National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-15
The PRIVATE CALENDAR.
Bill 10 Pension Thomas JeferSon's Grand
daughter Discussed in tho House,
And the Enacting Clause Stricken Out
After Long Debate,
Various Rolisf and Pension Bills Passed at the Day
and Evening Sessions.
The Foot and Mouth Disease Under Com
sideration In the Senate.


Atbblh heloIs rolheys hhu iSihh 10 uohlOASoo VIA
the part of the house on the Military Academy
appropriation bill.
Mr.. ONoilY presented memorials from the Vessel
owners and Captains association of Philadelphia
favoring the passage Of bill giving vessel-owners
the right to sue the government In cases Of COLI.
sion with United States vessels and also the pas.
sage of the Dngley pilotago bill Referred.
The morning nour was dispensed with on
motion of Mr.. Townshend, Of Illinois.
He then moved that the postofice appropria.
This motion was lost and the house went into
committee of the whole (Mr Cox, of New York. in
toe chair on the private calendar
The bill granting a pension OF 50, 500 a year to
Septimina Randol IA Meikeham, The sole surviv-
ing grandchild Of Thomas Jctie rson, author tine
declaration Of independence, was taken up and
the favorable report of the co mmittee ON pensions
was read. Az the clerk was reading the majority
Of Colorado, asked, "What, in the name Of
God tge use OF reading SUCH n, report
The minority report Of The committee opposed
the bill on the ground that 1t provides for granting
a"cvil" pension--Jeilcrson services being civil
instead OF military. This report, while asserting
that 1t is "a disgrace to the people that the old
lady should be in want" yet contends that con-
The minority argue that If the pension be granted
1t would be only short time before efforts will be
made to pension the living children and grand
children of all the presidents.
Mr.. Robinson favored the bill. He said Mrs
Meikleham was living in an humble dwelling at
Georgetown that cost but $40 month She and
her three children were dependent for support On
the exertons OF delicate and beautiful daughter
Mr.. Robinson thought there was an consistently
.in members voting many thousands of dollars to
the widows OF presidents and refusing 10 grant a
small pension TO- a granddaughter OF Jefferson.
swallowing so many cames He demanded room
for Jefferson IN the vestibule of American SYM
grandchildren he drew the circle ofAme fican WON.
anhOod put buta hostile foot or cast any unkind
glances within that sacred circle aud on the head
Of the offender he would launch the curse of an
indignant people.
1fho had his way no would make 1t obligatory
on the president and his cabinet TO call OH MIS-.
Neikleham on every fourth of July and would
give her blank check upon the treasury. He
criticised the report Of the mi nSriy for It's oppo
members who signed that report lad stood mute
when his illustrious colleague[M r. Coxl amid.the
applause of the republican SIDE presented hill
placing OH the civil list the name of Mrs. Garfield
Shade of Jefiersonl What had he done to be less
worthy oina!onal memory than Garfield, Lincoln,
Polk, and Tylerl He Mr.. ROBINSON would rather
have his name recorded in favor ofthis bill than
in favor Of any paper since the declaration of
Mr.. Hewitt, of Alabama. declared the speech of
the gentleman from New York to be an extraordi-
nary one y was q CONSERVATION OF Thomas Jefer-
his glories clustered. 1t was condemnation Of
every line that Jefferson ever wrote on political
matters.
He argued against the constitutionality of the
pending measure. and p"rahrasng Mr.. Roblnson's
the circle Of freedoms safeguards and bulwarks
and hurled the curse of the American people
against any man who dared to invade 1t.
Mr.. Post opposed the bill, conending that the
Jehersonian principle was an adherence of any
fayoritism in legislation.
Thegovernment was not an eleemosynary institu-
ton, nor was the treasury expected to DO tap for
the relief Of INDECENT persons, however deserving.
