The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-17
WHEELING. FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER Il. $780,

Clhlt1S peuulukt hnu tue NNetnko hAEeain ~
each new claim was 81, 100. Surprising
thirty per cent Of these claims would tt
disallowed, there would still be In round
numbers 10000 arrearages 10 be pAiC
OF 81 100 each, which would amount Il
$sl7, 900 900, and be wished to call stten
! ton to further tact that the average agt
OF the pensioners OF the Government wsI
only Al years. He criticised the present
system OF paying pensions. Under the
present system any body could get q pen
sion who was willing to take o false oath
The commissioner had told him that oul
OF fifty millions OF dollars paid out each
year, four millions was paid out fraudu'
lently, and perhaps more.
Mr.. Sparks defended the act for the
payment Of arrears OF pensions as a simple
act OF Justice 10 the pensioner.
Mr.. Hubbell stated that he had not, In
any way, intended to oppose the arrearage
bill. On the contrary, he had acknowl-
edged Its justice, and he had merely tried
today TO show that under the present sys-
TEN the Government was liable, in carry.
ing out that bill, to submit to great frauds.
SIR. Sparks, In further reference 10 the
arreArsge bill, stated that 1t had come from
the committee Of which the gentleman
from Ohio General Rice) he'd been Chair
man.
Mr.. Fort said the gentlemen was mis-
taken. The bill had not come from that
committee, but had been passed under a
suspension Of the rules, on the motion OF
the gentleman from Iowa (Cummins).
Mr.. Haskell denied both statements,
and said the bill bad passed on his mo.
motion.
Mr.. Sparks thought the bill which tue
gentleman from Kansas (HaskelD was so
anxious to father, was
VERY POOR BILL,
a miserably gotten up affair. The gantle-
man in attempting to steal Gen. Rice's
thunder had gotten up a miserable BILL
Mr.. Haskell denied that he had stolen
auybody's thunder. Gen. Rice's bill had
proposed TO strike down the differences
between men who had been loyal to the
flag and men who had been dropped. from
the pension rolls for disloyalty. He did
not care to steal that particular kind Of
thunder.
Mr.. Sparks begged pardon for having
used the word "slesl." 1t was not a
proper word to use. Abiding to the re.
mark made by Mr.. Haskell to Gen. Rice's
bill that 1t was trap, he ridicuded the
idea that Gen. Rice would set trap 10
catch legal men. That man who had come
into the House hobbling on wooden leg,
who had left his leg on a Union
battle field, setting a trapl He did not see
the gentleman from Kansas (Haskell)
hobbling around without arm or leg. He
would put General Rice's patriotism and
loyalty, throwing in his wooden leg,
against that OF the gentleman from Kansas.
People were tired Of this kind OF claptrap.
They appreciated fact. 1t was simply an
act o1 justice to restore TO the pension rolls
those old men who had formerly been
placed there for maintaining the honor
and glory OF the country prior to the re-
bellion.
Mr.. McMahon asserted that the bill
which had been passed on motion Of the
gentleman from Kansas was substantially
the bill which had been passed on General
Rices motion in The Forty-fourth Con.
gress. The Republican Senate had not
acted with the alacrity with which the
Democratic House had. The gentleman
from Kansas should not claim patent be.
lore knowing whether there was q prior
occupant. !
The House then on molten OF Mr..
Fort took recess for ten minutes to en-.
able the members to greet
GEN. U. s. GRANT,
who at this moment appeared on the
floor. Gen. Grant then, smid up.
plause on the floor and 10 the galleries,
took position in the space in front Of the
Speakers desk and received the greetings
OF the members, who were introduced by
Speaker Randall. Nearly oil the members
approached and shook hands with the ex.
President, and 1t was noticed that those
who did not were, with very few excep.
tions, northern Democrats.
After receos, Mr.. Bland, OF Missouri,
asked and obtained leave to have printed
in the Record a substitute which he pro.
posed to offer for the funding bill. It sp-
prOpriates OF the coin now in the Treas.
ury the sum OF $l00,O00,000 for the pay
ment OF the interest bearing debt OF the
United States falling due during 1880 and
1881, and directs that the Secretary OF the
amount Of silver dollars, in the manner
now authorized by law, and to pay out such
dollsrs In the redemption OF the public
debt. Section two repeals all the laws
authorizing the increasing Of the bonds
for the purpose OF funding or redeeming
the interest bearing debt Of the United
States.
Mr.. MARTIN AFTER THE RAILROADS.
Mr.. Martin, OF West Virginia, offered
resolution directing the Committee on the
Pacific Railroad 10 enquire into the alleged
mortgage and sale OF uuearned land
grants by the Northers Pacific and At
lantic and Pacific railroad companies and
TO report what action Is necessary
TO preserve the interests OF the country.
Ordered printed in record. Adjourned.