The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-03-25

ouhe 10, 1910; VI dccouHt Vi SuuSHot nouuu
of both arms. This increase was in accord
ance with special act of Congress approved
June is, 1873, as will be observed from the
terms of the bill itself, which we here give
in full:
BILL GRANTING A PENSION To JOHN
CHARLES BLACK.
Be II enacted by The Senate aud House Of Represent
0tires Of the United SGteS la Congress assembled That
the Secretary of the Interior be and is hereby au-
thorized TO, and directed to- place the pension
roll the name of John Charles Black late Leuten-
anti Colonel of the 37th H., and pay him pension
of 800 per month from and after the passage of
this act.
To show his comrades-in-arms and the
country at large that no false pretense was
used in passing this bill, we present here
with the report of the committee accom-
panying the bill:
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Mr.. Bailey, from the Committee on;Pensons, sub
mitted the following
REPORT:
The Committee Pensions, 10 ic'.Om 1CaS referred
The petition Of John Charles Black late Colonel Of
the 37 III, hare had the same t24der consideration,
That at the outbreak of the late civil war Mr..
Black, just entering upon manhood, and having
recently completed a collegiate course was engaged
III the study of the law; but upon the call of the
President he enlisted private in Co. I, 18th Ind.
Zouaves, regiment mustered into service for three
months. Upon the expiration of this service he
enlisted in the 37th Ill for three years and elect
ed and commissioned Major of the regiment. In 1862
hewas promoted TO the rank of Lieutenant Colonel,
Iafi.,r .~rT fol
Black and his men re-enlised for the veteran serv-
ice. From November, 1861, until February, 1865,
he commanded the Fourth Brigade Reserve Corps,
Military Division of the Mississippi; and in March,
1860 while in active service, he made Brigader-
General by brevet for gallant and meritoriousserv
ice in the field and mustered out of the service
in August, 1865.
In March 1862, at the battle OF Pea Ridge Lieut.
Col Black was shot in the right forearm, the bullet
passing between the bones about three inches be-
low the ulna. and injuring the elbow joint
In December, 1862 at the battle of Prairie Grove,
he was shot in the left upper arm. The bone being
shattered reseciOn became necessary, and from
that time the arm has been permanently disabled.
The wound inflicted at Pea Ridge apparently healed,
but in December following reopened, and caused
great suffering
After he left the military service Gen. Black
sumed his professional studies, was admitted
to the bar, and almost Immediately upon his adj
mission entered upon large and lucrative practice,
which he continued to enjoy until the year 1874,
when, in consequence of the great suffering caused
by the wound i'll his right arm, his health became
much impaired, his person emaciated, and he was
constrained TO abandon his profession.
From the year 1874 until this day he has been an
invalid. The wound in his arm has caused the
most intense suffering and in 1876, in order to
his life, the elbow joint resected. lie is now a
pilys;cal wreck manned and diseased jncanallIa of
any effort, and much of the time confined to his
bed
From August, 1865. until 1877, Gen. Black was
paid pension of $50 per month, based upon the
injury TO his left arm In 1877 this increased to
so per month because of the loss of the of the
other arm. He now asks that the right to $50 per
month be recognized from August, 1865.
The Committee is convinced that the claim is
well founded
strong, healthy man, possessing fine talents
and great abilities, who would have gathered fame
and wealth. has been stricken in his country serv
ice. He asks the country he served well to give
bread 10 himself and opportunity to educate his
children.
The Committee, however, respectfully submit
instead of granting arrears of pension Congress
should recognize the distinguished claims of Gen.
Black and to grant him pension of SlO0 per month
and therefore they recommend the passage of the
accompanying bill.
1t will be seen that Gen. Black never pc
titioned Congress, as is falsely charged, for
an allowance Of 800 a month because he
was a physical and mental wreck" He
simply asked that he be given the difference
between $50 month (which he was allowed
from Aug. 10, 1865, to June II, 1870 and
the $50 month which he received from the
latter date. Nowhere was it stated or even
implied that Gen Black was mental
wreck" Nor can the worst political or other
opponent of Gen. Black point out the slight
est irregularity anywhere The present rat
ing was secured for him without his knOwl-
edge, by special act of Congress, by friends
who had personal knowledge of his dstin-
guished services and Of the terrible suffering
and disability that he had endured for many
years on account of his wounds. The bill
giving him a pension was passed by Con-
gress in both Houses of which the Republi-
cans had a majority. As 1t carried acih |
1t no payment Of arrears, Gen. Black has not |
recejyed ander ii anything Ike the sum that
hundreds Of others hare under a I0,cer monthly |
rate, and arho Were not so badly disabled as
lie is.
All the interest THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE |
has in this matter is to prevent injustice |
being done deserving soldier. Gen. Black !
deserves his pension if there is man in the |
United States that does. 1t was given to |
him years before there was any thought of
his ever becoming Commissioner of Pensions,
and consequently has no bearing whatever |
upon his occupancy of that Office. AS Com
missioner of Pensions he has done more in |
the same length Of time for his comrades, |
the disabled soldiers, than any man who |
ever occupied the place. And so long as he
continues to administer his office with the |
efficiency and justice that he has so far dis
played he shall have THE NATIONAL TR1B-
UNE's support; while it will not hesitate, as
it has not in the past, to criticize whatever
i'll his course it may deem deserving of |