The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-01-04
CONFEDERATE Pensions.
Letter From Judge A. w.
Wallace on This
Subject.
SETTLEMENT &c sulsEsTs.
fredericksburg. Va, Jan. >, 1902.


fredericksburg. Va. Jan. >, 1902
To The FREE LANCE:
At the request OF n representative OF
The FREE LANCE. | write ami send this
communication iOr publication. hoping
that il NAV add something, IN the way
dissolution. 10 the question OF confederate
pensions. now being SO extensively agl-
rated i'm Virginia: andl think. may say,
before making any suggestion. that there
Is no thoughtful or sell respecting tOuied-
crate soldier VINO does not wish the qneS-
tion Of pensions settled at once AMI for
ever On some permanent and suostanuaI
basis. So that the cause for which ne
fought AM the imperlshaOle record he
made. both sacred To him, may cease 10
be the buncombe football OF impulsive
candidates Tor political preierment.
There is another consideration why
there should be- some permanent settle
ment of this question, namely-because
of the failure. a. Is universally admitted.
of the efforts of the Legislature 10 accom-
uliSh by it, acts up 10 this date any just
distribution 10 the deserving soldiers ot
the money appropriated. although the
annual appropriation has been increasing
within The last thirty years from
some i've thousand dollars untllitisnow
proposed 20 apprOpriate ont of The Treas
ury three hundred thousand dollars every
dollar of which has been collected from
thu people. under the clause Of the
Constitution. Ito pay the neces-
sarv expenses oi the government
and the Indebtedness of the state.
and this large appropriation u 20 DE-
made to paw pensions under an act 90
meet the requirements Of which some
one hundred and thirty-tye thousand
dollars have already been appropriated.
Il Is hardly necessary 20 state. az "a
corolary a. the above that the present
weil-meaning but rockies, course, u per
sisted IN by the legislature, Will wreck
the Treasury of the state and reopen a
new agitation Oi the state = ability 10
Keen faith with It's creditors. which agi-
cation would again divide our people and
probably destroy the political future Oi
all who mai occasioned the trouble.
Now. il seems. % me the remedy issim-
ole / DO not Trims there Il county or
cirv In the State 90 Virginia the people oi
which are not willing that such small tax
boz levied on the real and personal prop
ertv ~ such county or city as may be
res.essarv 10 provide for the comfort OF
deserving Confederate soldiers residing
I'm the limits Of such county or cry. and
the universal experience of all Lngiish-
speaking people has demonstrated. from
the d4f. ot tile famous statute oi lpOl
.t3ri Elizabeth that the best and most
effective wav % give substantial benrht
10 those IN need il through the medium
On local ievies 10 Oe disbursed by local
authorities
The pension roll recorded in thecounry
or civ Clerk F. Office would then be- q roll
Of honor indeed-a testimonial that the
people who know the soldier best nave
demonstrated their knowledge OF his
merit by an appropriation Tor ms com
fort from their personal means.
In NAV be- objected that under the
scheme suggested some counties posi-
DIV poorer counties. might nave the care
of more deserving soldiers m number
than more wealthy counties; and that 1t
would be- unjust 10 compel such poorer
counties 70 levy larger taxes. The an
swer % this objection Is two told-nrst.
that with few exceptions these soldiers
were originally natives of the counties
where they now reside and are not now,
WIKI few exceptions. in need by reason OF
service in the common cause. but by
reason OF old aye aud inhrmity. and
Therefore the obligation l. on the COM
munity " here they reside 10 care Tor them.
ami. secondly. although only my indivi-
dual opinion. the people Oi eacn county
want this matter settled aud are willing
totake care of the needy soldiers residing
within each county; and a. mere mat
ter Of popularity the man or men who
permanently -ettis this PRESTON salts
iactorilv will meet with the common
cation Of tue people The Convention not
the Legislature, in my Judgment should
do the work and this settlement should
he a part ofthe Constitution. An amend
ment 70 the Tenth Article twentieth sec
ton of the present Constitution would.
think. accomplish the result suggested
if the same was amended so az 10 read
as follows:
No other or greater amount OF tax
or revenue shall at any tine be levied
than NAV be required for the necessary
expenses Of the government or 70 pay
the existing Indebtedness OF the state,
provided that for thr payment OF all per
sons entitled Oy law TO pensions by rea-
son Of service IN the Confederate
army or navy the several counties
ID CITIES sh,l levy TAX in lieu
OF all taxes for that purpos' on
on the real and perrOual estate OF such
county and city Of not more than i've
Ct nts on the one hundIe dollars OF values
aud the Legislature shall enact suitable
legislation 10 carry this prOviso into
effect
The burden in the way OF taxation
would be very light A tax OF two
cents on the hundred dollars would be
sufficient on the property OF fredericks-
burg 20 pay more than the resident pen
sioners are entitled TO under existing
laws,a city which furnisbe in proportion
to population. her full quota of soldiers,
and city where every house il a shot
I marked monument of Confederate yaiOr
/ and Cor fe ierate victory
Knowing that the construction OF q
new Constitution is in the hands Of
chosen and able men. it is with hesita-
! ton that have written the above, but
possibly it may assist in a solu-
I ton oi the question. and If so
shall feel gratiied TO have been
able to contribute. even il it be in a very
slght degree. to the benefit OF soldiers o.
the Coniederacy and of my State
Very truly yours,
A. " WALLACE.