The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-04-02
IFroln the New York Star. I


Now, then, for the "gentlemanly''
clerks.
About two years after the claim is
presented the Department writes a letter
to the mother and asks:
l. What's your real name?
9. Are you sure you amt lying?
3. What was your sons name?
4. Are you sure he was boy?
5. Where did he die?
6. How do you know?
Z. Was he married?
s. If yes, did he have children; if no.
how can you swear he wasn't?
9. You say you are widow. Have
you any thought Of remarrying, and are
you prepared to say you don't occasion,
ally flirt, or wouldn't if you had a
chance?
10. Remember the ninth command,
ment, and send your answer to this De-
partment.
IL. Have your affidavits written in
red ink, and signed by Notary Public,
with evidences of moral character and
| CSTGiuCdlS vi UltIil.
Well, all this is done just as the De
rartment desires, and sent on.
Months pass on.
Grand Juries even come and go.
Occasionally men are convicted and
women hung.
Children are born and events crowd
the record.
Time succeeds time, and the widow
starves OF begs as best she can, when,
to her intense delight, huge official
letter comes, and she opens it to find
money! Not much, but another string
of questions.
l. Are YOU sure you are the mother
of that man2
2 Couldn't he have been changed by
the nurse, and if SO, what guarantee has
this Department that after you have
spent the money the nurse won't divulgc
the facts, and the real mother demand
her dues?
8. Who saw him die? If his com
rades, send on their affidaviis with GER
tifcates in triplieate to their baptism
and irgt communion; if no one, then
with what check do you assert that he
ever died at all
(. What ticket did your son, if he
was your son, vote? If any, say what
if not, say what he would have voted il
he had voted
5. What use can IS q month be to
you, anyhow If none, what do you
ask for it for; if much, how can you
afford all this correspondence and nota'
rial fees?
6. Do you know any mother who got
a pension, and if so, cid she put you up
to this application? If yes, aren't you
ashamed of yourself; if no, how came
you to think Of it?
7. Was your son, if he was your son,
hopefully pious, ,and if so how much so
s. What do you think of female suf.
rage, and are you prepared to stand 9
per cent a month on your pension
when you get it?
or course the proper answers were
sent to these, and letter after letter fol,
lowed them. In the meantime the old
lady grew older. Her goods and chat
tells were sold fer rent and groceries,
her only ring was pawned, her friends
were exhausted, and she hung hopefully
on to the delusion that something would
turn up, and it did. Twas another big
letter, and this is what it said:
| PENSION DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, d. G.
"MADAME-Your claim No. 600100
2003004, Navy Mothers, has been be-
fore this Department some eight or ter
years. If you were 81 years of age
then, you must he "a now, and it would
be manifestly unfair, not to say imprae
tieable, for this Department to deal with
a woman OF o. as if she were woman
of 81. The information furnished this
Department is SO meagre that We canno
proceed even to consider your CLAIM
without further proof. At present W.
simply know that your son was killed
in the service and you need pension
Obviously that's too thin. Permit IN
to call your attention to the enclosed
queries, and to remind You that pe!jur.
is one of the greatest of vices,
"Respectfully. your obedient servant,
81. Ii. BUNeoMBE, Commissioner.
Well, the old lady put on hor specs
and l did, too, and we read IS follows
l. What was the name of your son
Who was he named after, and di
he give him silver cup? II yes, le
this Department have certified copy
in duplicate, of the recciptcd bill if no
why not?
5. How old was he?
4. How happened he to attain tha
age without being married? -?
/, g. Did he leave You any effects ? n
books, no jewels, no Etruscan vases, n
costly silver service, no piano? If yes
where did he get EN-: If no, this Do
partment is sorry.
6. Have you assigned this claim t
any agent? If yes, don't you sc
you've broken the law; If net, how ca
you expect TO get claim through viii
out an agent?
7. Please send this Department,
triplicate, proof that you have q bon
fde interest in this claim, and that n
maiden sister is to share it with yoI
: and thus live surrcptitiously on this D
c partment,
, s. 1t is necessary for you TO come
: Washington in person. If YopNio. Ic
Twill be told what il is necessary