The National tribune., 1894-05-03
ONE OF 10000.

w. L. Hepburn, or Iowa, OF obJectlne
to every proceeding in the House, which
required unanimous consent, until there
was stoppage of the custom of defeat
ing pension legislation at the Friday
evening sessions by demanding a quo
rum, had the desired effect. After he
had compelled the presence of quorum
every morning for several days before
the journal could be approved, and
similar acts, the opposition came to
terms. On Friday lat Mr.. Picker OBJ
jected to the approval of the journal,
and then went on to say that % private
pension bills, which had been favorably
reported by the Committee on Invalid
Pensions, had been prevented passing at
the regular Friday night sessions by
raising the point of "no quorum" He
would, therefore, ask unanimous consent
that one hour be devoted to the con-
sideration of these bills. The opposition
agreed to this, Comrade Picker with
drew his objection to the approval of
the journal, II of the bills were passed,
two laid on the table, and the following
record appears as to the Goth:
The next business reported from the Com
mittee of the Whole was the bill (H. L.
4517) granting an increase of pension to Re-
becca Risley; reported with amendments
M. Taylor Und). Mr.. Speaker, may ask
by whom that bill is introduced?
The Speaker. The Chair is informed by
the gentleman from Kentucky Mr.. Ca
ruth
Mr.. Taylor Qnd). That lady is dead, and
therefore this bill may be laid on the table.
Mr. Speaker In the absence of objection,
that order will be made.
The effect on the House was startling.
It was explained that the claimant was
So years old and totally blind. She had
been an applicant for long time, and
when relief was at last on the point of
being granted she had passed beyond
the reach of earthly help and sympathy.
The members seemed for once to have
the seriousness of the matter pressed
upon them. They, stopped laughing and
chatting, and for a minute or two there
was an awed silence. 81,
Then the Clerk began the mechanical
reading of the next BILL, and poor old
Rebecca Risley's sorrows and wrongs
were forgotten. 4i'
This is simply one Of the 10000 simi-
lar instances which occur every year in
this country. In every little commu-
nifty in the East, North, and West can
be found men and women who have the
strongest claims upon the Government
who have proved those claims by more
evidence than would be necessary to-
send them to the scafold if they were
ON trial for their lives, but who have
been cruelty denied their rights, even
up to the point when Death claimed
their shattered frames for his own.
Every community has it's veterans who
have not known moments relief from
pain since they quilted the army quar-
ter of century ago, yet are to-day still
without the justice that they have wait
ed for, for perhaps a decade, perhaps
score Of years. There is not a grave
yard in the loyal States whose sod does
not cover the bodies of men who died
in despair at the ingratitude and in
justice of the Government to whom they
had given everything. Not week
passes but hundreds of veterans die with
hearts filled with bitterness at the shame
less desertion of them in their hour of
bitter need, by the Nation for whom
they sacrificed everything in its hour of
dire peril.
The House paused awe-struck for
minute or two when it found that poor
old Rebecca Risley had passed beyond
the reach of its tardy justice.
Why will it not pause little longer
long enough to reflect that every year
sees about 10000 ex-soldiers of the
Union pass over the Dark River, while
more than 100000 unadjusted pension
claims gather cobwebs and dust in the
Pension Bureau?
THE gold output of Colorado con-
tinues to loom up For March it was