The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-07
MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL---WEDNEsDAY. JULY Z. 1885.

this evening returned to the Hor b.
messagee announcing his dsapproval
of twenty private pension bills and the
bill providing for the erection OF a
public building at Duluth, Mum.
The last named bill is vetoed, the
President says, because he is entirely
satisfied that tho building provided
for is not Immediately necessary, and
he adds that mot O little legislation
has lately been perfected, and very
likely more will be nece sary, to in
crease amiscellany and appropriations
for and correct blundeIs in the con-
sIuction of many of the public build
Ings now in process OF erection"
Louis W. Seaman filed his declara-
ton for q pension in 1884, alleging
that he contracted chronic diarrh9a
in the Back Hawk war. The record
shows that he served from April Is,
1882, to May 2S, 1882. In ve.oing the
bill for his relief the President says:
81 am inclined to think it would have
been Fortunate tbipg if in this case
it could have been demonstrated
that a man could thrive so we'll
with the chronic diarrbea for fifty
f ur years, as its existence in the casa
of this good old gentleman would
prove. We should then, perhaps,
have less Of it in claims for pensions.
The fact is, in this case there is no
disability which can be traced TO the
forty days military service OF fifty
fouf years, and | think little, if any,
more infrmity than is usually found
in the men OF the age OF the claimant.
In vetoing the bill granting a pension
to Francis DPming, who claims that he
contracted blindness as the result Ct
rheumatism incurred in the service,
the President says that there seems
to he no testimony showing the
soldiers condition from the time Of
his discharge to 1880, a period of fif-
teen years. The President continues:
"After nineteen years had elapsed
since his discharge from the army a
pension is claimed for him upon very
shedowy allegation of the incurreDce
of rheumatism while in the service,
coupled with the art'ing proposition
that the rheumatism resulted just
previous to his application in blind
mess. Upon medical examination it
appeared that his blindness was
used by sneurosi-, which is gener-
ally accepted as an affection OF the
optic nerve. am satisfied that fair
examination of the facts in this case
justifies the statement that the bill
under consideration can rest only
upon the grounds that aid should be
furnished to the ex-soldier because he
served in the army and because he a
long time thereafter became blind,
disabled and dependent. None OF us
are entitled to credit for extreme ten
derness aud consideration toward
those who fought their country's bat
ties. These are sentiments common
10 all good citizsns. They lead to the
most benevolent care on the part Of
the government, and deeds OF charity
and mercy in private life. The
blatant aud noisy self assertion oil
tho,e who, from motives that may
we'll be suspected, declare themselves
above all others, friends OF soldiers,
cannot discredit nor belittle the calm
steady and affectionste regird of a
grateful nation. Legislation has been
at the present session OF Congress
perfected, considerably increasing
the rate of pensions in certain cases.
Appropriations have also been
made OF large sums for theIsupport O.
n ,titn | homes whe e disabled OF
needy soldiers are cared for, and within
few days liberal sum has been ap.
propriated for the enlargement and
increased accommodations and con
venience of their construction. AL
this is no more than should be done
But with all this end with the
blunders of special acts, which have
been passed, gran,ipg pensions In
cases, where, for my part, am willing
to confess that sympathy rather thar
Judgment, has often led to the dis
covery of relation between injury OF
death, and the military Iservice, | an
constrained by senee OF public duty
to interpose against establishing 6
principle and setting a preceden
which must result in unregulated
partial and unjust gifts of the pubic
money under the pretext Of indemni
flying those who suffered in thei,
means of support as an incident o
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