The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-06-17
TIE 18TH CONGRESS.
An EpitOme Of the Proceedings Of thu
Past Week.

/ hclDg done Tor Their rellci save the passage Dg
the Senate OF large number of private bills.
While the Legislative, executive and Judicial
| appropriation bin was under consideration,
item 10y item, Mr.. Grosvenor Ohio said;
STIRRING UP CONGRESS.
] move TO strike out in line 2I7 the words Clerk
20 the Committee on Invalid Pensions"
Mr. Chairman, there Is no committee Of this House
/ which Ia my judgment has performed more ardu-
Gus labor than the Committee on Invalid Pensions;
and yet sir, as look upon The probabilities ahead
Of us deem u waste OF public money 10 continue
! the employment OF that officer.
We came here with the demand upon US, which
was responded 10 and had been responded TO by
both political parties in this country, that there
should be radical changes made in the matter of
the general pension legislation and large number
1 OF bills were presented which voiced and echoed
the sentiment Of the people aud Of the political
conventions Of both parties well as the promises
OF gentlemen who had been candidates fer Congress
Ia more than twO-thirds Of the Congressional Dis
tricis of The oountry-sentitnenis which had been
echoed and reiterated upon platforms Of both po-
/ litical parties, both state and National The bills
( embodying these views found their way into the
! hands Of this industrious and patriotic committee,
accompanied a. they were by number OF petitions,
and special bills granting special pensions were In
troduced in large numbers.
That commHtee has reported "a number OF bills
/ which are Ia keeping with the sentiment 10 which
! have alluded Thev reporfed for instance House
bill asla, amending paragraph OF section 1898 OF
| the Revised staiutesi they have reported House
bill 16lO, 10 increase pensions In certain cases
House bin Sos to amend section 400 OF the Revised
Statutes relating TO invalid pensions; House bill
I DeNrleauE prisoners
2i53, for the relief of West Virginia troops etc.
House bin 1878, relating 90 claims for pensions by
4 dependent parents, aud House bin COB, 10 repeal
/ the Limitation upon the pension &C; known as the
arrears OF pensions All OF these bills upon the
calendar Of the House. This House, acting through
its majority, has assigned day 10 the consideration
! Of nearly every other class Of business which has
been brought before Il by the reports OF IFS commit
tees.
Banking and Currency Committees Reports; to
| the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Meas
| uresi 10 the COMMITTEES on Rivers and Harbors; TO
the committee on Agracuiturci the committee on
/ the Judiciary; the Committee on American ship
/ ping; IN iact, 10 every committee ON everything
/ else IA The world except the demands Of the Union
soldiers Of the country. II assigned day 10 the
consideration of the Mexican pension bin and pass
ed H. aud may not stop here TO give my Judgment
Of ~ hat the principal consideration that induced
/ that action was. Daring all this long session Of
4 Congress- while Members both sides Of the
House nave been eaeged 10 ElNe attention 70 these
other matters % interest % the tnien soldiers Of
the country have mot heard that this House has
/ assigned day 10 the consideration Of these bills
We have not only the bills 20 N Inch have referred,
] and Others might name. bat we have also senate
iil fSS6. and there j. nut member here. from any
/ Northern state certainly II not from the South
/ who Within the Sst four DAYS has not found his
/ matt hurttened IS appeals tron Army Posts and
everybody else throgghoGt che country asking that
action may nut be deferred oa that blil. These APP
peals come from Sll quarters and yet no day has
been assigned 70 its consideration wish 10 say
thai IL was entirely outside Of amy intention on my
part "a charge TIE Committee Invalid Pensions
( with any neg igcnec.
Mr.. Matsan Ind, Chairman Of the Com
mittoe on Invalid Pensions:
want 10 know from the gentleman from Ohio
what thai has - do with the deTeliction II tie Clerk
/ 81 the CoDmttee on Invalid Pensions, why this
/ mctioh should obtain on that account The gentle
man haas moved 10 strike Out from this bin the
/ money allowed 10 the Clerk Of the Committee on
Invalid Tensions, while lac has admitted thai that
committee has more work than il possibly can do,
having already 1900 bills and 5000 petitions is
haads- lie wants 20 strip that committee Of its
I N la III car ID IA We
done we have only been able 20 do by help of the
clerk not because the clerks write reports, but
because Il keeps them busy 10 keep the 81 the
/ bills. The motion OF the gentleman from Ohio is
unfriendiy motion 10 the pensioners Of the coun-
Try. ia cannot be other than unffiendly one and
think. therefore, II mus. have been made face
tiously, and not in earnest
Mr.. Grosyenor:
suppose there IL no gentleman on This floor who
understands ibefier than the gentleman from Indiana
Mr.. Matsonl that my motion TO strike oni the APP
preparation for the payment oft the Clerk 0fthe Com
mtiee on Invalid Pensions made for the sole
purpose 81 presenting my views very briefly npOn
the prospect ~ any future further pension iegis
lalion, and not out Of any unfricndly feeling to-
ward that committee, winch has 50 faithfully dis
But. Mr.. Chairman. what ] was saying was that
| when the distinguished gentleman from Pennsyl-
wanna Mr.. Randaili The leader Of one branch Of the
sentiment Of this House, the aDagonisic branch u
the majority branch Of the Democratic branch 81
lhis iiouae daughter the gentleman upon whom
we on tins slde Of the House rely 10 prevent the
other side from committing any mischief in this
country daughter when that distinguished gen
ueman called forth from the Pension Office the
statement that the BIN 10 repeal the arrears act
would cost eco. y)Ol0 per annuIn ! made up my
mind that none Of this general pension legislation
was TO pass this House. Therefore il Is That have
been watching the progress Of events with feeling
OF the deepest Interest, not that IL might not he
done, but that i might he done. am exceedingly
anxious that bill for the relief Of dependent pa
rents should be passed. and care not whose bill n
reported OF who shall get the credit fOr IL.
