St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-15
The House of Representatives.

WASHINGTON, March 4-The morning hour
was dispensed with on motion of Townshend,
who moved the postoffice appropriation bill
be taken up. The motion was lost, and the
house went into committee of the whole, Mr..
Cox, of New York, in the chair, on the pri-
vate calendar. The bill granting pension
of $4,000 q year to Septimina Randolph
Meikleham, sole surviving grandchild OF
Thos. Jefferson, was taken up, and a favor
able report from the committee on pensions,
read. AS the clerk was reading the majority
report complimentary to Jefferson, Bedford
asked "what in the name of God is the use
of reading such a report as that"'
@ Order" cried O'Neill of Pennsylvania.
The minority report of the committee OPP
posed the bill on the ground that it provides
for granting a civil pension, JetIerson,s SER
vices being civil instead of military. This
report, while asserting that it is a disgrace to
the people that his good old lady should be
in want, yet contend that congress has no
authority to vote money for charity. The
minority argue, if pension be granted, ID
would be only short time before efforts
would be made to pension the living chill
dren and grandchildren of all the presi-
dents.
Mr. Robinson of New York, favored tho
bill. He said, Mrs. Meikleham was living
in humble dwelling at Georgetown, that
cost but 5000. She and her three children
were dependent for support on the exertiOna
of delicate and beautiful daughter. Mr..
Robinson thought there was inconsistency in
the members voting many thousands of dole
to the widows of the presidents, and refusing
to grant a small pension tothe granddaughter
of jefferson. How could the minority strain
h,yr;
camels. He demanded room for Jefferson
in the vestibule of American sympathy.
Around the venerable form of Jefferson'e
grand child he drew circle of American
womanhood. Put one hostile foot or cast an
unkind glance within that sacred circle, and
on the head of the offender he would launch
the curse of an indignant people. If he had
his way, he would make it obligatory on the
president and his cabinet to call on Mrs.
Meikleham every fourth Of July, and would
give her a blank check on the treasury. He
criticized the report of the minority for ito
opposition to the civil list, in view Of the fact
that three members who signed that report,
had stood mute, when his illustrious colleague
Coe, amid the applause of the Republican
side, presented bill, placing on the civil
list the name of Mrs. Garfield. Shade Of
Jefferson. What mad he done to be con.
sidered less worthy of the nations memory
than Garfield, Lincoln, Polk and Tyler. He,
Robinson, would rather have his name rec
corded in favor of this bill than in favor Of
any paper since the declaration of indepen.
dence.
Mr.. Hewitt of Alabama, declared the
speechAof the gentleman from New York to
be an extraordinary one. 1t was a condem-
nation of Thomas Jefferson and Jefferson'l
political career, around which his glories clu8-
tered. 1t was condemnation of every line
that Jeffeson ever wrote on political matters.
He argued against the constitution at the
pending measure, and paraphasing Robin.
sons paraphrase, drew around the sacred
constitution the circle of freedoms safe
guards and bulwarks, and hurled the curse
of the American people against any man who
dared to invade it.
Mr.. Post opposed the bill.
Mr.. Matson viewed the proposition from
the standpoint of expediency, and warned
the house of the dangerous precedent il
would set by the adoption of the measure,
which was the beginning of civil pension
list
Mr.. Wolford said, the proposition to pens
sion the and-daughter of Thomas Jefferson
was not Unconstitutional, if it were it was
constitutional to devote $4,000 for the
relief of the flood sufferers. In fact, every
pension ever voted was unconstitutional, il
this vote was. He hoped the house would n Oh
demonstrate to-day the truth of the saving
''Republics are ungrateful.' He believed
every man that brought his mind and soul to
the service of his country, ought to be re.
membered. He was as much in favor of Q
civil pension list as he was of military PEN
sion list, provided the service rendered wac
as good, as great, and did as much for OUT
common country.
MIR. Holmes opposed the measure on cone
sttutional grounds. and because it would esf
tabllsh civil list.
Mr.. Robinson of New York closed the de.
bate by an appeal to the house not to draw
line across the face of Thomas jefferson.
On motion of j. NJ. Hewitt of Alabama the
enacting clause was stricken out by yeas 12e
to go nays. The committee rose and the
house ratified its action.
The speaker announced the appointment
of Keller, Forney and Allis as conferees on
the part of the house on the military academy
appropriation BILL
The speaker laid before the house q com.
munication from the secretary Of war, asking
an appropriation for the erection in San
| Francisco of additional buildings for the
headquarters of the military division of the
Pacific. Referred.
The house then took a recess until 7:30.
The house at the evening session passed
the pension bills, and adjourned until to-
morrow.
A convention of inventors is called "a
meet in Cincinnati March 25th to prevent