Mr. HARDING of Illinois. I believe it was. Now, sir, I have had some little experience in that matter of indorsing for others; and I have almost always had to pay the bill. Sir, there is another consideration which has its influence with me in reference to this measure. I expect to vote, cost what it may, for equalizing the bounties of those brave men who in 1861 and 1862 volunteered in the Military service of the country, receiving meager bounties or none at all, and served, many of them, through the war. Cost what it may, I am determined tovote in favor of paying them the money to which their noble services more than entitle them. They are the saviours of my country. We owe them a debt of grati tude. We owe them more than brilliant words and fine resolutions. This Congress has sat now for more than 4 months, engaged in great part in the discussion of questions pertaining to the interests of particular localities. We have as at taken no action on that great Eers of the 2 roads will get together and drink measure designed to pay to the soldiers a part of the great debt we owe them. We are told that it will be a very hard job to get that measure throu h; and doubts are intimated whether it can e passed. Sir, I receive letters from my constituents saying that they distrust the intentions of congress. They rather begin to surmise that we intend to give that measure the go by. For heavenis sake, gentlemen, do not ask me to go home and tell them that, in preference to voting for that measure, I gave my support to a scheme for a guarantee of the national faith to the amount of $57,000,000 for the benefit of some gentlemen who are engaged in railroading. In my section of country, am sorry to sa, the people have not a very high estimateof men of that character. I have suffered somewhat under the prejudice which they entertain for persons of that description. I am seekin i retrieve my reputation by a faithful, an inexible, fidelity to the interests of the whole conn i try, regardless of all personal considerations. I am going to die in at harness; and acting; on that principle, I am, today standing by the people of the Vest. ore than a million of these western peopls: men who have served the country as soldiers, as well as the widows of soldiers and the children of soldiers are today looking about them anxiously to see how they shall get along in the world. They find taxes heavy, business dull;; and I declare, Mr. Speaker, I cannot have the heart to impose any additional burdens upon them at this time. Now, sir. when a.railroad is needed west of Lake Superior it will be built. There is no trouble in getting a railroad constructed when there is really a necessity for it. This has been the experience all over the country. Hence I believe that this railroad to the Pacific will be built without Government aid whenever the interests and wants of the country justify its construction. I hope we will have all these lands back in. I believe that the company has for eited its franchise because it has not complied with the condition upon which it was granted. Let us get it back by all means. As it stands now it is equivalent to the ccssion of that whole territory to this private corporation. There are other views of this question to which I would be glad to allude if I had the time.