The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-04


Congrossman Gheadls's Reasons for Demand
ing Action by q Quorum.
Special 10 the Indie snapolis youruaL
WASHINGTON. Sept "a good deal Of COM
ment has been made upon the objection entered
by Representative Cheadle, on last Friday
night. TO the consideration of the bill 70 pension
Mrs Sheridan at the rate Of s., 500 year. This
objection WAS entered within the consistent line
Of policy pursued by Mr. Chsadle. He objects
to tho granting of extraordinarily large special
pensions to the widows Of officers when the
House refuses to grant even small pensions to
the widows of soldiers who served in the ranks
The position occupied by Mr.. Cheadls is very
clearly defined in the brief extemporsneous
marks he made at the time he offered his objec-
sion. He said:
quorum acts upon il. l want to say that il
there 10 in this tribunal Of tho poople, this court
Of dernier resort, as the gentleman from Penn
sylvsnia terms IL, to be established one rule to
govern Us. and by which We are to grant pen
sions TO the widows Of the musket-carriers, and
another and different rule to the widows OF the
officers of the regular army and The officers OF
the volunteer army, then i want to know it and
to know il right here nd now.
u object to 10 especially for this reason, that
1ysswesks ago called up bill in th,s House
With had btsn considered oy the committee on
invalid pensions. 1t was reported adversely be-
cause Of the fact that the claimant had not gone
TO the Pension Department, whom the pension
or showed by his affidavit that the injury oc-
Cured when he was alone and that it was phys
icaly impossible for him 10 obtain tbs legal
status that was required In the department.
The House refused 10 grant that old veteran
more than seventy-two years OK aee-a pen
siou Now, want TO know whether in this
Congress there snail be ono rule established for
the poor and another and different one for the
rich; whether the humble pensioners of this
country are to have one rule by which their
pensions are to be granted, and the rich and
those high in Official life are to have another
and different onei
There never was q greater outrage parpe-
trated in the history OF legislation by the Amer
lean Congress than whom this House Of Repre-
sentatives refused to grant pension to Joseph
w. Mcconnell. who must have bean at least
forty-fvs years of aga in 1861, when he enlisted
in the Fifteenth Indiana Regiment ct the very
outbreak of the rebellion, and incurred disa-
bility when he WAS alone, and he set forth the
facts in an affidavit, his character being certi-
fed to by the leading citizens in the county in
which he lives, and l stated here under the
solemnity of the oath administered 70 me in
that area, that had been acquainted with him
since 1862; that he Was a man OF the very high
est integrity and personal character, and the
House denied the right that hs claimed and that
he had right to claim, to cure the defect in his
testimony and send him to the Pension Office
20 be psns oaed according to his disability at
the rate fixed by the general law. repeat,
therefore, that IL there is in this country one
system Of procedure to Do suplied 70 officers of
high grade and another and different one to bs
applied to those who carried the musket, I want
TO know ii. Mr.. Chairman, in this country We
claim that equality before the law 10 the birth
right aud inheritance OF all our citizens. If
this rule Of class legislation il to apply and If
we shall have another and different rule for
men in whatever rank grade in the service,
then let us clearly and definitely settle that
question now.
s'Mr O'Neill Of Missouri-Why can not you
call up the bill to which you refer ard pass 10
nowl
''Mr. Cheadle-Because the House rejected IL
upon the request of gentleman who is now a
candidate for the Office Of Governor of the State
Of Indiana.
'Mr. Williams-Let me ask The gentleman il
he thinks he remedies that wrong by objectine
in this casel
"Mr. Cheadle-I say this, sir that il there is
ore rule by which we are to judge Of the pension
ant qualifications Of one citizen and another
rule for another citizen, ask this House to
establish that rule low. Let us and let the
country, know what it is. 1 want to say that
il was not the major generals, nor the brigadier-
generals. nor the colonels, nor the captains that
saved this country at the time OF its trouble.
1t was the musket-carriers. the men OF the mus
kets and knapsacks. who did the work.