The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-28
REFORM IN THE RIGHT QUARTER.


be used in procuring the passage Of law by Congress-
makes the following remarks upon the Nervousness OF the
crime of congressional corruption:
corruption crime of such monstrous
magnitude ought be judgedin spirit of unyedng
frmness If cannot be kept under frowned out of sight
and the ndeibe stigma of inamy attached to it, we had
better call the rocks and mountains to bury the Capitol
and pray for the ocean to engu the nation thus early
in the first century of national existence
public corruption national legislation can be tolerated.
any degree what may not expect hereafter with the
natural inevitable approach Of extravagan uxu
rious and prodigal experience y
MR.. FLoRENCEs BILL TO EQUALlZE ARMY, NAVY,
AND MARINE PENSIONS.
The special correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer
makes the following just remarks upon the important bill
introduced by Hon. Thomas B. Florence 10 equaze the
army, navy and marine pensions
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1857
Your faithful and Industrious representative from the
first district Hon. Thomas B. Florence is endeavorng to
get through Congress very important measure and
which, ifsuccessu will still add greatly TO bis reputation as
pubic beneiacor 1t is bill to equalize the army na-
W. and marine pensions AS the report OF the committee
having the subject in charge and which was presented
lew days ago by Mr. Florence is very short and fully ex
plains the subject, imbody it in my letter. 1t states
" That the manifest and very unreasonable inequalities
and determinations of the present pension laws In relation
those three branches OF the military service OF the gov
ernmen have very repeatedly been brought to the notice
officers particularly in the last reports OF the Secretaries
War and Of the Interior who has the charge aud su
pervison of all pension matters and OF the distinguished
officer at the head of the army.
aThe committee have concluded las they think every
one of intelligence will conclude) that there are
no whatever why these sensess and unreasonable
Irregularities and determinations Of pensions for the army
navy and marine corps should exist The officers and men
each of these branches of service are all equally and
alike the military of the government Then, why
should soldier disability receive So per month"; while
Of the navy similarly and simultaneously disa-
bled by wounds received in battle receives only Sc per
month"; or private marine the small of So 30 per
of the existing pension laws there no conceivable good
reason why this should be so; but SO IT is.
Again: By the present laws, the widow or orphan
children of officer soldier OF the army cannot receive
pension unless the husband father die contracts
the disease of which he de while he is at the seat OF
while he is going returning thererom while the
widow orphan children of navy officer or seaman are
entitled their PENSIONS although the casualty happens
irrespective Of of peace. This is certainly
an unjust aud unreasonable discrimination
In regard TO the of pensions, the
mee do not any reasonable grounds why snch
benefits should begin only from the completion OF proof
whilst under the law Of April 23 1900 the public faith is
pledged that every officer or marine, disabled IN
the line of his duty shall be entitled to receive pension
not from the time when he completes his proof but for life
or during his disability and the committee cannot per-
ceve any valid why this plain mandate OF law
should be abrogaed by regulation of the Pension Of
fee.
"The proposed and accompanying bill which the Com
mitee on Pensions commend to the favorable action of
Congress is merely digest compendium an Embodiment
one Of upwards of sixty laws in relation to pensions
for army navy and marine corps OF the United States
1t proposes nothing beyond what has been heretofore
equaby granted to those branches OF the military service
is what the principal administrative officers of the gov
eminent have very repeatedly recommended to Congress
and the opinion Of the committee 1t is not only just right
and proper nrnscally but its passage will relieve both
the Pension Committee and Congress from the consdera-
ton of vast number of applications for special legsa-
ton"