r AVonilerfiit . I.)-:..- '.'i r. el1":, i vea :!. w i Suiiicrsel Ilcr.ilil. ; comviurat.-d n ar an ::.!.. !al t,-w:i. ; juggler r.-uu",l jH-niiis-icn oft'., commandant ! i nVrtaui tL s.-' v. a pub.;..- xh:bi:h;i (' hi :.rt. He i. M' d Lis vrit: a vi r 1 - ' - ; V ' - e ' - , , ( e! -. " . ; i e a ! e ; t : i . ; ! s :i '.' 1 4 oiner E- J, t ri ' V, 'li-1-' i: ;.: ' In I'M v m .rnf:i:c '- " ' : ..U-rni.-e i'. 10 ,t ) i.v n.i.ne'1 n will 'onei Btail alt ,J,,,,i;, l-..s:in-Hl. I,li(l-Clillt when tu-r;:i. ."'- ta. wi .;.;: le-ur . '.'. ,,':: ; and I the ! r t .-. ;'d :!., v :. his !:;.,:.. : ...h Wlr sp'i.'i f..r the ...V EST-A-BIVISIIEI), TS7. fx i , a :r .m T. -'' rr to an-..i-i- mm- i His 1 -muT VOL. XXIX. NO. 19. SOMERSET. PA., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, SS0. WHOLE SO. I.V27. c: 1 1 ! .u 'i !:. i t; L! of Publication. ; set i lie 1: :,i V T l.v. . l.V .1 i.V'.V. 1. 1,1 S..ITT- it. r i.y. S in r '. . T I, VU . t. e. I. 'V. . 1 ,i,V IA VI I. W . . a i i. 1 Hi Jn I . A . 1. Vi . : !. w. ! m: t. - AT I. vw. : it at X.:v, II,.- ai: t.vs r j. i.i.i v. o !TX. m:y-at i.av .'. S..;ii'Tfi t. v re-. ;-"! n 1. il iae i. .w. l.r.-!:i-? , l-li.j; - I ', TT. a rro'vXtY- T LAW. re 1': i'i ;:!. ! JiiKV AT i. W, . ;,!. ninl nil Ii-." -- Ull t 11 1' Si ii-n-.i. .;.i -i MfKS. i;"f nii:Pi:.u i:. .i. i.M : i.LL. hi: Si N ,i ' -,.r il l 1. di.i.Ki: i. . .i r. hi-! S -in : . -. N X I: 1! ILllN. '1 ( i H.UN's. . S' i.f i:s.l.T. i'A. .vi' C 'V :'p 1 ---iii: I-, t- lei I l r.'t. ir ni!in' r. rn i... il: ..: .ill k'ir s. r i- ! . ...I r.'.o .D i.nt;t. I ' ' V '3 .'.-IT !)! N-h' r. CY. urv-vr ni " l nm ..!' ill K-tunry :irl Fn- tit tic at--r .1 inrsxe r wo PAINTERS, A I n iOXEEK. - e. , i.r V-t-i- ..r f K !., t ..sit , , i m-1.!.-?!, B ..It.. -. A K 'N XV. t .n i. n.T. f 1 - 1 - ur t rant I. Hi.--, i . . vr w-.l ami , ?tLCf I V ER PILLS -. ...; i., r i 'i 'i .f 1 1, l.r . : I? i I 1.1 t k i . f(el-rZ.. fa ' "M u' i'l 1 . "!iAVN, I'U.NN'A. ' " ' ft.! .: H .-.ti l.linr l.5 l.-.-.f!) ... .' .h..il i rir.lli'1 l a :l J- '-' . a 1, 1. t f i,m..f. it a tt-ry ' -' ' : i: , :..r ii.-1 rnu. am j.-ji-ei-. - . i .'.,i,i,.-; mrj ai-sl, ml ls ' -..:. . i,if. .a!.u,- liuil ::i,-h.-l '-' ' i'k.r u1 a p.itiiy fMl'l'nic 1 ' ' -! - fit, U l.n.l at lt. l-vrit I"- ' ' '! "it .I-, k, iiv i r nwal. s.'.y.; n.crsTi.K.rnp- &.!.. -. lium-o'l. tsi, i ftun, i'a.. McCALLUM, ; i ' 7 T S'. i .. SVENUE. . Above Wood Mr. t-t.') PITISBURQII, Carpets, Oil Cloths, China Matting, Druggets, kc. : ot' your townsmen ex-soldiers to rnT T iv i-i ii a ! explain to them and their comrades I MO l)CSt (Juallt) lll:ll!u,:. causes forth- delay in settling t r i . i t t!ie pensions. IS - ;1UC (H CaCil lai-j Tlie subject is one of very great ,-, , I imjMirtance. Twice before have I tielliar Kllld I (lOods. !e.eive.l a similar invitation from ! i' o i.s lvania oldiers : one year ago . . 'at i.ie (irand Armv c lebm'.ion and AT PRICES AS MODER-.auenvard-only a"l.w weeks sine - t c rin rr milMn Uit I'ut-'nir-li. On both occasions I A 1 L I Ah DL tUUlNU. ; imvcendeavontl, as well as I could, H. iVIcCALLUM. CHARLES HOFFMAN, MERCHANT TAILOR, Alj. . II. nry !l.-l!l.-y'Sl iv. LAT-.-'T STYLES I.G7EST PRICES. : ,nsr.cr:o.v guaranteed. IE?, O. . t r t i :t u i l'.T J and : Y $ l' I it v o s li.