nm exceedingly anxious that the bill which has
come from the senate which gives a pension 10
every disabled soldier who H. dependent upon his
labor Tor support shall pass an xious that all
these great reforms In this system OF Legislation
shall be enacted by this House but J have been
Jealous Of the Interests Of those concerned and even
iearlnl that we should have no such Legislation Ia
this Congress. The Chairman Of The Committee on
Invalid Pensions says thai that committee las re-
ported a resolution asking for day. IL Is enough
Tor my purpose 10 know That no day has been
assigned. have been hearing continual y for some
time that this session j. 10 adjourn somewhere from
the stu TO the 18th ~ July. ] know nothing about
that ana not consulted upon the subject laughter
bui am now pressing upon the consideration u
the otiferside Of The House The proposition that
white every other Interest here has been assigned
time, and generous allowance Of time this great
pension interest (which concede il near 10 the
heatrt Of the gentleman from Indiana Mr.. Maison
as u b. 10 misc has had opportunityto be heard
upon any pension bill. exDcpt the general appro-
riaion BIZ and the ball 10 increase the pensions
oi Miao~s now withdraw my proposition 10
strike out Che appropriation the payment Of The
Z Clerk OF the COMMITTEES on Invalid Pensions.
PENSION TO MIs. CEN sTAYgARD.
ln the Senate Mr. Edmunds (Yt) introduced
bill granting a pension OF 500 a mouth 10
Emily q. STANDARD. lie prefaced the subject
! IN the following novel way:
Mr.. President, present the memorial OF mysei.
~ cltilen oi vermont praying Congress 10 pass
BIZ granting pension Of 500 a month 10 Mr.
p Emlly 9. slHnnard, the widow q the late Gen
George J. slaRnara. a Brevet MsjOr-tienernl and
full Brlgadier-Gcncrhl Of volunteers al,ose co,,-
splcuous strategy and gallantry nj Getaysbure
turned Tic fortunes Of war al that tune and VIC
. nferward 81 harrisOns Landing. ON the Potomac
I ln tue operations before toward Richmond log,
an arm az the shoulder from a cannon slot az the
enemy, and who, alter haze came home drew A men.
Hioi Al TIE rate 81 ffs a month lie was entirely
broken mp by hls war service. and his widow and
5 two grosn-up daughters left in very necos.
siiOus circumstance tlso widow having been 10,
many years y bopess invalid.
i ask the Committee on Pensions therefore q
give TINS maiief very early consideration f0F think
tiiit among de volunteer soldiers Of Tie war OF
Among any soders 81 the there was no mar
who did more for his country tlan Gen. siAnnErd
. did, and notably Oh this occasion Al Cscfivsllurg
? Where THINK nnd great many other people
tnnk, and nobody denies a. that his skill nnd
2 rcnd mess and quickncss and ability and oonlpre.
heaisipn 81 the situation turned the tide Of wal
4 when l'ickeith Division, believe ID wac changed
1 upon the center and key ~ our position.
j myself knew thls gentleman personally and
2 lnumHiely Tor = years, aud therefore testify,
c ing a. ihyman, ] can say 90 the committee
a0d 20 The rssnatc tlai know ti1st ais health Ma.
broken down By his service aud by the los n
ilis arm az or near the shoulder. aud that hi.
death, which finally resulted here Ia a humble
position ~ the House ~ Representatives which his
: poverty compelled him 90 aoccpi the soldiers
roll ~ do0fEccpcFH although a resulted innfne.
z llAiey ironi pneumonia from taking cold within
= tr week lHst past, terminated fatally only bonauss
81 his weakened aud cnfecbled constitution setae
loilel ~ mis- military service But whether Il die