The Penn's Grove record., 1886-05-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON Nav Is. 1856

The United States Senate is being
much criticised just now for IFS iibcr-
ality with the peoples money. Il las
passed Il remarkable pension bill which
it is alleged, Senators are too iHtelli-
gent ard many Of them toe honest, to
rave voted for, had they not known
that it could never become a law. The
new measure grants II service pension,
Iura and simple, to every person WLo
fought on the Union side during the
late war, and who is yet entitled to a
pension by eason Of disability incurred
i'll the service, but is not disabled and
dependent upon his own eXertiOns for
support. 1t gives all such persons a
pensi OH of from 81 to sd 4 month,
and it also provides pensions for the de-
pendent parents of men who died i'll
the service or from disabilities contract
ed therein.
The attack made upon Speaker Car
Isle in his own city of CoyingtOn be-
cause of a recent appointment, which
he was influential in having made, is
not considered here as likely to result
in any harm to him, personally, or po-
litically. The Speaker is very popular
in Congress with both parties, and the
usual comment is, in effect, that his
constituents cannot afford to retire him
for the satisfaction Of a grudge relating
to spoils.
Many of the admiring friends of
Lieutenant Greedy, the artic explorer,
are urging his appointment by the
President to be major and assistant adj
j~ustant genera. in the place made va
cant last week by the death Of Colonel
Benjamin. Many newspapers, notably
in the Vest, have joined heartily in the
proposition. Their wishes are confront
ed, however, with a statute which
provides that appointments to this posi-
tion must be made from among the
captains of the linen Of the Amy.
As there is no prospect of Lieutenant
Greedy becoming a captain at an early
date, the proposed appointment is an
impossibility.
After scores of years of patient wait
ing the French s~poliation claimants OBJ
tain a hearing before a federal court,
begin their argument, and this week a
decision was made in their favor. The
celebrated claims arose from seizures
by French ~privateers of American mer-
chant vessels between 1893 and 1901.
They were pressed by. the United States
upon France while France urged 9TH
er demands upon us. Finally, by the
treaty of 1900 the two sets Of claims
were set of, one against the other, and
dropped from international controversy.
Then the owners Of the sp0liation
claims began to urge them upon The
United States on the ground that by
surrending the rights Of individuals
for q national benefit the Government
became bound to pay the citizens IN
iured, Two acts were passed by Con-
gress providing fcr payment, but enc
was voted by President Polk, the other
by President Pierce. Finally Congress
by an act approved by President Ar
thur sent the matter to the Court Of
claims For pv~a,nin9tfoo
Now some Of the Old merchants and
ship-oWuers Of President JcncrsoE's
day would cry out from their graves
if they could see into what q condition
their defendants have let theirpreaious
papers fail. Deeds assignment, policies
of insurance, letters Of administration,
and other documents which would be
valuable as evidence in the spoliation
eases, have been allowed to 20 to the
paper mill or to kind'e fires. Few OF
the heirsot the sufferers from French
sroliation have had faith enough in
the ultimate recogIitionof their claims
TO take care of the faded old manu-
scripts which would now furnish " COM
plete chain of evidence in their favor.
When Secretary Blyard and his
daughters appear out from home walk
Ing or driving, they are clad in the
deepest mourning. The latasols of
the young ladies, even are Of Grape.
The Secretary wears a tail silk hat,
with Il band OF mourning extending TO
within half an inch Of the top. lie
walks With q light step, however, and
looks we'll, also noticed when tue
Dayard family were riding along