The National tribune., 1896-09-24
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

correspondents should write each question on
separate sheet of paper, give fnll name and adj
dress and mark it Correspondents Column. NO
attention will he paid TO communications not ac-
COMMANDED with name and address Of writer. II Is
requested that n stamp DO inciosed for reply by
letter. Postal cards will he replied to by mail
only Replies by mail will ordinarily be made
witl,ina week. and II in this column within three
weeksl
r. W. g., Grants Pass, Ore.-Please state
whether all the greenbacks issued during the
war had printed upon them the exception that
they could not be received in payment OF duties
on mports or for interest on the public debt.
The PopuIists here claim that the first issue did
not have this restrictive clause printed on
them, and that for that reason they did not
depreciate as did those upon which said clause
was printed. Ans,cer. All Of the so-called
eenhacks" had the clause referred to
printed upon them. and also the clause that
they should be full legal tender except in the
public deStl. The first greenbacks were dated
March, 1862. What your Populistic friends re.
fer to were the so-cailed demand" notes, the
first paper money issued by the Government,
put out under the acts of July II and Aug. 8.
1861. which amounted to $4,000. 600. These
notes were payable In gold when presented.
and were receivable for all public dues, and
these two qualities prevented their deprecia-
tioB All other paper money deprecated until
the resumption Of specie payments.
d. s., PHILADELPHIA, PA sailor enlisted in
the u. S. Navy during the late war, aud after
honorable discharge therefrom enlisted March
/, 1865, in a New York regiment and served in
it until June 26. 1865, when, believing the war
to be over and that his services were not fur
tber needed, he absented himself from his regi-
ment and never returned thereto. Does this
record bar him from receiving pension under
any existing law; and would it bar him from
being pensioned under = service pension bill
should one be passed and is there any pro-
vision of law under which the record can be
amended? Ansacer. There is no law under
which this person can be pensoned; the record is
such as would bar title under service pension
law unless that law had some special exemption
for such a class. There is no provision of law
Under which the record can DO amended In
this case.
s. IL, Snake Rirer, dah0-1. Why does the
widow of soldier, who was peusOned, have to
wait SO long for her pension when she is in
need of it, and where she applies for it right
after the death of the soldier? 2. Why is 1t
that some agents keep asking for money, aud
then write that ii the claimant will sign con-
tracts for $25. the pension will be secured right
away? 3. How often are papers for original
| pension looked over, and why does one have to
wait eight years for q settlement? a. How is
| it that Senator can get a pension for one, and
| hurry it right up2 5. Can an agent hold back
a pension or hurry it up after all the papers are
| on file in the Pension Bureau? Ansuer. ]. If
| the claim be properly presented and completed,
there should be no unnecessary delay; an i'm
! proper presentation Of the claim and carelessly
! prepared and irrelevant testimony operate to
F., DELAY a settlement. g. Either because they do
| not know any better, or because. knowing bet
| ter. they take the chance Of disbarment or
| prosecution by violating the law, which pro.
hibits an agent from demanding or accepting
any advance fees in pension claims As to the
contract, that may not be unreasonable, II
the claim be one filed under the old law, and
few competent attorneys will prosecute any
pension claim for less than the maximum fee
allowed therein. g. Only when the case is
called M, as by the fling of testimony or the
filing of an inquiry slip. If delay of eight
wears has ensued it is because the CLAIM. is in
complete and not ready for an adjudication. 4
Members Of Congress possess certain influence
but if the case be not established it is idle to
seek Congressional aid before the Pension
Bureau, g. No; if the claim be completed il
will, in due course of business, be taken up and
disposed of in the Pension Bureau. A com
petent attorney will know how often and when
to request action in the CASE and in that way
he may hasten its adjudication. he cannot
/ delay completed case.
f. NJ p, National Military Home, OhiO.-Pleast
state whether if United States law is violated
Say o revenue law or other, pensioner thereby
forfeits his pension? Answer. No; more o.
less convicts are pensioners.
j. b. X, Lima, O.-Please publish the pro
portions of the National flag. Ansmer. Thu
regulations of the War Department. prescrib,
as to the National flag: " 1t is made of bunting
SO feet fly, and 20 hoist, with IL horizonta
stripes of equal breadth, alternately red ant
white, beginning with red. In the upper quar-
ter, next to the staff, is the Union, composed o
number Of white stars, equal to the humble
of States, on q blue field, one-third of tn
length of the flag, aud extending to the lowe
edge of the fourth red stripe from the top"
A. G., Alpine, N. VI. In what amounts ar
silver dollars legal tender, and in wha
amounts the smaller coins of the Government
; g Are greenbacks full legal tender? Ans,cer
/. Silver dollars, to any amount, are lega
, tender, unless otherwise specified in the con
tract. The subsidiary silver coins are lega
tender up to $40. while the MINOR coins az
legal tender up to % cents. 2. They are un
, limited legal tender except for duties on I'M
L ,,,I ;,f tl,an uh i0 1aht