The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-11
The Forty Fourth Congress,
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Feb.

A number of private bills were then
passed.
In the case of a bill granting pension
to VIM. X. Duncan of Tennessee, Mr.. Ga
bell of Virginia, notified the house that
this man had been a confederate soldier be-
fore he became federal soldier.
Mr.. Rainey of South Carolina explained
the history of the case, showing that this
man Duncan had enlisted in the coufeder-
ate army In order to procure the discharge
from the rebel prison in Knoxville of a
crippled brother who had been arrested AZ
a Union guide, and that he had deserted at
the first opportunity, Joined the federal
service and remained in it during the war.
Mr.. Douglass of Virginia asked Rainey
il this man was TO be pensioned because he
had served in the confederate army or be-
cause he had deserted from it.
MIR. Rainey replied He was to be pen
stoned because he had served in the Union
army and had been disabled.
Mr.. Morrison of Illinois suggested that
any man who had entered one service on
such a condition as this man had done and
had broken his faith was scoundrel and
not deserving Of pension.
Mr.. Thornburgh of Tennessee a
condition is better broken than kept.
Mr.. Kasson of Iowa realarked that
the gentleman from Illinois had nut the
issue in such shape that the AeSS Reuld
understand it. lie (blorrison) haa4&y posed
to refuse this man pension 6ecAse he
had deserted from previous enliAnient IN
the confederate army, and had stated that
man who had deserted under fsAh cir
cumstances was n scoundre.
Mr.. Morrison (interrupting) Il do not
nrOnOap n lot tho rrnv, In,rn
state case for me. will state my own
case
Mr. Kasson-The gentleman ha, stated
the case in the way have quoted.
Mr.. MOrrisOn-N0 cir, | have MOI.
Mr.. Kasson-The record tomorrow, if
not altered, will show that the gentleman
| said, this man having procured the release
of his brother from a rebel prison by his
own temporary enlistment and then having
| deserted and joined the Union arssy was
scoundrel. For one, | take distinct issue
with the gentleman. This man Il shown
| by the report to have been disabled in the
| Union service and To have presented such
proof of it to the commissioner of PENSIONS
as to obtain pension, which was after
wards taken from him. Are we to be told
that union man who got his brother out
of prison by playing ruse on any one was
guilty of n violation of the laws of war and
that his act was one Of dishonor | pro-
test against such doctrine.
| Mr.. Morrisson-I repeat that [ do not
| allow the gentleman from Iowa TO state n
casa for me and one on ASSUMPTION wholly.
| Republican members-oh, no.! He does
not know the time voted against pension
ing union soldier. 1 asked the gentleman
from South Carolina, Rainey, if under
stood him correctly as saying that this man
had entered the confederate service for the
purpose of releasing his brother, aud then
having secured his brothers release broken
his faith and violated his pledge and obi
cations, and | understood him to say, yes.
| knew nothing about the mans record :.
nothing was said about it, and said then,
as say now, that man who enters into
such an engagement with the intention and
| purpose of breaking 1t, is not such man
as ought to be pensioned, and for the rea-
| son that he breaks faith and enters into
this engagement for the purpose of break
ing faith. II this man has sufficient record
TO justify his getting a pension for services
| thereafter rendered and for disabilities in
the service, have no objection.
MIR. Towsend of New York. remarked
that it had been said loosely that the
house was going so far into the business of
| amnesty that some member would hare in
troduced bill to remove disabilities from
men who had served in the union amy.
lie hoped that the prediction would not
DC turned into reality, because if s., then
any member of the house who hadkerVed
IN the union army and whose bioxapAg
was TO be published, would lave Sf-
press that fact. Laughter on republic IN
side.
Mr. Morrison-Has the gentleman any
reference to me when he talks about sup
pressing military record?
Mr.. Towsend-MY proposition was en-.
tirelY general. l said this -
MIR. Morrison, interrupting-I ask the
gentleman if he had any reference TO me.
Mr.. Townsend-I did not have reference
to any body.
Mr.. Morrson-Then that is all about it.
Mr.. Townsend wanted to saw lust
what will be the fact. If it has any refer
ence to the gentleman from Illinois. he will
know it. | will not undertake TO saw
whether it has or not. say tina. if we re-
fuse pension to this man because he
served in the Union army, it will come that
when the biographies of the members are
published we will have TO suppress the
fact that any Of us have served in the
Union army.
Mr.. Morrison-The gentleman evades
and bubbles. have no further renpy To
make to him, as the case has been stated
In regard to the record of this man have
| no objection to his pension.
Mr.. Cabell-I had no idea of interposino
an objection to the pensioning of any good
Union soldier. | am as ready as any man
to vote pension to men who we're true to
the country and who served it, although |
| was opposed to them in the late war. hui
II was stated in the report IN this case that
| the man had been dropped from the pen
| sion rolls. Ii was also stated that he had
been in the Confederate army and had
sworn allegiance to the confederacy 1t
was therefore a serious question whether
we ought to pass bill pensioning man of
| that character. There must have been
some good reason for dropping him from
the pension rolls and | thought that ques-
| ton should be brought to the attention of
the house.
Mr.. Debolt of Missouri, argued that the
man had served and been disabled in the
| Union army and that he was entitled to a
pension and ought to have it.
Mr.. Holman of Indiana thought it very
l-apparent that the mans disabilities had
been incurred in the service of the United
States, after his desertion from the con-
federate service and he was entitled to a
pension he moved the previous question.
The bill was then passed.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Z.
Under the regular Monday call of states
| a large number of bills were introduced
and referred.
BY Mr.. Wood of New York, to convey
the old postoilice property in New York to
the chamber of commerce.
By Mr.. Cox of New York Cat request),
for the establishment Of postoflice savings
banks also, Tor reform in the civil service.
Mr.. Kasson of Iowa moved to suspend
the rules so that the house may proceed to
vote separately on the following two reso-
lutions
Resolved, That the constitutional au-
thority of congress to coin money and to
regulate the value thereof and of foreign
coin, does not include the authority 70 issue
the paper of the government as money, and
in the judgment of the house the constitu-
ton nowhere confers on congress the power
10 tt,f nf al -,