The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-07-22
PENSION LEGISLATION.
WHAT CONGRESS is DOING IN BEHALF
OF THE SOLDIER.
Hon. A. G. Curtin on the Sacred Obligations Of the
Governmcnt-PensiOn Asked for the Grand
daughter Of Jefferson Action OF
Congress in individual PEN
sion Cases.


In an humble cottage, rented at twenty dol
lars month, in a secluded part OF Georgetown,
IN this District, lives Septinia Randolph Neill-
lcham, widow of DR.. Meiklcham, daughter of
Martha Jefferson and only surviving grand
child of Thomas Jefferson, with her three
children, depending mostly upon the eXertlOnS
of a delicate and dutiful daughter for their
support. She was born at Monticello beneath
her illustrious grandfathers roof, on the Sd day
Of January, 1914. She was the seventh daugh-
ter, and hence called SeptimiG, and. believe
the youngest child but one of Governor Thomas
Mann Randolph and Martha Jefferson They
had twelve children, five sons and seven daugh
ters all horn in JeffeTson's homo at Monticello
except Mary Jefferson and BENJAMIN Franklin,
who were born at Edge Hill, and James Madi-
son, who was born at the White House, i'll the
city of Washington, when her mother was the
mistress of that establishment.
You have within the last month or two given,
by nearly unanimous vote by both Houses,
$4,000 to raise monument to Jcifersons mem
DRY i'll the deserted ruins Of Monticello. Think
you that this pension which | ask from you for
his grandchild who is living in our midst and
who deserves to have each member of Congress
and the Cabinet and the President call UpOn
her at least once a year while she livcs-think
yOu that this pension will not prove a more aC-
oeptable monument to his memory than shafts
Of marble or decorations over his grave? Think
you IL FlDiidS JcutTSDl spirit can Dtltl from
THE CELESTIAL ABODE OF DEPARTED PA
TRIOTS
and note what is occurring in this Capitol Of
his country that he would not Il thousand
times prefer to see that humble Georgetown
cottage where dwcis the only relative now liy
ing whom he ever saw on earth gildcd by your
muniticence than all the marble YOU could pile
upon his ashes at Monticello? You have dur
ing the present session given the Same amount
he tct HN-1,,, Oh
cain, and Mrs. Garfield; none OF them so well
deserving as she deserves. Nor is there any
danger of setting precedent for other similar
grants. We shall never have another living
member TO care for of that family circle which
gathered around the dying couch of the author
OF the Declaration of Independence
This sole surviving grandchild OF our illus
trious statesman and patriot, born i'll his house,
fondled on his knee, carried III his arms, kissed
by his lips, is now living in this District in
stfaItened circumstances, Il widow, with her
delicate family, in an humble dwelling within
sight Of the White House, where her mother
once shOne as the first OF American women
within the shadow of this Capitol which but
for him would probably never have reared its
majestic Dome above its assembled statesmen
within sight of that majestic column slowly
mounting heayenward to perpetuate the fame
OF him who vindicated by his sword what his
great cOmpatriOt had created by his pen. And
shall she be permitted to feel no thrOb of patri-
otic pride pulsing around her humble home
from the great heart Of the American people
represented III these Halls of Congress? Sen
atOrs and Representatives, | call upon you to
see that this grandchild shall not suffer for any
thing you can give her for the brief time that
She may live to keep alive the memory of the
heroic age OF this Republic.
Tue SACRED OBLIGATION TO PAY PEN
SIONERS.
In the House of Representatives on the 9th
timo Hon. Andrew G.. Curtin, of Pennsyl-
vazlia, delivered speech on the bill TO reduce
internal revenue taxation. In the course of
his speech he said
We have given S1000O0O0O to pensions, but
that, sir, could not be refused. The Forty-fifth
Congress, by solemn enactment acknowledged
debt due to the soldiers of the Republic and
accompanied it with promise to pay.
The amount has been ascertaincd this year,
and this Congress did no more than to accept
the obligation and redeem the promise made
by the United States; and as the men to whom
the promise was made are growing old and are
most of them poor, and as the debt has been
due q long time, it Is our duty to pay 1t as
promptly rs possible and to give all the ncces-
sa7y appliances for the speedy settlement Of
their claims. 1t is too late to question the
wisdom or the justice of that law. it is on our
You might as well go before the American people
and attempt to repeal the fourteenth and iii
tcenth amendments to the Constitution of the
United States, which contain the lessons and
logic of the war, or you might as well expect
the passage Of bill to reduce the wages Of the
members OF this House, either of which would
be quite impossible.
PASSAGE OF INDIVIDUAL PENSION BILLS.
Much of the time of the Senate on the 18th
inst. was devoted to the consideration of yari-
Gus pension bills. Measures granting pensions
to the following persons were favorabiy re-
ported: TO Jane S. Taplin, Eliza NJ Bass,
David II. Stephenson and Ann Elizabeth
Rodgers. A bill for the relief Of Hardie ii.
Helper was reported from the Committee on
Pensions with amendments. The following
adverse reports in pension eases were made by
the some committee: In the cases of Cornelius
Fitzgerald, Elccta W. Jacobs, Mrs Mary F.
McKccver, Elizabeth Bauer and James
Vitchcn.
During the session. MIR. Logan, from the
Committee on Appropriations, to whom was
referred the bill making appropriations for the
payment Of invalid and other pensions of the
United States for The fiscal year ending June
80, le3; and for other purposes, reported it
with amendments, and gave notice that as soon
IS it is printed he would ask for the considera-
ton OF the bill.
The Senate passed pension bills, mostly
House bills, without amendment, III favor OF
the following persons: Jacob Nix, VIM II.
Morgan, Mrs. Electa l.. Baldwin, Ellon Giles
pie, Amos Chapman, Elizabeth IL. Spots Al
bert O. Miller, Joseph n. Abbey, Joel i. Garter,
Newton Boutwell,, Thomas U. R0throck, James
Hawthorne Geo. J. Webb, John H. Jackson,
Mary +. Matthews, Ann Teddy, Enoliuo Pink,
Mrs. Lizzie H. Mitchell, Mrs. Elizabeth b.
Custer (widow of Gen. Georgia A. Custer,
Caroline French, l.. G. Hoffman, Bernard
Brady, Iaban Conner, Peter }. Wclshbillig,
Elijah w. Penny Elizabeth FcnnOr Henry,
Betty TAYLOR Dahdridge daughter of Gen.
Zachary Taylor-ponsion so per monthly,
Amelia Ann Wilson, Robt. 2. Walker and Mrs.
Kate J.. Usher.
Subsequently Nh Morgan, of Alabama, en-
tered q motion to reconsider the vote by which
the bill granting a pension to Betty Taylor
Dandridgo WAS passed, in order TO offer an
amendment.
When H. L. bill 1922, granting pension TO
Mary Wade was considered rs III Committee of
the Whole there wai considerable discussion,
and it finally went over. 1t provides for
placing on the pension roll the name OF Mary
Wade, OF Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the mother
of Jennie Wade, who was killed while baking
bread for the Union soldiers, and for paying
aI,r,, Woda q nnnSim at the rate of ~ Dpr