The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-27
FORTY.EiGRTH CONGRESS.
SENATE Proceedings Yesterday.

WASHINGTON. May &c, 1884.
Mr.. Lowell presented Joint resolution
OF the Legislature OF New jersey urging
the passage Of the pending bin to promote
the efficiency OF the revenue marine SER
vice.
Mr.. Blair presented a resolution OF the
General Conference OF the Methodist Epis-
eopal Church, now sitting at Philadelphia,
iavoring the passage by Congress OF the
educational bill recently passed by the
| Senate.
Senator ingalls, reported from the Com
mittec ON judiciary substitute for the
joint resolution introduced by Senator
jackson proposing an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States in rela-
| ton 10 the terms OF Office of President and
Nice-freSident The amendment pro-
vided for in the substitute is as follows:
Article .. Executive power shall be
vested in the President OF the United States
of America. The President and Vice.
President hereafter elected shall hold their
offices for a term OF six years, but the
President shall not be eligible for re.
election, nor shall the Vice President be
eligible to the Office of President il he shall
have exercised the same in the case OF
vacancy therein.
Mr.. Logan reported from the judiciary
Committee the bill heretofore passed by
the Senate extending until December 81,
1884, the duration of the Court Of Alabama
Claims, with recommendation that the
Senate n0n-cOncur in the House amend
ment extending the time one year longer.
Mr.. Hoar moved that the bill be taken
mp at once, and that the Senate concur in
the amendment. He said the Court
had decided ,606 cases in year and
half, and there were 4,0jj cases vet TO
be tried. and these could not be decided
by December, 1884.
After some debate Mr.. Bayard called the
yeas and nays on Mr.. Hale's motion, which
resulted: yeas, 20; nays. 1870 the SEN
ate concurred in the amendment OF the
House extending the term OF the court to
December 81. 1885.
Mr.. Plumb, from the Committee on
Public Lands, reported favorably the bill
to forfeit the unearned Immigrants OF the
Atlsntic and Pacific railroad and restore
the same to settlement.
The Utah bill came up rs the regular
order, and Mr.. HOar proceeded to speak in
advocacy OF the bill. After speaking for
some time he yielded to enable the Mexican
pension bill to be taken up. The principal
changes made by the Senate Pensions Com
mittee in the bill as it came from the House
of Representatives are: First, in striking
out the clause that limits widows pensions
to the cases OF widows who were married
before the sol'iers' discharge from the
army, and permitting the payment Of pen
sions TO all Mexican soldiers widows who
have not remarked; and second, limiting
the benefits OF the act 10 persons who are
dependent, in whole or in part, upon their
4 lfI fsH,.
support.
Mr.. Mitchell, chairman OF the Commit
tee on Pensions, explained the effect OF
the amendments. and said that il every
soldier should be pensioned for service,
without regard TO disabilities, the applica-
ton OF the rule TO surviving soldiers OF the
late war would involve the country in an
expenditure OF Sl00,000,000 annually. His
opinion was that every man owed military
duty to his country. The estimated num-
Der OF Mexican soldiers now surviving was
SO, 900. and the bill gave pension to all
who had served even one day. He thought
that those who did not need pension ought
not 10 ask it.
Mr.. Blair, alluding 10 the epithet OF the
pauper" clause which had been applied
to one OF the Senate amendments, said he
did not look upon poverty as disgraceful,
and repealed the idea. He had heard It adj
yanced that it was degradation or mark
OF pauperism in man who had served his
country 10 take pension from people OF
that country. He did not deem it wise,
however, to establish a precedent that
man should receive a pension for service
whether disabled or not. The eXpendi-
ture which such policy would entail
for the next fifty years would be enor-
nous. He had the clerk read the bill
prepared by himself, providing for PEN
sionlpg for service alone OF all soldiers and
sailors, such pension not to begin, how
ever, till period twenty years after their
discharge, and to be in addition to the
regular pension for disability, II any. The
idea OF this bill was that If soldier need
ed help at the time when by reason OF age
he was not able to work so efficiently as
when younger the service pension might
make life easier for him.
Mr.. Logan moved to strike out that part
of the amendment which, as he under
stood it. refused man pension unless he
acknowledged himself to be pauper.
Mr. Williams differed with Mr.. Mitchell
as to the wisdom of the principle on when
the bill was based. As it came from the
House it was the correct principle. Inc
European policy was TO keep enormous
standing armies at great expense; the
American, TO have small standing army,
but with militia reserve OF l0,OOV,QO0
lighting men, The European pohcy also
used the soldier up and then turned nun
out to starve. n should be the pr1de OF
America that its policy was different.
Mr.. Ingalls,, while not depreclatlng the
merits OF Mexican veterans, could not
agree with Mr.. Williams as to the lustice
OF tn Mexican war. n more lndeiensipie
war Of spoliation and robbery, he salu' hilu u
never been waged against defenceless
neiobbor. II had been the result OF the
desire Of political party to extend the
limits OF slavery and aggrandiZe the slave
holding power.
Mr.. Inoalls was not at all alarmed at the
nrinciDle OF giving pension for services.
lie cited the action OF Congress with re-
.ard IN all orr former wars TO show that
the precedent had been set OF pensioning,
after the lapse OF a certain time, without
regard 10 disability, and he favored that
nrinciple. He would favor the pensiohin&
~ soldiers OF the late war alter the eXpira-
tion ~ n similar time. The precedent De-
inc in favor Of this bill, the only question
was whether the proper time bao arri'eu'
He thought ii had. ..,o,
MIR. Logan spoke in favor OF DIS mo'lou'
He did not believe the estimates were cor
rect that fixed the number Oh MeAlcHn
veterans now living at 10000. lie though'
that the estimate must have been maze III or
der 10 defeat the bill. There could not pe
more than ~, 900 now living. Ihat was lle
estimate that was supported py TUG pess
evidence. IL economy and not merit vas
80 no the order of the day, senators mao
better wait till there were only one " rh I'VE
of the Mexican veterans hVlnR. a III hv
would be considerable money sa'e oiv oy