V [ -x juooorjrxff/it ixxkxas.
B1 | - * * .UfcMH i : / JtUpoitrss a Family Ends in
BJ , Disastrous Xfurlu
c
? Bni * t , T . , tfefc * . Yesterday a battle
L v fMtgM about firs miles from town be-
BY . * ? * • * four mole mtwibcrs of a family named
H | % feaat Colonel John E. Roescr , hU sou
HI , - WWfcv agjwl Ifi jean , and a hired man named
H % J&ulifai * ea * k g In the kilting of three of the
K P Wfctt awl Cetsmtl Itosser and the wounding
Bl ; A-aBM * * * * jwry went to the home of the
'
K * " WMhrfwHy , where the shouting occurred ,
Kf a i t tfe * smusd In front of the entrance
I ; fttUMttbM fed ? ut J. C White with a bullet
flpfc b < * r i ro Krb hta breast and one through bis
K f * * bv Ar te nunter of a room in a great pool
flUf , • * kM lof Waiter White dead , shot twice
BL UtnmA tfae nrk and breast. Upon a bed In
HJ [ & > baK ttlN OBtiiPe wat Lawhou White dead ,
fljl " * * * & W * na Mtxrkutl and clutched In lib hands
aa4 a k Ihrt tt t through his head.
p
HEi k I * • • rumrr of the room was found Ros-
, * * • tut , • * * * tbr M < b tlie s lie , with a WIu-
HJ > akijutw at bt& 4te. Ulood was ercrywhere
ft * l a 4 * rr everything.
HJl My a mM * fwrther on the home of • Bowser
Mm i | * om am 2mL hWe atfaiu was a sad scene.
HJ > i | j * t t tr rf a rkiw wa the dead body of
flf 5 , w . ctu HHMl I b * the weeping wife and
'
HP' < - < JJJN . He bad ree.ved hi * death wound
mm tfeaaflgb tile neck at the hand of old man
H t | WIMht , r ui twin * a iimii of ereut vitality , after
H * * * * * . a * be pU | p mmI , killed all the Whiter ,
HE - ammifciil bk boree and rode home , dying as
flN J b * * > * tfce dowr.
B * 1W treble bud Hs origin in a lawsuit a
B ' Jt or ag < when the Whites bought a piece of
B ' * MMi vf J u i r. Failing to pay for it he
B j lUwufCht Mut to gain pOifee&sionot the property.
B ' -A mm ' 4 < JtefM < 6et > t > iou had l > ien issued last
B f w gfc Jzaiwt. the Whiten but bad been re-
H - ' -9dtml U > t * * mvs reafeon and was not servetL
B1 ' IfW jB | r d Uo eer , and veatcrday in corn-
B s 1NV w--u ' MJ" auiJ ! l hiriil man , all armed.
K i Bity wut to the White place to forcibly eject
B • tiarn. Ike irklttr White invited the Ro * < er
B • ? aj * int. * td house and Itnsser and his son
B . untumA * ml made known the object of the
B ' hk. .V few noriN were passed aud tiring be-
B I son. Old man White sta ered from the
B ? Iwu e mmI full dead in the yard , the elder
B | & * * ttttr ewtptvinir his revolver at him.
B' j Hmv w < ts inside aud his version of it Is
B , tiMU tile trkler White shot him and his father
B , and W hbut old man White once and theu turn-
B * IMk Winchester u { > on the White boys to
B * keitft them from bhootinjr his father. About
B - Mti < m utiuis were tired with deadly eilect ,
B i kMfiH ; four of the participants and wouudiuir
B I tke l o .
B I TUJSCOLOUED BIAS'S JOZTECTIOX.
RC "Tlitt l-tumir dim Uenxoii.t for Xot Confirming
Wutt * ' ' " Xomliitition. of Jlitttlteirs.
HP l iMbitt ton ( liHpiiteli : The document
Hr prear dl by Senator Insulin und offered in
B i tto * t Uipii of a resolution regarding the re-
K \ j ari > m by tbesonato oTMatthews ( colored )
B ! t % i > corder of deeds of the District of
B ' < ? i > inmlwMk , was to-day adopted by the ben-
B f jite 2 to IS ( n. party vote ) and will bo
( < MHtt t < the president with the rejection.
K' ; TOw Aoeiiwent is in part ns follows : The
K pnauidirtifc attempts to justify the renom-
K i inn { fiw * i Matthews by statins ; that the
B | HbHaso of the nominee has been demon-
E l / > tr tt d ; s uond , iliut the previous opposi-
B i wa to bis appointment among the citi-
B | 3mwa ( * l the district bus largely subsided ;
B. i thinl , that he desires in this way to tender
B- just recognition and good faith toward our
Bi , ; . -colored citizens. It is sufiicient to the first
Bg | two rensons aliened , to say that neither
Kf oukl have been applicable where Matthews
BJF w g apjfointed in August , immediately
Bl jifter the adjournment of the senate , for at
B t that time bis fitness had not been demon-
B l * tate l , ntir hnd there been any interval for
, * . Io ni ofipoaition to subside. Until 6ug-
j este i by the president the senate was not
\ • nwure tha ; tlie question of a "just recog-
11 niUott or ood faith of our colored fellow
' , { i -cit z nvjiH " involved in the question ,
I .and it bus never before been urged
' | , that a person's nomination for an oiiice
, i hhoitld be confirmed or rejected because be
t wis black or white. The bcnate , however ,
* , [ iniew t f the prebident , cannot forbear to
\ jipprise him , since be has raised the race
! ibsue , that Frederick Douglas was re-
' ' -iiuesteil to resign the oiiice of recorder of
\ \ < letn ] & in the District of Columbia in order
i } that James Matthews might be appointed
[ . \ to Uiat place. Without a doubt , Douglas
i' the most distinguished representative of
i | bis cIhss , not in this country but in tlie
i world. "Just recognition" would have
v l > een tendered to our colored fellow citi-
i -zenn by the election of Fnderick Douglas
j rather than by bis enforced retirement in
\ i -order to reward an unknown and obscure
i partisan vho bad never been a slave and
? "therefore represented the frnnchised race
. i only by the accident of color. Tlie devo-
j ' tionofthe president to the political and
. | -civil advancement of the colored race
Li [ j rniglit lave been equally attested , and
IJ -good faith might have been as strongly
B | ; exhibited by the retention of Douglas in
B\ | the office whose duties be was discharging
BI ? to the best satisfaction of the people.
