The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-07

lion.
Mr.. ADAMS My amendment aeeomplishes that OBJ
lect
Mr. CASS. | am willing 10 give full authority to The
Secretary OF the Interior 10 make the examinations as he
peases under the regulations TO be prescribed by the de-
partmeni. Bot alter all Il will be found that pracii
cal difficulty land wA occasion great differences among
honest men Arises from the very nature OF things and
that is the difficulty OF tracing existing disability back
10 injury received IN service. know that, pncli-
ealiy and personally and presume The honorable chair
mas OF the Committee on Pensions knows that is The
case nine times out OF ten.
Dir, JONES, OF Iowa Certainly is.
Mr.. CASS. will ask The Secretary 10 reada ielier
which have received on this subject this morning, ior
like my honorable friend from Illinois, there is hardly
mail which does not bring applications Tor PENSIONS
particularly connected with the war Of 1872 HE faster
The years pass U.S. the the difficulty increases 10
trace an existing disability arising out oil In
jury received in the service When The war Is freshly
terminated, there is lle difficulty on lhai point The
officers and soders and companions are living, who can
testify but when years have passed by there very
great difficulty in proving this Like the honorable
ator from illinois, these applications occupy great part
OF my lime. | have received this morning which
places The matter in strong point OF view and have
received with II papers containing ceriihcaes as 20 The
character OF the injury received by the applicant and the
perfect belief OF those who signed il that his present ds
ability from wounds received IN the service, and
yet be caDno, get pension ask The Secretary TO read
The Secretary read the letter, as follows:
FLAeroNps, WASHINGTON COUNTY,
EAST TENNESSEE, March 10, 1864.
DEAR sR Having recently learned that you the
OF the United States and you being all officer
my knowledge tina, Is living wish TO drop few lines. in
order get some information my service, and
also as 10 wound received IN service
am one John Martin, who enlisted in the year 1872
under Cornell, who recruiting officer nnder Cap
tain William odear and on arriving at headquarters, was
ing transferred Captain James Hunter, and in the spring
Of 1913 we marched TOR Fort Stevenson On about the LIT
delschnent under Lieutenant Antney, beseged by
British and the Indians and then and there, while fighting
picket which wound have never recovered having lo
my eye, and able to do anything owads making
living General Harrison was in command OF the amy ri
that time, but not present
Believing that you learned the particulars OF that engage
from Major Crohom who was in command In that
NAT Time, !nasmuch as you took the command OF the
and my time being in short time after you took
nand Of the army and soon alter tue close Of the war;
became resident Of Tennessee so am and have been,
separated from any person with whom served
have been enabled TO secure any testimony that would
secure my pension; and Tor the Iasr twenty years
been lingering with great pain end disability Of body,
aud appeal to you, my last resort believing that you
would giant any aid in your power, ia securing the
money due me from the United States. ! Will enclose a
petition you that was prepared by The Hon. Mr. Camp
deploe, who lost life before his
You viii please do me the kindness to study the and
by saying stu remain, yonr friend, &c
To the Hon. General CAss.
Mr.. CASS. This atffms what saied--ihat there is
extreme difficulty n this matter. For my own part,
think the Pension Ohce, (with all the securities which
can be furnished, and they ought 10 be very grea) they
can should be very liberal in the examination OF The evil
dence connected with claims maniiesly just
DIR. PETIT DO no, rise TO detain The Senate by
arguing this question. III wanted TO reatgue it should
only have 10 present edition OF the speeches OF the
senator iron California Mr. WELLER and the senator
from Illinois MIR SHIELDS I but wish TO suggest 10
the chairman OF the Committee on Finance MIR Hun
TER the poprlsty OF striking out the whole OF this pro-
vision, and inserting in lieu OF it provision in substance
The same as this:
That whenever the Secretary Of the Interior shah have
cause to believe that pension has been red by
fraud he shall have fall power to inquire into the same by
such he shall adopt, and alter such inquiry aud
examinaon 70 suspend The payment OF such pensions tenn
pofaTily OF hnaIH"
vsA 10 provide, in short, that he may strike from the
l,sn any person whom he ascerlaDs, alter u examna
ton by the surgeons whom he may appoint and send out,
Otherwise is not entitled to IL propose to leave him
full latitude to inquire into these frauds in such manner
and by such MEANS lie shall adopt and be ase.r-
ans that pension has been lraudueny procured, let
bin have The power 10 strike The pensione IRON the roll
That be may do during the examination, temporarily and
let him remove that temporary Injunction II he finds that
he was IN and that the pension properly grant
Cd OF e, him finally strike from the roll any pensloner
whose pension was rauduleny obtained.
While am up, viii take occasion 10 say few other
words. do not know By what right, what legitimacy
committee have found their way into tins deficiency bill
One provides Tor auhenlcang records and papers in the
Department OF the Interiors another too issuing and
cordi commissions under that department Ii
not very important whether they should be here or else
where but they oer,aisiy do not belong egtimaIey to
deficiency bill
sderatloD, allow me 10 cay, ! entirely agree with the
senator from Illinois and The senator from Norh Caro-
INA, lNi BADesR,J who have tod you that ~ the
portion IN which you provide io afbdayiis, certificates
and formula, you supeTnduce frauds and that in the
proportion that you require ahidays and swearing you
increase the dangers, and multiply 10 fact the number OF
perIurIes which committed You will not therefore
10 my judgment, with The increase OF formula and GER
uhcses, and papers, and oabs, improve the morals OF the
county. But, II 10 said that the two objects OF this
measure arebrs 10 relieve the treasury IRON the on.
erops drai OF paying pensions which have been faudu
leny granted and secondly 10 The morals Of The
country While grant II 10 possible this provision may
have tendency TO prevent The first, u would in my
Judgment tend 10 diminish the latter; that is IL will in.
crease immortality, perjury and falss certifying / think
that will necessarily follow The adoption OF this
Sir. will be the wily and auul who will be getting
up these paper, and through sham pretenees be getting
their pensions eoniinoed while the really meriloou-,
bonesl, but poverty pensioners will shrink back
from The continued and repeated gaze OF the public which
new bis application the bounty or the generosity or
justice OF his country for services rendered. I know
that many man, from the delicacy OF his feelings.
would rather suffer obscure poverty from being 10
work in consequence OF wounds which he had received
in his copDys defence, than continue make this ap-
pcaon IN open gaze year after year. az il provided for
here's while be who would in the fret place seek fraud
ulentiy 10 procure pension would not hesitate 10 make
the application.
There is another view OF this matter. am satisfied,
that as you increase the difficulties getting through
me Departments the ereaer number will be thrown upon
Sonsffts, because, should those claiming pensloBs fail
70 gel Them under the operation OF this provision they
wall present their claims here You REQUIRE n n1an 10
uass perhaps 'he whole length Of the Stale, from hs
residence 10 the psDsoB agency, with his old pension
at ~ vi The A.. l..