The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-02
"Don't Tobacco-Spit or smoke Your Life
AVA
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

iCorrcspondents should write each question on
dress ami mark Correspondents Column" No
attenton will he paid 70 communications not ac-
conpanIed with name and address of writer. 1t Is
requested that stamp be incosed for reply by
letter. Postal cards will be replied to by mail
only. Replies by mail will ordinarily be made
withina week. and II IN this column within three
weeks.l
of soldiers minor children makes application
for pension. and such application is allowed,
will the pension date from the death of the sol
, der or from date of filing the claimf Anslcer.
II allowed under the act of June 81, 1890, it will
date only from the filing of the application; if
allowed under the act of July Ia, 1892, it will
date from the death of the soldier. providing
the rights of the widow have been Invested by
death without payment to her of any of the
pension.
G. H. r., Sturbridge, Mas8-l. What ia the
rating established by the Pension Bureau for
loss of hand or foot? 2. What is the rating
for the loss of leg above the knee or an arm
above the elbow? 1nswer /. Thirty dollars.
g Thirty-six dollars, unless at the hip or
shoulder joint, when the $I5 rate would be al
lowed.
r. NEG, National Military Home, 0hio-If
foreigner came to this country during the late
civil war and served three years as enlisted
man in the Union army. did it not entitle him
to citizenship, without taking out naturaliza-
ID. d., Roger PA soldier enlisted in the
army in 1861, and deserted and failed to return
under the Presidents proclamation. claiming
that he was unable TO. Can he get his record
amended and secure honorable discharge?
Answer. He cannot unless he can convince the
War Department that ut date of absenting him.
self from his command he was suffering from
disability contracted in line of duty. and that
from said date that he absented himself there
from to date of muster-out of his company he
was by said disability prevented from return
ing to his regiment from reporting to the
nearest military authority. 1t will take the
stronges. kind of evidence to satisfy the War
Department upon these points.
T. g. Freep0rt Pd.-ls there any law by which
ones pension is forfeited by failure TO claim
same for six months or a year? AHsuer. No;
but failure for three years to claim pension
will result in the pensioners name being
dropped from the rolls. and to be restored
thereto be must apply and account satis!ac-
torily for his failure to draw.
C. p @. RI. Are there any other Soldiers
Homes for Regular soldiers in the United States
than the one at Washington, ID. c.? 9. Does
u Regular Army soldiers pension stop when he
enters the Home? g. How many GAR. De-
partments there in the United States? an
srer. /. No. q 1t is paid to the Treasurer Of
the Home. 3. Al.
D. b.. WoodriUe, Mass-Please state whether
the Mexican soldiers pension has been raised
from So to $12 | have been told by comrades
that it has, but have not read of it in THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE as yet. Ansper. None of
the various bills proposing to increase all
Mexican war survivors pensions has become a
law.
p A. C., Cincinnati, O-Please state when
the war of the rebellion began and when it
ended for pensionable purposes AnslUer. I'M
der present rulings it would appear that the
said war, for pensionable purposes. began March
a, 1861. As TO the date it ended, the follow
ing propositions are laid down by the Assistant
Secretary the Interior in the last decision pro-
mulgated on the subject. and, until overruled.
may be regarded as governing the matter: En-
listments in the loyal States after April 13 1865,
will not be deemed enlistmenis in or for the
war of the rebellion, and any service rendered
under such enlistment5 will be presumed to
have not been rendered in the of the
rebellion, and to establish the contrary will re-
auire strict proof that such subsequent service
was rendered in direct connection with active
military duty in aid of suppressing the rebel
lion. Any enlistment in any other of the
States, Territories. or District of Columbia.
made after June /, 1865, of any white or colored
troops will not be deemed an enlistment in or
for the war of the rebellion. and any service
rendered under an enlistment or re-enlistment
subsequent to june /, 1865. is pIesumptively not
a service in the war of the rebellion, and to
overcome such presumption active war service
in aiding the suppression of the armed force OF
the Confederate States should he shown sub
seuuent to such enlistment. Enistments in
the United States Navy after July /, 1865,
were not enlistments in or for the war of the
rebellion, and any service in the Navy rem
dered after that date under any enlistment
made prior to July 1. 1865, is presumptiyely
not service in the war of the rebellion, and the
burden of proof to overcome such presumption
is upon the claimant to show, by satisfactory
evidence, that such service after July /, 1866,
was active war or naval service in aiding the
suppression of the armed forces of the Con-
federate army or navy. By this decision it is
held that the decision of the Supreme Court
of the United States declaring that the war
ended Aug. 90, 1865 has no application to pen
sions as said decision had reference only to q
determination OF the time when tho statute of
mutations (Which had been suspended by war;
began to run, and when the civil courts were
open to citizens of the United States, and for
this purpose the date of the proclamation of
the President of Aug. 20, 1866. was accepted. |
If tho dates Of the proclamations of the Presi-
dent were to be accepted conclusively fix
ing the dates of commencement aud close of |
the war, them April 10, 1861 was the date |
of the first proclamation declaring blockade, |
that date would have to be regarded as the |
date of the beginning Of the war, instead of
March 4, 1861. (