The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-21
HON. B. B. DOVENER.
Full Text OF His Speech on PEN
sions in Congress.
HIS SCATHING DENUNCIATION
OF the Men Who Apply Eplthot. to the
Veterans or the Union Army-strons-
Arrpignmsnt OF MIR. BARTLETT, OF Now
York, who was "Too Young" to bO la
tho war-A Tribute 10 the Patriotic
Boys ofwest Virginia.

tho War-A Tribato TO inc Patriotlc
Boys ofwest Virginia.
Following Is the full text of the
speech delivered by Hon. b. b, Dovener
in the house OF representatives on
Thursday, January 16:
Mr.. Chairman, 1t had been my pur-
pose to remain silent and merely lis
ten to the criticisms that were shower
ed upon my friend from the state OF
New York (Mr. BartletD. But in view
OF letter which my mall has brought
me this morning from the pension de-
partment in this city,in answer to a LETT
ter OF inquiry in regard to the appliea-
ton Of @ respectable widow of u Union
soldier. should be recreant to my
trust and false to my constituents II l
did not lay that letter before this house,
/ intend. after reading this letter, to
send 1t to this widow, woman whom
know well. This letter is dated
washington. ID. c.. January II. 1895.
and I hope my friend from New York
Is here and will take memorandum OF
the case and have It inquired into, so
that possibly he may explain that
which Is InexpllcSble TO NE rs TO the
neglectful attItude.ot the commissioner
OF pensions and his department toward
this old soldier, his widow, and his Or
phans.
Madam:--In response to the personal
inquiry OF Hon. b. b. DoVener relative 20
your claim for pension as widow OF the
Aboye-named soldier. you are advised that
DR.. W, II. Cullorn-
A gentleman know we'll
-
1879. and you allege that his correct name
Is Ira lawson
Now ] want TO call the attention Of
the house, and especially my friends
on the other side, to the capric!ous and
unjust manner In which pensions are
hung UP year after year. This doctor
Ia gentleman whom know MYSELF II
appears had stated that this widows
son., IRA" was born December 8. 1873,
and the widow stated that her sons
name was Ira Lawson. After that II
seems some gentleman was sent out TO
make inquiry rs to this apparent dis
crepancy land we got such communica-
lions frequently and he had examined
the old family bible. This old lady was
unable TO write, although she was hlled
with patriotism and seIf-Sacrihctng
love for this union, under the prompt
ings OF which she had sent her hus-
band to q soldiers grave In defense OF
his country. II appears that. some
other person having entered the name
on the record, II was not spelled Ira
Lawson. but Ira Clawson. the differ
enre being merely an additional letter,
and this family record also stated that
the child was born December 20, 1873,
instead OF December ). 1879. as the doc
tor had stated. The letter continues
While the certified copy OF the Bible rec
ord shows that Ira ClawSon wna born De-
cember %. 1872. The correct date OF his
birth and his correct name should be
stated and this discrepancy explained.
Now notice what follows:
Evidence showing that the children are
all living should also be furnished, MS the
last on file only covers November II, lS2.
So that this pension has been ready
for consideration, has been ready to be
passed upon since 1892, and only after
IN inquiry by me has been made in the
year 1886. something like four years
later, Is this widow informed that some
person has come across q Bible record
showing q discrepancy OF seventeen
DAYS as to the birth OF her child, and
possibly, through a misunderstanding
OF the name, has misspelled It SO her
case Is sent back for further informa-
ton. and not only that, but she must
prove over again that her children are
living, because more than three years
have elapsed while the department has
been waiting to inform her OF this tech
meal difficulty. And inclosed In this
letter Is the famous order No. 229, which
has already been read and Its contents
commented upon before the house dur
ing this discussion, so that need not
read X again. This Is the claim OF
Esther P. Orum--claIm No. $40, SS5-and
for the benefit OF my friend from New
York will say that this Is o respect-
able lady, the widow OF a soldier. and
residing at the town OF Sherrard. W.
Va. Here Is another letter which I
have received to-day. addressed to my
, self:
MMECHAN, January l. 1896.
Dear SIr:--I received to-day an answer
to your. call on the department o. the IN
terior about the pension for myself. They
say the claim was rejected on account OF
not having proof Of my fathers marriage.
am very thankful to you for what you
have done for me, and hope you Will assist
me little further
proof Of the marriage. and that Is by md
ing n family by the nnme OF JEFFERSON,
who lived in Wheeling in 1851. but moved
to Washington, D. c. II II Is not asking
too much, would you please send me
ilst OF the JGfIGrsons us tho appear in the
directory OF Washington? l will write to
them and maybe can find the one am
looking for. Respectfully yours,
II. ). DRUMM.
Hon. u. b. povener. NJ. c.. First District,
West Virginia.
My friend who opened the debate on
the other side OF this question used
this language. which Is found in the
Record. page 7?t:
For myself, can say that truly be-
lIeve, had been OF years sufficiently ma
ture when tho first cannon doomed across
the harbor OF Charleston on the morning
OF April Il, 1861, should have found my
place among tho enlisted men IN the civil