The National tribune., 1882-08-19

Mr. BLAIR, from the Committee on Pensions,
submitted the following views of the minority,
to accompany bill ii. K. No. 2592:
The services of Colonel Murray were of unusual
gaiantry, and the example of his heroic death, at
the head of his troops at the opening of the war,
was of greater service to his country than if his
life Ill the field had been prolonged fort may have
been years The mother died within six months
OF the time when the father killed, leaving the
two infant children dependent and destitute, and
this daughter suffering from physical inCapacity,
which has made her practically disabled ever since.
The circumstances of the further set forth
in the memorial of Colonel William G.. Murray
Post No, 80, Department of Pennsylvania, Grand
Army of the Republic.
The minority believe thatthi girl is and always
must be, an infant less than sixteen years of age,
in the eye and reason of the law, and urgently
recommend that she receive the usual pension in
such cases There can be but few cases like hers
i'll the country. 1t is only question whether this
country, some poor-house, or the private charity
OF strangers shall furnish her future support.
The House bill gives her $50 per month. We
recommend the passage of the BILL substituting SIS
for $50. Thus amended, we recommend the passage
of the bill.
Mr.. BLAIR I made this minority report.
The law gives to the infant children support
until sixteen years of age.
Mr.. PLATT. How much?
Mr.. BLAII. 1t depends entirely upon the
rank of the officer.
At sixteen years of age it is supposed that
they have arrived at such degree of maturity
The reason is their dependence and inCapacity
to support themselves. This girl, as is stated in
the minority report, is an infant still, and she
must always remain an infant so far as her
ability to gain livelihood is concerned.
The Importance of the services rendered by
her father cannot be exaggerated. He died
c0nSplcu0usly at the opening of the war when
an example of bravery and gallantry such as
he furnished was of very great Importance in
deed. The children lost their mother within
six months Of the death Of their father. They
were supported by the Government until they
were sixteen years of age. The girl can do no
more toward her support now than she could
when she was one year old, and it is as there
stated only q question whether she shall be-
come beggar, whether she shall depend upon
charity, or whether she shall be supported by
these 50,000,009 of people to whose prosperity
he father contributed so much by his death.
There are very few cases like this. There
is no danger of sWamping the Treasury. There
are only two cases that are analogous that have
come to our knowledge during the entire ses-
sion, and those cases are OF very great hardship,
and the country can hardly excuse itself, it
seems to me, for turning these helpless persons
adrift.
Mr.. GRooME. Mr. President, desire to say
before the vote is taken upon this case, that #
Congress commences the business of pensiOning
the children of soldiers who have passed the
penslOnable age, no Senator can predict, even
approximately, what amount of money will
ultimately be required to pay the pensions of
this class OF persons. But undertake to make
this prediction, that if this bill passes and the
precedent thereby established leads to the adOp-
tiOn Of the general rule that when children
of soldiers who have passed the age of sixteen
years continue to remain unable to support
themselves, or later i'll life become so by reason
of disease or the intrmiticS incident to old
age, they are to be pensiOned because their
fathers did valuable service in some one Of the
wars in which our country has been involved,
all the untold millions which have been and
are yet to be disburSed from the Treasury in
consequence of the arrears OF pension act will
dwlndle into lnSigniticanCe compared with the
sums that will be ultimately required to pay the
pensions OF this vast class OF pensioners. The
list of other pensioners will after few years
steadily decrease until some fifty or sixty years
hence it will disappear entirely or dwlndle
into insignifcance; but fifty years hence this
new class of pensioners will still be upon the in
crease, because then tens or hundreds of thou
sands of the children of the soldiers of the late
war will be becoming intirm, decrepit, and
neceSSitouS, and utterly unable to support them
selves. in consequence of extreme old age, and
will claim that their condition and the valuable
services rendered by their fathers i'll the days
gone by to their country entitle them to be
pensiOned.
Sir there is but one safe rule, and that is
that no child of soldier who has passed the
pensiOnable age is to be pensiOned because OF
any inability to earn living for him or her.
self; and if that rule is once departed FROM
and If it comes to be understood that the adult
descendants of soldiers, when no longer able
to support themselves, can, notwithstanding
they have passed the pensionable age, come in
and receive pensions from this Government
no man can tell the extent of the aggregate
ultimate drain upon the Treasury, or when
that drain will end.
1t has been well said that "hard cases make
bad precedentS," and | venture to say that no
worse precedent could be established by this
Congress than the passage of this bill to-day.
l hope, therefore, while l sympathize not only
with this young woman but with the needy
everywhere that this bill may not pass.
Mr.. BLAIR. The bill stands us it came from
the House. There is no amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER, MIR. Harris III the
chair) The bill is in Committee of the Whole,
and open to amendment.
Mr.. PLATT The Senator from New Hamp-
shire, who made the minority report, recon-
mended an amendment making the pension
$l5 instead of $50 u month. Now it is pro-
posed not to amend the bill. l ask to say just
one word in relation to it.
These two children when they were under
sixteen each received $50 Il month This
daughter when she was under sixteen received
$15 only. Now, having gone beyond the pen
sionable age, beyond the age when the law
pensions her, it is proposed to give her twice
much as she received under the law when
she was OF pensionable age.
Mr.. BLAIR. The children received $50 of
pension which could be drawn on account of
the fathers death. | made the minority report
recommending that she receive Sl5 Il month,
but have not moved that amendment; l have
not been in u situation to move it as an amend
ment The bill is before the Senate with my
views upon the matter. The bill was called up
by the Senator from PcnnSy ivania Mr.. CAM
ERON and called up in my absence. l would
be glad to see the bill passed. Ii it goes back
to the House amended it is not possible for it
to become Il law at this session, but as we have
voted not to consider pension cases at all which
cOntrOverted Mt this session. it is better that
the country should give this girl little more
rather than Il little less than she needs for her
support
The bill was reported to the Senate without
amendment.
Mr.. COCKRELL. [ ask for the yeas and nays
on the third reading of the bill.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
Mr.. HAwLEY. | call attention to the fact
that this is the first deliberate beginning of
what may have another arrears of pensions ac-
count III it. Stop and think before you do
these hasty supposed to be generous things
that the country is not really asking for
Mr.. CAMERON, of Pennsylvania. IL is not
generous but merely Just.
Mr.. HAWLEY. | have my own opinion on
that. While l want to give and give and give,
| am not OiViuU nv own money A million