The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-02-26

and senator from Maine, no longer member of the
Douy, VINO was also acquainted with all the crcumstan
ees Oh e case, most cordially co-operaed in bringing il
70 lhe favorable consideration of the Senate AT the
e inc case was first brought forward he expressed his
desire at The principle involved in the case might be APP
phea 10 he whole army but the old lady having lived
TOO long already TO expect be able TO live long enough
10 see general principle applied to meet her case-beg
ge9 MN 70 give the bill the form which the senator from
indiana had now given IT, In that form he cordially
united with the senator from Indiana and Others acquaint
ed WIN the subject, in giving cordial support, IN the
ui cohVcuon at the time, that they not do
ing adequate Justice Ii the OF ladyher let
Ter showed her to be one, every of the word
who 1of almost fifty years had been the wife of brave
and as honorable a soldier as ever lived and who in
thus my years 81 military life always upon the
lroniier-aiways engaged IN arduous service-in In
DIAN wars-at frontier posts-dong everything which
period oil our history from 9l coming down TO the end
OF the war with Great Britain He persisted the banks
OF the Ohio, struck with the cholera If he had been
struck down by the the Ratchet of the Indian,
his wife would have taken her pension matter of
course he was struck down in the line of his duty,
and his death to his family was precisely the same as il
difference between the soldier killed in battle and him
who dies from disease Yet there should be difference;
for matters not upon what field the sodier-dies who
gives his HE for his country far regards the merit
OF the sacrifice 1t is the same IN both The loss
to his family is the And far more he TO be
ped who died from disease than he who fell at the head
of his command the field of battle Yet the law made
difference and thus, after fifty years of service, this
officers widow cannot take pension because her hus-
Dand disease, the line
his duty If she had been only twenty four hours mar
red, and her husband had fallen in battle, she would
have been entitled to pension But here, after fifty
years of service, the widow of the officer receives
nothing because he did not happen to fall by the hand Of
| he foe.
a SENATOR; He may have been furlough.
| Mr.. BENTON On furlough He never had anything
to do with furough. What he had to do with most
was double duy-bulding forts, opening roads, making
brdges-on the frontier always. This truly
in which they might say
| N1p
The old lady perishes whilst they deliberate He hoped
in conclusion that every consideration OF justice would
prompt the Senate to consent to the Immediate passage
MIR. DAVIS, of Massachusetts, agreed with the
tor from Connecticut that there might be danger in
establishing presidents calculated to lead to a too wide
extension of the pension laws But he did not appre-
bend that the passage OF the present bill would operate IN
that way The case was one OF the most merltorlous
character, and it had peculiar features which rendered
hardly probable that it would be hereafter cited prece
dent TO Justify any improper legislation.
Mr.. PEARCE remarked, that il was difficult to resist
such appeals TO the feelings of senators had been
made in favor of this bill But he of opinion that
the bill introduced new principle in their legislation
ever known in the case OF military PENSIONS and but for
short time, and that most unfavoraby in the OF
naval pensions The principle of the naval pension law
was, that the widows of those killed in battle, dying
from wounds received in battle or in of ex
sion, were entitled to pension So far he was willing
to go. But the present bill proposed TO go farther, 1t
proposed give pension the widow of officer who
died from a disease which he not subjected in
the line of his duty If that principle adopted why
not extend il to all employees of the government civil
well as military He very far from wishing to de-
tract from the value and importance OF the services of
this officer, but he did not approve OF the principle in
volved in the bill If the bill passed, he did not why
they should not go andollowing the suggestion of
the senator from Missouri-enat general law, giving
pensions to the widows of all officers dying in the SER
vice, matter how where.
| Mr.. BADGER said that he at glad and sorry
TO hear the remarks of his friend from Maryland, because
it was evident that throughout his excellent understand
ing engaged forced contest with the suggestions
OF his heart. For himself, he had given vote in
that body with more pleasure than he would vote for
this bill 1t introduced no new principle into their PEN
sion laws. 1t not application to extend the pen
sion laws. II was simply an application to Cong ress to
pass special bill for special and when similar
presented itself all that was to be done was to make
he would with equal cheerfulness be prepared to pro-
vide for in the way. He thought that that
try might be declared incapable of selfgovernmen and
the proper discharge OF its duties 10 those who served it,
which either unable unwilling to discharge such
debt that incurred in the present of more
than forty years unremtted, devoted faithful service
death the service, and aged elct let entirely des
flute.
| MIR. HANNEGAN said that he had refrained from ex-
pressing his opinion the BILL from the fact that he
had been satisfied from the first that the Senate would pass
the bill He for the purpose OF begging the friends OF
the bill at any rate and senators on every sde to allow
the question be taken without further debate,
apparent from the hands OF the clock that unless acted
at once 1t would be laid for another day;
while IN the beautiful language quoted by the senator
|
starved -5.4 .H
The amendment was agreed to; and no further amend
men being made the bill was reported to the Senate and
the amendment concurred in.
! The bill was then read third time and passed.
TEN REGIMENT BILL
The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill TO
raise for limited time, an additional military force
MIR. GREENE addressed the Senate, and, when he had
concluded,
Mr. MASON took the floor, and moved that the Senate
adjourn--but afterwards withdrew the motion.
| ATE RII
| Mr.. BALDWIN, from the Committee on Claims, to
whom was referred the petition of J. w. Nye, assignee
of Peter Bargy and Hugh Stewart, submitted report,
companied by a bill for his relief
The bill read, and passed to the second reading.
| INvIoIABILrTY OF FRANKS.
| Mr. BADGER submitted the following resolution for
consideration:
Resoipd That the Committee the Post Office and Post
Roads inquire the propriey
stv providing that frank of letter packet
otherwise valid shalt be held or treated as invalid by
son of the direction such packet letter being in hand
writing different from that of the frank.
| Mr. B. asked for its Immediate consideration
The Senate proceeded to CONSIDER the resolution, by
unanimous consent
| Mr. BADGER desire to make single remark, by
way of showing the necessity for the adoption of this
oution AS the law at present stands, all letters and
packages under the weight of two ounces may be sent
and received by members OF Congress free OF postage
The Post Office Department has introduced proviso into
this law providing that members who frank letters and
documents shall also direct them. This is an unwar
raned interference Ii is proviso not contained in the
law 1t is serious Inconvenience, and in my humble
opinion, is gross ndgniy to members OF this body.
T. H. tln H., ,ko