-'in. e.i . vtni n-eive WALTtR AK DERSOfi, MDPUA M A IT IB UUlliirj i 1 illLUil, :i WjCD il Ul SIITH AVENUE, more than tiity changes m xne jten xn si. hi laws of one kind or another. I j mean general changes which effect NO. 22u LIBERTY STREET, classes of the soldiers, greater or less ; in nundier. When the war of the PITTSBTJF.GH, XurV. reliell ion broke out there were very i- j few j tens ion claims coining forward, rif r i-n nr t- r. and the entire pension roll comisted .. 1. J;l 1 1 IjI x L, j (fonlv 1U,.'MH names, and the num- S IlALTIMOHUSTHEKT, ocm;kki.ani, m.i. ; match ks. cH.uss, ! snLH) S1LI TI 'Ak. DIAIOSPS, ' A II l;!'AS CLOCKS. FKESCU CI O'T-T. i .'ir.i;; r..i7f,7) ivASt:, j ,i!.-!n:isi-,4-r. ilOUDAY PRESENTS! 'Vinc'.ic- an-! .T' W'-'.r' K-i.airo I l.y Skill?'! Worknun an.l o:unu-l hy Kit ns Kff f Chinee. X't ztr c h tr -re I t Jlrucrarliiz. r-.l wur-niii't-l a? rt'pren:!. irf-t li :o:- '(mtClvCt (tlllltV Ti-lflL" IOlilLlst I KHIlin 1,II1KT CHARLES J. hiRRISOH. . .i-i, i. r .re! M.,;.:e-.r. ; t m aa vans.. ith i nit.-i s;tf. ! e.c. ivj::rr:irtt,rr rhet-kf ci- J .!. i:t-niii..iw.-i:-nir,rh.e. i .'L,iir.'.. l". i Btwuyii c: Dvffl. Av ert- .in 1. iL-nartan-sp. niR.i wirh jin-iEiit-antii fc.ll.i'e.l. t.i .urrfc V. S 4 PEK cr.. rt ".'.) n i IH lUt:k. . .:: .:. .; vC. 1'AX, ran l sorommo- Tiif cm-d mrf prcll In 1 0 tv ai. i 1 i. ILL SSO. carpets IN ALL QUALITIES. INGRAIN to ! th- i:oY.h WILTON M. hh Shadings aial sjiadcs tlie latest Wiiah v,- Siiades tlie latest styhs. i.naTH .ii)LnoLi:ni. BOVARD, HOSE & CO., KG. Z? FIFTH JiYEMUE, PITTSBURGH, PA. S.'.t. 1 . I'.t lv;!;' VTal'i S SALK OK AI.C AliI.E KEAI. ESTATE l.v m u. o. ur.;t-r iMur.i i.ui t the i rrphaae' . Ckurt ..I nir..- -. .ul. 1... th UD-lrr-ic.1 i I , i-ut..r.il l'l..i.i.si.....r .Ir . .!.t will ..M I i.-o.i ir i ..ii-.u'.rrj, 1a , 1 S.i'i-1 vi. (t-'4'JT 5. I'-s't ! k. . M.. Bt STf,vfIi,Wn, !.. the full.., 1 if.if .1 .-ci rv.l out ul I'liiup Sli.irr, v,. 1 ihri. - tr-t. .itntnnciuemhiin I. . 1. II'. s"Tt--f 1 r"iii at. 1 ininir lino 4r iu -iiir. -tfi'.iu. mil "4 mm r .(f. l j" nTf. ;!.) ii rr rier, in I 1 it iNkianc nlimd'T-liitLoli idI iiitw. 1 her rt U ; rU n- truil 0 Iff :m. fi'! tl.e iul lowing r j i Im iiD-r.. ux-n:, :t: Iwo twof? lrmiu u-.. 10 K.-l rt-iMir. ami e y im-w -. m tune nnii uaxn ik1 ther " "mU Tb Atrrtor um ki).a e. tb -lander i.r.,. Jon. j.ak JfiSS! ' ii a.iai i ..'1 At-rv-K iiht ur u-m, of aaa-n a.-rr ar ,-trrr-t ali.l M at-rrl. to tdeitiitm. and Oi. Imian. t. aril t;ita-r. acre. l It Win lm i-i' I'i'" 1 art i,. .ir.-hjrdl ,it ,i ItnH. m lli i-r-ons,. aoO a K'..a two rlirj U.BU hour .i..i i.M trti i X" i. A Una niimitr In Sna.lf t..rblp, ft.un i t am i .-.Lair al..ri-Mii,. i..wn a. tlir Itn-w lain a., I'.l.ur.a: Uli.1. A J,.Lb A,-kmi.n J .lia KlMilair .fi iiti.m. ii..ti,t..v .ii ..i . . 1 lit re t a .tuall uKr cainti on .lir !!. mud . te li.H aati i-am 7 .K.VS OF SALE. (in. -thirl In haml: unctlilril of the . irchaa muti.) I tnirii. Ni. 1 aol X t.i n n.aln a Urn ua 1 1. lrni.1. tli, Uiterett ilirrt-it ii t 14 aonaalljr to Kl.l"-ili Suairr. i.lowol aal.l ilrc'd, ouruic tirr natural ai, u . ait.-r lur oratb tlie .rlci-lpa! in tha lAm:i.,r .,t j.i.l dr-carl : ami tha 11-uK-r Inn rt rual aiiDual .imrDli tlwrratirr i.y -u'luim-tii n.w. i m ir Itrni. .i the iwrrba ".".i. wcu-rrro liaii.ruta t. I Mforeii J os u h s u a v tK iliso s-i,. txocoton. i anfl Ppncinn PlaimP j ly any difference in the efficiency i do with the force, by which I will tell you pretty soon who ha dllLI I C 1 lol U 1 1 lldillldl j of the clerks or of the management coul l hasten the settlement of the urged it." but I want to call vm:r ;it- i of the otlice. It is too great, almost claims. I modified sum.