The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-16
TnRrIETH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
House OF Representatives.

FIRST SESSION.
House OF Representatives.
WAsHNGroN, Jan. Ia, ls49.
THE WIDOW OF RKvoLuTIoSARr SOLDIER, AND THE STEP
MoTHrR or THE HERo OF FORT BROWN
The House resolved itself into Committee OF the
Whole House, and took up the private calendar.
widow Of jacob Brown a revolutionary pensioner, and
of Major Jacob Brown, late Of the OF
the United States fell at Fort Brown,) granting &c
her pension at the rate of twenty dollars per month
commencing the FIRST day of January ls47, and con-
tinuing during her natural life.
Mr. Opposes moved that the bill be laid aside, to b.
reported to ths House, with recommendation that it
do not pass He considered that to pass It, IL would be
the commencement OF new system of pensions In this
government continue indefinite period Of time
II pensions to be granted It should be general
principles
MIR. KIro Of Massachusetts,, who reported the bill,
said that the President had that provision
should be made families of those who fell in the
recent battles Mrs Brown is the widow Of . rsvolu
tionsry soldier and the stepmother of Msjnr Brown,
who gailsny fell in the defence Of Fort Brown. She
Ii seventy four years of age. By the death of her
has been deprived of her only Of support
Mr.. HASKELL (who had a controversy with Pillow,
this challenged the peculiar consideration
Congress This lady is the widow of the late Jacob
the seventy fourth year of her age She cannot
long be tax on the country; and do not know
that Of all questions of this character there will
be presented to this Congress, for their action,
one that will be more worthy OF attention. She was
subssted up the death of her husband by pensions
after this period she leaned for support her
Major Brown: who was among the first to fall in the
battles Ia which We now engaged think there is
something In the history Of Msor Brown which should
be cherished. have reason to know he was most me
ritorious. He entered the army q private soldier
and for his cool conduct he promoted from the
ranks. He served with distinction the northern
frontier during the late with Great Britain As
discussing officer he rendered faithful service ana gave
q Just account Of the millions of dollars that passed
through his hands Al the time General Taylor was
straitened for provisions and was obliged to break
his encampment and fall back Point Isabel for sup
plies OF ali the gallant ocers he selected Major Brown
for the defence before Matamoras. How well he sus-
~ Uhc1ln A.r ~
knows and history will not fail to commemorate 10
the Of glory which surrounds those who have
distinguished themselves, and dszzes sur eyes, and
challenges our admiration he is almost forgotten He
the first to bsptise the Rio Grsnds with the blood
OF an American officer He lived but long enough to
hear the the field of Pale Alto and Resaca
to behold the retreat Of the broken armies Arsa and
Aupudia Look at the fact Here s a widow (the con-
sort OF revolutionary eolder now on the of the
and the step mother Of Of the most
gallant Of the army She lost her pension, then the
support of her She is entitled the
Of Congress Before this Congress adourus we will be
asked to make further provision for the widows and Off
Gers Of soldiers who fallen in the service In th.
case, hope Congress will take occasion to show that
when the claims Of others presented the that
republics ungrateu will not be hurled back upon us
Mr.. JOHNSON, of Arkansas-I knew Major Brown from
boyhood. He possessed the confidence Of every body
His actions are his euogy. He was brave gallant
msn and fought as man should fight and died sol.
der should die But his mother II not provided for
must go to the poor house Ought She not be re-
we ought to show that those who Peril their live,
receive tn gratitude Of the republic The condition Of
the step mother inducement enough to support
the bill. Nff'''
Mr. HEsLr-lt may require extraordinary degree Of
hrmnees to resist the eloquence OF the gentleman from
Tennessee, lMr Haskel) But have nothing 20 do
with these things We stand here to epslste on
principles VINO does not know that we can brng fcr
ward individual thousands of widows of
fyou desire to bestow pensions do g,zera prnc
pies II you allow her pension you must allow pensions
to others think this committee ought to have the
nrmness to resist this kind of special legislation
Mr.. CUMMNs-I have no doubt that this is a v,er;.o
rous claim but we ought to provide this and similar
not be consumed BY special legislation therefore shall
vote against the bill now presented. There is time
enough TO prepare law embracing all similar
"A BAD GRAcEo
Mr.. SAwYER-It occurs to me that m eulogv IN the
Of the gallant Brown oonss with bad
You may give this widow hundred thousand dollars
and 1t will not requite and pay her for the vote
sfew days ago. and the thing applies to thousands
of others him The ink is scarcely dry which said
sid.nt in violation Of tie constitution Does it come
with coed grace from those who eulogise the soldiers
war Does It come with good grace ON the wings to
sulosiss those who fought, ask' Were they forced
into the war; No. they were volunteers. They went
to the battle field Of their accord And now gen.
tsmen the other side that the step mother ough.
TO have pension in Of the services her
These my views; and ask gentlemen when thew
to pass the bill, to remember these facts Their
money carry it on But they exceedingly pstr;
otto all at once They testow eulogy in direct opposi-
w
enthusiastically begun by the President.
MIR. ROCKWELL, of Massachusetts-I am in favor Of
the bill. The widow is not only the rect of a revolu-
tonary soldier but the step of soldier who in
1914 from the ranks to the station of an oHcer
and lest his life in the oountry's battle she should
have pension for her few remaining days
Mr.. PoLLocK-If thought by voting for the bill I
should assist in establishing new principle should
widow Of rev evolutionary soldier. 90. - '1'
Mr.. LAwRENeE-I am opposed to the passage Of the
BILL the ground that it provides for special Iegisa
tim I wil hon faUnR hsaoA
ciples
Mr.. FIcKLrs took similar position, and offered An
amendment.
Mr.. SAWYER.
Mr. HisxKtL-l merely want to say that regret and
am ssoni'hed at the direction which the gentleman
Ohio Mr sswyerl has thought proper to give to this
running debate He seems to think that 1t comes With
Ill grace from wing to speak in terms Of admiration
of the heroic deeds of soldiers In Mexico and to
press that some Of them lost their lives there
The gentleman should remember that Major Brown was
with the origin Of the war He was bound to ob.v ths
mandates OF his commanderin Ghetto do the bidding
Of his superior II he had declined he would have been
guilty mutiny and liable be shot His act was in
voluntary; and whether he thought the right OF
wrong he is entitled to the attitude Of the country
For those who entered the service thinking the
right the sympathies Of my heart awakened
they thought 1t their duty to do battle in
that thus fell should be believed with the tears of ma
tions gratitude For those who believed that the war
commenced strictly nscoordapce with the con-
sti uton but Who when country involved In
went to the Eight, my gratitude s kesnly awaken
cd. euloRy comes with an Ill grace from thoee who
Nevs that the unnecessarily and
ally begun, with what grace can the gentleman from
Ohio who believes to the contrary withhold from the
families Of the fallen pensions for services rendered
Mr. SAwyER-l said, or meant to say, that was In "a
yor Of the bill.
Mr.. HAsKELL-I thought that the gentleman cast an
unnecessary slur at this portion Of the House He i'm
properly mingled political emotions with a measure
which should have suppressed every feeling Of this
kind and revealed the better sensations Of the heart
f. why he talks ~ well as he fghts " The subject
should touch hearts American citizens and not
M politicians repeat II with much III grace to
mipge with this matter the feelings OF partizan.
Mr. GrpDIrss-I will not 20 for the officer when the
poor soldier s forgotten We should do justice TO the
humble privstss- those whose names not written
here the pages Of their countrys history in charac
tsrs Of living light call upon the House to sustain