The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-03-08
AT WASHINGTON.


from the committee on judiciary, reporte'
adversely the house bill to provide for tn
restoration OF citizenship Of such citizens o
the United States as have become natural
lied citizens of Great Britain,
Mr.. Taber offered a joint resolution pro
yiding for participation by the government
in the National Mining and Industrial ex
position to be held at Denver.
A message was received announcing the
names of the house conferees on the inter
nal revenue and tariff bill.
At Mr.. Garland's request the message
was read. Mr.. Garland also asked to have
read from the Congressional Record the
resolution of the house instructing its con.
ferees ito consider fully constitutional
objections to the internal revenue bill as
amended by the senate, and to bring the
same together, with the opinion of the
mittee of conference" etc., and moved to
reconsider the motion by which the senate
had agreed to the conference.
The pending question was on the motion
of Mr.. Vest to strike out the words ''or
shall have suffered disability equal
thereto"
Mr.. Voorhees, declared himself in favor OF
the DILL and called attention to some
figures, showing that in 1870 the number
of soldiers who had suffered amputation
was less than 1900, and one-half of those
were now dead and buried. The vital
statistics on this subject were appalling.
They showed beyond question the average
demenation of life by those losing lee
or an arm was fifteen years.
Mr.Van Wyck said if the desire of the sen.
ate was to defeat the bill, that was one thing
but ii there was any real intention that
increased pensions should be given to those
suffering from special disabilities, there
was 40 class more in need or deserving such
recognition than the class proposed to be
struck out by Mr.. Vest.
Mr.. Platt SAID it would be great injustice
to adopt Mr.. Vests amendment.
Mr.. Harris said the majority of the com
mittee on pensions had reported in favor oi
postponing this bill, and in Difference tc
that report he would move indefinite post
ponement of the bill.
Mr.. salisbury supported the motion.
Mr.. VanWyck said that when the nation
called these soldiers to its defense it pledged
its faith that the MANNED and wounded
and widows and orphans should be careC
for, and that pledge should be held at leas
as sacred as the promise to pay the nationa
debt incurred in the same great struggle
Addressing some of the senators on thu
other side of the chamber, he said that i
the Confederacy had triumphed they woulC
'nevt~ had allowed their wounded soldiers
or widows0r orphans of their dead to suffe
want.
Mr.. Logan OPPOSED the motion to post
pone the bill. Its postponement meant it
defeat. The men applying for an increase
ofpensions were entitled to a fair hearini
before the senate of the United States, aaC
ii the pending bill was defective, the proper
thing to be done was not to postpone but TO
amend and pass it.
Mr.. Vest said if the Confederacy had tri-
umphed, he would have voted the last dol
lar and last acre OF land, if necessary, &c
provide for its soldiers, and the people o
the United States,to whom victory has been
given, had the same duty imposed
upon them Recognizing this, and believ-
ing the nation that would not reward its
soldiers should be blotted upon the map ol
Christendom, he, as citizen of the United
States. would vote for the largest public
provision for men who, on the battlefield,
preserved the national existence, but he
had moved to strike out this equivalent
disability" because he believed it would
open the way for illimitable frauds.
Mr.. Harris was not willing that his mo-
tion to oindefinltely postpone the bill should
be construed into evidence that he was OPP
posed to reasonable and just pensions, but
as to this BILL taken up in the last hours OF
4 congress, and in respect to which no one
could tell whether il would take
live or ten or hundred millions
rom the treasury, he thought it
should be indefinitely postponed, leaving
the claims of these classes, whose pensions
it proposed to increase, to be passed upon
at the next session of congress, when the
subject could be considered deliberately
and with judgment.
Mr.. Sherman said he would vote for the
equivalent disability" provision, if 1t could
be made certain in its operation, but he
thought, in the present form, it was vague
and liable to lead to abuses.
The motion to postpone indefinitely was
lost-19 to "a.
Messrs. Cockrell, Ingalls,, Plumb and
Vest voted nay.
Mr.. Vests amendment striking out the
equivalent disability" clause was lost
ayes, 20; nays, n.
Mr.. Platt offered the substitute, of which
he gave notice some days since, and 1t was
81; noes, s.
Amendments providing pensions to sur
viyors Of the Mexican and Indian wars
were lost.
Mr.. Williams made a speech in favor Of
Mexican veterans, and inciden-
tally mentioned that the increase of pen
the treasury the first year.
The bill was reported to the senate, the
made in committee OF the
whole concurred In, and the bill as amended
passed-27 to IL.
Messrs. Cockrell, Ingalls,, Plumb and
Vest voted aye.
The bill, as passed. is in the following
language "That from and after passage Of
this act. all persons on the pension roll and
hnraaffnr Uranfan
who, while in military or naval line Of duty
shall have lost one hand or one foot, or
been totally or permanently disabled,
20 as to render their incapaci.y TO perform
manual labor equivalent to the loss of
hand or foot shall receive pension Of S24
per month: that all persons now on the
pension roll, and ali persons hereafter
granted pensions, who, in like manner.
shall q, have e, aSoy. lSss either sss sIhSR an
or leg at or above the knee, or shall have
been otherwise so disabled as to be inca
pacitated for performing any manual labor,
but 50 much as to require regular personal
aid and attendance, shall receive a pension
of $50 per month; provided, that nothing
in this act shall be coBsu ueG
10 rept al section 4695, Of t5e Revised Si8i
utes, or 10 cha &c the -a'e VI SIS ,er a.nai.
ib1fein meuti-i ed 20 he $40, Oiii.Dafels
IINlt Ell " NY AEaAAN " y NMgAAANI fHAHU
isheo. % .s.5ch trc.i' u iCJ5 make no DrO
visop."
Mr.. AIlisbs fepcite the sui,dry evil bill
and ssid he W'auid sall % " 80 m,ar0E.
Amer tf.tu i've &c siOa. the sera'e
adjourned.
uOusE.
The house went .IstO c0Dmittee Of the
whole on the state oi the Uuiyn, and af er
4 brief contest with regard 70 The respective
Claims Tor precedence Of the deficiency and
he river and hsrb0r bills, consideration OF
he latter measure Was resumed.
Before It was finally taken up, Springer
made the point OF order that the tariff bill
vas first in order. The friends Of that
measure, IL seems, had left II In committee
10 die, but be thought its consideration
should be proceeded with.
The chair. however, voted otberwise, and
he rIver and hsrbor bill vas taken up.
McI.ADe spoke in support Of the bin.
Commenting on last years veto bil.
NcIean erpf esd bis opinion that Il sas
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