- of the mention first to this aspect- Sup- I fi.l.l . .1 i . i... i ! -..I.... l -I., i: i: ti..-. i . ... ... i i . . ITU. TEX T ! TOMMISIOXKR I5ENTLY SI M'KF.CIl AT ALT.X .A, SKI TKMBKR 1 SMI. !.(-. Ciiaininiii ami Gentlemen: i I thank you for your cordial re jeeption as indicated byyourdemon : st rat ion of aii!roval and also bv 'your staying so late to hear a few j words fr. mi me. I have come up h. re to-!av at the invitation of two to make the explanation and give the iniorniation desired. Mow, in jtne outset, lest there le some here j who misunderstand my puqose, 1 wi.-h ' say that the subject about j which 1 have been invited to speak I is in no way political, whatever jwili I ticians ma . lo with it. It is siinic J I ly a matter of business. j I am not here to make a political 1 i. i . or campaign speecn, out coiiiu io i re.'jHiiid to the iiitcre.-t whicli you i have manifested upon a subject in ; which 1 have been interested for :'..ur years and a half one which I . have studied and which I have pre !scnted in one form or another to .Congress, in my annual reports and on every other proper ocasion. 1 say this is a subject in which 1 have 'endeavored tor the last four years to interest the soldiers, and thev are ju-t beginning to be inUr ted in it. Tiiey imd there are delays hi the settlement of pensions which seem to them unnecessary, and unjust, and therefore they are dis ! satisfied and make complaint. Now ! let u-go dircctlv into the subject. ; 1 cannot give you the explanation j vou ask unless vou get a perfect ; i,,uiilatin, a history ot the tiling a ad settling of jM-nsion claims from ; im;o down to the present time. You : will not expect anything like oratory ; or eloquence, but must expect to i listen to facts and figures wtuchcan ! not deceive. ' which 'is'the tundatlJn of"t!ie i'h-iv ;sion system under which tJ.esol.iur- On the 1 1th of July, lNi.i the act, rs hi the war of the rebellion were i pensioned, was passed. Since the passage ot that net there have been 1 her was fast decreasing. Alter the I passage .f this act the pension claims Pegaii to come in with great rapid i ! tx. and from that time down to the ' :;i rth of June lat there have been G'i.'l.sV.t original pension claims for pensions tiled in the jKiision oflicc. There were during that time original claims settled. You see this left a verv great margin, some- thing near o li',' X, that are unallow-j cd. These consist oi what we rail we ure working. .Now what is tlie live pending claims and alout 4-V j cthct of that system ? If then is a OH "which represent claimants who controversy between any two neigh died In-fore their claims were settled bors and you hike it to court you .r who had abandoned the prosccu- Itike your witnesses to testify in tion ot tia ir claims, ana we mm that there were tending on the .'5lth h'fJune last not Ks than '.".Mi ( j,,,,.. There are ni-.n 1 the jK-nsioii rolls '24 .(." tnsioners, ! fl .-r.. :ire J'.KMKII IKTSOIIS who ;lr(. ,0W tlaiiing jensions and whose jK iisions are unsettled, and this number is increasing daily. 1 have a table here in my hand which shows the iiuiuUr which have Ut-n filed from 1M.2 down to the .rcs-nt time; the number of original claims which have been i. i l .1 .,. !., tiilioweu vear ov eai n i i" ; jireseiit time and the amount of ! money w hich has been paid out : ycarlv for the salaries of the clerks and officials who are engaged in the ', pension olfice in settling tlie claims. if vou will bear witli me while I : calfvour attention to some of the : t luii-'aeteristii-s of the jicnsion busi- in-ss as shown by this table you will ! observe that it is a condensation of i the hi.