Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-31
Important to Union Veterans.
ACTION coscERs1se THE Pension LAWS.

A National Mass Convention of the Veter-
ans of the late war assembled at the Park
Theatre, Indianapolis. Indiana. on Friday,
Get oath, in pursuance of call issued bv
Major +. w. Haskell, to consider the ques-
ton of pensions.
Communications had been received from
over eleven hundred different veteran organi-
cations throughout the country. and delegates
were sent from nearly every State which
sent soldiers to the Union army. from Maine
TO Montana, from Vermont to Kentucky. A
letter accompanying the call stated that a
communication had been addressed to the
National Committee of the two leading
political parties, concerning this question.
and that in response thereto the democratic
committee expressed itself as "unwilling to
make any official declaration upon the sub
ject."
The republican committee wrote 'sWe
teeI authorized to say that whenever the
authoriz Representatives of the soldiers and
sailors shall have matured plan by which
pensions NAV be given to all who rendered
adequate service, or are now in need, the
past record of the republican party is ample
assurance that such measure will have its
unqualified support
TIE convection was called to order by
Major Haskell, and General James X. Carna-
han elected Chairman
A committee of one from each State was
chosen upon resolutions. OF which Col S. S.
Burdette of Washington. was chairman.
After session OF considerable length, the
Committee presented tbs following report,
which was unanimously adopted amid great
enthusiasm:
We ex.soldiers and sailors of the Union Army and
Nav IN the of the rebellion. 1851 lS65 in
mass convention assembled. do now present to our
comrades and our Representatives in Congress, our
views and our desires on the question of pensions.
Believing that our comrades who now suffer ng
from disease or wounds entitled to the kindest
consideration at the hands Of Congress; therefore,
be il
Resolved, That we ask for the following amend
ments TO the present pension laws Fret that every
person who served in the military naval service
Of the United States for period of three mouths
during the war of the rebellion, and has honor
able discharge therefrom, aud who is. or shall be-
come disabl and shall also be dependent upon his
own labor fer support shall be placed upon the list
of Pc sioners OF the United States and shall be en-
titled TO pension during the continuance of such
disability at rate pro2ortonate to the degree there
of.
Second. That all widows or minor children of
soldiers and sailors. who, as SUCH are receiving
der the existing la IS. the sum of $S per month,
shall be entitled to, and receive the further of
$l2 per month, and all such widows and minor
children who shall hereafter be found to be entitled
10 the rate OF 80 per month under the existing law,
shall be entitled to and receive rate of $2 in lieu
of said rate of $S.
Third. That if any invalid pensioners have died
or shall hereafter die leaving widow minor
child under eight wears of age both of such pension
such widow and minor children, shall be entitled
in the order of succession named to the original
pension in their own name, without being required
to prove that the death of such pensioner was due
to his military naval service in the United States
Fourth. That pensions granted the widows
account OF minor children shall be continued without
limit as % age wherever ii shall appear that such
minors are of unsound mind or physically helpless,
SO AZ to render them incapable of earning subsis-
tence
Fifth That in considering the claims of depen-
dent parents, the fact and of death, and the
fact that the soldier left widow minor children
having been shown, 1t shall be necessary only TO
present means of comfortable support than his or
her own manual labor.
sixth. That in all applications where it appears
that the applicant aas regularly enlisted anH mus
tered into the SERVICE that fact shall be p-ima facie
evidence of soundness at the time of his "nls man
but such presumption shall BE- subject rebu u.l by
record or other competent evidence.
Believing that the foregoing embraces only the
just and equitable demands OF the veterans of the
late war; and as all Legislation to this end must de-
dend upon the active cooperation of the legislative
urge upon the soldiers and sailors of the against
the rebeiou TO give their support at the polls only
TO such party or candidates as and ever have
been in favor of such just legislation in the interests
OF the who stood in defence of the country in its
hour OF need.
The passage of a law embodying the fore
going. would provide pensions for every
Union veteran now disabled or in need