The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-06
CITY OF WASHINGTON THURSDAY MORNING APRIL 6. 1854


reputable in bis profession physician heioFs the pen
be obtained founded upon that ceruhcale ba
now, By hls amendment i've surgeons oE hs are
required 10 sEgn The cefubcate.
/ SE. will be great hardship impose upon The PEN
sonsrs | hope the whole amendment, and especially
the asi clause ~ IL which 70 mol recommended By The
Secretary OF the Inieohat IA relation 10 withdraw lns
the pensson from who holds 0thcc--wnl Dc re-
jecied would ake 10 know what compensation can be
made @ friend OF mine. whom DON have IN my eye
with bis right stroke iron hs body for loss oi
thar knd Can the small plltanee which be receives OF
sixteen doas month compensate him Tor Ihe lose OF
that arm But the senator IRON Maryland sass thsi inese
pensions not 70 be ooss upon as compensationhal
they granles; aad lie ss that ohcsIs m he navy
not allowed 10 receive compensation and pension
al The time Bat must be recoiieeted that an ON
Ger 10 the army or navy has provision made ior hln De-
the moment be enters the be has soldiers on
seamen 10 attend his wants while be IS in the line OF
nis duty III with the pensoDer who 10 noi on
4 duty
repeat SIR. this has been referred to the
Committee on Pensions, 70 which y appears 70 me y
should have bees referred. hope The amendment Win
be rejected; and ask for The yeas and nays upon u
/ Mr.. SHIELDS. | understand the motion OF the hon
orabie senator from Mississippi Mr.. ADAMsl and The
senator from Iowa Dir. JoSEsl is 70 strike out the
whole of this section
| Mr. ADAMS Thai is not the question The ques-
lion concurring in the amendment reported from The
committee
Mr. JONES, of Iowa move to strike Out the last
clause OF IT,
Mr. ADAMS. That ls not now IN order, as an amend
10 the amendment IS already pending. The gaes-
ton ccncuTTIng in the amendment; and ask the
Senate TO refuse 10 concur IN II
| Mr.. HUNTER Il is N order 10 amend ar amend
msnt The senator from Iowa move 10 amend the
amendment.
Mr. JONES, of Iowa | want to strike the whole Of
/ il out
| The PRESIDENT The Chair will stale the qaes-
tion which pending The senator from Delaware pro-
poses 10 amend tse amendment OF the COMMITTEES BY add
Ing after the words c.y Office the words under the
Il init i urDU
h before the Senate.
| Mr. SHIELDS. That is an amendment to the amend
ment The motion, then, oil the senator from Bssis-
spp is strike this out; or s not TO concur 10 II!
4 Mr. ADAMS. Ii is not 10 concur.
| Mr. SHIELDS Ii understand the senator from W.
gna the object OF the amendment stated by The Sec
reiary Of the nenor trofold first, deprive those
pensioners bo bold cv Office aBder the United States
of their pecs and second. TO prescribe KIND oi
sliding scale by which, under RE report Of commission
to be instituted every years ascertain how much
OF The Original disability eKisls you 10 reduce The
PENSION and sroporonaie 10 the nature and character
H OF the disability al each returning period.
Mr. HUNTER No, sir; the object II 10 have re.
examination every two years-0 have biennial exami-
nation, 10 whether The pensioners are entitled OF not
10 whether iheir disability continues, or whether
/ has ceased exist.
