The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-01

the expiration the last period their husband
vice The amount paid out under this act to 3oth Juna
last Sc, lS3, SOL
The act Of 7th July, 1885 granted TO those widows
whose marriage took place subsequent To the expiration
last period Of their husbands service prior
the LIST of January 1884 like of pension
further period of five yea by the Of Sd March ls43
and It'll june 1874 The expended under these
three acts 81 ,045, 81.
BY the act approved February e. s4s the class OF pen
sons created by the act Of july T. 1885, PLACED upon
the footing TO duration as the class provided
by the act of 4th July, 1885, viz for life and by the
act of 29h July 1s4s like provision made for those
widows whose marriage took place at any time prior to
the year 1900 The paid under these acts up
to 30th June last 81, 2T5, l66
The last Of this series OF widows acts they call
ed is that OF February g. 1853, which created still
other class OF pensioners, viz those widows of revoiu
tonary soldiers who had been married any time sabse-
qum to the year 1900 and under this law there had
been paid, to 30th June last the of 81 1893 $50
II will be perceived that under the acts enumerated
upwards of millions Of dollars in pensions have
been paid account Of revolutionary services either
the soldiers Themselves their widows their represent
atives
You have recently decided in accordance with the e-
gal views of the Attorney General that the practice which
has heretofore prevailed but not wholly without inter
rupon question as to its legality of permitting the
children other representatives of such deceased persons
might have got themselves placed upon the pension
rolls to present and establish such claims and receive
joyed during their lives without warrant Of law and
by your direction the practice has been discontinued
What portion of the vast amount above stated paid
to others than the soldiers and their widows could only
be ascerained by examination of all the numerous
claims heretofore admitted This would involve length
of time and amount Of labor which would not be justified
by any practical result to be obtained Ia order how
ever that some idea might be formed the subject
caused partial examination to be made and found, Of
the aggregate of arrears allowed and paid during
the fiscal ending June 30th 1856 under all the acts
granting pensions to the widows revolutionary soldiers
excepting the act of Sd February, 1852 half
allowed after their decease and paid to their
tves and that the S232 49s So allowed and paid
der the acts of 18th May 1928 and It'll June 1882
during the four years intervening between the
July 1858, and 3Oth June, 1857, $l9s,454 03 (eing
about sx-sevenhs of the whole amount paid to the
representatives OF the deceased soldiers.
Although these facts do not furnish correct data by
which to arrive at the proportion paid at earlier dates
der the pension laws TO revolutionary and their
widows the hand and to their representatives on
the other still they concusvey show that very large
has heretofore been paid the latter At this late
day but few any valid original claims be presented
by revolutionary soldiers their widows except those
widows of the class provided for by the act of 1853 IT.
therefore, the practice of permitting the representatives
of those parties to establish and such claims
should be egalzed they would become in future adjust
ments Of pensions with but fractional abatement the
sole recipients of the bounty granted by Congress the
benefcalies designated in the various pension laws
the proper objects OF the beneicencc Of the nation
In view OF the possibility that the practice in question
may be revived by law and extended so as to entue
grandchildren other representatives where children
of the soldiers their widows survive deem it proper
to state in advance that not approximate esti
mate could be made of the additional amount which
would be required under it, the Office could have
to the number OF outstanding and
which have not been presented in any FORM because of the
we'll known fact of the exclusion of other
than children by the rules of the department from any
benefits under the pension laws.
q In,,r
shown have been paid out by the United States in the
form of pensions account Of revolutionary services
exclusive Of the disbursements made to revolutionary in
vads Of the pensions granted by private acts and paid
of special appropriations that it is exclusive of the
amount paid to the officers of the revolution comu
tation in lieu of half pay for life ESTIMATED have been
So 000 000 and of the amount paid under the provisions
of the act OF 9Th july 1882 by which the United States
assumed the obligations incurred by Virginia portion
of her State troops that it is exclusive also of land
bounty provided by Che United States and pensions as
well land bounty provided by the several States and
exclusive matter OF course, of all sums which will
hereafter be paid to pensioners the rolls and to
those who may hereafter be placed thereon it can no
longer be Justly charged that the government has been
of its obligations towards those patriotic
Of the past who willingly sacrificed, In their countrys
cause, everything but their honor
Attention has frequently and in various ways been in
ved to the determinations between the invalid and half
pay pensions provided for the army and those for the
navy, whether regards the rates the conditions under
Of total disability the highest rates of pension are in
The army, $50 per month in the navy, $50. The low
est rates for the in the army So per month in
The navy So and in the marine corps, 50 80. Can any
Just reason exist for these determinations against the
higher grades of the army and the lower grades OF the
navy and the marine corpsi
But as regards the halfpay pensions to widows and
phans the inequalities still more striking well
more numerous AS an illustration Two officers, OF
,thersone the army the other of the navydie whilst
IN the service The widow of the latter only pensioned
because in navy it is sufficient if the husband shall
have died OF wounds disease incurred in the service
md in the line OF duty whereas In the army cases death
must not only have resulted from the causes but
such must have originated In time Of On the
other hand the death of the navy officer must have
Cured the service while, to the army claimant, it is
whether the death occurred in out of the
service Again. to the duration OF hafpay pensions
Army pensions to widows are for the term of five years
renewable for second term of five years emnated by
marriage the right thereto is revived by subsequent
vidowhood Navy pensions to widows during life or
and if terminated by marriage not renew
able upon recurrence Of wdowhood
These determinations obviously unjust and ought
to be removed and the pension system modified to
make equal provision for the officers and of both
of the service havng proper regard to their relative
rank and for their widows and orphans
would also particularly invite your attention to the
Of the lower grades of pension to afford what
doubtless the benevolent intention of Congress
of support II cannot be supposed for example
that 50 so per month would support either invalid
totally disabled widow, especially should she have,
is often the helpless children depending upon her.
and disability is the meritoous ground Of claim upon
the country for assistance the relief afforded should COM
tie -