The National tribune., 1888-08-02
CONGRESS.
An Abstract Of the More Important
Proceedings in Both Houses.
WEDNESDAY, July 25.

morning hour. Mr. Hawley Conn called up
the resolution for printing 5000 copies of
vetoed pension bills which had been sent to
the Senate by the President.
Mr.. Cockrell No. moved TO amend by in
sorting 100000 copies Of all pension bills vetoed
by the President during the 49th and 50th
Congress 10 this date and i'm support of the
amendment said that when this resolution was
reported he had said in a pleasant and what he
considered iocuar way 10 the distinguished
Senator in charge Of il that as they were going
10 print SO many copies Of the report OF the
Senate Committee Oh Pensions. which was an
attempt 10 reflect severely upon the President,
they might add TO is aud print a certain veto
message which had come i'm since that report
had been made, the veto message in the Dough
erty case. lie had no idea that he was going
e. excite his frieHds 20 the pitch which bad
followed, and he would confess that lie was
amused lie lad simply suggested this amend
mcut In order that one OF the veto messages
which had been denounced SO bitterly by SEN
Etors should be sUWn broadcast over the cOun-
try To his horror and amazement he found
that after the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr..
Dawes had invited him TO offer this amend
meut. the Senator from Connecticut Mr.. Haw-
ley was moved almost TO tears over the poor
DGgEheTty case, aud be had proceeded to pour
out The yisls Of bis wrath upon the head Of the
President.
8Ir. Hawley suggested that there was moth
ing TO prevent the Senator from offering his
amendment as an independent resolution; but
Mr. C0ckrell thought if he pursued this course
the resolution would be put to sleep in the
Committee on Printing, and would never again
tie heard of. Mr.. Hawley said he would guar
lntee that it would be reported before night.
Ir. Davis Mimi. said the admiration which
the Senator eutertains for the veto message in
the DoUghcrty case compelled him TO submit a
few observations at this time upon the matter,
which may possibly increase the respect IN
which he Senator CockrelL holds that eXtraOr-
binary document
The Doueherty case came before the last
Congress on a petition which was signed among
other persons, by Admiral Porter and by the
venerable George Bancroft, attesting their ac-
Guaintanco with this woman. their knowledge
OF the peculiar calamities under which she had
labo1ed for so many years, which IN their Judg-
ment made il proper that Congress should in
tervene in her behalf by measure of special
relief That petition and those facts were eX-
amined by the committee Of the Forty-ninth
Congress, and a favorable report was made. 1t
received no legislative action and again came
before the present Pension Committee Of the
Senate received a careful examination and g
favorable conclusion upon substantially the fol-
lowing facts:
Mrs Dougherty. now a woman between so
and 90 years Of age, was during the war en-
pi0yed in the Government arsenal in this eity
ID filing cartridges an employment of peculiar
danger; and while there without any fault on
her part, an explosion took place which killed
several. broke her c0lar-b0ne, Scared her face,
from which she inhaled the flames was made
sick, and for certain time insane. IL was and
is enc Of those cases falling within narrow eZ-
ceptlOns, such as Transfers Qurtcrlnasters
clerks. and other civil employees IN the Govern
meEt military service; falling ] say, within
narrow exceptions where here and there Con-
Fress has from time to time put persons in her
position upon the pensi0n-r0Ils.
Her husband al thstime was q soldier In the
army. His name was Daniel DongheTty. he
came home from the war, and finding this
woman ID this pltIabic condition, after remain
ing around Washington for time sick, appar-
emily SO sick that the last ministrations Of his
religion were thought 10 have been required
for him, although they were not administered.
left bis family ostensibiy TO 20 West In search
q his health, and IN fhe course Of a few days
came 3 letter or telegram 10 her announcing
his death. About the same time their only son.
the stay Of this woman If he had lived being
then an enpl0ye in the Navy Yard ia this city.
was killed by an accident there. Daniel
D0ugheFtv, who thus disappeared from this
EC1lza' side, has never reappeared to her per-
sonaily.
Sue lled an application for pension as his
widow. The proof Of death was that Of q COM
4@4S WIZ dLlt1AE4 10 il5 AS1lA ID Ed4UCdti-
KY Of an attending physician, who certified
to i not OF bis own personal knowledge, but as
exceedingly probable aud the proof in that re-
ETect was so c0gent that the Pension Office in
lS7s passed this woman's claim aud put her on
the peDsiOn-r0l as the widow Of Daniel Dough-
eTty.
She enjoyed that pension three months 1t
began 20 be n0issl about from some source or
other that Daniel D0ugherty was not dead
that the report Of his death, which had been
conveyed 70 this woman, was a fabrication
and the Office very properly undertook 10 as
certain whether the man vet lived. and il
found that be did, Therenpon the pension Of
Nary Ann DOnghertF was suspended. Daniel
Dougberty afterward filed his claim for q
pension On account Of injuries, as he said, re
csIged in the service.
The Pension Committee did not proceed q,
tie President d the United States would seen
70 Indicate by his message upon any theory OF
any mistake that Mary Ann Dougherty wa.
the widow Of Daniel Dgugbcrty. The commit
zee knew that Daniel Doagherty yet lived
hey knew that he had been denied a pension
although he bad made application, for injuries
received In the service, but they placed tie
equities Of Mrs. D0ugherty upon the fact
which i have stated-facts which commend
themselves 10 the sympathies aud judgment Of
the committee; facts which IN scores Of in
stances on behalf Of men, and, ! think, in som,
cz1ses on DensllI OF women, have resulted III leg
islation by Congress IN their favor.
This man Do1gherty has never appeared Il
bis family again. This woman for 20 years ha
lived Ih this city worse than in q state Of wild
oWbO0d, on account Of the action of this man
She lost her son in a quasi military service
She herself received grieTous Injuries in TIA,
same capacity, namely employment in al
arsenal.
The President Of the United States has seer
read 10 ,ssrr and
exhibit 70 the country homily upon its al
legged careIcssness and remissness in the wa,
Of duty IN respect 10 this particular case. an
also q general homily and reproof of Congress
lie states ia his message as statement Of fact
a. follows:
5er husband, Daniel Dougberty, Is now living I
Jllliaoeipiiia, and D pensioner in his own rigl
lor disability alleged TO have been incurred Will
serving ~ tie 54ih n. J. Vols. OF this fact tai
beneficiary las been repeatedly informed
Hero we have the President Of the Unite
States stating in paper which should be marke
by truth IN every word itcontains, as reason 70
refusing pension 70 this woman, that DAME
Dougherty is now living in Philadelphia an
is now peusiOner IN his own right False 3
bulletin used 20 be a proverb in other coun
tries. The phrase is particularly applicable [
this paper FOR there is not one word Of truth i
the allegation Of the message which ! have ius
read. The trath is directly the contrary: an
my assertion IN that respect does not depend O
any outside investigation, but it depends o
tie face OF the very record which the Presiden
Of the United States ga theory had hefors 4, Z,