Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-04-12
A KANSAN'S CONNECTION WITH
THE GRANT RETIREMENT BILL

In connection with the illness Of Gen.
| Grant and the satisfaction 10 HIM and his
| friends of his living 10 receive lis first
months salary "a an officer on the retired
| list, il will BE- of interest TO Kansas, and es-
| pecalv 10 the old soldier element, 70 read of
the prominent connection with the matter
of the passage of the bill by one Of their
| representatives, to-wit, Hon. Il. ". Perkins,
| of the third district.
| The interest Mr.. Perkins took in the bill
| placing Gen. Grant on the retired list of the
| army was very noticeable, and his position
| ms a member of the committee on enrolled
bills afforded him opportunity to render val
| liable service.
During the closing hours Of the last ses-
sion the house was engaged with the Wilson
| contested election case from Iowa. About
| halt past IL o'clock on the morning of the
| 4th Of March compromise between the
two factions WAS effected by sacrificing VIII
son. When il became apparent that the
| Grant bill would come up, II was equally
| apparent that its passage would be Effected,
| but as less than thirty minutes was left in
which TO put the matter through, il seemed
| AN inpossibility tor it 10 be done. But in
| this Mr.. Perkins distinguished himself by
performing what is pernaps the quickest
| work ever before done in congress. Hurry
| ing TO the other end of the capitol, he an
nounced 20 Senator Sewall, chair
man of the committee on enrolled
bills in the senate, that the bill
would come up for consideration, and sug-
gested TO him and the secretary of the sen
ate that an enrolment bill be prepared and
ready for the signature Of the speaker of the
house and president of the senate. This
was Immediately done. He then hurried to
the presidents room, where Secretaries Lin
coin, Teller and Chandler were awaiting the
arrival of the president, and suggested to
them that President Arthur be telephoned
the importance of his presence, and also
that message be prepared, in advance
of his arrival, to be sent to the senate "a
soon as the bill was passed and properly
signed, nominating Grant to be
placed on the retired list. Secre-
tarv Lincoln directed the presidents
private secretary, Mr.. Pruden, to prepare
the message "a suggested. In the meantime
the Yea and nay vote was being taken on the
bill in the house, and Mr.. Perkins hurrving
there announced his vote, and then, with Mr..
Boutelle of Maine, cleared "A passage from
the house and had Il messenger ready to
run 10 the senate IS soon as ever the bill was
passed and lake formal announcement
there. In few minutes the bill was passed
anu tiaI .Ai4f '.A4iANA4'iAs va A-4dNA' -
the senate. The already prepared
enrolled TN was at once sub
mit;ed for the ignature Of the speaker, and
Immediately transmitted to the senate for
the signature If Nice-P-esidcnt Edmunls.
and then TO he presidents room, where it
was signed by President Arthur, who had
driven rapidly TO the capitol and had just
arrived a minute before. The president
then sent into the senate the previously pre-
pared message nominating Gen. Grant, and
the confirmation was Immediately and unan-
imously made.
The whole time consumed in the prepare
ton, presentation and passage of the bill.the
signing Of the ssme by the presiding officers,
and the nomination and confirmation by the
president of the senate, was less than thirty
minutes, and almost half of this time was
taken up in the taking Of the yea and nav
vote on the bill in the house.
Whatever satisfaction ex-President Arthur
may have had in signing the bill retiring
Grant, and in presenting his nomination TO
the senate. he is indebted for this privilege TO
activity and quick. thoughtful suggestions Of
the representative from the Suniiower State;
and if the soldier element Of the Republican
party take any pride from the fact that
Grants nomination was made by a Republic
can president, it Is attributable 10 the same
source.