The National tribune., 1892-07-14
OUR ARMY NURSES.

shall be eligible 10 membership In Inc WoLnhn
Relief Corps.
OUR ARMY NURSES.
Tributes of the Blue and the Gray-The &12
Bill in the House.
BY special privilege, the Committee on Invalid
Pensions was given the floor in the House Of Rep
resentatives. June %. They gave the Army Nurse
bill the preference, and il considered carefully
and adopted by the Committee of the Whole, and
its passage recommended to the House, by o vote
of l35 ayes to "a noes.
Hon. A. n Martin, Chairman of the Committee
an Indiana veteran, presented the bill. with the
favorable report of the Committee, and In the
course of the discussion which followed, paid a
handsome tribute to the women of the hospitals
and battlefields. Congressman Oates an ex-Con-
federate soldier from Alabama, voiced the popu.
arity of the measure in similar tribute to womans
unselfish devotion.
The bill, reports and comments are as follows:
ARMY NURSE BILL.
Be IL enacted, ETC., That every woman who served
as an army nurse in the actual personal care and
nursing of the sick and wounded during the civil
war, either in field general hospitals of the
United States, and who continued in such care and
months. and who without other adequate
means of support than their daily labor shall,
upon making due proof Of the fact, according to
such rules and regulations as the Secretary OF the
Interior may provide, be placed upon the pension.
roll of the United States and be entitled to receive
sl2 per month; and such pension shall commence
from the date OF filing the application in the PEN
sion Office after the passage of this act Provided.
That any pension granted under any former law to
any applicant under this act shall terminate from
this act Provided further, That no person now re-
ceiving pension as army nurse under any special
act shall be entitled 10 receive pension under this
act
REPORT OF PENSION COMMITTEE.
The Committee on Invalid Pensions TO whom
was referred the bill III. r. 7294) granting pensions
to Army Nurses, submit the following report:
From the best authorities attainsble, it Is ascer-
tanned that the number Of persons who would be-
come beneficaries under this bill would not prob
ably exceed 300. If, indeed. IL would reach that
number.
The Association of Army Nurses, with Head
quarters At Washington, ID. c. and the Woman's
Relief Corps Of the United States, have both been
engaged, during the past two years. in conducting
q thorough correspondence throughout the entire
country. with q view TO secure . complete list OF
such women as served as Army Nurses during the
civil war.
While their lists do not absolutely harmonic,
there is sufficient in their statements, when COM
pared to show that together they have secured the
names and addresses Of approximately the entire
number OF such nurses. and such corr spondence
does not secure list even large that stated,
300. who could possibly become benefciaries under
this act.
This small band Of noble women are tho sole re-
naming representatives OF class OF patriotic
women who came from every section OF our land.
In their service they knew no North, no South.
AS angels OF mercy they came TO care for and COM
fort both blue and gray They minstered TO the
needs of the suffering everywhere. On field or in
hospital their sweet voices were heard, and their
gentle touch was given to assuage sorrow and
pain.
Many of them were women Of wealth. who left
comfortable homes and worked without pay
many even giving their own means to relieve the
suffernRs OF the sick and wounded soldiers.
Others, who received small payment for their
services parted with that scanty sum Of money to
purchase food and medicine for the soldier boys
under their charge.
Many were broken down in health, and such, II
living to-day, are among the sufferers from that
war
The benefits of this bill apply only to such Army
Nurses ARE without other means Of support
than their own daily labor"
BUTLER, OF IOWA.
Speaking for the bill, Hon. W. II. Butler, Of
Iowa. member Of the Invalid Pension Committee,
stated the claims of the Army Nurses follows:
Mr.. Chairman, we have here n bill the merits of
which will not be questioned. believe, by anyone
TONED, the fact that every single Army Nurse bill
that 10 presented here as private bill at our FRI
day evening sessions goes through practically
without objection is sufficient argument, 1t seems
10 me- TO quiet the mind Of body the right,
or, at least as to the wisdom OF passing general
bill 1t has often been suggested here on Friday
sion bills for Army Nurses we ought to have in
stead general bill. The committee has re-
sponded to that call and has presented bill with
very close restrictions Every Army Nurse who
claims pension under this bill must have served
six month in the actual of the sick and
wounded not simply as an attache of the osptals,
but one who actually cared for the sick and
wounded at the bedside. Every claimant under
this bill must also be now dependent upon her own
personal labor Tor support. thus making case OF
the faithful work of these women, that after a
battle there was no question whether the sick
wounded soldier the blue the gray; he
cared for without any distinction In that re-
spect. These Nurses did not stop to- question to
what army the soldier belonged. II there was a
uriy urHA ttprxf In St,nra
care for him. This is a consideration which should
commend the bill to everyone of US who has
heart.
A SPLENDID OFFERING.
Speaking for the bill as reported and against
amendments Chairman Martin said:
Mr. Chairman. let me just add a word or two
more in regard to the general features of this bill
This IL n bill which 1t seems 10 me, If passed. will
come as splendid offering the part of this Con-
gress to women who did actually give brave and
wounded Of both armies. They were women who
took their lives In their hands when they entered
the hospitals among the sick aud the wounded
just as much as did the men who placed THEN KNAPP
sacks upon their backs and took muskets in their
hands. ask most earnestly that you recommend
q favorable report upon this bill.
Just another word. This bill applies to n class of
women who to-day are a charge upon the care,
upon the money. upon the time, upon the means of
the Woman's Relief Corps, OF which you all know
SO well. Thousands upon thousands Of dollars are
being expended by them each year for the purpose
oil helping these women; and would II not he a
good thing right thing. by all means n proper
thing. for this Congress, when these noble women
who gave this service, regardless OF the army from
winch the soldiers came are now helpless III their
old days, would II not be a splendid Offering and
which is justitiable in every point of view to
make a favorable recommendation upon this bill ?
CONFEDERATE TRIBUTE
Upon the conclusion Of the remarks of Chair
man Martin, the following kindly tribute was paid
to the women of The battlefield by Hon. w. c.
Oates, of Alabama:
Mr.. Chairman. when this bill came up few
moments ago. it struck me that it unprece-
dented. did not remember any legislation of the
kind except few special bills and because II was
out OF the usual line of pension legislation felt
disposed FOR the moment to oppose IL; but few
moments reflection have changed my view of this
BILL In that conflict of arms which shook this
much OF the suffering that resulted from gallant
soldierly conduct upon the part of Southern men.
j saw In hospitals upon the Confederate side de-
voted women as nurses; and do know. sir that
no one rendered more efficient relief to the suffer
ing than did those noble and devoted women
They soothed the soldiers brows when burning
with fever, who were racked with wounds received
in conflict while standing CALAMITY in the front
ranks, fighting for cause that they believed was
just
In that conflict we lost notwithstanding the un-
paraieed courage OF our soldiers and the devotion
cause; notwithstanding they did everything in
their power, even to surrendering their jewels.
which were sold to promote that cause; and never
in any instance did Southern woman fail to ex-
tend help TO poor suffering soldier. Now, sir, il
we had won-if the Southern Coufederscv had
been esiablished-and those women, now in want,
were to come before a Southern Congress and ask
for tho passage of such bill as this. would find