The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-07-08
TIE 18TH CONGRESS.
Members "Talk Back" to the PreSi-
dent About Pension Bills.

nearly the entire week on Appropriation Dllls |
Nearly everything else is :" hung up" for this |
session. II is expected that an attempt will
soon be made to pass over the Presidents veto
some of the vetoed pension bills. To do this |
requires, under the Constitution, a two-thirds
majority in each branch. The subject of the
yetoes came up at the Friday night session and
the Presidents knuckles were very severely
raped.
CRITICIZING THE vEToEs.
Mr.. Bayne PA:
am asionshed at the vetoes Of the President. ]
think the whole history Of this Republic presents
no parallel TO them. The austere Andrew Jack
son, DESTROYS OF asserting his power and anxious TO
make his individuality conspicuous, never mo.
nopolized power as the President OF the United
States las done with reference to these men.
Why, sir, this man has even had the teInerity TO
sneer at report Of committee Of this House
granting pension 10 an invalid soldier Of the Re
public He has had the temerity TO put the seal OF
his sarcasm upon reports unanimously made by
TINS House granting pensions 10 WIDOWS oil men
slain In the service Of this country.
This man, himself no soldier. himself walking in
the paths Of peace when these others went out and
imperiled their lives TO defend this Union, and en-
able him TO occupy the position OF President OF
this country, now comes here and puts ms Veto
upon n unanimous report Of a committee and the
unanimous vote of the House of Representatives
and Of the Senate of the United States.
On what ground does lac assert these pTeroga-
! tives? What constitutional authority has lac Tor
going to this length? Who invested this man win
such power that lac may assert himself under these
/ try, 81 am larger than you al, and know more
about what should become law than the S25 Mem
1 bers Of the House of Representatives and the rs
/ Members of the United States Senator"
All. Mr.. Chairman, il is fault of men endowed
power and knowledge that they DO not really pos
He Is no better than any Of us. He IS no bet
ter than any American citizen and is NOT the equal
! OF any man who went out and impered his life 10
save the Union. Applause on the Republican side.
What are the functions of President ia yetong
4 bills? His primary function Is to question the
nlt Of nf
special bills unconstitutional? Not one OF them.
I He made no suggestion in any one Of these mes
sages that they were unconstitutional Has he the
power TO intervene aud prevent the enactment Of
rash immature legislation? That was an old
/ theory that was discussed when our Constitution
was framed and when IL was believed. having pat
termed our affairs after the old English Govern
ment, that the King could do no wrong that he
exercised sort Of paternal control and supervision
over all the affairs Of the nation and did nothing
that would not commend itself 10 the public.
But that is an Rntiquaied idea, and especially in
great country like this. under our form Of Govern
ment, where all the people are educated and where
( one man knows just about much as any other
man knows. Could he attribute 70 Congress ia the
formation of these pension bills rashness, imma-
turity want of consideration, partisan purposes.
political prejudices, anything Of that sort? Not
4 al all. There IS no partisanship. large majority
/ Of the men who fought against these men now APP
plying for pensions vote for these bills. Democrats
and Republicans alike vote for these bills; and
there il substantially opposition 20 their passage.
But n II 10 puth quietus forever upon these AFRO
giant vetoes the Senate Of the United States reported
every individual case that he vetoed and have sent
/ that bill over TO this House, and that bill
ferred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions That
committee reported a substitute for the bill which
contains substantially the same provisions the
4 bill passed by the Senate; substantially the same
thing i venture 10 Gay that there was not a single
bill vetoed 10y the President which would not fall
J within the scope and meaning and spirit and law
Of the bill reported by the Committee on Invalid
Now. sir, could the President say II the House OF
Representatives should take up the Senate bill and
pass IL, If the House should pass the bill reported
by the Committee on Invalid Pensions as sub
siitute for the Senate BILL after the consideration
that has been given 10 IL by the Committee on In
valid Pensions. coming as II does unanimously from
thai committee, could the President SAY that that
was RASH precipilate. immature legislation?
