OCR Text |
Show PENSIONING EX-SLAVES. The pension roll of this country has grown to enormous proportions, and yet the people have made no serious objection, ob-jection, nor is it likely that they will so long as the pensious are granted to those who participated in the war for the union, and who have Just claims for government recognition. But when it comes to pensioning ex-slaves simply because they wore held in bondage, thero will be a general protest. There is now beforo congress a bill for that very purpose. It was recently introduced intro-duced by Congresiman Connell of Nebraska, Ne-braska, probably by request. Sections 3 and 3 of this bill makes the following provisions: That any person who may have been held as a slave or Involuntary servant under and by reason of any law of the United States, or of either of the states of the United States, or in consequence of any device or oustom prevailing prevail-ing with such states or the United States, except ex-cept for the commission of crime whereof the party shall have been convicted, and who shall have been released from such servitude in manner before stated, and who shall at the aate 01 tne passage 01 tins act nave reached the age of TO years, shall be entitled to and receive re-ceive the sum of f600 from the treasury of the United States, hereby authorized to be paid out of any moneys not otherwise appropriated, appro-priated, and to the sura of f 15 per month during dur-ing the residue of their natural lives. This provision shall apply to male and female freedom free-dom alike, and alf persons not released from servitude, who shall be less than 70 years of ai?e and of the age of 60 years or over shall be entitled to and receive the sum of $3U0, and also I1U per month until they reach the age of 70 years, when they shall be entitled to and receive the greater sum hereinbefore hereinbe-fore stated as a monthly payment; and ' all persons released from servitude, ser-vitude, as before stated, who shall be less than ) years old and of the age of M) years or over shall be entitled to and receive the sum o( $100, and also JW per monthuutil 60 years old, when they shall receive 113; and nil persons released from servitude, as before stated, who shall be leoa than SO years of age shall be entitled enti-tled to receive tl per month until 60 years old, when they shall receive 8; all moneys herein authorized to be paid shall 'be dispensed from the general funds of the treasury not otherwise appropriated. That relations or others who may be charged with the support of aged or liitlnu persons released re-leased from involuntary servitude In manner aforesaid shall be entitled to and receive the monthly pension awarded to such aged or Infirm In-firm persons, in whole or lu part, upon showing, show-ing, to the satisfaction of the secretary of the interior that such support Is afforded in a humane and becoming maimer, the amount of such payment being under the control and direction di-rection of the secretary aforesaid. It is said that this bill is actually receiving re-ceiving serious consideration, and that it will be favorably reported by the house committee on invalid pensions. It is charged, however, that it is not the intention of the republicans to pass the bill, but to hold it in abeyance iu order to catch the colored vote in next fall's elections. Tho charge, it would seem, is not well grounded, as the great majority of tho colored voters are in full sympathy with the republican republi-can party, and no inducement is necessary nec-essary to make them vote tho ticket. However, Mr. Connell's bill, no matter for what purpose it may have beeu introduced, in-troduced, will not likely pass congress. Nevertheless, it is a measure that will attract a great deal of attention and cause general criticism, mainly on the ground that it is makiug a burlesque of the pension business. " |