The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-10-27
THE PENSION LAWS.
Resolutions Adopted by a Nation al
Convention of Soldiers
Changes Desired in the Interest o.
Soldiers and Their DePendanss
--3he Question AT
ths POLLS.

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct 27.-,At the natioila
Soldiers and Sailor, convention held here
Friday, Gea. j. r. Calnahan presided and
delegates were present from New York,
Massachusetts,, Vermont. Maine, Penn
Sylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Illinni,
Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky,
indiana, Maryland, and the District OF
Columbia.
A committee was appointed to draw up
resolutions expressive of the sense Of the
members and presented the following:
We, the ex-soldieIs and sailors of the Union
army AMI navy in the war of the rebellion ct
lS6l-65 now in mass convention assembled,
do now present to our comrades and our rep
rCsAntativJs in congress on views ami our
desires an tina question uf pensions Believ
ing that oar comrades who are now suffering
from disease OF wounds are entitled Ia the
kIndest consideration at The hands of con
g!esS; therefare lie i
Resolved, That We ask the following
amendments 10 the present pension laws:
l. That every person who served in the
military ur naval service OF the United
States for the period OF three months during
the war Of the rebellion, and has an honor
able discharge thcrefronl, and who is on shall
become disabled, and shall also be dependent
on his own labor for support, shall be placed
upon the list of pensioners of the United
States, and be entitled to receive pension
during the continuance Of such disability at
rate propnriinnate 81 the degree thereof
:. That al widows or minor children of
soldiers and sailors, who as such are now re
celvlng under existing laws the sum of IS
per month, be entitled to receive the sum of
Sl2 per month; and all such widows or minor
children who shall hereafter be found to be
entitled to the rate of IS per month under
existing laws shall be entitled to and receive
the rate of SO i'll lieu of said rate OF IS
3. mat II any invalid pensioners have
died or shall hereafter die leaving a widow or
minor child under years of age, both of
such pensioners, such widow and minor
children shall be entitled in order of success
sion named, to the original pension of their
own name without being required to prove
that the death of such penSioner was Cue to
his military or naval service to the United
States.
l. That pensions granted to widows on &c
count Of minor children shall he continued
without limit as to age wherever it shall ap-
pear that such minors are of UnSound mind
or physically helpless So rs to render them
incapablo OF earning subsistence.
5 That i'll considering the claims Of de-
pendent parents the fact and cause of death
and the fact that the soldier lett no widow or
he necessary only to show that such depend
eiz parent is without other present means OF
comfortable SUPPORT than his or her own
manual labor.
Il. That in all applications where it ap-
pears that the applicant was regularly on
listed and mustered into the service that fact
shall be prima facie evidence of soundness at
the time of his enlistment, but such pre-
sumption shall be subject to rebuttal
by record or other competent evidence. Be
lieving that the foregoing embraces only just
and equitable demands OF the veterans of
the late war, and as all legisla
ton to this end must depend upon
the active cooperation of the legis-
lature and officials of the country, we
earnestly urge upon the soldiers and sailors
of the war against the rebellion to give their
support at the polls only to such party or
candidates as are and ever have been in favor
Of such just legislation in the interest of the
men Who stood in defense of the country in
the hnur of need
The resolutions were unanimously adopted,
and Mr.. Burdette, chairman of the commit
tee, wGs Instructed to bring the matter to the
attention of congress. The convention then
| adjourned