The New York herald., 1879-09-15
THE SOLDIERS HOME
A Petition from the Pensioners
to the President.
MISUSE OF AN ASYLUM.
How the Veterans Are Pinched and tho
Cabinet Is Regaled
wAsHlSGTos. Sept. 10. 1879.

WAsHiSGToN. Sept. 13. 1879.
The pending contest between some of the inmates
of the Soldiers Home and the Board of Commis-
sioners of that institution will a lively stir in
the army For time past there has been a
growing feeling of dissatisfaction among the rank
and file the fact that they have to make forced
contribution to support an establishment upon
which very few of them will ever have any benc
fcary claim. They think, and express them
Selves that the Home ought to be able to support
itself upon the interest OF its accumulated savings
which 1t is known to have invested IN bonds. and
that all fines. forfeitures. &C.. should be expended
to ameliorate the condition of those soldiers
who bearing "the burden and heat of
the day." the war-worn veterans being amply pro-
vided for. The pension grabbing practice of the
commissioners, against which the veterans
fghting will not tend increase the popularity Of
the Home.
STATUS OF THE HOME
There is an erroneous mpression abroad as to the
Of the Home. 1t is generally looked upon as
independent concern. originally founded with
money contributed by Mexico to her capital
from pillage and since supported by direct tax
upon the pay of enlisted The fact is that not
moro than fifteen per cent of its income is derived
from the source indicated. The balance is made up
of fines forieitures and unclaimed pay. all OF which
would revert to the United States If Congress had
not made present Of it to the Home.
The Home was established under tho name Of the
military Asylum by act approved March 8.
1851 and opened in June of that year with Col
one Ichabod B. Crane, FIRST artillery, Govcrnor
and Assistant Surgeon Benjamin King as Treasurer.
The original site. some two hundred acres has been
by purchase to 500 part OF which Il
under cultivation and the remainder old forest.
through which tre roads have been rum chiefly for
the benefit of driving Washingtonians. Commodous
houses for the Governor and other officers Of the
Home and very fine hospital have been erected.
The grounds have been beautied at considerable
pense and when all the contemplated improvements
are completed will make splendid public park.
The persons entitled to the benefits Of this retreat
| are arst:-Soldiers of the regular army who have
served honestly and faithfully twenty years. Sec
ond--Every soldier and every discharged soldier.
whether regular volunteer who has been incapac-
i.ated by wounds disease incurred in the line OF
duty Third Invalid aud disabled soldiers, whether
regulars volunteers OF the war or lSl2 and or all
subsequent wars.
| that might have been expected. The average num-
Der Of inmates during the first six months OF its
career was only three. In 1860 the membership had
increased 143 In 1864 it had dwindled to eighty
nine. Since then there has been stcady increase.
and there upward Of FIVE hundred old soldiers on
| the rolls.
Financially the Home is a close corporation. Tho
law does not require its officers to account for tho
money turned over to them to any one but them
selves This will doubtless appear strange when
Home since 1851 is at least $3O0O OO0-an average or
over 100000 per anrum. This very respectable
sum has been derived from the Following sources
First-The unexpended balance ts1e,OOO) Of q ap-
| propri .tion made in lSi1 for the dement, OF as
! charged soldiers disabled by wounds.
| ,yecond-The sum of $1lS, ,791 10 levied by Gcn.
| TLird-Ali stoppages and fines by sentence Of
courts martial forteitures by desertion and amounts
due the heirs Of deceased soldiers unclaimed for
FourM-An moneys not exceeding two-thirds Of
the balance on hand Of hospital aud post fund OF
each military station after deducting the expenses
OF the year. This source OF income was cut OH by
the act OF July s. 1881
Fy1t-A deduction Of twenty-five cents per month
(reduced to twelve and half cents per act March 8.
1850 from the pay OF all enlisted men
The officers of the Home are:-
Governor-Colonel Joseph II. Potter. Twenty
fourth infantry.
Deputy Governor-Major Milton Cogswell. United
| States Army (retired).
Treasurer-Major Joseph H. whittlesey. United
Attending Surgeon-AIajor d. l.. Huntington. Med.
| ical Department United States Army.
| APPARENT INDIFFERENCE OF THE PRESIDENT TO
| ING PETITION THAT HAS BEEN IGNORED
THINGS NEEDING INVESTIGATION.
UNITED STATES SOLDIERS HOME, !
WASHINGTON Sept. IL. lS79.)
To THE EDITOR HERALD
wish to call your attention to the enclosed copy
of letter which sent the President (who has
just left hero he went Vest the sth OF Sepem-
by republican soldiers in behalf OF the PEN
s,oners OF the United States Soldiers Home. and be
did not trouble himself to answer it.
The following is the petition referred to above:-
SOLDIERS HOME. NEAR WASHINGTON. D. C..l
August IT, 1879. !
To His Excellency IurHEHroRD b. HAYES. President
OF the United States. Washington. ID. q. -
| SR-Wc, the undersigned, i'll behalf OF the i'm
mates of the Soldiers Home, would respectfully
request to lay before Your Exceloncy and point out
to you with poor ability an injustice and
wrong to which we deem that subjected
viz the retention of our pensions by the Commis-
sioners the Soldiers Home.
This case is at present in the courts, it having
been decided in favor before the Courts OF
Claims with only one dissenting voice. and.
are informed, the has been appealed to the Su-
preme Court the United States.
Now, Mr.. President il there had been desire to
do Justice to the old soldiers of this Home this
never wcuid have reached the courts, As the pay
ment OF our pensions to the Home clearly violates
an Congress. 1t Is nearly two years since
the OF this Home placed their IN the
hands OF able counsel, and some OF those who then
looked forward with longing eyes to the Gay OF set
Element to them in the future, gone that
eternal homo whore the ana sorrows OF this
world unknown, and now-it having been taken
to the Supreme Court OF the United States-who can
say how many of will be living how many laid
side by side with those that have gone before US.
before tins wrong H. rghted rs We are confident 1t
will be by that tribunal when the case has been
argued before 1t. The Commissioner OF Pensions
himself ruled in our favor. aud his ruling APP
proved by the Secretary OF the Department of I'll .
Interior, forced to bolievc. Mr.. President
that this putting of of tho old soldiers claims Is
done to harass him, to throw obstacles in his
| way, that it will be too late to be of any
| benefit to him. Many of us married men with
families some with widowed mothers. and II justice
| WAS only done IL would be the cause of making
| many a sad heart happy and driving the wolf OF
| want from many lowly home. We have always
considered. Mr.. President the republican party the
friend OF the soldiers, and would be very sorry TO
have il said that, under it's Administrations at
least OF the countrys defenders had not received
justice at its hands; but still would point out to
you, Mr.. President. tho discrimination that is
made between this Home and the national homes
| for disabled volunteer soldiers. In them the PEN
stoned inmates receive their pensions and Congress
makes liberal appropriations tor their bennt and
| support.
Did tho regulars prove unfathful to their
country tilo of peace ia war that this discrn-
! ination should DO Justified? They are the nucelus
around which the loyal hearts of the nation rally
| whom the coiIntrys life "a endanpered We pray of