Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-07-08
rwnKrr FnNsIoxs raroap.
'The PreaidentpUsos she Veto Againht
Another Batch oa Private Pension
bills.


EiIls.
WASHINGTON, July 6.--The President
Today vetoed 20 private pension bills.
Two are disapproyed on the ground that
the pensioners are already in receipt of
sufficient pension. The bills to restore the
names Of II. L. Kyler and Abner More
head to the pension roll are disapproyed
as cases without merit. Nine bills are
vetoed on the general ground that the in
juries for which pensions are proposed
were not incurred in the military service.
James Carroll's bill is vetoed ON the
ground that at the time the claimant re-
ceiyed his wound he was engaged in plum
dering the neighborhood Of Watauga, N.
O., and was hunted down by the home
guards Joseph Romiser's bill on the
ground that he was not in the military
service of the government Catherine
MoCarthy'H bill, because her husband
died from gross heedlessness In taking an
overdose OF colchicum, and Elizabeth
Mckay's bill, because she made no appli-
cation to the pension office. In announc-
ing his disapproval of the bill granting
pension TO Edward NJ. Harrington, who
was injured in the line Of duty, by reason
Of an attack by a fellow soldier in 1864,
the President expresses the opinion that
the government ought not to be called
upon to insure against the quarrelsome
propenaities of its individual soldiers, nor
to compensate one who is worsted in
fight, or even in an unprovoked assault
Lewis w. Scanland fled his declaration
for a pension in 1884, alleging that he
contracted chronic diarrhna in the Black
Hawk war. The records show that he
served from April 18th, 1882, to May 2Sth,
1883. In vetoing the bill for his relief
the President says: 81 am inclined to
think it would have been fortunate thing
II in this case it could have been demon
| strated that a man could thrive so we'll
with the chronic diarrhea for 50 years as
| its existence in the case of this good old
| gentleman would prove. We should then,
perhaps, have leas OF 1t in claims for
| pensions"
In vetoing the bill granting pension
| TO Francis Deming, who claims that he
contracted blindness, the result of rheu-
matism incurred in the service, the presi-
| dent says that there seems to be no testi.
mony showing the soldiers condition
| from the time of his discharge 10 1880, II
/ period of 10 years. The President con-
tinues after ~ years had elapsed
since his discharge from the army pen
| sion is claimed for him, upon o very
shadowy allegation Of the incurrence of
rheumatism while in the service, coupled
with the startling proposition that this
rheumatism resulted, just previous to his
| application, in blindness Upon medical
examination it appeared that his blind
ness was caused by amaurosis, which is
generally accepted as an affection of the
| optic nerve. / am satisfied that a fair ex-
animation of the facts in the case justifies
the statement that the bill under consid-
GRAFTON can rest only upon the grounds
that aid should be furnished to this ex-
soldier because he served in the army and
long time thereafter became blind and
dependent"
None of us are entitled to credit for
extreme tenderness and consideration
toward those who fought their country's
battles; these are sentiments common to
all good citizens they lead TO the most
benevolent care on the part of the govern
ment and deeds of charity and mercy in
private life. The blatant and noisy self
assertion of those who, from motives that
may well be suspected, declare themselves
above all other friends of the soldier can
not discredit or belittle the calm, steady
and afieetionate regard of grateful ma
ton. Legislation has been at the present
session of Congress perfected considerably
increasing the rate of pension in certain
cases. Appropriations have also been
made of large sums for the support
of national homes where sick, dis.
abled or needy soldiers are cared for, and
within few days liberal sum has been
appropriated for the enlargement and
increased accommodation and convent,
enee of these institutions All this is nc
more than should be done But, with all
this and the hundreds Of special acts
which have been passed granting pen
sions in cases where, for my part, an
willing to confess that sympathy rather
than Judgment has often led to the dis
coyery of relation between injury OF
death and military service, am con
strained by sense of public duty to in
terpose against establishing principl,
and setting a precedent which must re-
suit in unregulated, partial and unius
! c'H . P1bli, aI9Bt y under the proteA
d inaemnitying tbos who suffered il
tair means of support rs an incident o
military SERVICE"