Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-24
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION
What Has Been Given to Widows of Vice
Presidents and Presidents.
Only Two Cases Of Financial Aid
to the Former
Class.

There have been but two cases in which
Congress has given financial aid to the
widows of Vice Presidents who have died
in office. The executor of Henry Wilson
was given $10222 by Congress Ito be held
and applied by said executor as if part of
the estate of said Henry Wilson," etc.
Congress gave Eliza c. Hendricks. widow
of Thomas A. Hendricks. $3.50 being the
salary mileage and stationery of the Vice
President for one year
The funeral expenses of VIM. r. King of
Alabama, who died in Dallas county. Ala.
were paid. In the cases of George Clinton
and Elbridge Gerry, Congress assumed no
expense attendant upon their death and no
provision was made for any one dependent
upon them.
In view of these precedents it is not like
ly that Congress will do more than give to
the widow Of the late Vice President Ho-
bart more than years salary. The Gus
tom has prevailed for the Vice President TO
take as a souvenir some of the office fur
niture of the Vice Presidents room when
he retires. and it is likely that these keep
sakes will be turned over to his family.
lnkstands have been included in the list
of articles so disposed Of 1t became the
custom when an inkstand was worth a
dollar or SO, and will probably continue to
prevail, although such pieces of office fur
niture in the Vice Presidents Office are now
worth 81 600
This was the price paid for the sterling
silver inkstand bought by the Senate when
Mr.. Hobart became its presiding officer. II
is in the form of the Capitol, and is said
to contain silver worth as much as the
manufacturer was given for the finished
product. 1t is the handsomest and most
costly inkstand that has ever been in the
Capitol.
widows of Presidents:
In the treatment of widows of Presidents,
whether the latter have died in office or
o
allowing a pension of $1,000 a year, to-
gether with the balance of the salary the
President would have received had he lived
during the balance of the year in which
he died.
When George Washington died Martha
Washington was granted the franking
privilege by Congress, and the same cour-
tesy was extended to Louisa Catharne
Adams, widow of John Quincy Adams, and
to Dolly T. Madison, widow of James Mad
ison.
The widow of William Henry Harrison
was granted the salary for one year ($25,-
0O0) of her husband, less the amount he
had drawn during that year, together with
the frankng privilege.
Julia Gardner Tyler, widow Of John Ty
Ter, was given e pension of $1,000 per an
mum. The widow of Zachary Taylor was
granted the frankng privilege, but no pen
sion. His daughter In 1888 was given a
pension of $50 a month.
Sarah Childress Polk. widow of James X.
Polk, was given a pension of So 900.
Mary Lincoln, widow of Abraham Lin
coin. was granted her husbands salary Of
s2o,O0o year minus the amount he had
received for that year, pension of 5000
and the franking privilege.
Julia Dent Grant, widow of Gen. Grant.
was given a pension of 5000 a year and
the franking privilege.
1t will be remembered that the expenses
attending the Illness of President Garfield
Were very heavy, all of which were paid by
Congress, and his widow " as given year S
salary and allowed a pension of 5000 a
year and the franking privilege.