Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-05-29
WAsHINGToN
A Pension Bill-French Claimants
"A Mourning Secretary.

WARRINGTON.
A Pension Bll-French Claimants
"A Mourning Secretary.
Special Correspondence Of the 1SrER-OcEAx.l
WASHINGTON, May 21.-The United
States senate is being much criticised
just now for its liberality with the peo-
pies money. 1t has passed a remark.
able pension bill which, it is alleged,
senators are too intelligent and many Of
them too honest to have voted for had
they not known that it could never be-
come q law. The new measure grants
a service pension, pure and simple. to
every person who fought III the Union
side during the late war and who is not
entitled to a pension by reason of disa-
bility incurred in the service, but is now
disabled and dependent upon his own
exertions for support. 1t gives all such
persons a pension of from - to $24 q
month, and it also provides pensions for
the dependent parents Of men who died
in the service or from disabilities con-
tracted therein.
The attack made upon Speaker Car
Isle in his own city Of Covington be-
cause Of a recent appointment, which
he was influential in having made, Is not
considered here as likely to result in any
harm &c him, personally or politically.
The speaker is very popular in congress
with both parties, and the usual COM
ment is, in effect, that his constituents
cannot AFFORD to retire him for the salts.
faction of a grudge relating to spoils.
Many Of the admiring griends of Lieut..
Greeley, the Arctic explorer, are urging
his appointment by the president to be
major and assistant adjutant general
in the place made vacant last week by
the death Of Col. Benjamin. Many
newspapers, notably in the west, have
joined heartily in the proposition. Their
wishes are confronted, however, with a
statute which provides that appoint
ments to this position must be made
from among the captains of the line"
of the army. AS there is no prospect Of
Lieut.. Greeley becoming a captain at an
early date, the proposed appointment is
an im%possibihty.
After scores of years Of patient wait.
ing the French spoliation claimants OBJ.
tanned II hearing before a federal court,
began their argument and this week a
decision was made in their favor. The
celebrated claims arose from seizures by
French p~rivateers Of American mer-
chant vessels between 1898 and 1901.
They were pressed by the United States
upon France while France urged other
demands upon Ills. Finally, by the
treaty Of 1900 the two sets of claims were
set off, n against the other, and
dropped from international controversy
Then the owners Of the s~poliation claims
began to urge them upon the United
States on the ground that by surrender
ing the rights of individuals for a nation
albenefit tie government became bound
to pay the citizens injured. Two acts
were passed bv congress providing fol
payment, but n was vetoed by Presi
dent Polk and the other by President
Pierce. Finally congress, by and act ap'
proved by President Arthur. sent the
matter to the court of claims for exam.
nation.
Now some of the old merchants and
ship-owners Of President JeFerson's day
would cry out from their graves if they
could see into what a condition their de
scendants have let their precious papers
fall. Deeds of assignment, policies o.
insurance, letters Of administration and
other documents which would he valu
able AZ evidence in the spoliation case
have been allowed to 60 to the paper
mill or to kindle fires. Few of the heir.
of the sufferers from French spoliatior
have had faith enough in the ultimat.
recognition of their claims to take care
of the faded old manuscripts which
would now furnish a complete chain O
evidence in their favor.
When Secretary Bayard and HI
daughters appear out from home walk
ing or driving they are clad in the deep
est mourning. The parasols Of tn
young ladies even are of Grape. Tn
secretary wears a tall silk hat with
band Of mourning extending to within
half an inch of the top. He walks witt
a light step, however, and looks we'll.
also noticed when the Bayard famil,
were riding along Pennsylvania avenu'
in their carriage that their coachma'
and footman were in mourning livery
They O black suits buttoned close u
to their necks, black gloves and neck
ties, while their tall hats had black band
around them and black rosettes at tn
top.