Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-04-30
Gov. Perham's Congressional Service.
SOME OF THE WORK HE DID IN THE
NATIONAL HOUSE.

In conversation with Ex-Governor
Perham of Maine, who was elected to
Congress In 1852, he was telling many
stories the other evening about his &C
quaintance with Mr.. Lincoln. "Mr
Lincoln" he said, twas as rule jovial
and pleasant, frequently telling stories
and cracking jokes with gentleman
who had business with him. Early In
the summer of 1854 when Grant had
fought the terrible battle with the Army
of the Potomac down through Virginia,
Mr.. Lincoln sent me note one after
noon, requesting me to call at the White
House that evening. At that time we
knew that the Army of the Potomac
with Grant was moving steadily south
and was achieving some victories.
While the administration. was furlough-
ing every wounded man who was able to
60 to his home, we knew that all the hos
pitfalls in Washington were very much
over crowded with desperately wounded
men, 80 much so that thousands Of
wounded men were cared for under can
vas in the city of Washington. We did
not know the extent of our losses but
assumed them to be very heavy.
Arriving at the White House that
evening, found several other members
of the House and Senate with Mr.. Lin
coin. For the first time in my acquaint-
ance with Mr.. Lincoln, l found him very
sad. He told no stories that evening,
but greeted US with sombre counte-
nance. I cannot remember the verbiage
of Mr.. Lincoln's talk that evening but
he told us in substance as follows:
II have, gentlemen, promised you
that II you would supply the administra-
ton with certain men and money, felt
sure that we could crush out this re-
bellion. In fact" he said, 81 am dis
appointed as know you are. While
we have achieved many victories and
have pushed the enemy into Richmond
and Petersburg, the losses in the Army
of the Potomac have been most appall-
ing. We have sent to the Army of the
Potomac all the old regiments which
were doing garrison duty in and around
Washington and have put in their places,
short service men from the various
states. The army is in such condition
that without more men and more money,
we will be unable to continue to follow
up our victories which we have already
won. Now, gentlemen" he said, lido
you think that the loyal people of the
north will sanction further drafts OF
men and money to continue the WARP"
After little hesitation told Mr..
Lincoln that in my opinion the loyal
people of the north would sanction any
further drafts of men and money which
he, Mr.. Lincoln, might see fit to ask for;
that we had got an excellent start in
crushing the rebellion, and that my own
feeling was that we should not give up
the contest or hesitate to press the
enemy at every point. The other gen.
tlemen who were in the conference ex
pressed a similar opinion and the result
was that within few days we had pass
ed the house measure authorizing the
president to raise as many men for the
repression of the rebellion as he saw fit
to call for.
Standing upon that issue in the cam
paign of that fall, 1864, confronted with
the platform of the Democratic party of
that year under the leadership of Nc
Clellan that the war for the suppression
of the rebellion was failure, although
| had been originally elected to Congress
by majority of about $500 l was re-
elected by majority of over $500.
The war being closed, the reconstruc-
ton measures came before Congress and
the various constitutional amendments
to help enforce those measures were
voted for by myself with other loyal
from the northern states.
So strong was the feeling of the northern
people at that time and with soldiers
lust returned from the battlefield, that
there was a well-nigh unanimous de-
mand for those reconstruction measures
and constitutional amendments which
were adopted by Congress Immediately
after the war. / went before my con-
stituents that fall, 1865, with statement
of what / had done and how had voted
for the reconstruction measures and was
reelected by majority of over $500.
In fact, if any of the loyal representa-
tives from the north had voted against
those reconstruction measures, 1t is my
opinion that they would have been left
at home by a large majority.
In 1866 Gov. Perham, then chairman
of the pension committee of the House
of Representatives, formulated the first
measure providing for the grading of in
valid pensions in proportion to the ex-
tent of the pensioned disabilities. Up
to this time IS per month was the high
est rate provided for the loss of hand
or a foot. Mr.. Perham's measure pro-
vded pension of S15 per month for the
loss of hand or foot, and equivalent
disabilities.
This first measure grading pensions
passed the House of Representatives on
Mr.. Perham's motion, which increased a
large proportion of the invalid pensions
90 75-100 per cent.
Mr.. Perham was also the author of
the enactment providing for the grant
ing of 80 per month additional pension
to each one of the minor children of a
soldier. Prior to July rs, 1866, a widow
drew no pension on account of her
minor children, and where the widow
was dead only IS was paid where there
were several minor children of an enlist
ed man.
This enactment stands on the statute
books to-day in the same verbiage as he
presented it to the pension committee
early in July, 1866.
q AL IL.