The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-20
THE NATIONS GENEROUS REWARD
To the Faithful Physicians and Attend.
ants Of the I.Au,enteS clarified.

| iNIeIlcu W lue SOWMltlee OF tho NuOIe,
The bill appropriatcs for the relief oi
Lueretia 4. Garfield $4,000, less any Sums
pald to the late President Garfield on
account Of lissalary as President ltpays
DR.. Bliss $4,000; DFs Agnew and llamil.
ton $1,000 each; Drs Reyburn and Boyn.
ton $40 600 each; DR.. Susan Edison 10000;
William J. CIumP $1,000; the Secretary oi
the Navy S2,7S2, Wm. 4. SpeRre, the un.
dertNker, $t,Sj4; q. n. Jones, Elberou,
81 ,O02, and TO various merchants and others
sums varying from fifty cents to 81 900.
It provides that when Surgeon General
J. X. Barnes be retired from active service
he he placed on the retired list with the
rank and pay Of major general. II
further provides that there shall bC added
to the medical corps OF the Army one
surgeon with the rank, pay and emolh.
ments OF n lieutenant colonel, and author
ICES the President TO promote DR.. James j..
Woodward TO that position.
The majority report OF the bill sets forth
that the committee Are OF the opinion that
Congress may properly and legally assume
the expenses attendant upon the illness
and burial Of the late President, upon the
ground that he was stricken down while he
was, and because he was, in discharge OF
his duties as the Chief Executive
Officer OF the Nation and the Com
mander-in.Chief OF the Army and
Navy. Many claims have been reject.
ed, not all OF which were without merit.
Others have been allowed in part and all
hive been figidIy Scrntinized; so much 80
that your committee feel authorized to
state that those claims recommended for
payment are correct and just. The report
refers TO the grave responsibilities, the assi.
duotis care and intiring devotion and long
tendants, aud makes honorable mention
Of the services ot y, Smith Townsend, DR..
ChAs. Is. Piervis, surgeon General Wales
Of the Navy and Or. Nathan
$. Lincoln, when called after the shooting
occurred. and says "They did NIL that
science and skill could accomplish towards
the patients relief and to produce reaction
from the shock" Commendable mention
is also made Of Gen. Swain, Col. Rockwell,
J. Stanley Brown and G. o. Rockwell, who,
the report says, devoted their whole time
during the Presidents illness to his comfort
and service. The committee concludes by
urging the passage OF the bill agreed upon
by the majority.
The minority report is signed by Con-
gressmen Blackburn, Springer and lie
Feyre. They say:
We do not object to the payment by the
General Government of the funeral ex.
penses OF the late President, who was
stricken down in the performance Ct his
duties and because OF his occupying pub.
lie station. Our objection 10 the report
grows out Of the recommendation for pay
Heat for the services OF the physicians and
surgeons who attended the late President
We are perfectly willing TO concede
that liberal compensation should be al-
lowed the physicians and surgeons, COM
pensation in excess even OF what it was
possible for any medical attendants to have
earned in their ordinary practice during
the time, but the sums recommended to be
paid by the majority Of the Committee are
excessive. We are Of the opinion there
WIS no extraordinary medical skill exhibit
ed in the treatment OF the case and that
there is nothing calling for any extraorii-.
nary allowance for their professional seryi-
Ccs. While willing to be liberal We could
not consent to the manner OF payment rec
commended nor TO the extravaganza and
wanton lavishment Of public funds. We
also protest against the part of the report Of
the mn HiOrity which recommends the promo
ton Of Surgcon-Generll Barnes TO q major
generals rank and his retirement there
under and 10 the recommendation OF the
promotion OF DR.. Woodward from major
10 lieutenant colonel, with the rank and
pay OF the latter office. This committee
has no jurisdiction to make any recon-.
mendations with regard to the military
establishment We were willing that the
government should assumc to pay such
sums for professional services ms might
lawfully lave been recovered from the
estate OF the President and were desirous
OF treating such claims us claims against
the estate Of the deceased rather than as
properly cognizable by Congress. We were
willing therefore TO appropriate to the
estate such portion Of the unearned salary
OF the late President as would cover all
such claims, but cannot agree that excess.
i've sums shall be appropriated for these
professional services.
We recommend the adoption OF the fol-
lowing resolutions: That the report OF the
majority OF the committee, together with
the bill accompanying said report, be
rccommitted with instructions to The COM
mittee, to require all persons having
claims cogniza6te by said committee to
present accounts thereof and TO require
claimants in all cases to furnish proof as
to value of segyices rendered or
materials furnished, and in case OF allow
anCes for professional services rs phys.
iciaus or surgeons to make such allow.
Nnces only ms would be properly
chargeable and proveabIe against the
estate OF the late President, and 10 pro.
vide in the bill, when again reported, such
further appropriation ottte late Presidents
unearned salary ms would cover the
amounts audited for such professional ser