Bf CATTZEMEX IX COXVEXTIOX.
Rjf Denver special : The second day's session
Hi of the Range association began this niorn-
H ang. After some preliminary work J. H ,
H Brush of Colorado introduced two resolu-
H 'tions ; the first demanding retrenchment in
R the expense of dressing and shipping beel
Wtj -cattle ; the second demands that the gov-
BJh ernment shall give the range cattlemen bet-
Hi ter weather service. A resolution was
Bi adopted thanking President Cleveland for
K ] promjit response to the telegram of Pres-
Br -dent Head in relation to the memorial on
Hj. contagious diseases. Communications were
Bjl received from the National Butchers' asso-
Pfi -ciation and Brooklyn Butchers'association
k ) asking for co-operation for the benefit of
KJi butchers and cattle growers. " Mr. McGul-
B > * bin of Cleveland , 0. , addressed the associa-
B ; . tion and charged the commission men as
Bi being the cause of cattle men not getting
Br just prices. Heclosed by offering a pWn to
Bv -organize an immense corporation partici-
B $ pated in by all cattlemen which should
B | butcher und market al ] cattle and sell
K direct to consumers. Several other unim-
$ portant addresses were made. The after-
Kr noon session was taken up by the discus-
BJt .sion and revision of the constitution and
Bjf ajy-laws.
K SETTLED JtT THE CODE.
B ) A special from Raleigh ( N. Y. ) says : "Dr
Bt \ \ . C. Wilcox is the republican leader of
> r Ashe county , and John Baker is one of the
Br heading democrats of the same county.
B During the campaign last fall a bitter feud
B | sprung up between the two over the discus-
Kj sion of politicxil questions. As the cam-
| paign progressed it was with the greatest
f -difficulty that a duel was prevented. Wed-
S nesday.Dr. Wilcox met Baker. The latter
Kl stopped the doctor and told him heBaker ( )
K . could not live longer without a settlement
B of the difficulty according to the code. Wil-
Kv , - cox replied that he was ready and anxious
K to nccommodate Baker. Baker asked Wil-
K cox if he was arnud. Wilcox aswered yes.
B Dacb then pulled a pistol. Fifteen paceB
(5 were marked off and shooting began. Five
K | rounds were Gred and on the last round
PA Baker was 6hot through the head and mor-
Wi tally wounded. Wilcox bad two bullet
| holes in his hat and one in his coat. "
m The Krruzt Zcituntj says that the candida-
W , ture of Prince George of Leuctenberg for the
m Bulgarian throne is approved everywhere-
K The Bulgarian regency , it says , must resign ,
< leaving the election of a prince to a new 6Q-
B branje , In which event Russia trill accept the
m ruler chosen.
r BBjPB BP
JUMPED T11Q3I A. ERIDQE.
Tlte Cars Take Fire ami Early or Fifty Pas-
• eiitfer * are Hunted to Death.
Concord dispatch : The express train
that left Boston at 7 last night met with a
terrible accident near Woodstock on the
Central Vermont railroad at about 2:30 :
this morning. The train started from this
city on time , but waa delayed ut Whito
River junction , so it was about an hour
and a half lute when it left there. It con
sisted of a locomotive , baggage car , postal
car , two passenger coaches , and two sleep
ing curs , and wub running at the usual
speed. When about 200 yards south o !
the end of tho Dick bridge near the old
Windsor station , a broken rail was struck.
The locomotive , baggage carnnd postal car
broke away from the rest of the train ,
passing over tho bridge in enfety : Tho rest
of the train was thrown from tho rails and
continued on the roadbed until it enmo
near the end of the bridge , but there it ran
over the abutment and all of the cars fell
into the White river , some fifty feet below.
The gorge at this point is frightful , and
when the cars went down there was a ter
rible crash. Ah soon as possiblo tho de
tached part of tho train was stopped and
ran back to tiie scene of tho disaster. Tho
screams of the injured were beard. Assist
ance also came from the people living in
the vicinity , and everything was done to
rescue and relieve the injured. Soon after
help arrived it was discovered that tire had
started in the first passenger conch , and
soon the entire train was ablaze , thus add
ing new horror to the already frightful
catastrophe. Those present were power
less to stop the fire , and devoted them
selves entirely in attempting to rescue
those imprisoned in tho wreck.
