The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-06-10
Black as He's Painted

In the Senate last week while Il private pen
slon bill was under consideration senator In
calls cot the floor and III loud. clear voice with
every word distinctly uttered and every SEN
tence clearly emphasized. said: The present
commissioner OF pensions Mr.. j. c. Black
was placed upon the pension roll by special act
OF Congress, on the assertion on his part and by
Others i'll his behalf. that hc was totally disabled
and that he Was an absolute physical wreck.
he highest rate of pension at the time he made
his claim was $50 per month, and Mr.. Charles
Black was placed on the roll at 800. He af-
hrmed then that he was totally disabled by dis
ease and @Unshol wounds and that his capacity
was annihilatcd." Mr.. ingalls, did not stand
there. he said. ito discuss the valor of John
Charles Black But he received that pension
because OF allegations that did not exist and do
not exist. After he came out of the war" con
tinucd Mr.. Ingalls,. MIR. Black was able TO be
active in political life. He was !; candidate for
Congress in 1866 or 1868, and ever since that
time or many times since he has been a candi-
iate for Congress in the district where he re-
sides. lie has made his ranvasses. he has been
candidate for Governor, he has been on
the stump. and he has contenrlcd for Il seat
i'll the senate with the senator from Illinois
now before him. He has been manager of
the board OF the Soldiers Home, and" Mr.. In
gals added, from many quarters, have been
informed that he is not and never has been, TO-
tally disabled, physically and mentally.'
MI. oorhceS at this point interrupted the
speaker to deny that it WAS ever claimed Gen
eral Black had been mentally incapaciiated
MI ingalls,, however. insisted and repeated
that 1t had been 50 said, but he was not there
lie Went on to answer Il catccli>m on the ulic>-
ton OF whether man could practise law on his
back. Continuing, the Kansas senator i'm a
louder voice and with more emphasis than
ever sad: No man would be shot and torn for
500 month, but, ENJOYING this favor at the
hands of the government. Mr.. Black siunaized
his advent into office by preventing the pav-
ment OF small pensions 10 unfortunate creatures
who Were worse of than hc.'' One ease in his
own state, Mr.. Ingalls, instanced. where IA
poor wretch who had been blind for 10 years
had been pcnsioncd by Commissioner Dudley.
ana that action revoked by Black This
claimant. after many trials, had had his pay
ments continued by order of Secretary Lamar
III spite of Mr.. John Charles Black In VIC
orouS terms Mr.. ingalls, then protested against
that "impostor''-repeating the word three
tlme>-receivn% pension TO which he was
not entitled by Virtue of law. cone who has
used his position" concluded Mr.. ingalls,. $50
SANDER and revile his predecessor bv hurting
forth the declaration that the pension system
had been used as political engine aud partisan
machine" The Presidents vetoes based on
the reports from the pension Office. came in for
Il share of Mr. Ingalls, denunciationS, which
We're listened to throughout with rapt attention
on the floor and in the galleries.