Honor and Integrity

In an age when many people look toward the Federal Government for succor and rescue than to God and their own individual responsibilities, it helps to look back about 150 years to learn how those who gave so much in their service to the nation during the Civil War responded to government assistance after the conflict. I reference a few examples provided by my father, who is a historian at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. He writes:

"In an article entitled, "A True Patriot," appearing in the Lebanon {PA} Courier, on January 20th, 1870, an account was given from the 'Commissioners of Pensions,' who had received a letter from a DANIEL K. WILD, former private in Co. 'K,' 84th Pennsylvania Volunteers, residing at Abbott Village, in Maine. The letter from Wild to the Federal government's pension office, stated how, "the writer had regained his health, an can get along without his pension. He therefore requests that his name be stricken from the pension rolls."

As one can imagine, such denial of monies, drew the attention of the Pension Bureau, and prompted Commissioner Van Aernam to write Daniel Wild and let him know that his "request has been granted." The Commissioner continued:

"Living in an age when the honest impulses of the great mass of the people are blunted by an overwhelming desire for gain, this request with your services as a soldier in the field, shows that you are alike honorable and patriotic, and your name should go down to history as a worthy example for the coming generation. Permit me to thank you for your noble letter."

During the Civil War itself, an article appearing in the Philadelphia Daily Evening Bulletin, for May 12th, 1863, entitled, "An Honest Soldier, concerned that of Private JOHN MOHR, of Co. 'E,' Fifth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry (USA), who'd received $104.00 more than was due to him, though as far as 'Uncle Sam' was concerned, the amount was correct. However, Mohr insisted "that he had been overpaid, but failed to convince the paymaster, until he bought proof that a payment made two months previous had not been entered against him."

Mohr's case was investigated and it was found "that his statement was correct, and the Paymaster awarded him $5.00 for his honesty. He had every opportunity to pocket the money, and it never would have been discovered, but his heart was too large to be guilty of such a crime." The article goes on to state, that "John is highly deserving of promotion for his honesty. Aside from this virtue, he is said to be an excellent soldier and has seen hard service."

I share these two above examples of honor and virtue to illustrate the point that in our present age of dependence on the Federal Government it would behoove us to consider the higher wealth and security that comes from personal responsibility and initiative. If all those who wrongfully submit to government help decided to act as the two above mentioned patriots did then our country would immediately cease its backsliding and move forward once again as the world's standard for truth and moral excellence.