Indiana Republican, Volume 3, Number 111, Madison, Jefferson County, 23 January 1819 — Page 1

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MADISON, (INDIANA)

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5 AY, JANUARY 23, 1819-

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i.:rs kner the fiKsioxs Aand crph.ins cf nMitii kilUJ irt Uiicir ivhzdieJ m s;rvl:c Juriv? th: Uir. Mr. Harrison said, th.it he -Vuli be amongst the hst men whoshvjkl attempt to introduce into this country that systen or" sinecure and pensions whicii hid produced so much rN.Tvin the other fieir.isplierc of the world, dividing aliuot the whole population of Europe i;uo two very unequal division the one extremely rich, the ot :-:r inir-erahly poor. There could, however, (he said) be no de.rer of lu as long ;u tur tree cnr.stitution icr.air... As long as t!ie inorey uf the people is appiopn'ited hv the real repreenta-th-cs of the people, it w ill be given only as an equivalent tor rv.)lic service, or tor soinesutin that service claiming the public beneficence. An

examination of one ot thepen-

rion !i(s of a modern Euro-

government would pre-

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from that on vour table.

irnderatc allowances tor real services, but enormous grants to r n o mi n a I d u t ics , o r f o r se r v i ces to a government whose interests are in direct kostilty to the interest of the nation. It is not even the constant and unnecessary wars in which these governments are engaged that have rendered their subjects miserable, but the wild pofusicr. and extravagance ot their corrupt courts. It is this which in the language of our jrreat countryman, "obliges the European laborer to go supperiess to bed, and moisten his bread with the sweat of his brow." There are two kinds of sufifer-

bands or parents in t hat way. The claims of the fust arc not questioned, it is admitted by all, that the man who has lost a leg or arm in serving the nation, as it lessens his ability to maintain himself, should be provided for durinr the continuance ot his (lis 1hiiirv. Hut what appears to nu said Mr, II. to be a singular in inconsistency : to the woman who has lost her husband who supported her, the child its parent, on whose exertions alone it depended for maintenance ami education, our laws allow a limited assistance, leaving the sufferers often in a worse situation than it found them. 1 consider this difference, said Mr. II. at war with the dictates of justice, a sound policy, and the first republican principles. Permit me Mr. speaker, said Mr. 11. to ask what was the motive tor the enactment of the law of 1 3 1 6 in relation to the pensions? Was it to establish the nre.it national principle ot indemnity to the sulierers as far as it could be given ? Or was ir intended as a mere temporary relief, as we would throw a dollar to a beggar in the street? tit 1 If the first was the motive, the law was entirely inadequate to its object. If the second was the motive, it wa in his opinion unworthy of the nation. Equality in the contributions for the public service is one of the first principles of our government. The public burdens are to fall equally upon all in proportion to their means. No individual, and no family arc to furnish more than their just share, either of money or of personal service, without an equivalent. And yet here are 1800 families who have contributed more than their proportion, some of them their ail tor the public services. You cannot, indeed, restore the husbuid to the widow, thenarentto the child but you can supply their paces to a considerable degree, and, I think, that it is your duty to do it. The principle for which I contend, said Mr. II. may be more easily elucidated by applying it to a small community. Let us suppose then that 1 co families are settled upon an Lland in the Pacific ocean, at such a distance from every civilized state as to make it necessary to form one of themselves their situation would make it purely republican. All possessing equal right, and all bound todefend their little community against every aggression. 1 he savages of a neighboring island attempt to dispossess them, a battle ensues, in which our little community is victorious, with the loss of five of their number killed and

:rg said Mr. H. in the pubiicflve wounded. The situation service, which are recognizer: in which they would find themour laws as giving a clairtf selves, is one for which they to the public bounty. The had not provided. Thewoun-

public bounty. The had not provided.

jpein the case of wounds, or ded men would say to the othdisability incurred in the army ers, as we have been rendered Jnavy 0f tjle Tjnjtej fitates. unequal to the maintenaucc of la- other an indirect suffering, our families by wounds receivthe case of widows or chil- ed for the benefit ot all, it is

ho had their hus- just that vc should receive as-

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sistance from vou cultiv.

our farms. The 4mi would tachmcnt will find its way to best rewarded, then will patribe readily admitted.' As would, ubposom of the warrior; but, otism most prevail." Nor is

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in the fust instance; the claims of the willows antjVphans of those who had falfn but. at the end of five an, before the children of tlnr-vidows had readied that agewicn they could labor for thunielvcs and their mothers, tley are told that they can reccne m further aid whilst the wou-'ded men are provided for, fr life. If this principle U ad nr led in our government, our lulhia laws arc most unja t ancoppressive. They require the s:ne personal service to be rcnce 1 by all, the rich and the oor. Hut, the rich married rm is allowed to furnish a subitutethc poor married mat uuible to hire one, is obligciwhcn cilled upon to serve in per on. As the poor, then, ;ht all your battles which is .rhips unavoidable, it is ju: and right the consequences' their v:rvices should tail o lightly as possible on their U ulies. In the late war it wato their va! or and pat riot is- that you were indebted tV the pre er. vation of 1 iltiu re, Norfolk and Orleans, and your nothern and western ronticrs. it is possible that wf-.i the great emporiums of yc r commerce were attacked, omc wealthy men might have?:cn found, tu the ranks with heir poor fellow citizens. .4 Hiltimore, for instance, the: might have been a merchant ,Kss:sscd ota fortune of a half tiU'on of dollars, placed by tl -Tie of a mechanic whose faiiiy depended for support on te daily labor of his hands. The "former might say to te latter, "let us remember th: we fight for our country, ot families and our property, h us rather die than suffer our ity to be taken' The lattr might have answered as ar. American citizen i shall alvai be willing to defend my courry with my life and, I wajust thinking, how cheerfully would meet the cnemv if nnsituation were .like yours. It you f all, you leave your fatny in affluence if the lot shuld be mine, I leave a belovecVite and children to the chary of an unfeeling world. Or laws are unequal and unjui; they require the same persott service of us both, when on day's labor is of more importice to my family than twentycf yours would be to your fami-thatl would disregard, if 01 Jaws had provided that in th event of my fall, the wealth which I had

