Washington sentinel., 1853-12-17

been pressed with no lack Of zeal or ability.
The preparation of these cases evinces great
labor and learning and, as they involve large
amounts, the examination of them requires
great deliberation and care. 1t was the opinion
of my predecessor, who well understood the ma
ture and character Of these claims, that but few
of them, now outstanding were genuine. From
the examination have been able to give them,
/ am inclined to concur with him in his opinion.
& There are but few original claims now pre-
sented under any of these acts, except the act
of July 29 l848, and February 3, 1853 Still,
the most complicated and difficult examinations
are Of cases under the former acts. The prac-
tice, SO long continued in this Office, and under
such authority as to acquire the force of law, Of
permitting not only the parties, but their chill
dren, to call up their cases for a re-examina-
tion, although the same may have been fairly
disposed Of years since, leads to some Of the
most difficult and laborious researches. The
further we recede from the period of time when
the incidents happened which are the subject
of inquiry, the more arduous the task Of ascer-
tanning the truth, and the more liable are we to
mistake and imposition. These cases, there
fore, require very particular attention. The
correspondence in this class Of claims has been
very heavy, and much in arrears, but is now
up within four weeks of date and the CORE
spondence under the act of February 3, 1853,
is but about six weeks in arrears.
n H.--HALF-PAY PENSIONS FOR FIVE YEARS.
Under the acts of July A, 1886, July 81,
l848, February 2, l849, and February 8, 1853,
the widow, or, if no widow, the child or chill.
dren under sixteen years Of age, of each of the
officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians,
and privates of the militia, including rangers,
sea-fencibles, and volunteers, who have died in
the service Of the United States since the goth
day of April, 1878, or who have died Of wounds
received whilst in said service since the day
aforesaid; and the widow, or, if no widow, the
child or children under sixteen years of age, Of
each of the officers, non-commissioned officers,
musicians, and soldiers of the army Of the Uni
ted States, who were in service on the first day
of March, 1886, or at any subsequent period
during the late war with Mexico; and the
widow, or, if no widow, the minor heirs of each
of the officers, non-commissioned officers, mn-
sicians, and priyates of the regulars, militia,
and volunteers of the war of 1872, and the
various Indian wars since 1890, whose husband
or father remained to the date of his death in
the service Of the United States, or who, having
received an honorable discharge, has died,
while returning to or after having arrived at
his usual place of residence in the United
States, Of wounds received or of disease con-
tracted while in service in the line Of his duty,
is entitled to receive half the monthly pay to
which the deceased was entitled at the time Of
his death, or at the time Of receiving such
wound, or contracting such disease, for and
during the term Of FIVE years.
By the terms of the act Of February 3, 1859,
the widows and orphans who were granted and
allowed fye years halfpay by the provisions
of the three preceding acts, have the same con-
tinued to them for a further period offve years,
upon the conditions and limitations in said acts
expressed.
& The whole number of applications under the
various acts, to September 80, 1853, is 5,l35 !;
the whole number allowed to that date is 3, ,789;
the whole number suspended and rejected is
l,346; the number Of applications under these
various acts, from March to the 30th day Of
September last, is 1885 the number admitted
during that time. l,l02; the number suspend
ed, 7S3 OF the 1902 admissions, 900 were re-.
newals of former pensions, 1913 original claims
Of the suspended claims, 24S were for renewals,
and 535 were original applications. The BUSH
ness under these several acts is nearly up to
date, and all correspondence upon this class of
cases is Immediately answered.
1I--INvALID PENSIONS.
Every commissioned officer, non-commis-
stoned officer, musician, or private of the regu-
lar army, volunteers, or militia, who has been
wounded or disabled in the actual military
service of the United States, while in the
line of his duty, may be placed on the pension
list of the United States, at the rate of pension
prescribed by law The whole number Of per-
sons now upon the list is 5,347; the number
paid during the first and second quarters of
this year is 1903; the annual amount required
to pay this class of pensioners is $424,247 28,
without including Mississippi and Louisiana,
from which States no returns have been re-
ceived.
There can be no doubt that the benign libe-
rality. of the government to this class of per-
sons has been greatly abused, and that nnmer-
Gus individuals, now in the enjoyment of good
health are the recipients of n bounty designed
only for the infirm and disabled 1t has been
an easy matter to furnish evidence connecting
any infirmity to which person, once soldier,
| may become subject, with the privations and
hardships he endured in service, and magnify
| ing temporary inconveniences into permanent
disabilities. The consequence is, many per-
sons have been placed upon this list through a
| misapprahension of the nature of the disability
under which they were laboring, who have en-
| tirely recovered, and become sound, healthy
men. Some, it is believed, whose names are
| found upon this list have not the apology Of a
temporary illness, but are enjoying the liber-
alty Of the government through gross misrep-
| resentation and fraud. The remedy for these
evils is to be found in the action Of Congress.
The re-enactment Of the law Of March 3, 1919,
requiring an immediate examination Of each
| Of the invalid pensioners, and biennial exami-
nation thereafter, by two surgeons, approved
by the department, would be an effective rene.
dy, and is respectfully recommended.
W.-NAvY PENSIONS.
In this class are included, first invalids
second, widows and orphans.
l. Every officer, seaman, and marine, in.
cluding engineers, fremen, and coal beavers,
in the navy of the United States, who is disa.
bled in the line Of bis duty, is entitled to pen
sion for life, or dl.ing disability, according to
the nature and degree of said disability, not ex.
ceeding in amount half the monthly pay to
which persona Of the same grade in the naval
service were entitled, as the pay existed on the
| frpt dav of January 1895 to commence from