The National tribune., 1888-10-11
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
Replies to Questions on Variety or Interesting
Subjects.


ITO Corrsspondenis-write questions on a sap
arate sheet of paper, give full name and address,
and mark it Correspondents Column" No atten-
ton will be paid to communications that are not
accompanied with full name aud address of writer.
Our readers requested 10 inclose a stamp for
reply to their inquiries. Postal cards viii be
repiied 70 oy mail oly. Replies oy mail VIII ordt-
narily be made within week, and If in this col
unn within three weeks.l
arrears, Gloucester Ma2s-I received pension Of
IS month for injury to back from a she'll COM
mencing Oct. s. 1866. Applied for an increase June
IL. 1887 for injury back and disease of eyes and
was increased 70 $50 per month Will be bens-
hted by the passage of the bill to remove limitation
OF arrears? Anst0er. Probably yes, il you can
show that the disease existed in pensonable de-
gree during the time that arrears are due.
W. ". H., Hermitage, A0.-YOur muster-in as
First Lieutenant having been amended TO take
effect Jan. 23 1885, you viii be entitled three
months extra pay proper, and which will be in
oluded in your settlement. The Second Auditor is
many months behind in RdjudicaliBg such cases,
and even after settlement shall have been made
you will be compelled to wait for your money I'M
tI Congress shall have made an appropriation to
pay such claims.
T. 81. c., Neso Milford, I'LL served two years in
the Cumberland Hospital as nurse. Am not en-
titled to a nurses pension? have been drawing
a widows pension for the past two years. AnstgeT.
The bill TO pension army nurses has not vet be-
come a law, but in the event Of its becoming law
you would not be entitled to the pension in addi-
ton TO the pension yon are already receiving. The
law prohibits the payment of more than pen
sion to any one person.
f. M. r, Viroqua, Ws.-What is the law relating
TO widows arrears of pension? A1lsleer. The fol-
lowing the law referred to- and extract from
the act appropriating for the payment of pensions
and for other purposes: - And provided further,
that all pensions which nave been or which may
hereafter be granted under the general laws regu-
lating pensions TO widows in consequence of death
occurring from cause which originated in the
service since the fourth day of March, 1861, shall
commence from the date OF the death of the hus-
band"
L. T. B., Portsmouth,, O.-what are the number of
private pension bills vetoed by Grant. Hayes,
Arthur. and Cleveland? Anscsr. The Constitution
says that If the President approve the act he shall
sign it," Hence, IL he does not sign be does not
approve. OF $40 pension bills presented TO President
Cleveland in the 18th Congress he vetoed I4 disap
proved, by refusing to sign 1856 pOcketed and defeat
ed / Total number disapproved, PSI; approved aud
signed 65S President Grant approved 575 pension
bills and vetoed s. President Hayes approved 3O7
pension bills and vetoed none. President Arthur ap
proved 73e pension bills vetoed none So that from
Grant TO Arthur there were 1873 pension bills ap
proved and vetoed. Now, as to Cieyeland's Adj
ministTntiou he thus disapprOyed more than one
of every three bills presented him for his sig
nature. During the present session of Congress
3l9 pension bills have passed. or these President
Cleveland has vetoed 30 and disapproved of so.
hGuleteSs, Forsyth, Ao.-l. Is certificate of dis
charge for disability any advantage to q soldier in
pension claim? 2. What IS the nature of the
arrears of pension act? 3. Can a widow under
any circumstances be placed on the pensiOn-rolls
after re marrying, il she draws from the Govern
ment while widow what is due her such
AhSI0er. l. A discharge for a disability upon which
pension claim is based would of course be of great
advantage to soldier; especially so if the eerth
tracted in service and line of duty. That being so,
evidence of origin would be required; but if
the disability for which he discharged
different from the disability for which pension was
claimed. it would be in the nature of hindrance
rather than an advantage. because II would be pre-
sumed that had the soldier been suffering from
the disability claimed pension, it would have
been included with the disability for which he was
discharged from service. .. The only arrears Of
pension bill contemplated Is to pay claimants who
neglected TO file their claims until after June 30 1880
when arrears ceased pension from the date Of dis
charge death of soldier up the date when their
claims were filed, and from which date only they
could draw pension Thus every soldier who filed
his claim prior to July l, 1880, granted pen
sion back TO the date of his discharge, whereas
those who filed claims after June 30, 1880, were
granted pension only from the date when they
filed their claims in the Pension Office. The latter
class, in the event of the passage of the arrears
act would be entitled TO pension from date of dis
charge up to the date when they filed their claims.
3. A widows pension ceases with her remarriage,
aud she cannot thereafter be restored to the rolls,
unless she marTies another soldier who should die
of disease contracted in line of duty in the service
She could then claim a pension on account Of the
services of her second husband, but her right 10
pension for the services of her first husband is for
ever extinguished by her remarriage.
Mrs. ". II. r., Arapdhoe, Neb.-Is there q law al
lowing the wife Of soldier TO receive his pension
when he is in the habit of drinking up his pension?
| For instance, soldier drew his pension OF So on
| Sept. 10, went on on spree, and was brought
back home with $40 left. and was sick for several
| days. with nothing for his family to live An
StUeF. There Is no law which would allow per-
NIT pension due q soldier. he living, to be di-
| verted for any cause and made payable TO his wife
and family. unless he Is insane or imprisoned for
| offenses against the laws of the United States
| C. H, WheeiaHd, Ho-l. My pension certificate
| reads, Total deafness in and severe deaf
| ness in the other" About how much will be en-
titled to under the new increase act and how shall
| / proceed to get it? 2. Has the State Of Massa-
| chusetts ever published book entitled Massa-
chusetts in the War" and if So how get q
copy2 3. Do you think the Mills bill will pass the
aSenate? L. Why is Sunday called the first day of
| the weekP AHs'Ssr. l. Probably 50 a month
Submit your certificate to the Commissioner of
/ Pensions with letter. 2. We not aware of
such publication. 3. No. A. Sunday is designated
by Christians the first day of the week, or a day
| of rest and religious worship
| w. H. C., Florence, HiS-Did Congress pass the
act for the relief of desereTs, and also the act for
| the benefit Of those who served under assumed
names? AHsVsr. Congress has passed several bills
to relieve deserters, the last being to relieve
| fully six months, deserted after May l. 1865. The
bill for the relief of those who served under as
| sumed names has not yet become q law.
| Mrs. ". ID. h, EtRG, ". H.-SOldier enlisted in
| New Hampshire regiment and served several years
| when he WAS taken prisoner and confined in Libby
| Was transferred to Andersonviile, and the way
| from AndersOnville to Charleston he died His
| mother was married second time before he en-
| listed but is now widow Is she entitled TO pen
| sion? II So will she draw any back pension IN
sDer. She is entitled providing she prove her
| Pension would commence only from the date of fill
| ing her application in the Pension Office in the
| event of the allowance of her claim.
4
| Tribute to Congressman Sawyer.
y