The National tribune., 1882-05-06

pension claimants were recently introduced i'll
Congress, and VIII doubtless be passed upon
before the adjournment of the present session
TO PROVIDE FOR CONFEDERATE WAR PRISON
ERS.
Mr.. Hubbcll, Of Michigan, introduced the
following bill to pension officers soldiers,
sailors, and marines who were confined in con-
federate prisons, and for other purposes:
Be It enacted, &c, That the Secretary of the
Interior be, and is hereby, authorized and di-
rccted to place on the pensiOn-roH the names
of all officers, soldiers sailors, and marines
who, while in the service of the United States.
were prisoners of war in the sO-callcd con-
fedCrate prisons between the 1st day of April,
1861, and the lst day of June, 1860, as follows:
All who were prisoners Of war one month and
over, pension of eight dollars per month, upon
satisfactory proof being made to the Commits
siOner of Pensions that such officer, soldier,
sailor, or marine was captured, confined, and
imprisoned in one or more Of the sO-Called con-
federatc prisons, and VINO are not now drawing
or entitled to draw pension under existing
laws. That the pension shall commence in
each at the date of discharge of said officer
soldier, sailor or marine from the army or navy
of the United States. That in addition to the
said pension Of eight dollars per month to the
three classes last above mentioned, there shall
be paid to each soldier, sailor, or marine the
SUM OF HNt ubll;tTS per 1nOlJn 1Or G2cn month
of confinement and imprisonment in the So
called confederate PRISONS upon satisfactory
proof being made to the Second Auditor Of the
Treasury Department that such were actually
captured, confined. and imprisoned in one or
more of the confederate prisons. That the said
pension Of eightdCllars per month shall be paid
in the same manner as other pensions arc paid
Prorided, That nothing in this act shall be con-
strued to ahrdGe the present right, the reduc-
tiOn, or increase of pension TO any person now
receiving or entitled to receive Il pension under
the present statutes of the United States.
THE LOSS OF EYEsIGHT.
Mr.. Jonathan T. Updegrafi, of Ohio, intro
duced the following bill:
BE ii enacted DC. That the provisions of an
act entitled AN act TO revise and consolidate
the statutes of the United States in force De-
cembcr l, 1873 approved June -, 1871, be,
and the same are hereby, so amended that
from and after the passage Of this act every
person entitled by law to a less pension than
hereinafter specified who while in the mill
tary or naval service OF the United States, and
in the line of duty, by disease contracted or
injury received, shall have lost the sight of
one eye, shall be entitled to receive pension of
twelve dollars per month; and in cases in which
the injury to the one eye maniteStly affects in
juriously the sight of the other eye he shall be
entitled to an equitable increase iii his pension,
not to exceed, in the whole amount, twenty
five dollars per month: and all those who,
under like circumstances, have lost the sight
of one eye the sight of the other having been
previously lost, shall be entitled to a pension
of fifty dollars per month; and all those who,
while in the military or naval service of the
| United States IN the line of duty, by injury
received or disease contracted. shall have lost
the hearing of both ears, snail be entitled TO
receive n pension of twenty-five dollars per
month; and for any loss of hearing less than
N l,,p#
receive an equitable portion OF the full pension.
PAYMENT or PENSION CLAIMS.
Mr. Browne, of Indiana, introduced the fol-
lowing bill to amend section 1866, title 81, of
the Revised Statutes Of the United States:
BE 1t enqc'cd &c, That section 1865, title 81,
| of the Revised Statutes of the United States is
hereby amended so as to read as follows:
"SEc. 4766, Hereafter no pension shall be
paid to any person other than the pensoner
| entitled thereto, nor otherwise than according
! to the provisions OF this tide; and no warrant,
power OF attorney, or other paper executed or
purp0rting 10 be executed by any pcnsioner to
| any attorney, claim agent broker or other
person shall be recognized by any agent for the
payment Of pensions, nor shall any pension be
paid thereon; but the payment to persons la
| boring under legal disabilities may be made to
the guardians ol such persons in the manner
herein prescribed and pensions payable to per
sons in foreign countries may be made accord
! ing 10 the provisions Of existing laws: Pf0rdCi.
That in case Of an insane invalid pcnsoner
! having no guardian, but having wife or chill
dren dependent upon him (the wife being a
woman of good character, the Commissioner of
Pensions is hereby authorized, in bis discretion,
to cause the pension TO be paid to the wife, upon
her properly ly-exccuted voucher, or, in case there
| is no wife, to the guardian of the children, upon
the properly voucher of such guard
. ian, and in like manner 10 cause the pension of
! invalid pensioners Uho are or may hereafter be
| imprisoned us punishment for ontn.cs against
the laws to be paid while go imprisoned to their
! wives or the guardians Of their children And
pension. 10 Indian pensioners lcsiding in the
| Indian Territory may be paid III person by the
pension agent upon Il suitable voucher, at some
convenient point in said Territory, which to-
Ecthcr with the form and manner of idcntifica-
| tion of the pensioners, may be prescribed by
the Secretary of the Interior; such payments
to be made III standard silver, at least once in
each current year. And payments in person
shall be made 10 the pensiUncr, in cash, by the
pension agent Whcnevcrin the discretion of the
Commissioner Of Pensions such personal pay
ment shall be by him deemed necessary or
proper TO secure to the pensioner his rights :;
and the necessary and actual expenses OF such
i pension agent in making such payments shall
be paid by the Secretary OF the Interior upon
properl y-eHccutcd vouchers, out of the conting-
ent fund appropriated for the use Of the Pension
| once. The Commissioner of Pensions may
when in his Judgment it shall be deemed neccs-
sary or proper, visit in person, for the purpose
of examination and inspection, or may send
! any one or more Of the officers of his bureau
for that purpose, any of the pension agencies or
medical examining boards or surgeons; and
the necessary and actual expenses of such visits
shall be paid by the Secretary of the Interior
upon properl y-eXecuted vouchers, out of the
contingent fund of said bureau"
HrIRs OF PENSIONERS.
Mr.. Browne, Of Indiana, introduced the fol-
| lowing bill to amend section 47l8, title 81 of
! the Revised Statutes Of the United States:
BE 1t eaGcted, DC, That section 4718, title 81,
of the Revised Statutes of the United States is
| hereby amended to read as follows:
SEC. AIS If any pensoner has died or
shall hereafter die, or if any person entitled to
| a pension, having an application therefor pend
| ing, ha. died or shall hereafter die his widow
or if there is no widow, the child or children
Of such person under the age OF sixteen years
shall be entitled to receive the accrued pension
! TO the date of the death Of such person Such
accrued pension shall not be considered rs a
part Of the assets of the estate of deceased, nor
| liable 10 be applied to the payment of the debts
OF said estate in any ease whatever, but shall
| inure to the sole and exclusive benefit of
| the widow or children. The words child or
children used i'll this section are meant, and
| shall be taken to mean, only the child or
| chilGen of the soldier account of Nyhosc dis