Members Of congress had no right to compel the
crosby. Giving away what was not yours looked
generous but II was not expensive Bad as the
have been, there was yet something more sub
stantia to justify them than was presented in
support of the pending measure. To grant PEN
sion to a lady simply because she was the grand.
child of great man was to recognize the acct
dent of birth, which was repugnant to democratic
institutions. So long as there was one MANNED
suffering soldier without proper recognition he
would not favor the seeking out of the grandchild
Of civilians, however great. on whom TO shower
MIR. Hammond opposed the bill as being uncon.
stitGtiona unfair and 1ndemocra xicv aoo,o,r
would be crowded by thousands of similar meas
ureB; and the dream of the statesman from Colo
RADIO MIR Belfordl would soon be realized, and
the way would be paved to unlocking the vaults
Mr. Reagan did not think that the house should
pass the bill simply because the beneficiary of IL
was poor and was the grandchild of The author Of
the declaration of independence.
Mr. MStson viewed the proposition from the
standpoint OF expectancy, and warned the house
the adoption Of Il measure which was the begin
Mug of civil pension list
Mr. Lyman expressed his intention to vote for
though his political principles were not always
correct. It was fit that the country should recog-
the se ~ Which Jeersoa rendered as one Of
the founders of liberty in tuis land. These in
stances should not aud could not be frequent. but
twas a whe public policy to do honor in this
way TO the great men of the country.
Mr. J. s. Wise fqvo cd the Dill. Thomas Jefter.
son Stood pre-eminent as type and embodiment
Of republican democracy. Above George WASH
ingtan greatest of all, there was ever an element
Of powder and lace, which spoke OF aristocracy
al M n n mar am a n mil
ton, great and bright US lie was. there was an eter-
nal inclination to Capitalization; but Thomas JEFF
ferson, from bis red head TO his homespun socks
and red wsislGoat, was u republican-democratlc
statesman. What had America done 10 perpet.
nats his memoir? An Inexpensive shaft In t tHe
some eulogy of Ihoma, jefferson, who needed no
eulUgy 70 make him immortal
There had been Dut ono InOmas Jetfer ami
never would be another, ana gentlemen need not
be alarmed about prectdents Let gentlemen On
ing precedent when they could show that there
was danger of having ano her Thonas Jefferson.
The gentleman RON Pennsylvania Mr. POST had
said that the government was not an elccm sy
nary institution. This poor, noble woman did no.
come ~ congress a. a gonteel LerdlCaut. The
BIZ was We Spontaneous oltsslag of utbar people.
tude II tho republic to come here asking iOralms.
1t was not the qgu!nt, Little old. in hioned grand
perhaps for the hrst dine, saw ine mystery
Of lie and desth who stood here. Tho
nation did not go to that Istriou,
as tue nations ward. The little child had grown
up 10 he woman; half Il century had passed
away and ~. day suhOOled in the neglect OF tue
rcpub H., she doubtless would DC surprised NJ an
aCl 81 charity GA The part Of congress Let this
presidential year be remembered BY putting On
the highway Of its travel the splendid m!Ic sione
ufgIatilude ON The part of the American republic
10 The greatest polite an aud statesman that this
country Dver produced, whose memory never had
been properly Lcknow lodged.
Mr.. WOlfnrd said that the proposition to pen
sion the granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson was
not unuOnst lutioua If 1t were 1t was unconsti.
tutiUnal to donate 100000 for the relief of the
food sufferers. In fact every pension tnat ever
WAS voted was unconstitutional ii this were He
trusted that the house would not demonstrate TO.
day the truth Of the saying that republics we're
ungraleful. He believed That every man that
brought mind and zeal u the service Of his coun-
try ought 10 be remembered. lie was az much in
favor Of civil pension ist "a he was OF military
pension list, provided that the service rendered
was as good, as great aud did as much for the
common country When widow of a president
was pensoned congress did right. When he came
here TO legisia,e for the country he wanted no
precedent; he simply wanted TO know the right
or wrong Of II proposition.
Mr., York opposed the bill on the ground that II
would set bad precedent.
Mr.. Itlman argued against the constitutional
authority OF congress TO pass the bill.
measure on constitutional grounds, and because
II Wou d establish civil list,
Mr.. Robinson closed the debate by an appeal to
the house not 70 draw line cross the face of
Thomas Jefferson.