The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1870-05-17

Mrs. LINCOLN PkSsIos. follow.
ing is an abstract of the report of the
Senate Committee on Pensions on the
House bill granting a pension of So, o00
to Mrs. Lincoln:
The committee say, in their report,
that, although by the Constitution OF
the United States the President is made
commander-in-chiefo of the army and
navy, he is a civil and not military
officer The death of President Lincoln
occurred while he was engaged 10 bust
ness of civil life. There was no princi-
pie On which pensions had hitherto beer
granted in this country which would
warrant the passing of this bill No
provision of this nature has ever been
made for the widows or families of any
one of the Presidents or other civil of
GERS ofthe United States, although many
ofthem, like Mr.. Lincoln, rendered most
exalted service to the country and Two
of the Presidents died while in Office,
aud the families of some of them were
left in very slender, pecuniary circum,
stances. There is nothing SO far to dis
iinguish this case from that of a great
body of the civil officers of the Govern
ment, who, of all grades, froro the high
est to the lowest, of all civil officers,
from the earliest period, have lost their
lives while in the performance of public
duties, and have left behind them wild
ows and orphans in bereavement, aggra-
waited BY poverty and want. 1t has not
been deemed advisable in a free country |
to provide permanent emoluments in ia |
vor 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
before, that Mrs. Lincoln is not in fact
n the destitute condition which has been
and that her means must
De reasonably sufficient to the just ne.
:essiiy of q citizen ofthe United States,
.ither at home or abroad. A recapitu-
alton of her assets show that the bal.
nee of salary for her husbands unexpir-
d year was $4,000, and that on the
9th Of September, 1867, she received
3 her share of the personal estate OF
resident Lincoln, $50, 765 60, 1.-THE same
um being also given to her minor son,
'homas,) making her total cash assets
;58, 565 60, 10 addition to which there
: some unprodactive real estate, of ,
'hich the committee have taken no ac- 1
cunt. They have good reason to be.
eve she also received no inconsiderablel
of clothing, plate, household
Gods, &C., after the death of Mr.. Lin
olu, which, in considering her pecuni. I
~ condition, should be added to the \
bore mentioned sum. Subscriptions
ere opened for Mrs. Lincoln, but the
pmmittee is not Informed what amount {
as been realized. Mrs. Lincoln does j
Of seem to urge her claim entirely on q
le ground Of actral wants of comforts u
life. In her petition, transmitted o
ON Frankfort, praying for = pension, :
70 states she has been advised to try
'e mineral waters during the summer,
ID then to go 10 Issly, "bus my inan
al means do not permit me to take
ivsntage ofthe urgent advice given me, Q
u can live in . style becoming the
idow Of the Chief Magistrate of great N
.,ion, though I live as ecouomical as 7
can" The committee say. from the Z
and point Of . European kingdom add q
aropeAe society, this very probably is d
'rrect bot in . repubiican eoonsry, !
here there IL no distinction of rank, Il
ID where all duties are measured Jarg- Z
By the means Of performance, the !,
mnistes think . fortune of $60. 900, or
en- one third Of ihas su0, for . lady
pst take her out Of the category of
ose whose seesssities, u coeseqseecs
the eassalitiss 81 public sersise, giveI
20 > elaia % The ftSSSdry. Amer
her afgsmsntss she eeo0itses eeo-J