4 Mr. SHIELDS In other words there is 10 be bisn-
NAL commission for examination, That examination Is
10 be Instituted Tor the purpose OF asceraIBing The cond
on OF the pensoner al the huse II the disability has
wholly ceased, the pension IS wholly 10 cease II the dis
ability has partly ceased the pension il 10 in pro-
poron as understand IL That is the first Object Of the
1 amendment The second object Is 10 dsp.ive any man
who receives any amount OF pension from holding any
Office under the general government The honorable
senator from Virginia bs author OF TINS amendment
and glad oi H. Tor wac llile surprised when saw
i offered first ai first imagined that Il originated with
i hin bat that u does sot IL org mates 10 very
confused notoa about these pen-ions That say,
with all my respect Tor the honofabe Secretary OF The
Interior agree with that Secretary and with The
honorable senator that there have been immense frauds
committed relation these pensions; bG, deny that
the amendment touches any one OF hose frauds On the
contrary, the amendment Il adopted INTO law, VIII affect
The bones; and The prOvcsBi pensioners but not hose
WHO commit frauds. These iTaads originate 10 the Pen
sgon Bureau, and IN the pension laws. have almost
been Disguised with the manner IN which pensions are
nov obIaIned An honest smpie-minded soldier comes
from the battle field this cly II bis certificate OF dss-
biIy not 10 exact FORM hs pension j. rejected But
sir, fellow comes here and employs an agent, who iabr
Gates the testimony and iae evidence 10 hand, and thai
man goes and oblans pension.
u A SENATOR Tue 81 steal . rotten.
A Mr. SHIELDS Rotten il Is rotten 10 It's foundation
I know H. | went 10 The Bureau not many weeks ago
with poor soldier who had become blind IN the service
who bad fought through sx battles, aud who had be-
sion for him. Why TIE poor soldier could not gel a
certificate Of the place where be bad become blind h
bad been growing blind gradually Tor SIX years, and OF
course surgeon could give bim eerihcaie; neIther
could he get certificate bsi be got blind tne line OF
his duty. Why Because no could tell exactly
the point al which be had become bird bui Il be could
have got certificate saying thai his blindness occurred
particular time and place 10 The line Of bis day, be
would have got pension Sir. ak, you not bouns
20 imply that the army, dIschafgiRg his duly
solCirr. sahers The lIns 81 hs day Bar will not
20 lbrUGEa wiih that.
4 What uani to say now Is this this amendment a.
IL stands saOped would PTodgce oi The most
curious witnessed under ihis government
Every two years you would have your examination
your pensiouer il called upon 10 make afhdaV
gard Ei- disability zoe lame 81 thls eKaminaion
And II this examination should result satisfying the
department that the disability las wholly ceased then The
pension wholly ceases. according 70 this amendment;
and YET, week Afterwards lba disability may return
The q the tine ot The examination may, Al az
pssraHee Be heahy man and yet, within week after.
wards, be may invalid. bot be never ge.
BIS penstaB agztn; lsR 81 yours give him psH-
SION alter tia Ard hat i tie amount n pension oi
winch sou would deprive hese poor peasi0nefsi II 3
egh dollars month for total disability And according
q TIE sliding scale 81 ihs amendment, when tbs Total
disability becomes partial disability, you down TIE
fsus3H ,ssyl 10 Jour dollars mocth and Thar you call
scoaomB O. perhaps yea cat q down % tEsniy-hFe
Sents month, ard call That economy. We can ganb
awsy here millions 81 tie puhlr treasure every year
bot wheh the widows pensions and The ppu-
Sons 81 POOR sold-rs Jhen suddenly become great
ec0noEizers Why, sf, bear more speeches made in
Ibis Senate by economists about these pnor pensions ian
ia cases vhsre $40 000 involved and t.s = an
Instance 81 jour economy.
YCu wish Ee II your fraudulent pensions and strike
them o existence. But tbIs amendment does not 10
u Why does ot toe Commissioner OF Pensions invest-
gate these tran aen PENSIONS aud deprive these persons
o the pensions thsy have fraudulenlly obtained He
says te hss done a certain extent IN North Caro-
haa sad Illinois | kh0r tha IN limos he has Gaae
great injustice IN many cases, and nov restoru AZ the
pension - them. Bot that II not the object uf this
smeBdmeut . not ~ deprive fraudulent pensioners OF
tbeiI psnsions II ~ 70 lake away the te pflancs you
have already given hem from hese pensioners Accord
ing 10 her ability disability Al certain lines "a "a