-lorv of the filing an.l settling ' of pension claims from 1S"2 to the present time, and if vou examine , the column which shows the num ! Wt of claims libnl you will find that ; there was a great rush of claims ; coming in down to 1MIHI. You will 'find in another column that the Settlement and allowance of claims ' went forward with great rapidity down to iMUi: then if you will re . f.-r to the column of claims filed j vou will find that from lNi to and i including 174 (S years) the number 'of claims filed gradually dropinil off year bv year from H', when there ! were (m,2-" to 15.2n4 in 174. If ' vou look in the column whicli rep . . . i ii i resents claims thai vere auoweu. VOU will find that from lio tol(f) nunjUr of claims allowed fell off juit as regularly and certainly as .li.l li, iininlM-r of claims hied. Tlien if vou look at the column , . tjie a j)proi,riation for ---- . lerks and officers whose business it is in the tension office to settle these claims, you will find that from INK) down to" l7l inclusive, there was a puuihu ui.vi t.,.,--uH.v .... .. nIK'V that WaS ai'Irtlriaitl Hn lilt: l..rtJ nnd officers in the office. In ; isTf. there were in round figuri's att- i.roriate1 $4.(M), which was a j gn-at increase m the numtter oi , clerks. In lsW the office wa9 able t. ..! witli 2TSJK)il. .r.17tioriein- 1 al claims. In 17(, with flSO.UW, i tern upon its merits. Now, the "er- undtr a system which has been uni- aj.pjv to cases which came and a-k-1 in. so that the ofib-e has made n-ar-it was. able to settle and allow 5.7: I parte method has been condemned versally condemned. Not only the 0( fr -nsions on the record, ly 1."0".J' decisions iu the sixteei. The years following 17 I cases l.i tint rnfrr ti li.'r'Jins'P tliat TH'ritxI was covered bv mv own administra tion nceil only mention them 5 and d say that there has been an in- we are to-dav compelled to settle 3-011 have heard of before not from been before committees of Congress, dug the last fiscal year t ion' w. r re-:-asc " in the number of claims set-' them upon that svsteni which has me, but from others. You have i not once or twice, but often. They j ceived in the jx-nsa ei othce. 01 ! tt- r d. i lnt-n comiielled bv civilization. Now heard that this svsteni w hich I have 1 have been U fore the committee hav- i and additional evidence, mad mr.t- crease th-d These ficurei show that after lSltG there was a radical change in the amount of work accomplLshed, and the chansc cannot be accounted for , W.-U nun , isir i iiiuii;..- iiium i'V HK'NL-u tor in the character of the business itself riiere is one other point : If add to the toree ot the testimony, tn.-t hou!d come Ju re to Akwo:.a you will divide the amount of the j and reorganised the oiliee from hot- and take testimony in pension caes, appropriation year by year with its ' torn to top, and as I told you there j would not most ot" you be able t corresponding year of allowances, j was an average of 2 per ci,t more ' prove your case from among votir you will find the difference in the ,casc-s settled since I took charge of ; neighbors '.' Thev know the facts, if cost of settling each case. In 1 SC.t; .the office; but I cannot go farther they can only be "reached in such a the average cost per case was So 14 ! in this direction ; I have got to the way that t'he'ir statements will be re for the clerical force and to pay the j bottom, but the Imttoru is s many ; liable. And more : i suppose .