The rescuers met another and unex
pected obstacle in the heat , which became
so intense that they were obliged to re
linquish their efforts to save the sufferers ,
and were compelled to retreat to a place of
safety for themselves , and to become un
willing and horror-stricken witnesses of
the awful holacaust. In addition to this
and to add to tlie terrors and sufferings of
the passengers , the weather was intensely
cold and the heroic rescuers were hindered
thereby iu their work. No water could be
obtained with which to check tho Humes.
The ice was several inches thick on tho
river and there were no appliances nt hand
to raise it.
Twenty-six persons , so far as known ,
were taken out alive from the cars which
were burned. Two of these ate understood
to be Wesson , the pistol manufacturer "f
Springfield , and Kd. Brokelbanks , n bra Io
nian , but they died soon after. The t o
passenger coaches were well filled , a.id
every berth in the Boston sleeping car wub
occupied , and twelve are from Springfield ,
making the total number of passengers in
the wrecked cars about eighty. This will
probably make the number of dead be
tween fifty or sixty. The bridge was be
tween thirty and forty feet abovo the
water , which was covered with thick ice ,
making it probable that tho death re
sulted from crushing and burning rather
than drowning. Several wero penned up in
the wreck who might have been rescued
alive but for the flames. Brakeman Par
ker , who was on tho forward end of the
first passenger car , felt the jar and saved
his life by jumping. lie quickly secured
conveyance and carried the news to Whito
River Junction.
Latek. Probably 8,000 people visited
the scene of the railroad accident to-day.
Seven or eight bodies were to-day identified ,
and many heartrending scenes wero wit
nessed. It is utterly impossible to identify
more than tenor twelveoi those recovered ,
the clothing being entirely gono and the
bodies burned to a crisp. Conductor Stur-
devant died to-day and his body was taken
home by a special train. Damage to roll
ing stock is estimated at $30,000. A new
bridge will cost $20,000. Tho work of re
covering the bodies has been pushed vigor
ously all day. Tlie total number of bodies
recovered today was five one woman and
four men. With these the number recov
ered thus far is thirty-two. It is now be
lieved that the total number of souls on
board the ill-fated train was eighty-one. Of
this number only four are unaccounted for.
Little idea can be formed of the difficulty
iu the way of obtaining a report of the ac
cident that would give the public a correct
idea of the condition of things. At the
time of the accident , and ever since then ,
the thermometer lias registered from 5 to
15 degrees below zero. Suffering from cold
was intense. There aro only two or three
farm houses within two miles of the wreck ,
and these are filled with wounded. Others
are scattered along for three or four miles ,
with no means of comtminicutingexrept by
train. All the railroad officials are on the
ground , and all possiblo is being done for
the wounded and dead. Work was sus
pended at dark last night owing tb the
severity of the weather , but was resumed
this morning. The water in the White
river at the place of the accident is not
more than five or six feet deep , with but
little current , and the ice is perhaps four
teen inches thick. The falling of tlie cars
upon it and the heat of the fire melted tho
ice. But few personal effects are left to re
veal the identity of their owners.
HOWABOUTTHE WIXTEB WHEAT.
In last week's issue or the Farmers' Re
view the following Bummmnry of crops ap
pears :
The wheat fields of Ohio , Indiana. Illi
nois , Missouri and Kansas at the close of
last week were generally bare of snow ,
while those of Michigan and Wisconsin
were generally well protected. The amount
of attendant injiny , resulting from tlie dis
appearance of snow , thus far has been
light , though occasional reports of damage
from freezing have already been made. In
Clay and Franklin counties , in southern
Illinois some of the fields show injury from
freezing. Iu Brown , Douglas , Fayette , Iro
quois , Marion and Macon counties , of Illi
nois , while the fields are bare , the plant is
reported as looking well. In Johnson and
Spencer counties , in southern Indiana ,
wheat baa been badly injured by freezing.
Reports from fourteen other counties
show wheat looking favr to good.
In Champaign and Franklin counties , of
Ohio , injury from freezing is indicated. All
the southern Ohio counties have been de
pleted of snow but have not felt the effects
of the freezing. The complaint of contin
ued dry and cold weather is made by many
of the counties of Kansas , and serious in
jury in this regard is reported from Cowley ,
Davis. Douglass , Harper , Mitchell , Smith
and Sumner counties. The crop is reported
as looking well in Bourbon , Ellsworth ,
Osborne and Rocks counties. Discouraging
reports of the condition of wheat are made
from Gentry and Livingston counties , of
Miss ouri , owing to freezing , but in Daviess ,
Mercer , Miller , Rolls , Salem and St. Charles
counties the fields , though bare , are re
ported as looking well. Tho movement of
corn is scarcely perceptible in Iowa , and is
also very slow in Minnesota , Missouri ,
Iown , Indiana and Ohio , owing to bad
roads , though the stocks are reported low
in all the states named. The reports show
also that there is a very slow shipping
movement of potatoes in all the western
states und generally light supplies.
A dispatch from Miles City reports the cat
tle scattering on the ranges or crowding to the
rivers for water.
803LE wAsnixaxox GOSSIP.
