The National tribune., 1886-08-05
THE VETOED BILLS.
The House Votes On Several but None
lifru
are Passed.

During the latter part Of Thursday last the |
House was as turbulent as a ward caucus. At |
times half the Members were huddled in the |
aisles and the area in front of the Speakers |
desk, with a dozen trying to talk at once. The |
trouble was between the vetoed Pension bills |
and Reagan's Interstate Commerce bill. As |
soon as the Deficiency Appropriation bill had |
been consigned to the tender mercies OF a Con- |
ference Committee with about hundred SEN |
ate amendments disagreed to, Mr. Reagan |
thought he saw the track clear for Interstate |
Commerce, and endeavored to open the switch |
by which the bill had been side-tracked the |
day before. The Republican Members had
been for a week quietly watching for chance |
to get shy at the Presidents Pension We |
toes Veto messages are privileged, and when
they are called up other business must give |
way. Mr.. Reagan was scarcely upon his feet |
when Mr.. Thomas, Of Wisconsin, arose and |
moved to discharge the Committee on Invalid
Pensions from further consideration of the bill
granting a pension to Mary Anderson and the
veto message thereon, and to bring them before
the House. This is one of the bills upon which |
the committee has not reported since the veto.
After some lively skirmishing the yeas and
nays were ordered. By vote of III 10 112 the
House refused to take the bill out of the hands
Of the committee.
Then Reagan renewed his demand for Inter-
State Commerce with great warmth, but was
headed off by Sawyer, of New York, who moved
to discharge the committee from another OF the
vetoed bills. Again the Reading Clerk drawled
through the tedious roll-call, aud again the
House refused TO consider the bill. Mr.. Reagan
was Immediately up again, and while he was
talking and gesticulating with extraordinary
violence Mr.. Burrows, of Michigan, advanced
smilingly down the aisle, and securing recOg
milton, called up another pension bill. The
performance of calling the yeas and nays was
ii De rfpQ nf
Kansas, tried another bill By this time two
hours had been consumed and the afternoon
was nearly spent. Mr.. Reagan, so often bafted,
seemed scarcely able to contain himself. he
protested vehemently against what he said was
mere filibustering, and declared that it was
done for no other purpose than to kill of the
Interstate Commerce bill, the passage OF which
the people of the United States had been de-
manding for II years.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, whose big, round face
had shone in the forefront of the battle from
the outset in tones that fairly rang through
the chamber denied the charge in toto. he
said they were trying in perfect good faith to
get some action one way or the other on the
Presidents vetoes. They had right to call
them up, and it was the imperative duty of
| Congress by the Constitution itself to take no.
tice of them. During the long scene of tur-
MOL Mr.. Springer and others had raised points
| of order against the action of the Republicans,
but Speaker Carlisle uniformly ruled in favor
of the latter. 1t was past o'clock and it was
evident that nothing would be accomplished
unless one side or the other yielded. The ad-
vantage of position was with the Republicans
under the precedence accorded to the veto mes
sages.
When Mr. Henderson, of Iowa, came forward
and called up another bill, the Democrats con-
cluded TO abandon the hopeless contest. Dir.
Matson Chairman of the Com mittee on Invalid
4 al-adt 70 tax m
the six vetoed bills which had been reported
and were on the calendar, with the understand
i ing that in each case vote should be taken
without debate. The Republicans objected
strenuously to the latter, urging that a brief
time should be granted TO present the cases
fairly. 1t was finally agreed TO allow 10 min
! utes To each side in each case. It was further
agreed that as soon as these bills were disposed
| of Interstate Commerce should have the right
of way, and this pacified Mr.. Reagan. One PEN
sion bill was voted upon-that Of Andrew j.
Wilson. 1t failed to carry-yeas l05, nays Sc,
not the necessary two thirds.
Wilson's case was explained by Dir. Sawyer,
Of New York. who said:
desire to call the attention Of the House to the
facts ia this wish to state Grst that per-
sonaily acquainted with the claimant in this ease
and with every witness who has given testimony
before the Pension Office with the exception oil
three persons. The claimant, according to the I'M
disputed evidence, drafted in the month oi
1
At the time he drafted he claimed that he
was exempt from the draft account Of his deaf
ness and spasmodic twitching Of the eye which
rendered IL impossible for him even 70 learn TO read
He notified that he must appear at the Office o
the Provost Marshal In the city OF Rochester Ir
accordance with that notice he appeared before the
Examining Surgeon. Two gentlemen from the
village Of Albion, where the claimant lived. and
where have lived for 40 years, were present. Al
tns e oSs
Mr.. George w. Bedell. then adeputy in the Provost
Marshai's Office. and the other "A gentleman nameC
: Spencer. They had known Wilson from his boy
hood. They prepared certain papers for him. set
ting forth the disabilities which untitled him fo
military service Those papers were presented Z
| and then the Surgeon proceeded to examine VIII
son. Afer the examination the Surgeon pronounee'
+: Bedelll. and said that he would make a good sol
' der. and he was ordered to report accordingly.
Now wish 10 call the attention OF the House 4
the fact that In the Of this Andrew Wilson
IL cannot be claimed that he trying 10 procur
Q the large bounty which was then being paid Il
volunteer soldiers. He was a poor boy. deaf un
, able to read, and for those reasons had vol
!, unteered; but the Government, with its stronI
arm, took hold Of him and said that he must ente
the service. the Examining Surgeon. the agent O
: the Government selected by It TO examine ever.
l. drafted man, reporting that he had examined hin
/ | and pronounced him sound.
:; Wilson was ordered 10 report 10 the 96th n. Y
in which regiment he did not know a solitary mar
He went into the service and served in Virgini
= from March until September. Marching in oh
n midst OF storms unprotected by blanket or tent h
. contracted rheumatism, and he was also confine
y la the hospital at one time for diarrhes.
), At another time. going to the building in whic
n the soldiers then had their barracks, in passing "a
outer fight of stairs. the stairs broke and he fe
and was injured. Still, the claim for pension
mostly on account OF the rheumatism which h
contracted in the service He makes CLAIM
!, whatever for deafness. In the month OF Septembe
u Of the same year he discharged on account G
o chronic nephrtis which, As understand it, is som
:. kind OF kidney difficulty, and also on account c
: deafness, and in the certificate of discharge TIA
nh air VIII had knn Ia Inn until n
joined the regiment. made the statement that thos
. disabilities had existed at the time of his enlistment
This Is all the evidence there Is in this in an
shape form which refers TO the disabilities havin
\ existed at the time of enlistment i make thi
!. statement AFTER thorough examination Of ever
paper in the case on file in the Pension Office.
II The first point make is this. that the Govern
Is ment having forced this man into its service.
v the agent appointed by the Government to examin
him having examined him and declared him SCUM
Mt the time he entered the service, by all the rule
OF fairness and justice the Government ought no,
10 be estoppsd from claiming that he unsoun
at that time. wish 10 appeal 10 every gentlema
A on this floor on bpth sIdes OF the House TO sa
whether IL Is right for the Government hen IL lay
10 its strong hand upona map and drugs him into II
N service Notwithstanding his protest that lac Is
l. liable To military duty account OF specific diff
4 cuities-whether IL Is right, afler the GovernmeI
, forces him into the service and subsequently iii:
charges him Tor certain disabilities, to turn aroun
70 and say when he applies for pension that thos
10 disabilities existed the time when it forced hiI
a into the service.
* The next day the House disposed of the re:
k of the vetoed bills reported and ON the caller
10 dar. Two or three OF them were postponed ii
X next December on account OF the absence of th