Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-05-26
Gen. Grout and Pensions.


Gen. Grout and Pensions.
The labors that are thrown on a
congressman at this time, outside his
ordinary or supposed duties,are enor-
nous. Vermont congressman have
been perplexed and worked during
the last year to adjust the matter of
postmasters, and have found it dis
agreeable as we'll as laborious task.
This work has fallen chiefly upon the
members of the House = Messrs.
Grout and Stewart. To this must be
added the constant pressure upon
each in the line of pensions. If for
any cause pension claim fails, the
congressman is asked to look after it
and 90 before the departments with
such evidence as he can get to prove
the Justice of the claim, etc. Then
there are many private bills to be in
troduced and piloted through. We do
not know so much about Congress
man Stewards business, but to show
what Gen. .Grout has been accomplish
ing within the last few weeks-much
of the time seriously sick-we name
a few persons who have been helped
through private bills. In one week
five pension bills ran the gauntlet of
the House and Senate and went to
the President. The following were
the beneficiaries Lucinda Clark,
Reading Esther G.. Bryant, Weston;
L. L.. Sanborn, Albany; Herman
Day, Lunenburg and Fannie E.Wood-
bury. Six other bills are pending Ell
ther in the House or Senate which
will be gotten through all right, prob
ably, in the interest of Mary A. Le-
fevre, Island Pond; Alonzo l.. Page,
Newport; Mary M. Edison, Barnet; ;
Geo. H. Brown, Essex. Gen. Grout
has done a just thing for John Keat-
ING of this town, who has been un-
able to procure proper discharge
from the service, or pension for Sc
rious wounds. Mr.. Heating went to
the front in 1864, and within few
days went into battle at Chaplin S
Farm, where he was shot through the
foot and wounded in the side. He
was sent to the hospital, and thence
furloughed home, where he remained
in such condition as not to be able to
return till his regiment was mustered
out. He got no discharge, and has
been unable to get it,until 0. V. JOS
lyn of this village took the matter up
and asked Gen. Grout to 60 before
the departments with affidavits, etc.
Gen. Grout got the proper discharge,
and a Just pension will be forthcom-
ing.
These instances are related to show
not only the labor and trouble impos-
ed on Gen. Grout, but his willingness
to assist his soldier friends and his
constituents. We have no doubt that
his present sickness was caused by
overwork.
He is not pushing himself into the
field for denomination, but is IL
by the wishes of great majority oi
his constituents. AS is we'll known
Col. Hooker, who has long had al
inordinate itching for getting into
congress, is rushing around through
the state to get up boom for him
self. The General has no time o.
chance to help himself, if he has
d esire to, and if his friends do no
bes tir themselves Hooker will get vi
considerable of a diversion. Their
are not a few in the district who ar
willing to sacrifice a man and tn
best interests of the district to Civ
vent to the piques and animosltle
engendered in post-office matter
here and there. Such way of do
ing is decidedly small business, bu
men will do small things, and almos
turn the world upside down to spit
somebody. If Gen. Grout has don
anything, and is to be placed wher
he can continue to do honor to th'
: district and favor to his constituents
it will be well for them to look afte
his interests at the time of holdin
l the district caucuses.