The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-10-31
OLD SOLDIERS IN CONFERENCE.
The Resolutions Adopted-A Demand for
Radical Changes in the Pension Laws.

The Resolutions Adopted-A Demand for
Radical Changes in the Pension Laws.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Oct. 25.-The Ma
tional Convention of Soldiers and Sailors
met here yesterday afternoon in response
ton call issued by General f. w. Haskell
and General Merrill. Delegates were pres
ent representing about eleven hundred or
CARNATIONS. The object of the convention
is to take action looking to secure pensions
for all soldiers and sailors of the late war;
General j. r. Canadian was elected Chair
man and John 0. Hardesty Secretary The
States were called, showing delegates pres
ent from New York, Massachusetts,, Yer
mont, Maine Pennsylvania, Ohio, Mich
igan, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas,
Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland,
and the District of Columbia. The call for
the convention was then read, and COM
mittee on resolutions appointed, to consist
OF one member from each State, with S. S.
Burdette, of the District of Columbia, as
Chairman. The following resolutions were
presented by the committee:
We, the ex-soldiers and sailors of the Uniou
army and navy in the war of the rebellion of
lo6l-lS65 now in masS-convention assembled,
present to our comrades and our representa-
yves IN Congress our views and our desires on
the question of pensions. Believing that our
comrades who are now suffering from disease
Or wounds are entitled to the kindeSt consider
alton at the hands of Congress; therefore, be
ResOIved, That we ask the following amend
mentS to the present Pension laws:
l. That every person who served in the mill
tarY or naval service of the United States for
the period of three. months during the war of
the rebellion and has been honOrably dis
charged therefrom, and who is or shall be-
come disabled, and shall also be dependent
upon his own labor for support, shall be ~laeed
upon the list of pensioners of the Lifted
States and be entitled to receive a pension
during the continuance of such disability, at
rate proporhonate to the degree thereof.
z. That all widows or minor children Of sol
d1ers and sailors who as such are now receiv-
ing under the existing laws the sum of eight
dollars per month be entitled to and receive
Ine ines sum I'm OF twelve dollars per month"; and all
SUCH widows or minor children who shall here
after be found to be entitled to the rate of
eight dollars per month under the existing
laws shall be entitled to and receive a rate of
ten dollars in lien of said rate of eight dollars.
3. That if any invalid pensioner has died or
snail hereafter die, leaving q widow or minor
child under eight years of age, both of such
pensioners, such widow and such minor child,
named, to the original pension in their own
name, without being required to prove that
the death OF such pansiOner was due to his
military or naval service Cor the United States.
1. That the pensions granted widows on ac-
count of minor children shall be continued
without limit as to age wherever it shall APP
pear that such minors are of unSound mind
or physically helpless so as to render them in
capable of earning subsistence.
8. That in considering the claims of Deepen
dent parents, the fact and cause of death, and
the fact that the soldier left no widow or
minor children having been shown, it shall be
parent is without other present means of COM
Portable support than his or her own manual
labor.
!. g. That in all applications where it appears
that the applicant was regularly enlisted and
mustered into the service, that fact shall be
prima facia evidence of soundness at the time
OF his enlistment, but such presumption shall
be subject to rebuttal by record or other com
petent evidence
Believing that the foregoing embrace only
the just and equitable demands of the vet
Grams OF the late war, and as all legislation to
this end must depend upon the active CO.
operation of the Legislature and officials of
the country, we earnestly urge upon the sol
dierS and sailors of the war against the re-
belllon to give their support at the polls only
to such party o.. candidates as are and eyer
have been in favor of such just legislation in
the interest of the men who stood in defense
of the country in the hour of need.
The resolutions were unanimously
adopted, and Mr.. Burdette, Chairman Of the
committee, was instructed to bring the mat
ter to the attention of Congress.