A Rpocial saj's there remains of the
Forty-ninCh congress but twenty-tbreo
working days. At noon thrco weeks Irom
next Friday this limitation will expire ,
and tfio terms of thoso elected to tho
Fiftieth congress will begin with all the
Biliary , perquisites , power , etc. There is a
great deal of work to be accomplished in
these twenty-three days , quite ns much ,
were the first spssion of congress just be
'
ginning , as would bo accomplished in as
many weekB. Not half of the labor on the
appropriation bills has been performed in
commilteo of the whole iu both houses.
Senator Iugalls intends to call up an
soon as possible his bill upon arrears of
pensions. The effect , if passed , will entitle
each pensioner to pay from date of death
or disability , regardless of tho timo when
application was made.
Tho general feature of the plan embodied
in the Hawley ordinance bills and the pro
posed amendment appropriating at once
$21,000,000 for guns and coast defenses ,
aro understood to meet almost the unani
mous approval of the senate.
Senator Hawley has given notice of hia
purpose to cull up forthwith one of two
bills to encourage the manufacture of mod
ern ordnance , to be followed immediately
by the other. One of tho measure relates
to army nnd the other to navy ordnance.
It is stated upon good authority that
President Cleveland will name tho inter
state commerce commission tliis week.
About 200 men have been suggested to
him , but ho has practically determined
upon his men. At the white houso it is
stated that no broken down politician or
men with hobbies will bo appointed. There
'
was a demand by Knights of Labor for a
place on the commission. Tlie anti-mo
nopolists also asked for a place. Corpora
tions made suggest ions. All these have
been cast aside. If ho will accept ex-Sena
tor Allen G. Thurman , of Ohio , will be
president of the commission.
The president has approved the appro
priation bill and the immediate trans
portation bill.
Mrs. Logan is about to start for Chicago.
While there she will take out the necessary
papers for administering upon her hus
band's estate , and will also decide upon
bis final burial place.
Senator Cullom has introduced a bill to
amend the revised statutes so that no
prisoner shall be disbarred from receiving
a patent for an invention or discovery , nor
any patent being declared invalid by reason
of its having been patented in a foreign
country , unless the same has been intro
duced into public use in the United States
for more than two years prior to the ap
plication.
Treasurer Jordan , acting on behalf of the
directors of the Western National bank of
the city of New York , called on Manning
and formally tendered him the presidency
of that institution. The secretary said he
would give his answer in a short time.
There is much indignation among scien
tific men that the president does not ap
point a superintendent of the coast survey.
The office has been vacant for about two
years , and the mere business details have
been transacted by a treasury clerk. The
committee of congress which investigated
the probability of continuing the survey as
at present oignnized , has reported in favor
of doing so , and still tho president makes
no appointment of a superintendent , and a
$1,200 clerk draws a SG.000 salary.
ItECKUITlXQ THEIR HAXKS.
Tlie Strikers Joined by Workmen from
Oilier lines of Easiness./
New York , Feb. 1. The extension of the
Btrike to the freight handlers on the railroad
piers of New York is the most serious blow to
commerce that the union men have struck.
The effect of it on one road the Jersey Cen
tral is the almost complete suspension of
business. The men turned out so suddenly that
the company was left at ercat disadvantage
aud its inability to deliver freight was tlie
cause of much inconvenience to merchants.
The next move on the part oi the strikers will
be to induce the train men to come out , and
thus tie up the railroads centennir on the Jer
sey shore. There is also some talk of getting
the dock hands and firemen on the ferry boats
to join the strikers , but these men are adverse
to such a course.
The freight handlers on the Pennsylvania
railroad piers Nos. 4 , 5 and G. North river ,
struck work at 1 p. m. They had sent an in
formal demand yesterday , but no answer had
been received when they went out at dinner
time , aud when they returned they did not re
sume work , but sent a delegation to the office
of Agent Bowman. He told them the com
pany could not grant the advance at the mo
ment , but were willing to consider the"question
or any other erievances. The men decided to
strikejand marched oil to the pier in abodi * . At
10 the men were still at work to-day.
The freight handlers of the Lehigh Valley
railroad at pier 2 , North river , numbering 150
men struck at 2 p. m. and joined the ranus of
the strikers.
Tlie freight handlers employed in the yards
of the New Jersey Central lailroad at Com-
munipaw and Bayonne struck for an increase
of wages in accordance with the notice they
had served on the company yesterda3 * . About
500 men went out.
General Freight Agent Butlerot the Pennsyl
vania railroad received notice from a commit
tee of freight handlers of Jersey City this
morning that unless their wages were raised
they would strike. The companwas given
until to-morrow at noon to comply with the
demands.
The freight handlers employed on the Erie
docks in this city went out on a strike at
2 o'clock this afternoon. They inarched in
a body to Hamilton park , where thej * held
a meeting. The men will hold another
meeting to-morrow morning , at which it
will be decided whether to return to work
or not.
XOT SERIOUSLY ZEL.
New York special : Rumors have been
frequent of late from Europe regardingPar-
aell'8 reticence and invisibility , and the3e
reports have at length shaped themselves
into definite reports some of hereditary
: onsumption and others impending insani
ty. The repetition of these stories caused
much comment in this city among the
friends of thelrish cause , and in somequar-
ters positive alarm. The best informed ,
liowever , such as those at the head of the
Pcirliamentary fund , scout the idea of dis
utility. In an interview to-day Hugh King ,
a. personal friend of Parnell and a promi
nent local member of the National league ,
3aid : "To say that the condition of Par-
nell's health has excited grave apprehen
sions of his friendB I regard ns error. It is
more than probable that the rumors have
been started for the purpose of injuring tlie
sause. I know the family intimately , and
there is no consumption in it. As to there
being insanity in the family , it is out of the
question. When * he time arrives , and the
Irish cause comei. up prominently , Mr.Par-
uell will be in his place with plenty of vigor
to perform his duty. Even if sickness did
force Parnell to relinquish the leadership of
the party tliere are a dozen men who could
fill bis place. ' -
BBBHBBBBBMBaBHBBBHl
THE DEPEXDEXT PEXSIOXERS.
