The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-07
Mr.. JONES. Of Iowa. Exactly.

and the soldier Compfenenuns lnlnS
Is impossible. II he gets anything he has TO go 70 m
agent who makes It his profession That ageht nasi get
up The affidavit, and then be gets the pension have
got suppose three thousand OF these pensions, and that
4 the reason | understand this for ! have 10 be a
general agent Tor The pensioners who have nothing
IN the world 10 depeiid upon and never charge inem
there every day, and occupied, oilen.mes, at
that business than at anything else. l take pride 10
doing II. feel II 10 be my duty see how hey are
treated aud cheated and abused; aud so ohe bureau
and PREACH and pay, and Try 10 get something ont OF
them; and nd as stated befoIe that peer fellow,
who is blind and who was discharged because he
was blind, cannot get pension because two surgeons
cannot certify when he became blind because he was
five years getting blind; whether he got blind IN the
line OF his duty. though he was five years getting blind
and was ten yeats IN the army mention this 10 show
you how these things conducted 1 understand them,
think, sItII9
Mr. BUTLER Will the senator allow me to ask him
question this subject and ID connexion with this
point .s4
| MI SHIELDS Certainly ,E-s. a- se
| Mr. BUTLER. i depends very much upon the char
ac;er Of the disability Was it disease were they
wounds a .s a.sl a.E A# .Maa
Mr. SHIELDS. To what does the senator aude;
AR BUTLER The disability OF the invalid you men
tion Does il arise from temporary disease or per.
| manent disability . 3 .HsN "
| Mr. SHIELDS II was blindness, arising from what
! MIR BUTLER | want to know also, what has been
the general rule the subject Have pensions been re-
fused to those who nave come iom The ~ axcan war
with wasting diseases OF winch many died, and poor
fellows, many of them without helpi DO those who
come home with such waslug diseases not receive a
| pensions 1900. ...-s.sa.f Il
| Mr BUTLER. And il they continue, think they
ought to get them But can only say. in connexon
with that matter that never heard OF an application for
| Mr. SHIELDS. have no doubt the honorable sena-
tor states the truth; but will give reason Tor That
The gallant regimen, which lett the honorable senator's
State, eleven hundred strong, came back WIN only Two
hundred and fifty alive @s1'.. F.@-F @e..s h'
Mr.. BUTLER: That is true. -
Mr.. SHIELDS, And those who returned, OF course,
could stand anyihng either in battle or any where else
Mr.. BUTLER. Why, the colonel was very nearly
Mr. SHIELDS. But an, now only pointing out the
operation Of this amendment The surgeons are required
| 10 make an affidavit the affidavit aat they would
make if they had been on The batne zelda thing which
1t is Impossible Tor them TO door The poor fellow can
not get pension a'g.N.3te r. sa.rs r. te ..E
But now 20 on to the next point which my honor
| able friend from Maryland has touched certainly
would take any interest in this matter than any
other senator, il did not iee convinced a. II Will ope-
rate the senators intend. bul as hardship upon
the pensioners Perhsps used hard expressions yeser-
day. spoke about the economy OF this thing Sir,
think il is this II is econouizng by taking away that
little patry pitiance which ID now allowed TO the poor,
soldiers which only amounts TO eght dol
/ lars month al best Ii does no! touch the large PEN
sopers at all Not one OF ihemgenerals coloneis-
will be stricken of the list but will only be the poor,
miser soldiers who get eight dollars month Now,
sir, tell you will take nearly their whole pay or two
years pay the expenses OF the proceeding which you
prescribe shall be performed Sometimes the agents ask
500 for getting pension And now you are go.
ing TO declare that be shall go through thus complicated
proceeding Of getting surgeons to make such ceriih-
Gates, and make them on oath They must swear as 10
his present condition, that he is still disabled how much
he disabled, where the disability arose, how II arose.
and the date OF such disability. - .t.n Is.
4 Mr. PEARCE. The senator is mistaken. ..., y
clause the date OF such disability at Inc time OF making
such affidavit" The word "daen appears u have been
laeant Tor = state" II is evidently misprint
Mr., STUART No doubt II is misprint
Il Mr. Ind
say that The surgeons shall certify how the disability
MI Mr SHIELDS. Its ike the res, OF The amendment,
it is all a mistake. 1t furiher says.
"And every Two years The date OF such affidavit be
sha before receiving innber payment, produce to
dsbv shall be stated a, rs,e below that for which the
pension was originality sraned he shall be paid at the rate
j stated In said affidavit"
That is If be receives eight dollars month now, and
il is certified that bis disability is not total ose, The
amount will be reduced and cut down 10 SIX, or hve, o
four dollars That is the kind of economy | spoke Of
1t is ecopomzing upon small nsiters and economzlne
of poor creatures who cannot afford H. But viii 60 10
Il another Provision;
aThat when the pension shall have been originally
granted by special act OF Congress"
II want the honorable senator's attention 10 this, for II
seems that good many mistakes are made here. Here
is an exception II the pension is granted by specia
ac, Of Congress OF course the examination falls and
agree a Il ougb, 10 do So but should mahe the rule
equal Those who receive such pension ought TO be
carry out the rule and make general. believe there
many raudulent pensions granted by Copgtess al
by the bureau. But under the amendment, you canno
touch them. II leaves them out. "Of Tor total dsa-
bty for the loss OF limb" That is right enough. II
man loses limb, there is no chance that the limb will
grow on again. IL will be OF no to examine on tba
point That would he all right If il stopped there; bn
says, 'for total disability Tor the loss OF limb, OF
other cauee that il, for any other cause
should like TO know i any other cause does not cove
every case and whethe this part OF The amendment il
reality does destroy The fret parl First, is said h,
surgeons 10 examine pensoDers and ascertain wbeh
their of total disability; then comes IN the
poviso which Gays they not 10 examine those who
have lost limb, OF who totally disabled from any
other cause Can the honorable senator from Virginia
make sense Of tha' Can he show bow the exception
and the rule ageei 90 not know tha, understood
but seems strange amendment " provides, first io
examining all the invalid pensioners 10 the United States
to ascertain whether t1e total disability contir
and then IL goes and esoep,s out OF that provision
VINO have lost limb who have been totally disabec
from any other cause The senator shakes his head bu
that ,s the language OF the amendment do not know
what construction may be put upon H. for IL will bekely
10 receive great many constructions 5.f. sa .aat
II The loss OF limb or other which cannot bs
removed, either in whole ~ part" Who Is 10 Judge
whether the cannot be eIemovedl They are "a
be examined when the such thai IT be
moved either in whole or in part They not in such
cases. 10 go the surgeons all How is the psnsoner
10 know whether he is included 10 tbati Who is 10 tell
him. How be to tell whether The disability can be re
moved no2 We know that the loss ot limb, or any
thing o that kind cannot be removed but IL inrIudes
other disabilities from other There IL one disease
which very common IN those who came through The
campaign Mexico. 1t comes month, when the
will be lying o his bed hardly able rise, and then
the next month he may be gong about, strong any
nj ma Inp Qups tn ma nd hnds him