The National tribune., 1888-04-26


was agreed to.
Mr. O'Neil offered en- amendment that all
United States officers now authorized to admin
lister oaths be required to administer oaths re-
quired to be made by pensioners and their wit
nesses in the execution of their vouchers free
of charge. This was agreed to.
The bill was finally engrossed, read the third
time. and passed.
The rest of the day was spent in discussing
the River and Harbor and a number of private
bills.
SATURDAY, APRIL 81.
The Senate was not in session.
The House resumed consideration Of the
River and Harbor Appropriation Bill and con-
tinued it throughout the day.
MONDAY, APRIL 80
The Senate, as in Committee of the Whole,
resumed consideration of the bill for the for
fixture of certain lands granted to railroads,
aud Senator Stewart made speech showing up
the vicious practices of SPECTATORS and middle
men.
The bill to provide Bureau of Animal In
dustry was taken up aud discussed, but laid
aside to take up the bill for an international
copyright, after considering which for some
time, the Senate went into executive session.
In the House, the Speaker presented a COM
munication requesting the House to participate
in the celebration in New York of the centen-
NAL of the Inauguration of George Washington
as the first President of the United States.
The Senate bill granting pension of $75 a
month to the widow of Gen. Ricketts, was taken
up.
Mr.. CheadIe lind opposed the bill He felt
that the present discrimination of $50 month
to the widow of an officer against $12 a month
TO the widow of an enlisted man was as much
as could be justified under our form of govern
ment, where equality before the law and equal
! rights and privileges were fundamental princi-
! pies, and where one life equaled another life
! and where caste or class were not known or
| tolerated at all He granted all that had been
said i'll behalf of the distinguished services oil
Gen. Ricketts,, but these services brought him
! position and honors, and the pay and emolu-
ments Of the rank to which he attained. II
/ this Maori Generals widow deserved SO much,
/ what did not the mother who gave one, two
three, four, five, and, in rare instances, six sons
/ to die for the Government, deserve?
Mr.. Randall said that in addition to the dis
! tinguished services rendered by Gen. Ricketts,
/ his wife, Immediately on learning that he wa;
wounded at the first battle of Bull Run, crossed
the Confederate lines and went to his relief
and, while caring for her husband at that time
! she also cared for other Union soldiers who had
/ been wounded captured, and taken to Libby
| prison at Richmond where she remained many
4 months acting as it were, in the capacity o.
nurse.
Mr.. O'Neill said that he had become &C
/ quainted with Gen. Ricketts, after he wal
wounded at Cedar Creek. He did not believe
more gallant soldier ever lived.
The amendment of Mr.. Bland to make the
amount $50 was not agreed to, bat the amend.
ment of the Committee on Invalid Pensions tt
make it $75 instead of 500 as it came from
the Senate, was adopted and the bill passed.
Mr. Henderson presented memorial of tht
| Society Of the Army Of the Tennessee and tht
Grand Army of the Republic, in favor of tht
passage by Congress of the joint resolution au
/ thorizing the erection of statue to Gen. Johr
A. Logan in Iowa Circle, Washington, D. c.
which was referred to the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs.
Bills granting pensions or increase of pen
sions to the following persons have been passed
/ by both Houses:
Olive Wallace, Mehitable Wheelock, Mrs
Emily NJ. Wyman, Theodore Gardner, William
| F. Randolph, Mary Robinson, Stephen Thurs
ton, Henry B. Very, Mrs Arabella Coddington
Henry Stafford.