The Measure for Their Relief Vetoed by the
President.
ollowing is the text of tho president's
message vetoing tho dependent parents pen
sion bill :
I hereby return , with my approval , house
bill No. 10,457 , entitled "An act Tor tho re
lief of dependent parents and honorably
discharged soldiers and sailors who aro
now disabled nnd dependent upon their
own labor for support. " This is the first
general bill that has been sanctioned by
congress since the close of the late civil war ,
permitting a pension to soldiers and sailors
who Berved in that war , upon the ground of
service and present disability alone , and
the entire absence of any injuries received
by casulties or incidents of such services.
While by almost constant legislation since
tho close of tho war there has been compen
sation awarded for every possible injury
received as a result of military service in
tho Union nrmy and while a great number
of laws passed for that purpose have been
administered with great liberality and have
been supplemented by numerous private
acts to reach special cases , there has not ,
until now , been an avowed departure from
the principle thus far adhered to respecting
Union soldiers , that tho bounty of the gov
ernment in the way of pensions is generous
ly bestowed when granted to those who in
their military service , in tho line of military-
duty , have to a greater or less extent been
disabled. But it is a mistake to suppose
that service pensions , such as are permitted
by the second section of the bill under con
sideration , aro new to our legislation. In
1818 , thirty-five years after the close of tho
revolutionary war , there were granted to
soldiers engaged in that struggle , condi
tional upon service until the end of the war ,
or for a term of not less than nine months ,
and requiring every beneficiary under the
act to be one ' 'who is , or hereafter by rea
son of his reduced circumstances in life
shall be , in need of assistance from his
country for support. Another law of like
character was passed in 182S , requiring
service "to the close of the revolutionary
war ; " and still another , passed in 1832 ,
provided for those persons not included in
the previous statute , but wiio served two
years at Home time during the war and giv
ing a proportionate sum to those that had
served no less than six months. A ser
vice pension law was passed for the
benefit of the soldiers of 1S12 , in tlie year
1871 , fifty-six years after tlie close of that
war and which required only sixty days'
service and another was passed in 1S78.
sixty-three years after that war , requiring
on y fourteen days' service. The service
pension bill passed at this session of con
gress , thirty-nine years after the close of
tlie Mexican war ; for tiie benefit of the
soldieis of that war , requires either some
degree of disability or dependency , or that
the claimant under the provisions should
be G2 years of age ; and in either case that
he .should have served sixty days or been
actually engaged in buttle. It will be seen
that the bill of ISIS and the Mexican pen
sion bill being thus passed nearer the close
of tlie wars in which its benificiaries wero
engaged tlinn tlie others one thirty-five
years and tlie other thirty-nine years alter
the termination of such wars embraced
persons who were quite advanced in age ,
assumed to be comparatively few in num
ber , and whose circumstances , dependence
and disabilities were clearly defined and
could be quite easily fixed. The other
laws referred to appear to have been
passed at a time so remote from f lie mili
tary service which they embrace that their
age alone was deemed to supply presump
tion dependency and need. Tlie number of
endorsements in the revolutionary war , is
staled to be 309,701 , and in the war of
1S12 , 577,022 ; but ic is estimated that on
account of repealed re-enlistments the
number of individuals engaged in the wars
did not exceed one-half of the number re
presented by these figures. In the Avar with
Mexico , tho number of enlistments was re
ported to be 112,230 , which represents the
greater proportion of the individuals en
gaged than the reported enlistment of the
tw o previous wars. The number of pen
sions granted under all laws to soldiers of
the revolution is given at G2.0G0 ; to
soldiers of the war of 1812 , and their
widows , G0.17S ; and to the soldiers of the
Mexican war , and their widows , up to
June 30 , 18S5 , 7,010. This number of
pensions was granted to tlie soldiers of tlie
war involving much hardship , for disabil
ities incurred as the results of such service ;
and it was not till within the iast mouth
that the few remaining survivors were
awarded a service pension. The war oTthe
rebellion terminated nearly twenty-two
years ago. The ( number of men fur
nished for its prosecution is stated to be
2,772,408. No corresponding number of
statutes have ever been passed for every
kind of injury or dissability incurred in the
military service of any war. Under these
statutes , 5G1.57G pensions have been
granted from the year 1GG1 to June 30 ,
18S5 , and more than 2G00" , pensioners
have been added to the rolls by private
acts passed to meet cases , many of them
of questionable merit , which the general
laws did not cover. On the first day of
July , 18GG , 3G5.G73 pensioners of all
classes were upon tlie pension rolls , of
which 30,505 were survivors of the war
of the rebellion and their widows
and dependents. For the vear ending June
30 , 1SS7 , $75,000,000 has been appropri
ated for the payment of pensions and tlie
amount expended for that purpose from
lSGlto.Tuly 1 , 18SG , is § S08G24,811.