sacrificed mysc to defend,

should be taxed orphan children

Pass but this !awy sir, said Mr. II. and yen take from an American citize, called onto serve his countr; in the field, every motive wjch would prevent him from oing his duty. An American any would be a band of heroes. (The tendcrcst feelings of our jiaturc are not inconsistent wr j the most heroic bravery. There are moments when tie most powerful influence : domestic at-

) support my

inp: reeled with any distress- this great statesman (said Mr.

tionof hfons as to the situa- II.) the only evidence I can adprove an incAVf it will only duce to shew the good effects formance of his dulo the per- produced by this law to the APermit me sir, saio thenians. (Here Mr. II. read to give another cxampiJHh an extract from Stanley's life shew the injustice and inequsn of Solon, shewing the approity of the existing laws in rcla- ltion given to tliii lav by Ation to pensions. It is a case as hLcVjs, Plato and ihe ancient nearly similar as possible to that continu. Eaertius, and then which was stated a few clays authorities I consider these ago by my friendfrom Virginia, of the good ci'iJie) as decisive (Mr. Barbour,) and if he will this law to the rqoduced by give me leave I will again intro- thens a goverment moM Ailucc to the house one of the ly assimihrcd to our own, aS" widows whose case he so elo- regards the principles upon qucntly supported. I will take which it was founded, than athe one who has received the ny other ancient or modern, five year's pension, and con- After the experience of a centrist the situation of herself and tuy the ablest statesman and family with that of a neighbor- most virtuous men declared it ing lady whose husband had to be the most powerful causes lost a leg in the late war. Both which produced that ardent pahusbands had performed the triotism and heroic valor which same services, in the same corps distinguished the period that and with the same rank: one has been emphatically denomihst his life, and the other his natcd their age of glory, leg. To the litter you give a The eulogium of Aristides pen Jon for life, totlie former upon the Athenians proves to a pen -ion for five years. Is my satisfaction at least, that there any equalit y or justice in the passage ot the bill before this? U it not setting a higher the house wiil not product vaiue upen the leg ot one man those ruinous consequences to than the life of another? It may the treasury, which some crenbe said that in the one case it is tlemen seem to apprehend, inven to the individual who Himself,the incorruotiblestatessuffered, in the other to his f am- man who presided over the fii!y. Sir, said Mr. II. E not the nances of hE nation; tlie howife and the child identified nest man who suffered exile rawith the husband and parent: ther than flatter the follies or The misfortune of the one is his countrymen, affords the the misfortune of the other, and best evidence that it produced there should be no difference in no pecuniary embarrassment to the relief you offer them. a tate whose whole territory The principle for which I can scarcely be di covered upon contend (said Mr. IE) E net a a general map of Europe. xnew one: it is sanctioned by the midst all the calamities which practice of one (at least) ot the war often brings upon a nation, great republics of antiquity and the Athenians adhered to thb by the opinions of some of the hw as the sheet anchor of their wisest and best men that ever hi pes. During the time it was lived. Intheelegint work of in torce their city was three the Abbe Bartholemy, entitled times taken and twice razed to the travels of Anarc.asis (anau- the ground. At the time that thentic history with a fictitious, Pericles was speaking, the whole title as everyone knows) the of their continental tei ritory author brings his supposed trav- was in possession of their enecllcr to Athens at the period of mies, and ravaged with lire one of the great national festi- and sword. A pestilence also vals. The ceremonies were prevailed within the city with concluded by the advance of a a malignity to which there is herald followed by a number of no parallell in record an event: young men completely armed: which gave to a member of this these, said he (addressing the house (Mr. Hopkinson) an op. assembled Athenians and point- portunity for an historical alluing to the youths) these are the sion, in one of the most splensons of those patriots who have did specimens of forensic elofallen in the service of their quence, which this country ever country : they have been edu- witnessed, cated at the public expense un- Sir, said Mr. H. I consider til they have reached the age of that a great part of the money manhood, and are now to be which may be taken from the dismissed to their families, treasury by the passage of this clothed and armed at the ex- bill, will be as usefuTy employpense of the state. Such was ed for the benefit of the nation, the law of Athens, promulga- as it could well be. The pious ted by Solon, and continued and patriotic mothers to whom without interruption for up- it will be given, will employ ir. w ards of 10 years until she in theeducatiou of their sons, was first corrupted by the gold and they will never cease to of Philip and her liberties final- remind them of the obligations ly overturned in the fatal bat- they owe to their country, tic of Cheronea. It is mention- " Emulate the patriotism or" ed byT Pericles in his oration o- your father," will be the reitever the Athenians who fell in rated lesson from childhood to the first campaign of the Pelo- manhood. To have such lesponossian war. Referring to sons taught to every youth hi this law, he concludes his the country, I, said Mr. H. speech in these remarkable should be willing to give the words tc For when virtue is yearly balances wnich may re.

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