-ome Commissioner of Tensions and other ; hundred of feet higher than it should of you would want the teftimonv of ofheers of the Kurcau. In ISO it reached the enormous figure ot Jm'.' 'I,. Now there is another thing that will stiow this change and that should be mentioned. If vou go to the files vou will find neaflvS'XUKIO cases which lie unsettled and upon lKking at them vou will find cases filed as far back as 1112. and in every year from that day to this : and if you look at these old cases you will find the back of the jackets are black with endorsements; they have come to be great bundles filed with correspondents and afiidavits and all kinds of pajers touching the ease. If we go to the tiles of admitted claims there we find the cases ad mitted from 1SU2 to lst'.X, and the paper, uihui which thev were admit ted are there, not thicker than your finger. This illustrates the differ- ence in the business. When 1 first J I recommend a system whicli was came into the oflicc, four and one-: adopted by our fathers for more half years ago, one of the first things than forty years settling the claims I noticed was the great accumulation ! of Revolutionary soldiers to pen of unsettled pension claims, and the Isions. I recommend it not 1 eMiisc great, delay in settling claims. I cx-; it protects the iovernment. bec-.us amined into the affairs and found ' that is the least of the things whicli! there eases from lSij-J; there were should be considered, but becans -! nearly 10o,(KR) pending claims in the oili.-e, anil 1 hegan t tiear com - plaints of the delavs. although not as many as I hear during this last ! and procure their pension within a ' of them ? Tin-re is a "ring " of gen year. I examined into tlie hi.-tory i reasonable time and without great 'tlemci residing about Washington, and found what I thought was an dclav. It is simple; it is easv and j There are a few men who live ou - explanation ot the whole troiiPle, . economical ; not near as costly as and it is that explanation which 1 j the present system. If this public propose to give you to-night. Lest system were adopted the claimant's it may be said that I am attempt-own statement would be a founda ing in presenting this subject to ad-; t ion rock upon which to build his vocate a scheme of my own, I wish : claim. you to understand that the plan ll His statement might be tested by am advocating is substantially the! putting a few ouestions to him. and plan adopted by the lathers in pen sioning the Revolutionary soldiers. It is the plan upon which pensions were granted for more tha" fortv years. This plan was presented in m v first, second, third and fourth innual reports, and I intend to re peat it in mv forthcoming report, because I believe that in the adop tion of the recommendations, which I have made lies, and in them onlv, the relief which the pension claim ants are entitled to have. So I don't believe there is any other permanent and just relief, and I will proceed to tell you what it is. In the first place let me explain the system under w hich we are now working. It is an erpartc system. If where the claimant makes out his claim or has somebody make it out for him. who is his friend or in his interest. As soon as it reaches . the office, the office calls for evidence to support it. He does not bring his witnesses before the Commis sioner of Pensions or any officer of the Government to see whether he and they look like honest men. He was his friend w ithout the afiidavits, and thev come down to Washing- ton. This is the system under which oik n court, and it the witnesses are dishonest it is seen by looking at them and noticing the manner in which thev tell their stories. When the court and jury meet men face to ( t . .1... 