The National tribune., 1882-08-19
A POOR GIRLS PENSION.
AN INTERESTING CASE BEFORE THE
UNITED STATES SENATE.
Inc Invalid Daughter OF a Gallant Soldier Applies
to Congress for Relief Extraordinary Utter
ances OF Senator Hawey in Assuming to Voice
the Sentiments of the SOldier-0ther Debate of
Interest.

pension case of an especially interesting
character was before the Senate on the last day
OF the session, tho consideration of which pro-
voked a lengthy debate. The utterances of
senator Hawley, speaking as he assumed to do
Tor the soldier, were of so extraordinary nature
that we print below the entire proceedings,
and invite the views of comrades thereon
The bill was called up by Mr.. Cameron, of
Pennsylvania, who said:
ask unanimous consent to take up the bill
I'll. Il. No. 2592) granting d pension to Mary f..
Murray.
The PRESIDENT pro tempOre. Is there objec-
ton? The Chair hears none.
The Senate, as in Committee of the Whole,
proceeded to consider the bill, which provides
for placing on the pension-rOll the name of
Mary E. Murray, daughter of the late Colonel
William q. Murray, of the Eighty-fourth Reg-
ment Pennsylvania Volunteers, at the rate of
$50 per month.
Mr.. PLATT. Is there majority report in
favor of that individual bill?
Mr.. CAMERON, of Pennsylvania. will state
all about the bill if | have an opportunity.
There is an adverse report on this bill from n
majority of the Committee on Pensions, and it
was placed on the calendar with favorable
report from a minority of the Committee on
tensions. am familiar with the case, per-
maps more SO than any member of the COM
mittee.
The father of this girl was native of the
town in which [ live lie enlisted during the
Mexican war, and while there rendered such
gallant service that ho was promoted in the
Regular army. After the War was over he re-
signed, returned to his home entered into
business, and was a successful business man at
the time of the breaking out of the rebellion
He then entered the service of his country as
colonel of one of the PENNSYLVANIA regiments; :;
was killed, | think, in 1862, leaving wife and
two children. His wife died, and his business
was all broken up and his property destroyed
Ihe wife died about SIX months after his DEATH
and pension was granted TO his two minor
children of few dollars month until they
became OF the age of sixteen, one boy and the
other a girl The boy has grown to manhood
and is able to take care of himself; but this
girl, owing to ill-health. is utterly unable to
support herself. Her father was one of the
most gallant and distinguished men from our
State i'll the service. l think the case is in
every way meritOrious, and | shall be glad if
the Senate will pass the bill as it came from
the House without amendment.
Mr.. PLATT. | must ask to have the report
read and | must request the Senate to pay at
tentiOn to the reading of the report. 1t will
be, if thc,bill passes the first instance in which,
to my knowledge, Congress has pensioned the
daughter OF an officer less than general, at
any more than IS per month.
Mr.. CAMERON, of Pennsylvania. This man
would have been general in thirty days had
he lived.
Mr.. PLATT. 1t will be the first instance, if
it passes, so far as | know, where the general
law has been changed in that respect. The
law with regard to dependent children is
pension till they are sixteen. This proposes to
pension dependent daughter of mature years
at the rate of $50 per month, reduced by the
recommendation of the minority of the COM
mittee to $15, and it opens n very wide door
for the future. The ground upon which it is
done is that the daughter is in ill-health; that
she is, physically speaking, an infant; but l
kiow that this case is to be followed by host
o. cases, and it seems to me that it will result
ON Congress pensiOning every son and daughter
Of deceased soldier if he or she can show in
trinity.
Having said this and asking for the reading
Of the report, and the careful attention of the
Senate to it, | have no more to say.
Mr.. CAMERON, of Pennsylvania. l know
more about this case than any member of tho
Committee on Pensions.
Mr.. PLATT. Have | not correctly stated it
MIR. CAMERON, of Pennsylvania. The SEN
ator has stated the case correcly so far as he is
informed about it; but this think is special
case.
This was one of the most distinguished men
in the army from the State of Pennsylvania,
one of the brightest, best, and purcSt men that
| knew of anywhere. He left these two chill
dTen, and Congress knowing Mt the time that
he had rendered remarkable service, very etE-
cient service, passed an act giving them sup
port until they should be sixteen years Of age.
1t turns out that this girl is in the eyes of the
law an infant. she is unable to take care of
herself unable to support herself, and the peo-
pic of the community in which she lives,
knowing the father and the services which he
rendered to the Government, irrespective of
party, irrespective of condition, have sent me
letters time and again asking me to urge the
passage Of this bill
| am somewhat responsible for this bill not
having passed heretofore. There was another
case on the calendar of a Mary &. Murray.
Some of my friends i'll the Senate to whom
| talked about this case got the names
mixed, and when that case was up took spe-
cial interest i'll its passage My secretary,
knowing the interest | had taken, wrote to
this young girl that her bill had passed the
Senate. Very many in the neighborhood in
the town in which she lives and the county
in which the town is located wrote to me
kindly letters for the action | had taken. 1t
turns out that it was d mistake. For that
reason, i'll addition to the reasons which | have
already given, | have n strong desire to see
this bill pass the Senate.
| do not believe Ii Will give rise to the pas
sage of any other cases. There are exceptions
to all rules, and this case [ think ought to be
made an exception. | feel earnestly about it.
| feel more so than / have in any case that has
been before Congress. | hope the Senate will
be generous | hope the Senate will not listen
to this hard d-hearted member of the Committee
on Pensions, but will let themselves Sympa-
thize little with this girl in her sore distress
Mr. PLATT. | want to say that the House
has already passed two other bills, taking this
AS n precedent, which are over here.
Mr. CAMERON, of Pennsylvania. We can
stop them when they come up.
Mr. PLATT That is what | object to- I am
not hard hearted, and my course in the SEN
ate rs chairman of the Committee on Pensions
and as a member of the Committee on Pensions
authorizes me to deny with some degree of in
dignation the charge made against me by the
Senator from Pennsylvania that | am hard
hearted. | am not bad hearted enough to pass
a had pension case on account of importantly
or from any other reason except because it is
inst and right and fair, and | think that is
inst what the rule of the Senate ought to be in
all these cases.
Now. ask for the reading of tho reports,
and then | have nothing further to say.
The Principal Legislative Clerk read the fol-
lowing majority and minority reports, submit
red bv Mr. JACKSON and Mr.. BLAIR, respect
lively, from the Committee on Pensions, May
8, 1882:
The Committee Pensions to whom was re-
ferred the bill On. K. No 1922 granting pension
to Mary L. Murray, having examined the same,
make the following report:
Colonel William G. Murray, of the Eighty