The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-01-27
FROM DIES MONIES.
Editorial Correspondence.

Editorial Correspondence.
Des Moines, Jan. %, 1870.
ED. COURIER
In both housed of tho
Legislature to-day the regular order
OF business was gone through with,
and the Senate bills have reached in
number nearly 60, and in the House
somewhere in the nineties.
A joint resolution was introduced
in tho Senate by Senator Beardsly
ofDes Moines county, which involved
an instruction by tho Legislature to
our members of Congress to use their
efforts to have a special act of relief
passed by Congress giving pension
to Lieut.. Col. Abercrombie, of Bur.
lington. Senator B. stated that the
Col. had become entirely blind by
reason of paralysis ofthe optic nerve
of his eyes that he had first observed
the approach of this insidious disease
while in the service as a member of
the LIST Iowa Inf'ty, in which Reg't
he served until the muster out of the
same. That the Col. however, did
not regard his health SO much impair
ed at that time as to preclude his
further service, and he consequently
again entered the army and did ef.
fective and gallant duty on many a
hard fought field, until his malady SO
increased upon him as to oblige him
to resign and return to his home.-
The Senator further said that such i
the nature oftho disease, that it had
been found impossible to comply fully
with all the requirements Of the Pen.
sion Dept at Washington in proof Of
the claim. There can be no doubt
perhaps, but that the Col. is entitled
to relief, and the resolution, after
considerable discussion, which bro't
out in a good degree, the facts in the
case, was passed. We venture to say
however, that as general rule, the
Legislature would do we'll to refer
resolutions of this character TO o
Committee in order that the case NAV
be thoroughly scanned. This would
we believe, prevent tho consumption
of time by the Senate in discussing
the question would give strength t.
the effect of the resolution upon ou1
members of Congress, and would
further prevent hasty indorsemen,
of these cases. by the Legislator,
whereby it might be imposed upon
| Considerable discussion also aros,
this morning in the Senate upon bill
intended to legalize the sale of certain
Indemnity swamp lands in the coun
ties OF Alamakee, Chickasaw, Fayet
to and Washington. The furthe
consideration of the question was Fl
nally postponed to certain day.
| In the House the chief topic oil
discussion was upon a Resolution t
appoint a special committee of fifteer
to take into confederation the mat
ter of relief to those counties ant
cities which have large indebtedness
on account Of bonds issued to Rail
road Companies. The committee
was finally reduced to seven in mum
Der, and so amended, the resolution
passed. From the temper exhibited
by many prominent members OF boil
Houses, some earnest work is sure tt
be done in regard to these bonds. W.
understand he temper of the people
OF Wapello county, to be that they
DO not intend to ask the Legislature
for relief To a casual observer. i,
would seem that this vexed question
8 wholly within the province of the
courts. We however sympathize
deeply with those communities, who
are heavily burdened with this in
debtedness, and if their ingenuity
shall end in an honorable and success
full escape from the great load that is
upon them, we certainly shall re.
ljoice at their success. One thing
however, we will say that those sui.
ferers should have care that thew
do not attempt to shift from their
own shoulders this load, by placing
it upon the State at large.