While annually paying out such a vast
3iun far pensions already granted , it is now
proposed by the bill under consideration
to award a service pension to soldiers of
all wars in which the United States lias
been engaged , including , of course , the war
of tlie rebellion , nnd to pajthose entitled
ro the benefits of the act $12 per month.
3o far as it lelates to the soldiers of the
late civil war , the bounty it affords them
is given thirteen years earlier than it has
been fununited to the soldiers of any other
war , and before a large majority of its ben-
? iiciaries advanced in age beyond the
strength and vigor of tlie prime of life. It
exacts only a military or naval service of
three months , without any requirement of
ictu.al engagement with the enemy in bat
tle , and without subjection to any
nf the actual requirements of the
ictual' dangers of war. The pension
t awards is allowed to enlisted men
who have not suffered the least injury.
Usability , loss or damage of any kind , in-
airred in , or in any degree referable to ,
their military service , including those who
lever reached the front at all , and those
lischarged from rendezvous at the close of
the war , if discharged three months after
Milistment. Under the last call of thepres-
ident for troops , in December , 1864 , 11-
303 men were furnished who were thus dis-
marged. The section allowing this pension
loes , however , require , beside a service of
; hree months and an honorable discharge ,
.bat those seeking the benefit of tlie act
ihall be such as "are now or may hereafter
je sufferfng from mental or physical disa-
lility not the result of their own vicious
inbits or gross carelessness which inca
pacitates them for tlie performance of
abor in such a degreee as to render them
uiable to earn a support , and who are de-
lendent upon their daily labor for sup
port. " It provides further that such per-
ion shall , upon making proof of the Tact ,
'be placed on the list of invalid pension-
trs of the United States and be entitled to
• eceive for such total inability to procure ,
.heir subsistence by daily labor , $12 per
jBBBBBBBHBHJiHffiSK
month , nnd such pension shall commence
from the ditto of the filing of the applica
tion iu tho pension office , upon proof that
disability then existed and continued dur
ing tho existence of the same in tiie d greo
herein provided ; provded , that persons
who are now receiving pensions under ex
isting Iuwh or whoso claims are pending in
the pension oiiice , nuiy , by application to
tho commissioner of pensions , in such form
as he may prescribe , receive the benefit of
this act. " It is manifestly of the utmost
importance that the statutes , which , like
the pension laws , should bo liberally ad
ministered ub measures of benevolence in
behull or monthly beneficiaries , should
admit of no uncertainty ns to their
general objects and consequences. Upon
careful consideration of the language of the
• Section of this bill above given , it seems to
me to be so uncertain aud liable to such
conflicting constitutions and to be Biibject
to such unjust and mischievous applica
tion ns to alone furnish sufiicient ground
for disapproving the proposed legislation.
Persons seeking to obtain a pension pro
vided by this section must bo now or here
after suffering from mental or physical dis
ability ; " "such disability must not be the
result of their own vicious habits or gross
carelessness ; " such disability must bo sueli
as "incapacitates them from the peiform-
nnce of labor in sucli degree as to lender
them unable to earn a support ; " they
must be "dependent upon their daily labor
for support ; " upon proof of these condi
tions they shall be "placed on the lists of
invalid pensioners of tlie United States and
be entitled to receive for such total in
ability to procure their subsistence by
daily labors , $12 per mouth. "
It is not probable that the words last
quoted , ( "such total inability to procure
their subsistence by daily labor' * ) at all
qualify the conditions prescribed in the
preceding Inngungn of the section. Tlie
"total inability" spoken of must be "such"
inability.alroudy described and constituted
by conditions already detailed iu previous
parts of the section. It thus becomes im
portant to consider the meaning and scope
of the last mentioned conditions. Tho
mental and physical disability spoken of ,
has a distinct meaning in tho practice of
the pension bureau , and includes every
impairment of bodily or mental strength
and vigor. For such disabilities these
are now paid 131 different rates of pen
sion , ranging from $1 to $100 per month.
This disability must not be the result of
the applicant's "vicious habits or gross
carelessness. " Practicably , this provision
is not important. The attempt of tiie gov
ernment to escape the payment of pensions
on such a plea would of course iu a very
large majority of instances , and regardless
of the merits of the case , prove a failure.
There would be that strange , but nearly
universal willingness to help an individual
as between him and the public treasury
which goes very far to insure a state of
proof in favor of the claimant. The disa
bility of applicants mu.t be such us to "in
capacitate them for the performance of
labor in such degree as to render them un
able to earn a support. " It will be
observed that there is no limitation nor
defination of the incapacity , injury , or the
ailment inself. It need only be such a de
gree of disability from any cause as ren
ders tlie claimant unable to earn a support
by labor. It seems to me that "support"
here mentioned as one which cannot bo
earned is complete , and entiresupport with
no diminution on account of the least im
pairment of physical or mental condition.
If it lias been intended to embrace only
those who , by disease or injury , were totally
unable to labor , it would have been very
easy to express that idea instead of recog
nizing , as is done , the "degree" of such in
ability. What is support ? Who is to de-
termi' whether a man earns it , or has , or
has it not ? Is the government to entcrthe
homes of the claimants for pension and ,
after an examination of their surroundings
anil ciiuinstances , settle these questions ?
Shall the government say to one man that
his manner of subsistence by hia earnings
is support , and to another that the thfngs
which his earnings furnish are not support ?
