Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-10

Z
man Of nerve, President Cleveland, and
for poor old polonius the poor, miser-
able towards OF the Democratic party.
( Laughter
MIR. Hill Of Ohio made an argument
TO show that the Democratic party had
the credit for much Of the pension legis-
lation Of the country.
Mr.. Curtin Of Pennsylvania said this |
vituperation and abuse OF the president
was all wrong. He asserted his entire
confidence Ia the Integrity OF the presl-
dent and in his desire to do his duty.
After further debate the message was
referred without objection.
The next and last veto message upon
the spea er's table was then laid before
the house. IL was the message yetoiug
the bill granting pension to JOS Romer-
User. and as this case is regarded as pre-
senting specially strong features, the
Republicans determined 10 make light
over its reference.
Mr.. McComas OF Maryland said the
nresRient declared that though the COM
mittee on invalid pensions had reported
that Romeriser had filed claim for
pension which had been neglected by the
pension office, there was no such
case in the office, The president
said that Romerlser had never
filed a claim. II this were true the COM
mittee was indeed convicted of gross
careessness, and doubtless the president
made the statement to Illustrate the loose
methods Of the committee, and his own
accuracy In examining these private PEN
sion bills. II this charge were unfounded
then the president was convicted OF still
grosser carelessness, because the report
- had NuQrnan him that
there was a case in the office. He, Mr..
McComas, held in his hand the very bun
| die of pension papers In the case OF
Joseph Romerlser The cover recorded
all the proceedings from the time OF filing
the claim in 1879 until its rejection. The
records showed that the pension office
found that though Romeriser was severe
ly wounded by q minnie ball passing
through his head and face, because he was
not mustered in, the office was 'con-
strained" to reject the claim. When the
presidents veto came to the house de-
claring there were no such papers he
had telephoned TO the pension Office, and
1t had no trouble in getting them. Why
had not the president done likewiser
Why had he reproved the committee for
what now proved to be his own careless
mess? The committee had been diligent,
the president had been negligent Con-
gress had been Just, the president had
denied Justice TO a citizen whose case he
had never considered. Romerlser, he
said, was iustly entitled to pension be-
cause he had been inspired by the spirit OF
the minute men OF Concord and Lexington
There were many precedents for the bill
The very first congress had passed bill
pensioning the minute men of Concord
and Lexington, and George Washington
unlike President Cleveland, had approved
il. Thomas Jefferson, the father OF the
Democratic party, had signed the nil
granting pensions to men who had never
been mustered into the army. j. A
Jackson had signed similar bill
Abraham Lincoln in g like case had sale
he would not inquire whether the maj
, had been mustered in, but only whpthe
: he had done his duty. [Applause.l |
l the members of congress could not rails
: above party feeling and 90 with Washing
ton, Jackson, Jefferson and Lincoln, lie
them 80 with Cleveland and sen,
y back this poor soldier, who had never re
e ceived dollar of pay, who had the scar
r Of the bullets left, and who had twenty
e FIVE years OF neuralgia for serving hi
T country. Every man who thought tn
e fathers of the Democratic party were II
u spired with the heroism of Concord an
:. Lexington would vote for the minute
II man of 1861, who had got a bullet in hi
!, head when on his way to join the "Boy
g in Blue" Applause,
= MIR. Burrows of Michigan also vigol
: ously assailed the veto and maintaine
J there was no reason why the bill shout
: be referred to the committee Their
were no facts to be asceItalned, an
In such cases IL was Customar
= to act upon veto wlthou
e referring II. The last noteworthy cas-
was the veto of President Arthur on th
y Fitz John Porter bill. That veto ha
u been Immediately considered by tn
. house without reference to the commit
= tee. The president had vetoed the Re
:, meriser bill because he had not been mu:
n tered in at the time he received hi
- wound. 1t was true Romeriser had nc
% taken an oath to defend the constitution
= but he had been defending the constitI
y ton against the domestic enemies OF tn
- flag. A man who in his enthusiasm an
= patriotism went to the defense of tn
= constitution, taking an oath to defend l
- was entitled to some consideration. TIL
~ man who without taking the oat
y t. defend the constitution, but did NJ
J, sideration as the man who took an oRt
!. to defend the flag and then violated this
- oath Yet Joseph Romeriser's pensio
% bill was vetoed and Fltz John Porter Wa
=, put upon the rolls. Applause on Il
.. Republican side.
~ Mr.. Warner OF Ohio believed this to /
:; meritorious case and to be in line wit
:, all presidents, but he thought It ought
- be referred TO the committee.
~ Mr. Snowden of Pennsylvania cor
,e mended the president for his fearle
- course, and thought the other side WI
If making a blunder in trying TO make u
+. discussion party question,
lie Mr. Springer said he would not discu
# the pending bill and voto messages
S. the president thereon, except to ca
id attention to the fact that five bills we
* vetoedin the pension Office in 1882