National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-17


bill increasing the pensions of soldiers
widows was taken up.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Mander-
son, at the request, he said, Of Mr.. Hawley,
was agreed to, providing that the adiutants
general Of states may be recognized as rep
resenting claimants under the bill, when
the laws Of the states require those officers
TO do so, without expense to the claimants
or the government.
Mr.. Ingalls,, in order, he said, to avoid
delay in the passage Of the bill as 1t came
from the House, moved to disagree with
lie amendments made In committee. This
motion was disagreed to.
Mr., ingalls, then said that as the bill had
TO 90 back to the House for action on Sem
ate amendments, IL might as well be
amended with such further provisions rs
were germane to It,. lie therefore offered
as an amendment the provision Of his ar
rears Of pension bill.
Mr.. Logan supported Mr.. Ingalls, amend
ment. The theory on which pensions were
given, he said, was that they were for
wounds or disabilities. Why, then, should
not pension commence at the date Of the
wound or disability Tho only argument,
Mr.. Logan said, that was made against this
proposition was as to the amount OF money
IL would take. IL man lost q leg o. an
arm In battle, he was entitled to the pension
the very moment the leg or arm was lost.
The fact that the wounded or disabled man
had not applied for pension up to this
time should not operate against him. That
would be putting n statute OF limitations
against mans leg or arm. Many men
had not applied for pensions because they
had been able to live without them. Mr..
Logan did not like to allude to himself, but
as matter OF fact he was entitled to pen
sion carly in the war, and ever since,
but had never asked for q pension, aud
never expected to do so. But II he were to
apply for pension he would certainly con-
slider himself entitled to the pension from
the date when he received the wound, be-
cause IL was for the wound that he would
be entitled to the pension. Mr. Logan be-
loved that no bill ever passed by Congress
had done more good than the arrears OF
pension bill that IL had passed. There was
an implied agreement between the soldier
and the government that II the soldier was
wounded or disabled he should have pen
sion proportional to his injuries. The pro-
posed arrears Of pension amendment was,
therefore, most meritorious, and Mr.. Logan
heartily favored 1t.
Mr.. Butler asked Mr.. ingalls, whether
any calculations had been made as to the
amount Of money 1t would take from the
Mr.. ingalls, replied that estimates had
been furnished, many of them wild and
unfounded, and based entirely on coniec-
ture. That question was hardly pertinent,
however, the real question being whether
the principle was just. II the obligation
were an existing one, the question ought
not TO be how much 1t would cost.
Mr.. Cockrell read from the Revised Stat
utes to show that claims Of all kinds against
the government were subject to limitation
as to time. Some Of these limitations were
directed, among others, against the Mis-
souri, militia, and so long as such limita-
tons existed Mr.. Cockrell would be obliged
to vote against such provisions as were
embodied in Mr.. Ingalls's amendment.
Mr.. Butlor offered as an amendment to
Mr.. Ingalls's amendment the provisions of
the Mexican service pension bill. He Of
fered that amendment, he said, In perfect
good faith.
Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, feared these amend
mends would lead TO such delay by debate
rs probably to ruin the bill, and so deprive
the widows of the proposed increase of
their pensions.
Mr.. jackson said the pension committee
Of the Senate had called on Commissioner
Dudley, while In the pension office, to as
certain the amount that would be necessary
TO meet the demands that would beinvolved
in an extension of the arrears of pension.
That commissioner had reported to the
committee that $24G 900, 900 would be neces-
sary to meet the demands up to Jan. /,
1885. 1t would be impossible, Mr.. Jackson
said, to tell what would be required II the
time were further extended. The Mexican
pension provision would take six or seven
million dollars. If the amendments pro-
posed were to be agreed to- he mr. jack
SOM would move to recommit the bill to
the committee, so that we could see how
much money would be involved.
Mr.. Wilson moved reconsideration OF
the Senate's action agreeing to the amend.
ments already adopted.
Mr.. Van Wyck said he had done his best
to get his amendment and the committee
amendments adopted, but II It was the
sense of the Senate that they should be
withdrawn, he would have to assent. But
he warned the Senate that the provisions
embodied in the amendments, II not passed
in this bill, would not be passed at this
session OF Congress.
Mr.. Logan suggested an amendment Ia
Mr.. Buffers amendment by inserting 'pro'
vided that this act shall not apply to any
person now laboring under disabilities
under the laws of the United States"
Mr.. Butler agreed to accept this.
The Chair inquired If there was objection
to the motion to reconsider.
Mr.. Blair at first objected, but later sale
that II the general sense of the Senate was
that the amendments endangered the pas
sage of the bill, he would withdraw hi:
objection.
The objection being withdrawn, Mr.. In
gals and Mr.. Butler withdrew their amend
ments. All amendments that had beer
agreed to by the Senate were then formally
disagreed TO, and the bill was passed In the
form in which 1t came from the House, ant
now needs only the Presidents signature
to become law.
The bill increases the IS month pension
of widows and dependent relatives to 81,
tNts... -.
claim agents or attorneys in connection
with the bill, and forbids any compensation
TO be paid to such agents or attorneys by
reason Of sany action or services In rela-
ton to the increase of pensions provided
for by the bill.
Mr.. Hoar called up the new electora
count bill and II was read.
At 2 O'Clock the judiciary committee
resolutions were taken up. Senator Cullon
took the floor, but gave way to Mr.. Nor
rill.
The senator from Vermont said the sen
ator from West Virginia (NIr. Kennal Il
his speech had read letter signed by MI
Morrill,, as chairman of the committee o.
finance, and had stated that the letter wa
the beginning of the present controversy
When the Senate assembled In Decembe
Il was promulgated that this ADMINISTERS
ton, and especially the Treasury Depart
ment was to be conducted on bushes
principles. Therefore, the committee o
finance pursued its usual routine of bus
ness and sent a letter to the Secretary O
the Treasury in identlcally the same term
as the one read by the senator from Yves
Virginia,
II related to the suspension Of co
lector of internal revenue at there the sci
ntorseemed to remember that the subleC
was an executive matter), no matter wher'
and received from the Secretary Of th
Treasury the following response
Treasury DEPARTMENT, Dec. Is, lSSj.-DeC
SIR have the honor 10 acknowledge the r
Ceipt OF your letter OF the 10Th instant makir
innnlIY as 10 the ron anns for tho sIisnnnRinn