The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-06-03
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, May %, 1855.

WASHINGTON, May %, 1856.
The President continues his good
work of critically examining, dissect-
ing and vetoing private pension bills.
If he cannot defend the Governments
treasure vaults against avarice and
fraud, he is at least narrowing the
O, ,ening through which the money is
dragged out.
For each veto semitic the Senate, the
President has given conclusive rea-
sons, and he added that he was by no
means insensible to that influence
which leads the judgment towards the
allowance of every claim alleged to be
founded upon patriotic service in the
nations cause. Yet he did not believe
it to be a duty or a kindness to the
worthy citizens for whose benefit the
scheme of pensions was provided, to
permit the division of the nations
bounty among objects not within its
scope and purpose. The Republicans
have no intention of trying to pass
these bills against the veto, but they
hope to make some political capital
out of them. Some of them have been
writing to applicants that it is useless
10 present their claims to Congress as
the President will not let them be-
come laws. Their idea is that the
neutrality-suspicious. will not be likely
to vote for another Democratic Presi-
dent.
This is the way in which the Ssnate
Pension committee is enabled to report
fifty private pension bills q week.
Senator Sawyer of Wis. is its most
active member. He employs two
men, one an ex x.clerk of the Pension
office and the other phi hysician, to look
over and arrange the papers in each
case referred to him by the Committee.
The Senator only glances at them to
decide how they are to be reported.
1t is not surprising that to some of the
pension bills which the Senate passes
on Mr.. Sawyer's favorable reports, the
President is unwilling to attach his
signature.
1t was during the discussion of q
private pension bill that Senator In.
gals took occasion to make q venom.
GUS attack upon Gen. Black, the pres
ent Commissioner of Pensions. The
Republican Senators and Representa-
lives have been very desirOus of find
ing fault with the Commissioner since
ne accused his Republican predecessor
of, and proved that he used the Pen
sion Office as party machine.
| After Mr.. ingalls, had charged thai
Gen. Black was not now and never
had been entitled to the pension now
drawn by him, and that he had will
iDgly slandered Col. Dudley, were
passed quickly through the Capito
that he was stirring up the Senat'
with sharp personal speech. Sena
tors hurried to their seats, Representa-
tives came into the Chamber and addi
tional visitors appeared in the gallerie
The Kansas Senator with his charac
teristic recklessness in the use of word
, made one of the most bitter denuncia
tions ever heard in the Senate. H
paced back and forth rapidly as
impatient of the restriction of parlia
mentary language, and the veins o
his forehead stood out as he declares
over and over again that Gen. Blacl
. was animpostor.
; The face of Senator VOORHEES, ais
flushed when he arose to defend Gen
Black and he squarely denied the trutl
of Senator ingalls, accusations. 81
mentioned that Gen. Black neve
knew the cessation Of pain for mo
ment, bones had been removed from
both arms, rendering them useles:
and that to this day his wounds ha
to be dressed by physician. 1t wa
t in this condition that Gen. Black wa
performing his official duties, and tn
from Kansas felt any pride in assault
ing a man who was suffering thus, b
should be allowed to enjey it.
Senator Cockrell also defended Ger
= Black, who. he said, had allowed moi
' pensions during the first year of hi
2 administration than any other Pensio
r Commissioner. He suggested that M
E Ingalls, ought TO have the courage an
S manliness to introduce bill for til
: repeal of Gen. Blacks pension if b
a really thought it had been obtains
under false pretences as he ha
t charged.
j The Ingalls, attack upon the Con
missioner of Pensions was nOthin
J. more than the malice of an irritab
] man who is disappointed because til
integrity of the new Administratio
' is sufficient to stand in the way of til
reckless pension giving which is goin
e on. Gen. Black is a Democrat, VIII
: received his wounds while fighting
e the Union army. If he had been
: wounded Republican and a Democra
8 ic Senator had made such an attac
: upon him, a cry would have gone u
: all along the Republican line, accusin
a this Senator of dislOyalty to the Uniol