Recall YOU II tie NoFfh-you Of the North recall
what you said TO these men when they entered the
service. Recall the encouragement you gave them,
what you said 10 them. Why, they went with the
blessings Of the country upon them. They went
with the encouragement and COED cheer Of mothers,
wives. and sweethearts into the service. They went
forth and they did valiant duty FOR three or four
years while Others who remained at home were
growing rich the fruits Of the and the abb
senee Of that competition IN economic affairs
which the war brought But there was not one of
them who went into the service who not
promised for himself II lac became disabled his
widow. OF his children II they became orphans
that they should he taken care OF by this Govern
mcni.
Why, the man who would have dared to rise
in the communities Of the North and say that
that mans widow his children should not be
cared for would have been strung up to lamp post
80 earnest so honest 80 patriotic were Tie people
Of this country IL involved the life OF this great
Nation. IL involved the principles OF seifROyern-
Inent; and now 20 years after the war has closed
ia poor lot Of fellows, poor lot Of widows
and poor lot Of orphans. knocking at the doors OF
tie poOrhOuses. Ia the ainlshouses, unable 10 earn
their bread asking this rich Government 20 keep
is faith; asking simply for pitiful Of money
IN order that they may live out their unhappy
lives, aud II Is proposed by diaiory motions here
aud by veices Of The Chief Executive 10 say that
these men who rendered this service. or their wild
and children shall not have that support which
was 50 iavishly promised TO them. and which they
above ali men la Gods great world deserve.
Mr. Cutcbc0n Mich.):
On page 6s52 Of the Record = a veto message in
the u John w. Paris. II seems that lie did
not apply for pension until 1851 the President
said IL years after has discharge quote the mes-
sage:
In 1881. 10 years AFTER his discharge. he fled an
application for pension, alleging that he was
afflicted with chronic dlArThea contracted ia the
army, and ia 1885 his claim was allowed and ne
Was granted pension for that cause"
IL seems he was allowed a pension under the
present Administration.
Z" Ia September Of the same year and AFTER this
pension was granted, he filed application for an
increase Of has rate alleging that in 1884 his eyes
, Inents and the debility consequent therenpOn.'
The President then says-and ask every gentle
man present TO note his language:
: 49, The ingenuity developed Ia the constant and
persistent attacks upon the public Treasury by those
claiming pensions aud tle increase Of those already
granted, j exhibited in bold relief by this attempt
TO include sore eyes among The results Of diarrheG
And I noticed good many gentlemen smile In
the House when that was read.
. ana entirely satisfied with the opinion Of the
/ medical reeiree who, amer examining this case In
October. 1855 reported that the disease Of the eyee
cannot be admitted To be result Of chronic diar-
J rhea.'
on all grounds IL seems me that This clallna ut
should be CoHtcnted with the pension which has
been already allowed him."
! That Is The message. Now, / was informed
yesterday Ia this Capitol by "A gentleman who is 4
citizen 81 the Slate Of Missouri that this pension was
granted upon the certificate OF the most skllfu
oculist la te city Of ST. Louis and State Of Missouri
That the disease Of the eyes direct result and
I 4 consequences 81 the long-continucd nervous de
! btlity resulting from the chronic diarrIea thai
j thai certificate WAS supported by tWo other emf
: nent Surgeons; aud lsat further that this man /,
. almost totally bad; and further SILL tina
! / be j. to-day Democratic Senator Of the state %
; Missouri. And yet the President unadvisedly
. without investigation Of the medical questions In
volvcd, without looking carefully through the case
sciion Of s two Houses, has passed and brands thi
: man with stigma.
Mr.. Laird tNeb.):
4 ] ask the gentleman not his information con
! corning this soldier obtained from the officer VIII,
G not say he was one Of the bravest soldiers in tia
regiment, and served his country gaiantly FOR fou
b yearsg
e Mr.. Cutcheon:
9 Yes. SIR lie told me ne served under linn tina
4. he knew him intimately. and that he was one q
+ TIE braycst men lac had ever known in his entn
= army experience. And yet The President debeT
: I ately-begss4sc when the Chief Magistrate sends
y grave veto message 20 the Congress 81 the Unite