The Indiana State sentinel., 1880-09-01
PENSION ARREARS.

Some of the Republican candidates, in
addressing their fellow-citizens, do not hest
tate to lie generally, but they lie specifically.
They lie like Louisiana liars-and in one
instance, where this lying is expected to be
effectual, relates to the action of the Demo
cratic party in Congress upon paying soldiers
their arrears of pensions. One Hilman, who
is mass of about $50 pounds of blubber-
whose ignorance is only equaled by his mem
dacity, and whose elevated position serves to
do that for him which climbing pole
did for a daring monkey tells
his constituents that Democrats opposed the
measure. A more stupendous falsehood
was never uttered. The facts in the case
show that General A. V. Rice, of Ohio
Democrat, whose record as a civilian and
soldier, Democrat and a statesman, is
above reproach, was the man who, above all
others worked to obtain legislation to secure
the rights of soldiers entitled to arrears of
pensions. The first bill upon the subject
that provided for the arrears of pensions
was reported by General Rice on the 22d of
March, 1876. The bill reported by Gen. Rice
March 5, 1877, when itwas laid on the table
and virtually killed by the motion of SEN
atOr ingalls,, the Republican Chairman of
the Committee on Pensions. This bill, in
troduced BY General Rice, of Ohio, passed
Democratic House by two-thirds vote.
The Congressional Record, Forty-fourth
Congress, March 8, 1877, has the following:
''Afr Rice-Mr Speaker, move to sus-
pend the rules and pass the bill Oh. r. No.
1909 to provide that all pensions on
account of death, wounds received, or
disease contracted in the service of
the United States since March A. 1861, which
have been granted, or which shall hereafter
be granted, on an application filed previous
to January 1, $780, shall commence from
the date of death or discharge, and for the
payment of the arrears of pensions"
The bill, which was read, provides that all
pensions which have been or may hereafter
be granted in consequence of death occur
ring from a cause which originated in the
service of the United States since the 4th of
March, 1861, or in consequence of wounds or
injuries received or disease contracted
since said date, shall commence
from the date of the death or discharge from
the United States service of the person on
whose account the claim has been, or shall
hereafter be, granted, or from the teTmina-
ton of the right of the party having prior
title to such pension; provided that applica-
ton for pensions growing out of the war of
1861 have been, or shall hereafter be, filed
with the Commissioner of Pensions, on or
before the 1st day of January, 1880. In all
other cases, unless application shall be filed
within FIVE years from the accruing of the
right, the pension shall commence from the
date of the filing of the application, provided
further, that the limitation herein pre-
scribed shall not apply to claims by or in
behalf of insane persons, or minor children
of deceas ed soldiers.
The second section provides that immedi-
ately upon the passage of this act the Commis-
same to be furnished each Pension Agent,
whose duty it shall be TO notify each pen
sioner upon his roll who shall be entitled to
arrears of pension under this act, and it
shall be the further duty of the Commits
sioner of Pensions to pay, or cause to be
paid, to such pensioners, or if the pensioner
shall have died, to the person or persons
entitled to the same all such arrears of PEN
sion as the pensioner may be entitled to,
| or if dead would have been entitled to, under
the provisions of the first section of this act,
had he or she survived Section three re-
peals all acts and parts of acts in conflict
with these provisions The House divided,
and there were ayes, 10; nays, not counted.
So (two-thirds having voted in the affirma-
tive) the rules were suspended and the bill
was passed.
This bill, as we have stated, was tabled in
the Senate by the vote of Mr. Ingalls,, Re
publican Senator from Kansas. Here we
have the documentary evidence that the bill
to pay arrears of pensions to soldiers was
introduced by a Democrat, passed by a
Democratic House. and subsequently killed