Any attempt , however honest , to admin
ister this law in such a manner would
necessarily produce more unfairness and
unjust discrimination and give more scope
for partisan partiality , and would result
iu more perversion of the government's
benevolent intentions than the execution
of any statute ought to permit.
If in the effort to carry out the proposed
law , the degree of disability , as related to
earnings , be considered for the purpo e of
discovering if in any way it curtails the
support which the applicant , ijL'toitire ' y
sound , would earn and to which h' * fa en
titled , we enter a broad field long occupied
by the pension bureau , and we recognize as
the only difference between the proposed
legislation and previous laws passed for the
benefit of the soldiers of the late civil war.
It must be borne in mind that in no case is
there any grading of this proposed pension.
Under the operation of tlie rule first sug
gested , if there is a reduction in any degree
of the support which he might earn if
sound , he is entitled to a pension of $12.
in tlie latter case , and under the provision
or the proposed bill , permitting persons
now receiving pensions to be admitted to
the benefits of the act , I do not see how
those now on the pension roll for disabili
ties incurred in the service , and which di
minish their earning capacity , can be de
nied the pension provided in this bill. Of
course none will apply who are receiving
$12 or more per month , but June 30.
1SS6 , there were on the pension rolls 202- ,
621 persons who were receiving 58 different
rates of pension , from $1 to $11.75 per
month of these 28,142 were receiving $1
per month ; 18 , $2 per month ; G4.11G $4
per month ; 37.251 , $ G per month , and
50,274 whose disabilities were rated as to
tal , $8 per month. As to the meaning of
a fecction of the bill under consideration
there appears to have been quite a differ
ence of opinion among its advocates in con
gress. The chairman of the committee on
pensions in the house of representatives who
reported the bill , declared that there was
in it no provision for pensioning any ono
who has a less disability than a total dis
ability to labor ; and tLat it was a charity
measure. The chairman of the committee
on pensions in the s iiate. having charge of
the bill in that body , dissented from the
construction of the bill announced in the
house of representatives and declared that
it not only embraced all soldiers totally
disabled , but in his judgment , all who are
lisabled to any considerable extent , and
such construction was substantially given
to the bill by another distinguished sen
ator who , as former secretary of the in
terior , had imposed upon him tlie duty of
; xecuting the pension laws and determining
their intent and meaning. Another condi
tion required of the claimants under this
ict is that they are "dependent upon their
laily labor Tor support. " This language ,
vhich may be said to assume that there
sxists within reach of the persons men
tioned "labor , " or the inability in some
legree to work , is more aptly used in the
statute describing those not wholly de
prived of this ability than in one which
leals with those utterly unable to work.
[ am of the opinion that it may fairly be
jontended that , under the provisions of
this section , any soldier whose faculties of
mind or body become impaired by acci
dent , disease or age , irrespective of his ser
vice in the army as a cause , and who by
his labor only is left incapable of support ,
whiclfhe might , with unimpaired power ,
have provided for himself , and who is not
so well endowed with this world's goods , ns
to live without work , may claim to par
ticipate in its bounty ; that it is not re
quired that he should be without property ,
but only that labor should be necessary to
his support in some degree , nor is it re
quired that he rdiould be now receiving sup
port from others.
wim iwiiwwn.wiiijiwii ii wiUiii > KiMSSwBjjWBWIiyWB5iWfc wwij iti i ! " * 3WWK5tay • 1
Believing this to be the proper Intorpro- m
tfon of tho bill , the president can not but a
remember that the soldiers of the civil war j |
received , in their pay and bounty , such. 9
cumpeiiHatiou as soldiers nover received m
before , and that sincu tho war moro has a
been done for them than for any othor 9
soldiers in history. Hitherto such relief m
had been granted to only soldiers few in m
number , venerable iu age , after u long m
lapso of time since their military service | l
and ns a parting benefaction by a grateful m
people.
Tlie president continues by Raying that 5
he thinks that veterans who regard the
present pension roll ns a roll of honor do M\ \
not desire to see tho roll increased by g
charity seekers whose claim is based upon | 1 |
alleged dependence ; that fraud has boon | | j
used in securing pensions and could Ml
and would bo resorted to again ; jj | j
that tho cstimato of probable cost | | J
to tho government is too small , j j
viewed iu the light of pension history since ml
the days of tho passage of the first of tho 8 ]
pension ucts ; that the country is still j
groaning under a burden of taxation , mado II
necessary by the war , and that tho popu- II
lar wish is against adding to that load ; II
that the cost of maintaining a large stand- II
fug army would not be so great as tho cost II
of maintaining un increased pension roll. II
I am not willing to approve a measure pre- 91
seating the objections to which this bill is II
subjected , and which moreover will have II
the effect of disappointing tho expectation II
of the people and their desiro and hope for II
relief from war taxation in time of peace. II
* * * I cannot do otherwise than to II
bring to tho consideration of this mensuro II
my best efforts of thought and judgment II
and perform my constitutional duty iu re * II
lntion thereto regardless of all conse- II
quenccs , except such as appear to me to bo II
related to the best and highest interests of 91
tho country. II
91
THE XEfi'S JlRIEFLY TOLD.
