Northern star, and Warren and Bristol gazette. [volume] (Warren [R.I.]) 1826-1830, 1826-02-25

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has mingled his blood with the melting
lava Of the cannon's mouth. and who
dyipg for his country. without a wife
or child. left the mother whom he had
supported'to bocharity Of the world
we may admit The force of the preced.
ent, and hold ourselves bound tn give
without any fearssfor the Treasury,
1t is not a body for priests, it is
not = wealthy or evergorged aristro-
cracy, whom we are asked to. pro-
vide support out Of the public resourc.
es It is the poor pittancs Of eight
dollars amonth, for a poor old wid-
ow. Gentlemen tell us, that if we
grant this pension, we must 60 on in
the ascending, as we'll IS the descend
ing line. and pension all the relatives
FOf those who die in our service. Sir,
Ibelieve there are but few men who
leave, when they die, more than five or
six grandmothers, and granting the e.
vii to be ever so frightfuI, it is one that
at least will be Of rare occurrence. We
are asked whether Penelope Denney
ever served In our Navy, and what
military service she has rendered, that
she is to receive a pension? Sir. she
never had the opportunity of serving
in the Navy. nor Of proving her
courage in the performance Of militia
'ry service. But, judging from the
son, which she had given t. her coun.
try. Ihave no doubt that ifthe hour
of extremity had presented itself, she
would have done what the famous
Mrs. BAyLEY did, in like circumstan-
ces-she would have furnished her
under petticost for the service Of the
country; | mean for the purpose of
making cartridges, But do gentlemen
ask what she has done ? answer she
has nurtured and reared a mar, who, af-
ter exhibiting the most heroic valour.
willingly shed his blood fur the pro-
tection of the peaceful commerce Of
the United States.
Is it not fair and just that she should
share in that which he died to defend i?
Nay, sir, is that which he actually
earned by his toll /? For his personal
contributions to this Navy Pension
fund, has contributed to this nation
ten times as much as the whole amount
Of her pension, if paid for the full term
Of which it is asked. But, sir, OH the
ground Of precedent, have we not seen
that the act of 1900; that it altered
and extended the public provisions Of
that act; that it introduced TO the
benefits of public bounty new class of
the relatives Of the slain:
Then, sir, we have a PRECEDENT
But this House now does legislate, and
has always legislated, according to
the peculiar circumstances Of the cas-
es which come before it,, Ifthi, brave
seaman had been wounded and Grip
pied only, he would have come under
the benefit of the act. He had no wife,
but left dependent mother. Must
she be denied : Will you put the
claims of married man above the
claims o. another, who has performed
the same services, because he is sim
sle Will you speculate on the pri-
vations Of those who serve for you and
die for you Is this Che JUSTICES
this the equity of this House Is it
in this manner that you will reward
the services of those who fight your
battles /? Is it by acts like this that
you will encourage others to step into
the places of the slain I? Sir, as rep
rcsenting in part the commercial 'n-
terests Of this country. and represent
lng, as 1 do, many Of those whose rel
,tises welt butchered by those pirares,
and experimenting, morever, that the
service of the country will be endaai
yered by the denial Of so just and so
a claim, | am prepared to
70 all lengths in support Of this bill.