The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-24
rWOCEEDuNGs or CONGRESS-.
WAsHING1nN, Feb. %, 1876
House.

|
Speaker Kerr, having returned, re-
sumed the chair. The Committee on
| Naval Affairs was authorized to sit dur
ing the session Of the House.
| Mr.. Whigginston offered a bill to
amend the act granting lands for the
construction Of railroad and telegraph
line from the Missouri river to the Pa
cific coast. Referred to Committee on
Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. White, of Kentucky, to increase
theclerical force in the pension Office,
and providefor the speedy payment OF
all just pension claims.
Mr.. Whitehouse, of N. Y, asked leave
to offer resolution reciting that the
commercial, manufacturing and business
\ interests of the country were greatly
depressed by the uncertainty Of the
| financial legislation Of Congress, and
| that IL was, therefore, unwise to inter
| fere with the tariff laws as they now
| exist, until there Is some prospect OF
reaching resumption OF specie pay
ments. The resolution WAS not consid-
| cred.
On motion OF Mr.. Hunter, of Virginia,
the House went into Committee OF the
Whole on the state Of the Union, Mr.
Blackburn In the chair.
A motion was made to consider the
Revolutionary Pensions to amend the
act granting pensions to the soldiers of
the war Of 1912 and their widows, ap-
proved Feb. ID, 1871, and to restore to
the pension roll those persons whose
names were stricken therefrom in con-
sequence OF disloyality. The first gee
tion directs the Secretary of the Interior
to place on the pension rolls the surviv-
ing officers and enlisted. and drafted
men, including militia and volunteers OF
the military and naval service bf the
United States who served for ten days
In the war OF 1912, and were honOrably
discharged, and the. surviving widows
OF such officers and enlisted and drafted
men, provided that such widows shall
have been married prior to the year
1850 to such officer or man. Section two
provides that this act shall not apply to
any person who Is receiving a pen
sion at the rate of eight dollars
per month, nor to any person re-
ceiving pension Of less than eight dol
lars per month, except for the difference
OF the pension now received and
eight dollars per month from and after
of widows shall cease Ii they remarry.
Section three provides for the manner
of presenting proof Of honorable dis
charge. Section four provides that all
applications for pensions under the
act which this amends, shall
be considered and decided as
though made under this act, and all
laws now in force in relation 10 the
power of paving pensions and the pun
ishment of frauds, are made applicable
to claims. Under this act section five
authorizes the restoration to the rolls
OF oil pensioners Of 1912 who were
stricken from the rolls for disloyalty by
act Of February 4, 1864. Section six pro-
vdes that the surviving widow Of any
pensioner of 1912, where the name
was stricken from the rolls in pursu-
ance of said act Of 1862, and where said
pensioner shall have died without the
name being restored to the rolls, such
widows shall be entitled to the ar
rearages due said pensioner at the time
of decease, and If there be no widow
such arrearages shall 60 to the minor
children of the pensioner.
After long discussion, and without
action, the House adjourned at 5 p. m.