In an insurance case tried in the federal Mm
court at Cincinnati , Judge Jackson decided 111
that a general agency can be determined MM
without giving its holder a claim for l
damages. j |
The Russian government has forbidden the * I
exportation of hordes. The French are pur- - . '
chasiinr in Russia large quantities of oats for ' B
the cavalrv , and have chartered steamers to B
take them from the Baltic ports. -
A Berlin Cablegram states that the German j fl
government will negotiate a loan of § 75,000,000 | fl
for military purposes. 2 B
In the Delaware river near Shawnee , Penn- | B
sylvania , Ice is piled fifty feet hih aud the ' Hj
lowlands are ovcrllowed. L fl
t
The secretary of the interior reports to the j (
senate that fortv-four of the older Apache ! • fl
children at Fort Marion have been transferred
to the Indian school at Carlisle , and that sixty } fl
of the joumrer ones are to be educated at St. r fl
Augustine by the Sisters of Charity at $7.50 r fl
each per quarter. f B
Nine citizens of Clinton , Iowa , have sub- ' 'fl
scribed $250,000 to the stock of a company de- ' H
siring to build a wairon bridge across the Mis- ' H
sissinpi. Steps have already been taken to- -B
ward securing a federal charter. B
The German socialists of Chicago have for- H
warded $2,000 to aid in re-electing social demo- H
crats to the reiehstag. \
The physicians of Charles S. Parnell believe \
that he is afflicted with Bright's disease of the H
kidneys. HJ
The 'Oregon legislature has passed a bill \
granting to tlie Oregon Railway and Naviga- \
tion company a franchise to bridire tlie M
Willamette at Portland. The majority is HJ
ample to pass the measure over the threaten- |
cd veto of the governor. HJ
Friends of Dwight L. Moody in New York HJ
are actively raising money with which to com- HJ
memorate his fiftieth birthday by endowing \
his schools at Northlield , Massachusetts. HJ
The decline in French rentes within two H
weeks has been 5 francs 55 centimes. HJ
Charles Whitney , now lying in a critical M
condition at Athens , Georgia , was one of the HJ
victims of the Haymarket massacre in Chica- M
go , whose partial recovery was almost a niir- HJ
HJ
John De Leon , of New York , who styles M
himself au astrologer , recently convicted of HJ
kidnapping young girls to ship to Panama , M
has been sentenced to fifteen years' imprison- HJ
ment at Sing Sing at hard labor. HJ
Anthony Behme , an old merchant of Evans- M
ville. Indiana , ws killed in his back yard by HJ
a stroKe of lightning. jHJ
Charles Talbott , the hotel clerk who fled M
from Memphis with the diamonds of a podu- HJ
lar actress iias been traced to Kansas City. M
A SEXSATIOX IX WASHIXC.TOX H
Washington special : A flutter of excite- H
ment was created this evening when it was BJ
announced that a number of members of M
the house of representatives , repsesenting flj
both political parties , had determined to L\ \
hold a conference for the purpose of draw- IJ
ing resolutions of impeaehmentagainstSec- H
retary Manning for violating the laws of L\ \
congress in his official acts. This move- H
ment is being promoted by the ultra silver | H
men nnd grows directly out of what they | H
construe into a virtual acknowledgement * M
in his reply to the Weaver resolution , that B
he had violated and intended to violate the H
law requiring that mutilated notes pre- flj
sen ted for redemption shall be redeemed by flj
notes of the same denomination. In- flj
formation as to the movement comes from jflj
several members of the house , who de- k\ \
[ • hired that there is no Buncombe in it , but flj
that it is the result of a serious determina- flj
tion to resent a violation of the law. In flj
addition to the case with relation to the k\ \
cancelling of treasury notes , it will be flj
charged that the law has been repeatedly flj
violated by a failure to purchase $28,000 , - flj
000 worth of silver each month. It will be . HJ
charged that , while the law is mandatory , iH1
that that amount ahall be purchased each {
inonth. the treasury department fails to "flj
nake a purchase during any month when M
the price of silver had advanced , and buys flj
i. supply for two months or more when they JJ
mve "beared" the market and brought the H
) rice to a low point. flj
COXTESTED SEXATORSIIIP. flj
Washington special : California congress- HJ
men say that it is a fact that Yrooman , flj
the contestant of Hearst for the United HJ
States senate , intends to contest * he seat HJ
Df Mr. Hearst with the claim that iio HJ
is himself entitled to the seat and that HJ
the necessary papers to make good this BJ
claim will soon be presented to the senate. HJ
The ground on which this is to be based M
is that some twenty mcmber-i of the legis- HJ
iature were not entitled to vote and were M
not lawful members of the legislature in M
that they were not elect e 1 in accordance HJ
with the conditions prescribed by the con- HJ
stitution of that state , and that Yrooman BJ
is the person who did receive the lawful BJ
majority of the constitutional legislature. HJ
Those who are informed as to the legal HJ
basis for this claim , nay that it is substan- HJ
tial enough to furnish ground for a contest. MM
The senate committee on elections in the HJ
aext congress will , therefore have another , JJ
very important case. This committee will ' HJ
probably be one of tlte most important . HJ
committees of the Fiftieth congres3. It 'HJ
will have contested seats of Indiana and HJ
California to consider , and po sibiy one HJ
ilso from New Jersey. It is certain that HJ
Senafor Harrison will make a contest ot HJ
the seat of Turpie of Indiana and the In- J
liana republican politicians here say they ( Hj
are convinced that the senate will award i BJ
the seat to Harrison. i HJ