Smyrna times., 1865-08-09
fPUBLIC-No. 206.7


An ACT supplementary to an act entitled IAN act t.
grant pensions" approved July fourteenth, eight
cen hundred and sixty.two.
BE it enacted By the Senate and House of Represen
tatioes of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That the biennial examinations Of pen
sioners required by approved March three
eighteen hundred and fifty nine, may be made by
one surgeon only, provided he is a surgeon OF the
army or navy, or examining surgeon duly ap
pointed by the Commissioner of Pensions; nor shall
the biennIal certificate Of unaPpointed civil sur
geons be accepted IN any except upon satlsfac
tory evidence that examination by a commission
cd or appointed surgeon is mpracticable.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all fees
paid to examining surgeons for biennial examna.
tions especially ordered, provided by the eighth
section of the act to grant PENSIONS approved July
fourteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty two, shall be
refunded by the agent for paying pensions in the
district within which the pensioner claimant re.
sides, out of any money appropriated for the pay
ment of pensions, under such regulations the
Commissioner of Pensions may prescribe.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That declara-
tons Of pension claimants shall be made before a
court of record, before officer thereof having
custody of its SEAL said officer being hereby fully
authorized and empowered to administer and certify
any oath or affirmation relating TO any pension or
application therefor: PrOrided, That the Commits
sioner Of Pensions may designate, in localities more
than twenty-five miles distant from any place at
which such court is holden persons duly qualified
to administer oaths before whom declarations may
be made and testimony taken.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That section
twelve of the act to grant pensions, approved July
fourteen, eighteen hundred and sixty two, is hereby
repealed. And the Commissioner of Pensions is alI.
thorzed and empowered to DETAIL from time to time,
clerks in his office to investigate suspected attempts
at fraud on the Government through the Pension Of
hce, and to aid in prosecuting any persons offend
ing, with such additional compensation is custo.
mary in of special service.
Sec. 5. Aad be IL further enacted That all per.
som by law entitled to a less pension than here.
after specified, who shall have lost both feet in the
military service OF the United States and in the line
of duty, shall be entitled to a pension of twenty dol
lars per month; and those who under the same con
dIons have lost both hands or both eyes shall be en-
titled to pension OF twenty five dollars per month
Sec. 6. And be il further enacted That no pension
claim now file, unless prosecuted to a successful
issue within five years from the date Of such filing
shall be admitted without satisfactory evidence from
the Var Department to establish the same; and in
every case in which claim for pension shall have
been filed more than three years after the discharge
or decease OF the party on whose account the claim
ls made, the pension, if allowed, shall commence
from the date of filing the last paper in said by
tile party prosecuting the same.
Sec. Z. And be it further enacted That on the re-
marriage Of any widow receiving pension, such
pension shall terminate, and shall not be renewed
should she again become a widow.
Sec. s. And be it further enacted, That examin-
ing surgeons, da!y appointed by the Commissioner
OF Pensions, may be required by him from time to
time, he shall deem ior the interests of the Gov
ernment, to make special examinations of pensioners
on the rolls of their respective Districts and such
amnatIOns shall have precedence over previous
amlnations, whether special or biennial; hut when
injustice is alleged to have been done by any exam
lnatOn 80 ordered, the Commissioner Of Pensions
may, at his discretion, select board Of three duly
appointed examining surgeons, vino shall meet at
place to be designated by him. and shall review such
cases as may be ordered before them appeal from
aPJ special examination aforesaid, and the dcci-
SION OF such board shall be final the question
submitted thereto. The compensation of all such
surgeons shall not exceed that which has been Gus
tomarlly allowed IN such cases. and shall be paid out
of any appropriations made for the payment of men,
sons in the same manner as the ordinary fees or
appointed surgeons are or may be authorized to be
paid.
Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That those per-
sons, not ENLISTED soldiers in the army, who voun-
teered for the time being To with any regularly
organized military or naval force of the United
States, where persons otherwise volunteered and
rendered service IN any engagement with rebels
Indians since the fourth day Of March, eighteen
hundred and sixty y-One SHALL II they have been dlsa
bled IN consequence of wounds received IN battle in
such temporary SERVICE be entitled to the same ben
efts Of the pension laws those who have been re-
gulary mustered into the United States services and
the widows or other dependents of any such persons
may have been killed in the Temporary service
aforesaid shall be entitled 20 pensions III the same
manner they would have been had such persons
been regularly mustered PTOUided, That no claim
under this section shall be valid unless presented
and prosecuted to a successful issue within three
years from and after the passage OF this act All
such claims shall be adudicated under such speclal
rules and regulations as the Commissioner oil feh,
sions may prescribe, most etfectueIly to guard
against fraud.
Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That if any
person entitled to an invalid pension under the pro-
visions of the act granting pensions, approved July
fourteen, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, has died
or shall hereafter die while application tor such
person is pending, and having widow or de-
pendent relative entitled receive pension by rea-
son of his service DEATH provided IN said act,
then the pension to such widow other person shall
commence from the date at which the decedents IN
valid pension would have commenced had he sur
vved, subject to the conditions of this act and the
act 10 which this is ameDdatOry.
Sec. H. And be it further enacted, That all enlist
ca soldiers in the army who shall have bec)me dsa-
Dleo 10 the service, whether they shall have been
regularly mustered in not shall be entitled to the
same benefits Of the pension laws as these who have
been regularly mustered into the United States
vice and the widows or other dependents entitled TO
pensions by law, as prescribed by the act of July
fourteen, eighteen hundred and sixty.two, of any
such soldier who may have been killed. or shall have
died. or shall hereafter die, by reason Of any wound
received or disease contracted while in said service
and in the line of duty, shall be entitled to the
pension as though such soldier had been regularly
mustered into the service.
Sec L. And be u further enacted, Ihat tine fees
of agents and attorneys tor making out ahu causing
TO be executed the papers necessary to establish
claim for a pension, bounty, and ether allowances
before the Pension Office, under this act, snail not
exceed the following rates. For making out ana eau
sing 10 be duly executed declaration 6y the aPpl-
cant, with the necessary afidavits, ana forwarding
the same to the Pension office, with the requisite
correspondence, ten dollars; which sum shall be re-
ceived by such agent or attorney in full for all serv
ces in obtaining such pension, and shall not DC de-
manded or received in whole or in part until Sncn
pension shall be obtained and the sixth and seventh
sections Of an act entitled "An act to grant pen,
s'0ns'" approved July fourteenth, eighteen hundred