The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1870-05-10
MRS. LlNCOLN.
THE SENATE COMMITTEE REFUSE
TO PENSION HER.


The Senate Committee on Pensions to
whom WINS referred the House bill grant
ing pension of $1,000 per annum to
Mary Lincoln. say in their report that al
though by the constitution OF the United
States the President Is made Commander
in. Chief of the Army and Navy, he Is a
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
h,d 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 or families Of
apy one Of the Presidents or other civil
Officers Of the United States, although
many ofthem, like Mr.. Lincoln, rendered
| most exalted service 10 the country; and
two of the Presidents died while in office,
and the families of some Of them were len
in very slender pecuniary circumstances.
There is nothing SO far TO distinguish this
case from that of q great body Of civil
officers Of this government, who, Of all
grades, from the highest TO the lowest,
frcm 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 pro.
vide permanent cmoluments In favor Of
the families Of high officers of the State,
and in European countries; as when emi.
nent officers end their official
term they become equal, butho superior,
members Of society. The committee are
constrained to find, from the facts before
them, that Mrs. Lincoln Is not In fact in
Ia has hnn TaV,
resented, and that her means must be
reasonably sufficient to the just necessity
Of citizen If the United StateA either at
home or abroad. A recapitulation Of
| her assets show that the balance Of salary
for her husbands unexpired year was So, :
900, and that on the 18th Of November,
| 1867. she received rs her share Of the per-
.onal estate of President Lincoln $780,
7G5 so (thc same sum being also given to
her minor son Thomas, making her total
cash assets S5s765 co, in addition 10
which there is some unprodnctive
real estate Of which the committee
have taken no account. They have good
reason to believe she also received no in
considerable amount Of clothing, plate,
| household goods, etc, after the death OF
Mr.. Lincoln, which, in considering her Pc
cuniary condition, should be added to the
above mentioned sum. Subscriptions were
opened for Mrs. Lincoln, but the COM
| mi,tce are not informed what amount has
been realized. Mrs.s Lincoln does not
seem 20 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 10 try the mineral wa
ter. during the summer, and then to go to
Italy; but my financial means do not
| permi, me to take advantage Of the urgent
advice given me, nor can j live In a style
becoming the widow Of the Chief Magis'
trate Of a great nation, though live as
economically as ! can" The committed
.ay from the standpoint Of European
kingdom and European society this. very
probably, il correct; but in republican
country whore there Is no distinction OF
rank. and where all duties are measured
largely by the means of performance, the
committee think fortune Of S6OOoO, or
even one-third OF that sum, for lady
must take her out Of the category OF those
whose necessities in consequence or the
casualties of public service give them
claim upon the Treasury. After other ar
guments the committee conclude By say
ing :-"Under the circumstances of the
case they do not think that either senti'
mcnt or duty requires n further provision
in accordance with the request Of Mrs
Lincoln, and therefore recommend that
the bin be- indefinitely postponed.'
The report is signed by senators I'D
munds, Upton, Pratt, Spencer, Howell and
McCreery.