The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-10-13
ONE OF CLEvELAND's vEToEs.
let your Cct0eS ready.

ONE OF CLEvELANDs vETOES.
A Enthusiastically mean and malignant
veto by President Cleveland was that of
Capt J. W. Farris, of Missouri. This, which
was sent in June q, 1886, reads as follows:
1 hereby return without, approval bill origi-
| mating In the House of Representatives. entitled
AN act granting increase Of pension to j. w.
Farris" which bill is numbered 6,l36.
The claimant mentioned in this bill enlisted In
the month OF October, 1861. and was mustered out
of the service In August, 1865
In 1881 JIG years after his discharge. he filed an
application for pension, alleging that he was
afflicted with chronic darrhea contracted in the
army and in 1885 his claim was allowed, and he
was granted pension for that
In September of the year, and after this
pension WAS granted, he filed an application for an
increase of his rate alleging that in 1884 his eyes
became affected in consequence OF his previous
ailments and the debility consequent thereupon.
The ingenuity developed in the constant and
persistent attacks upon the public Treasury by
those claiming pensions, and the increase of those
already granted is exhibited In bold relief by this
attempt TO include eyes among the results OF
diarrhea.
/ am entirely satisfied with the opinion Of the
medical referee, who. after examining this case in
| eyes cannot be admitted to be result of chronic
diarrhea."
On all grounds It seems to me that this claimant
should be contented with the pension which has
been already allowed him.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
It will be seen that the President laid
himself out to be grim and sarcastic. He
had his eye fixed on the great audience of
soldier-haters, and he wanted to say some
thing particularly cutting and crushing
against the soldiers which would bring
thunders of applause. 1t came out just rs
he expected. The soldier hating papers
went into ecstacies of admiration. But, I'M
fortunately for his cunning scheme, he did
not have the last word. The reply came at
once and it was a sumner. In place of
John w. Farris being some poor, ignorant,
friendless soldier, who would be withered
by such blast from the President of the
United States, it turned out that he was
prominent, influential man, Of splendid war
record, a leading Democrat and a Senator in
the Legislature of Missouri. Furthermore,
he produced evidence from the best oculists
in the country that his impaired eyesight
was directly due to long standing and in
durable diarrhea. He struck back at his
maligner in this magnificent way:
LEBANON. Mo-. July 6-I hope may be par
doned for writing this letter but the constant refer
by the press TO the pension bill in my favor
recently passed by Congress and vetoed by the
President. and the gross injustice to me In all
these publications, seems to demand some ex-
PLANTATION.
A few weeks ago was an honored citizen, held
in high esteem by constituency who profusey
fattered with the acknowledgment that "A
Senator had served them faithfully aud well, and
was strongly solicited to be candidate for re-
election. Many Of these people knew the extent
of my physical disabilities but believed that these
infirmes not sufficient 10 retire private
life. In March last Congressman Bland introduced
a pension bill for me. and truth had no idea
that ouch g step was In contemplation until the
same published in The daily papers.
will here say that. personally, doubt the
pediency ofthe system Of special legislation this
subject and think that the general pension laws
should be made broad enough. If possible to cover
oil that might arise But the bill had been
Introduced,
taneous outburss of public sympathy, and felt, in
deed, complimented by the thought that I-even
I-had friends In Congress who could remember
me in the hours of adversely.
Ordinarily II is enough TO be Victim OF d!sense
and conscious of approaching permanent disability
or early dissolution but when this ia accom- panied
with the brutal ez-parto Judgment of President
whom the sufferer had aided in eleciin2 the with
drawal Of personal and political sympatl,ies and
,titY tam If a
family illustrates the extraordinary dilemma in
which am placed.
If had by persistent lobby and personal and
political influences secured the passage of bill for
my benefit, there might have been some excuse
for the severe language used by the President in
his veto message. When the truth is told and the
| facts admitted that the bill not introduced at
| my solicitation. or even with my personal knowl-
| edge consent, am at a loss to know how a
serva,ive public can Justify the brutality displayed
| by the Chief Executive Of IA Government, to which
gave four years Of active military service hazard
| ing lfe mperilng health. and making my self pre-
| maturey old. Aud yet such seems the result.
| One of my competitors, Mr.. j. b. RaclsliTe pos
sessed of about the same degree of patriotism that
| induced Grover Cleveland TO lire q substitute
rather than fight hi. countrys battles ruled by the
same brutal instincts which impelled the President
| to assault uBustly in his message, has gone
| the district aud covertly-yea, in IA cowardly
| mannLr-used this veto message to manufacture
| sentiment against me- and build for himself that
| character and reputation which he had not been
| able 10 attain save through tho misfortune Of
others.
| lam content with the defeat which will probably
| come 10 me, bit ana not content to remain silent
| and be branded by Presdent-even a Democratic
| President-with having devised Ingenious
plan to attack The public Treasury" No man who
| knows me would write such a sentiment. but sent
| forth tho utierancs OF Democratic President.
aud ut q time when partisan blindness is so appar-
ent, unrefuted. IL would hand my name down 10
| my children that of an imposior and fraud
| lam proud of the record made soldier. /
left the army at the end of four years. service
| when only 20 years old. bearing two commissions
| won by mcritorious service In battle. Though In
impaired health, the result of that service am
| not too feeble TO resist the criticisms and denounce
| the reflections Of Presidents Senatorial candi-
dates who seek to cast aspersons On my character
or impu,e dishonesty to my motives.
| ! have already indicated the effect of the pro.
posed legislation. the veto. and resulting discussion
Of the subject But conscious Of the Justice of my
| position that have nothing to extenuate nor
! aught 10 set down In malice" will bide my time