The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-16

have mentioned, If there are mol nundieus' Ff an
thousands of instances OF equal merit 10 NOSE -
right to pass general law, or pass none Oh 'se r
SONS. - IN. nrartire of
,oIau;ng he senator from Missouri Mr. BENToN,l
ior whom have great respect, that It IS win great
difficulty | differ from HIM upon tns q aesun1n u,
bnt air his whole argument TO my mind seemed 10
bs Ina, because we have done wrong and continue to
do wrong in the case of the naval officers we should
extend that wrong to the army II seems Una, IN ;ne
fund created from the earnings OF the naval officers II
was from this that their pensions were paid by some
means that fund lost and after IT was lost the
government commenced the system of penslonng from
the treasury Because this was DONE he would pension
the whole amy-eyery oftcer or the family OF every
officer, who happens TO die in the army
Now sir. this to that there is not
shadow OF claim This man. distinguished as he was
vale energies and distinguished for his gallantry-had
been in this country absent from the seat OF war ior
months perhaps year. in the ordinary discharge OF his
duty and died, any other citizen might have died, by
the wayside For that give pension to his
children l. sir, would have objection to pensoning
everybody and the descendants OF everybody who had
fou and bed for the country II we had money enough
III but all the money OF your treasury, and all
the hard earnings. sweat and toll OF your laboring men,
weqd so oas l fsSqf f By pso
system, shall soon have everybody knocking at the
The case OF Mr. Mayer is a much stronger case than
that Of Col Dix He was private volunteer he fought
every battle from Vera Cruz to the capital OF Mexico;
he discharged and going home he taken sick OF
y
hospital OF New Orleans, and at every other place where
he could find resting place In wandering from his
home TO the government IN order to obtain his bounty,
land. he fell by the Waysde and. lying there was KILLED
by locomotive That poor widow is left with her
children. with no aid from the government yet no man
would think Of allowing pension to the widow an and
der This distinguished officer for whom no man
in the world have higher opinion than have, and
nobody would think of giving pension to his widow.
sorry, sir. occupy much OF the time OF the Sen
ate upon this subject particularly there many other
bills Of great Importance which prevented from being
Mr.. HOUSTON. Will the gentleman withdraw his
motion' / will renew it again after saying very few
words.
Mr. CAMERON withdrew his motion
Mr.. HOUSTON. ! do not wish to occupy the time
of the Senate after what has been said but it does
feelings. but to my sense Of honesty and Propriey if
10 oppose the present bill do not impugn the mo-
tvcs OF gentlemen who are opposed to it because think
there is middle ground between opposition and sup
port. have other position to take but of support
to the bill do it from sense OF justice TO the descend
in COMMUNICATION IN Of him His services were Of the
highest and noblest character. He was a man whom |
highly respected soldier, officer, and gentleman
But the question which arises is did his death
from the circumstance of his rendering services to his
country, and that in immediate connexon with the
Mexican war think not He did not return to his
home after the war; he was detained upon duty, and in
the discharge OF that duty, connected with and nsepara
Bile from the Mexican war; he died If he had fallen in
battle or on his way to the United States presume
equitable claim for pension. II he was in actual ser
vice. his connection with that service did not until
on his way to the United States his home, the
government would not yet have dissolved its
nexion with him, because soldiers must be marched to
their homes in order TO be discharged He had been
discharged and you place him in the position and
relation to the United States that you would have placed
private soldier, commissioned officer 1t not
sir because the deceased had rank- that he has
left an ilusirious name behind hn-.h.t would sup
h. claim Of his is hers in G the
sin said he could not extend the principle to the exalted
without extending to the humble Sir, if the forty thou
their way home before reaching their families. their
families would be entitled to pension. would vote
for pensoning every widow and every orphan LETT
representative of that soldier 1t not the condition of
the individual that would regulate my vote; it would be
merely question as to the justice or Injustice Of grant
ing his pension | would grant it--and why! Because
merits the claim is based, died in service which i'm
medately connected with the No question conld
arise if he hal fallen while in the field It is impossible
to separate them and it is not the first case 1t is
not an especial case and if to extend the
general principle TO all analogous cases, would not
hesitate at once to support it. If are TO look for
precedents, shall find some that would be very
worthy OF imitation that have gone by. And il it
necessary to create precedent. | would do it when
former action Precedents will do very well. presume,
in courts OF judcature, 1t is very we'll that judges
should be regulated IN their decisions in relation to mat
asceraned and facts but understand the object of
legislation to remedy evils to which the law does
extend, and where equity and justice appeal to the judg
ment of the Legislature Under these circumstances,
Mr. President, would support this bill, and do from
sense OF justice 10 the representatives of this individual
because ii was in the discharge Of his duties connected
with the that he deceased cannot. for one mo-
ment, believe that il would be injustice to the nation
whilst you accord justice the representatives OF this
dvidual who has persisted in the service of his country
And would 60 further, Mr. President. Now, in the
time OF tranquility and peace in this nation, il officer
ordered upon extraordinary service, and if in
the performance OF that service he to de- would
a. if
fallen in the field of battle. | would mete out justice
according 10 right There danger of bankruptcy to
the treasury for, perhaps, similar this does
not exist in the history OF the army the present time
For these reasons shall vote for this bill ; and will
vote for any similar claim presented to this body, and
think that am only acquitng myself OF duty which
rests upon to do justice, under all circumstances,
alike to the exalted and the humble
In conclusion, Mr.. H. in accordance with his promise
TO Mr.. Cameron renewed the motion to lay upon the
table.
The question being stated upon the motion to Law upon
the table the yeas and nays demanded and ordered
and being taken the yeas 81, nays 20. follows
YEAS-Messrs. Atchison, Bell, Berrien. Bradbury,
Bright. Butler, Calhoun. Cameron Corwn Davis OF Mas.
,achusstts, Dayton, Fitzpatrick Hale Hunter King, Ma
Upham, Walker. and Yuee-2i
NAYS-Messrs Badger, Baldwin, Benton, Borand, Da
Felch, Foote, Greene Hannegan, Houston johnson OF
Westcott-2O. -
SO the bill was laid upon the table.
WILLIAM A. sLACUM.
The bill for the relief of William A. Slacum having
been returned from the House of Representatives and the
salu Rouse naynS refused to ecedc from their amend
Mr. HANNEGAN moved that N. ser.,o ;n.;, o,