereby urged
and requested to use,al possible efforts 10 secure
the passage Of said bill, and that copy OF these
resolutions be transmitted to each 0f them.
W. Il. FOlger, w. j. Jackmann, VIM. Phillips,
Ed. ID. Lowell, Thomas Leonard, Committee; B. i.
Bailey, President Frank Bruner, 3278 J3ercsford
Avenue Cincinnati, o., Sccretary.-F. B.