Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-02-12
OF HISTORIC VALUE.

Unity which will be as honorable
to them as it will be gratifying to
the petitioner.
The claim is so just, so peculiar,
that l regard the passage of the bill
but as matter Of form, and l
therefore ask for its third reading,
with view to its immediate pas
sage.
Mr.. Mace. l have examined this
bill and it simply proposes to pay
to this lady eight dollars n onth.
After the statement made by the
gentleman from South Carolina, l
am willing that relief should be
granted, and as the amount in the
bill is small, move that the word
eight" be stricken out, and that
the word fifty" be inserted in lieu
thereof.
Mr.. Giddings. 1t is not in con-
sonance with my feelings to oppose
the passage of this bill.
Mr.. Maces I ask the gentleman
from Ohio to yield to me momenr
that l may modify my amendment.
Mr.. Giddings. I yield simply
for that purpose.
Mr.. Mace. At the suggestion of
many members, | will modify my
amendment so as to make the pen
sion twenty dollars month.
Mr.. Giddings. feel disposed,
on the present occasion, rather than
oppose the passage of this bill, t"
remind our friends here of the i'm
portant subject which was before
us yesterday, and which will be be-
fore us again today. At the time
this war was declared, in which this
mother was rendered cbildless, [
was present here. / foresaw the
hearts which would be panied and
tortured, and made to bleed, in con-
sequence of it. She comes here
pleading the loss of her children;
but eighty thousand other mothers,
whose children were as dear and
precious to them as were these to
their mother, fell in that war, and
three hundred thousand hearts were
made to mourn the loss of dear
friends. Yet, sir, with these facts
before us.-for no statesman could
have faile,i TO see them-only four
teen members of this house were un-
willing to enter upon that war. Sir
opposition TO it was made Kissing
and a by-word. Notwithstanding
the dreadful, unutterable, and the
fearful pain which it was known
would infict upon the people of
this country and of Mexico, these
sons volunteered to go to foreign
country to st,ike down their fellow
men, but they themselves were
struck down.
Mr.. McMullin. l rise to ques-
tion of order. The bill before the
Hcase is bill granting pension
to a certain lady of South Carolina,
and the member from Ohio is dis
cussing the Mexican war, and that
is not relevant to the matter under
consideration.
The SPEAKER. In the opinion
of the chair the gentleman from
Ohio is in order. The proposition
is to grant pension for services in
the Mexican war. and it ia certainly
in order for the gentleman from
Ohio to allude to it, SO far as he
has done at present.
Mr.. McMullin. But not to dis
cuss the merits of the war.
Mr.. Sapp. 1t never had any.
MIR. Giddings. 1t g'ieves me to
infict pain upon my friend from
Virginia. Of all men living, he i
the last one whose feelings | would
injure. But Mr.. Speaker, wish to
impress upon this House what has
been urged here for ID years-a
change Of our policy 50 as 70 avoid
war-so that when we have nation
al difficulties to settle we will arbi
trate ttem as an honorable people
and an hor orable governments should
do, without shedding blood, and
without infictlng pain upon moth.
ers, or children, or friends, or such
a vast expense to the people.
/ know the pain this widow must
suffer. know the sorrow she must
bear. ! have myself seen my
friends struck down in battle. and
l have seen the wife made widow,
and her children fatherless; and far
be it from me to pain any friend of
these fallen men by alluding to the