The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-23

SOME TROUBLE TO GET THEM THEN.
Now Nearly = million Names on the
List and the sum Paid Out
Rivals Midas wealth.

the grave In August, 1868. He was repiited
to be Ill years old. but there was some
doubt on that point.
There are now fifteen names upon the
revolutionary pension rolls. all widows and
daughters of soldiers, but every one OF
| them was born after the close OF the war.
The Oldest is Hannah Newell Barrett. aged
49, daughter of Noah Harrod. who lives in
Boston. Lovey Aldrich. widow Of Caleb
Aldrich, New Hampshire soldier, who
for long time enjoyed the distinction of
| being the Oldest revolutionary peasioner.
recently died at Los Angeles, Cal. Juli-
cite Belts. daughter Of Hezekiah Belts.
aged 81, lives at Norwalk. Conn. The re-
naming pensioners on the revolutionary
rolls are 70 and over. and their names are:
Susanna Chadwick of Emporium, Pa.
Nancy Cloud of Chum. Va.
Esther 8. Damon Of Plymouth Union. Vt
Sarah G. Hurlburt OF Little Marsh. Pa.
Nancy Jones OF Jonesboro. Tenn.
Hannah Lyon Of Marblehead. Mass.
Rebecca Mayo OF Newborn, Va.
Mary Snead OF Parksley, Va
Ann M. Slaughter OF The Plains Va
Rhoda Augusta Thompson of Wood
bury, Conn.
Eliza Sanford Of Bloomfield. N. j.
Augusta fuller of Bridgeport, Conn.
IL seems odd THAT so many women should
Sill receive the bounty from government
which their husbands founded, but the first
congress under the constitution provided
that they should be thus protected from
want. and the supreme court OF the United
States has passed on all the claims that
were presented for several years 1t was
over This duty that the Judiciary of the
legislative branches OF the government
first came into collision. When congress
passed the law granting pensions to the
disabled soldiers Of the revolution and the
widows and orphans of those who had been
Killed in battle 1t provided that their ap-
plicalions should be referred to the SUI
preme court for adjudication. This was
due, first, to a desire for exact Justice,
and. second, to the fact that the court had
little or nothing to do. The Justices, how |
ever, declined to obey the law on the |
ground that the constitution which defined |
their duties did not include pensions within !
Their Jurisdiction; but FIVE Of the six JUS
tees ngreed to serve unoffcially as a |
bureau Of pensions for reasons Of bencyo-
ience, but rot as an obligation The sixth
Justice was strict constructionist from
South Carolina, and refused to look at a
pension claim, because OF the reason above
cited.
IN l's2' after the court had COMPLETED
It's examinations OF all the claims submit-
ted. the pension roll amounted to $40 900.
Today it is nearly $4,000 900, and there
arc 97i,e52 names unon the list.
1t was In that year that congress laid
down the pension policy that has since
In the United States, and has
cost the taxpayers Of this country s2,O34.-
sl7.769 during the last thirty years. The
law was approved on the sth of May, 1892,
and 1t provided that III amy person.
whether officer or soldier. belonging to /
lhe miilt'a OF any State and called into
the service of the United States. be wound
"a or disabled when in actual duty. he |
shah be taken care Of and provided for at q
ne public expense"
Ihe continental congress- a few DAYS af
.er the declaration of Independence was i
iuopted. passed a resolution pledgiag the /
ai,h OF the colonies in similar manner.
ina later specified in a law that every OF.
icer and soldier who was SO disabled as :
Q prevent him from earning a living 9
would continue to receive half-pay for /,
ne remainder of his life. In 1878 another
aw was passed pledging all survivors OF =
ne war half pay for seven years, and at ),
ne CLOSE OF the war special pensions we're y
'oted by congress- Lafayette for example q
eceived the ray of n major general for '
I'VE years after he returned to France. and
while no was confined In an Austrian a
'rison congress voted him the sum of V
2ooooo cash and township OF land in a
The first women whose names anne,r G
|
aughters OF the Count de Grasse They Il
'ere voted 500 year each for Ave wears Il
Anna Maria Young Of Massa ch,Isstts o.
narried veteran OF the revolution IN 1916
ie died six months later. but she contin c,
co 70 draw pension for seventy-two
Samuel Downing was the senior nens,on. W
! Tor many years, and surpassed even 81
lfs. Young for the long distance record a,
le was born at Haverhill. Mass. in 17si D,
erVcd ms an artifcer, In the revolution n
as wounded twice. and drew pension n,
'o,n 1855 TO 1867, period of more than re-
me Federal courts continued TO grant a.
ensions until after the war OF 1912 whom M
10 business beoame so active that Il was tr
TRUSTED to bureau Of the war DEPART w
emit Then 1t was very much easier IN VI
cure the bounty OF the government than q
hen every claim was adjudicated NV me,
no wene in the habit of weighing evidence is
ithont preference or prejudice. For wear. in
70 use OF political influence In seci,rins at
,nsaons was scandalous in congress In wi
~ me FIRST list OF pensioners WAS nuh- tn
'hed by order Of John C. Calhoun tror ~
cretary OF war, to silence these Scandals
shows the names Of 1868 persons. dIsw. or
9 total OF ss.eoS,37C : year~tbe b,rS- r nc
7 $40 and the lowest SO a month bu
In 1860 the pension roll was smaller tb.r fu
any time since 1912, and ,hs a." tn
rsements for that year were only 4, ,oo mi
=. In 1888 1t touched high water mari GO
aen the disbursements reached siei IA. mi
gu
49, tin
There are 1862 pensioners Of the t-ni,ed M
ates living in foreign countries and tho s sh
tai amount paid them last year was SUI
's's4S' Canada has nearly one-half =, "a,
em-i ssl-whc draw nearly one.as1 ali
the 'otal--ssoi.507. There are 7ss IN 70,
eat Britain. to whom sils,5ls is paid an. :"
any gu In Germany. who received ss4
In