Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-17
The senate Refuse TO Pension the
widow of President Lincoln.

The Senate Committee on Pensions, to
whom was referred the House bill grant
ing a pension of $4,000 per annum to
Mary Lincoln, say in their report made
on the 9Th that although by the Constitu-
ton of the United States the President
is made Commander-in-C Chief of the
Army and Navy, he is civil and not
military officer. The death of President
Lincoln occurred while he was engaged
in business of civil life. There was no
principle on which pensions had hitherto
been granted in this country which
would warrant the passing of this bill.
No provision of this nature has ever
been made for the widows of families OF
any one of the Presidents or other civil
officers of the United States, although
many of them, like Mr.. Lincoln, rem
de.ed most e,alted service to the coun-
try; and two of the Presidents died
while in. office, and the families of some
of them were left in very poor circum-
stances. There is nothing SO far to
distinguish this case from that of great
body of civil officers of the government,
who, of all grades, from the highest to
the lowest, from the earliest period, have
lost their lives while in the performance
of public duties, and have left behind
them widows and orphans in
bereavement, aggravated by poverty
and want. 1t has not been
deemed advisable in free country to
provide permanent emoluments in favor
of the families of high officers of the
State, as in European countries; as when
eminent officers end their official term
they become equal, but not superior,
members of society. The committee are
constrained to find, from the facts before
them, that Mrs. Lincoln is not in fact in
the destitute condition which has been
represented, and that her means must
be reasonably sufficient to the just neces-
sty of a citizen of the United States,
either at home or abroad. A recapitula-
ton of her assets shows that the balance
of salary for her husbands unexpired
year was $22 1000, and that on the 18th
of November 1867, she received as her
share of the personal estate of President
Lincoln $50, ,765 60 (the same sum being
also given to her minor son ThomasI,
making her total cash assets S5S, 1855 60,
in addition to which there is some un-
productive real estate of which the COM
mittee have taken no account. They
have good reason to believe she also re-
ceived no inconsiderable amount of
clothing, plate, household goods, etc,
after the death of Mr. Lincoln, which, in
considering her pecuniary condition,
should be added to the above mentioned
sum. Subscriptions were opened for
Mrs. Lincoln, but the committee are not
informed what amount has been real
lied. Mrs Lincoln does not seem to
urge her claim entirely on the
ground of actual want of the comforts of
life. In her petition, transmitted from
Frankfort praying for a pension, she
states she has been advised to try the
mineral waters during the summer, and
then to go to Italy; " but my financial
means do not permit me to take advan-
tage of the urgent advice given me, nor
can / live in style becoming the widow
of the Chief Magistrate Of great nation,
though live as economically as can.
The committee say from the standpoint
of European kingdom and European
society this, very probably, is correct;
but in republican country, where there
is no distinction Of rank, and where all
duties are measured largely by the means
of performance, the committee think a
fortune of 100000, or even one-third OF
that sum, for a lady, must take her out of
the category of those whose necessities
in consequence of the casualties of pub
lie service give them claim upon the
Treasury. After other arguments, the
committee conclude by saying Under
the circumstances of the case they do
not think that either sentiment or duty
requires further provision in accordance
with the request of Mrs. Lincoln, and
therefore recommend that the bill be in
definitely postponed. fa
The report is signed by Senators Ed
m lnds, Upton, Pratt, Spencer, Howell
and McCreery