The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-05
SADNESS AND HUMOR.
Are often Mingled In Congressional
Life.
A Pathetic Incident of a Pension Debate
While the Opposition F1libustered,
the Deserving Applicant Died-One
"Confed.' Roasts Another.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J


Washington, Feb. 4. The sadness as
we'll as the humor Of life is reflected from
the proceedings on the floor of the House
of Representatives An interesting in
cident occurred in connection with the
session Of last Friday evening. A pri-
vate pension bill was brought up to grant
twelve dollars month to an old woman
named Susan d. Wright. Her case was
like that of quite large number Of wild
ows. The committee having the matter
in charge had reported:
Susan ID. Wright, prior to her marriage
to one Artemus Wright, was the widow
of James W. Wells, of Company /, of the
Tenth Regiment New York Volunteer
Cavalry, who died April 27, 1864. AS
such widow, she was Llaced upon the
pension roll of the United States and
was in receipt of a pension, from the
date of her first husbands death to the
4th day of March, 1872.
On the 9th day of March, 1872, Susan
ID. Wright (then Wells) was remarked to
Artemus Wright and had since drawn
no pension, and her name had been
dropped from the pension roll of the
United States.
On the 25th day of May, 1894, Artemus
Wright died at Midldebury, Connecticut,
widow. She was in INDECENT circum-
stances and in poor health, having no
means of support except her daily labor,
she was now sixty years of age, and by
reason Of age and feeble health was un-
able to do hard work.
When this bill came up it was at once
flercely antagonized, on the ground that
by remarrying she had forfeited all claim
to her pension in equity as we'll as in
fact. The opposition resorted to filibus-
tering, as they were enabled to do, since
no quorum is usually in attendance on
a Friday evening session, and it is not
thought worth while to send the scar
geant at arms after absentees.
So the bill to pension the old lady did
not pass. The next morning Congress
man Curtis, who was urging the bill,
received a telegram that the old lady
had died on the very night when the
members were fillbustering against her
bill.
On Saturday an amendment was
offered to the District of Columbia ap-
preparation providing for the expense of
hoistlng the stars and stripes over the
schoolhouses in the District. General
Grout, of Vermont, told how familiari-
ty with the flag inculcated loyalty to the
government. He was followed by Gener-
al Wheeler, of Alabama, who comm and
ed the cavalry of the Confederacy in the
years gone by. General Wheeler made a
stirring patriotic speech, denounoing all
who should oppose SO patriotic a propo-
sition.
| There next arose tall, fine looking old
man, on whose smooth face dangerous
| ly quizzical smile was lingering. 1t was
Livingstone, of Georgia. another old
"Confed. /"
II understand the gentleman from
Vermont to say that 10 makes the youth
Of the land loyal to have the flag flying
| over them,' said Livingstone.
II did," said Gen. GTout.
"Then how do you explain the TACT
that my friend from Alabama here, Gen.
| Wheeler, who was educated under the
| flag at West Point, afterwards went into
| rebellion?"
In the general shout of laughter that
| followed General Wheeler was seen to hop
up with as much alaority as if he had
been prodded by bayonet He shook
his fist and shouted something that was
obsoured inBthe general uproar.