Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-05-29

prom oar Regular Correspondent
w ashingtCus May u, lSe

D IRON our CORES llAaaG4Asf
Washington May u, 1885.
/ The United States Senate is being
much criticised lust now for its liberal
/ ity with ths peoples money 1t has
/ passed a remarkable pension bill which,
/ 1t is alleged, Senator'S are too intelligent
and many of them too honest, TO haYe
/ voted for, had they not known that it
could never become law. The new
measure grants service pension pure
and simple, 10 every person who fought
I on the Union side during the late war
and who is not entitled TO 3 pension by
[ reason Of disability incurred IN the sex
! vice, but is now disabled and depend
I ent upon his own exertiOns for support
1t gives all such persons a pension OF
/ from 81 TO S24 a month, and it also
provides pensions for the dependent
I parents of men who died in the service
or from disability contracted therein,
The attack made upon Speaker Car
Isle in his own city OF Covingtoh pc
cause Of q recent appointment, which
he was influential in having made Is
not considered here as likely u result
in any harm to him personally or
politically The Speaker is very pop
ular in Congress with both parties, and
the usual comment is, in effect, that his
constituents cannot afford to retire him
for the SAT- faction OF q grudge relating
10 spells.
Many of the admiring friends of
Lieutenant Greeleys the Arctic explorer,
are urging his appointment Dy Inc
President TO be major and assistant
adjutant general in the place made va
cant last week by The death OF Col.
benjamin. Many newspapers, notably
in the west, have joined heartily IN the
proposition. Their wishes are con
frOnted, however with statute which
provides that appointments 10 THIS pO-
sitiOn must be made from among the
captains of the hne'' Of the Army.
As here is no prospect OF Lieutenant
Greeley becoming a captain at an early
date, the proposed appointment IS an
impOsslbility.
After scores Of years Of patient wait
inc the French spOlatiOn claimants OBJ
tanned hearing before u federal court,
BEGAN their argument, and this week
8 decision was made in their favor.
The celebrated claims arose from seiZ-
ures by French pTivateers Of American
merchant vessels between 1898 aud
1901. They were pressed By the Unit
ed States upon France while France ur-
ged other demands upon us Finally,
bV the treaty OF 1900 the two sets OF
claims were set off, one against the
other, and dropped from international
controversy. Then the owners OF the
spOliatiOn claims began 10 urge them
upon the United States on the ground
that by surIeuderiug the rights Of indi-
Viduals for Il national benefit the Gov
eminent became bound TO pay the ciu
zens injured. Two acts were passed
by Congress providing for pay meut,
but one was vetoed by President Polk,
the other by President Pierce. Finally
Congress, by an act approved by Pres
idenL Arthur sent the matter 10 the
court Of claims for examination.
Now some of the old merchants and
ship-owuers Of President Jefferson s
day would cry out from their graves
if they could see into what condition
their descendants have let their pre-
ciOus papers fail. Deeds OF assignment,
policies OF insurance, letters of admin
islratiOn, and other documents which
would be valuable as evidence in the
spOhaEiOn cases, have been allowed to
% to the paper mill or 10 kindle fires.
Few of the heirs of the sufferers from
spOliaLiOn have had faith enough in the
ultimate recognition OF their claims TO
Uuke care of the faded Old manuscripts
which wouie now furnish q complete
chain of evidence in their favor.
When Secretary Bayard and his
daughters appear ont from home walk
ing or driving, they are clad in the
deepest mourning. The parasols OF the
| yOuug ladies', even, are OF Grape. The
/ Secretary wears tai silk hat, with a
I band Of mourning extending TO within
| half an inch Of the top. He walks with
a light step, however, and looks we'll.
| / also noticed when the Bayard family
| were riding along Pennsylvania Avenue
in their carriage, that their cOachman
and fOotman were in mourning livery
/ They wore black suits buttOned close
up TO their uecks, black gloves and
neckties, while their tall hats had black
bands around them and black rosettes
at the top.