1... 1. ...t.: :., . i. face thev see b IV lOOfvlll.. illt.f Ull . but if 1 hike up a paper and it is written over with a story, it is im possible for me to know if it is true or false ; that is to say, there is no talisman bv which the Commission- er can tell the . difference between truth an.l falshood written on pa- w itness eye whether he sjieaks the j made the foundation ot the case, i not pas--. 1 fiese nu n publish news truth. Nature has so mado up men j The difference in the circumstances ! pajH-rs. Let me tell you of some o! that by this jM-rsfinal contact we ! is very great. You see w hat might 1 them. The X'i'iiii!. Tribune, a mag read each other and learn the truth; j have been a proper system and was j nitieent name. Most of you have per, that is through the pajter itself. the side of the claimant, and in his 1 you thought this Xi'trowi! Trihy,,, If you get your witness in your j interest ; now I want to speak one was something like the New York presence, talk with him, hear his 1 voice, see his eve, you get the story, I .....i . " . if 1 i:n and 11 there is a iKini wnicn uiuers in 1, t iil vou h:iv onlv to isk him . . duestions and the whole matter is brougfit to light, i he system which we have is a secret system as well as ex jxtrte. The claimant need not have anybody know that he has a claim for a tension except his own ftiends and friendly witnesses. It is not brought to light. The neigh Itors do not know it in many cases. It is not public. Witnesses testify ... . , .1 1 ; system lacks publicity. It is neees- sary to settle wfiat are the real facts ; in the controversy upon written pa- j pcrs. Now, what is the result ? j The result is natural : the Couimis- j sioncr of Tensions hesitates when j he criticises these papers, when he i willioui having me lesimiony lesieu : greai many men woo want a icnsion jK. interests..! claim agents 111 gen bv the light of day. So you see the '' who are not entitled to one; who ;t.rai. Their purpose is to mantain sees thearlnlavits covering the jten-! false claims ? Is it right that you : against the simpler plan and od of sixteen years as clear as if but ' who have earned your pensions by j jt,.u them to believe that it is im two years had elapsed, and instead ' your sufferings and secritices and by I practicable and it is to lie employed of being satisfied with one affidavit ; he asks for two or three. It would just so with you. j Vow wluiti. tlie effect unon the i .4 -.. niu,.,nnl l ia.1111. 1111 . X UU bu; ll, ll, vt.ti n , j makes much corrcsondcnce. ft makes much trouble. The claim-1 ants think thev are getting evidence ! over twice ; then they make these complaints, and sometimes the com-1 r.kinls iusL hut the vcrv noint of difficult v i that this eri arte exs- tern d.xs not brine claimants and witnesses face to face with the per- mna who judge whether tlie state- nient is true or false. I have, there- fniw onlv Iiiwtissel th-4 ei-narte svs- bv all rivilized neonle. In the w'hole civilized world it has Wen mmlnmnnl nnl vt hrrp nr : ) - (KM) claims situated in that way, and i I saw when I came in office these in nffivt. tlitfHi ill , '11 II. I V ' I - - T Ai.i nnf eon- delays and trouble. tent myself with theorizine. trizine. I went office to ascer-' In ihf hottom of mv office to aseer-' tnin if ther was anvthinff I could i i mr aim amui-m-n njiui- :iicn 1 'de-med not neeessarv and .iidn.it j le as regards the improvement in ; the settling ot war claims, and tue I present svsteni is so utterlv inade quate, that there is no use attempt ing to sink it any lowers. It c maot be done under that system. I have alreadv said enough to indicate that I think this cr-mdr svtein hould ! be nut out of the wav, both in the i the I the interests of the claimant and J Government. I want to tell'Vou j what I propose. I propose that the : j proceedings for the settlement of pen-. j sion claims, the proceedings to take ; i the testimonv, shall be taken in the presence oi your neignnors ani oe- fore an officer who shall he from ! among your neighbors and before ! whom the pension claimants shall ; come with tlie witnesses and t' ll ; their stories. I propose and hay recommended the adoption of a sys tem which lias received the favor of all civilization on simlar riucstions. ;i; enables the claimants themselves j 1 to present their cases in such a form I that thev can establish their claims j settling the point which seem doubt- : lul. His statement would thus lie ; the most important testimony m tne , case, onlv reuuiringa little eorohora- j ti.n on this or that point in order ! to establish his right to pension. As it is now the Commissioner .h mands he sli-juld prove his case from the bottom, and such is the rule which has come down from the beginning, llefore I leave this point I want to say one word in favor of the present system, which I have condemned. You see that down to lstjt; the claims were settled with great rapidity, and as cheap as five dollars and a few cents per case. That was under this cx-jinrtr system. YV ii y was that so? Ihti chums cem- ing in at that time came in with a record. The man came with his arm off or with the mark of the Lul - let in his side, with the indications ; of the disease upon his lace for which he claimed his pension, and for which he had been discharged from the service. The parol evi dence that was needed in his ease was very slight and surely found. The r.r-fnirte system was very well under these circumstances. It was the U-st system which could be adopted for those times and that class; of ease The trouble is that in the course of events the condition of affairs lias become changed. In stead of" the claimants Wing su jtortcd and standing upon the record. their cases must le settled upon pa role evidence, In those days the pa role evidence was of but slight con- sequence ; in these davs it is of the ' '..1 . 1... UUUUsl 1.0IIS1.-.1UCIH I- ail.l Ill.iSi I'.. .. .. i a proper system for settling pension ; seen the paper and read it, but did claims in the early day has turned j not know that it was issued by a out to be a curse in these later days pension agent, but it is, and by one with the claims which are not of the most extensive in the lu.si established in the record. Now I ness. That pajer is filled with all there is another point. I have I kinds of statements against this discused this question so far upon : word in tichalt of the Government. All the soldi. Irs who came home! -.-a 1 . 11 I were 1101 eiuiiieu 10 pension. ie- ... V ... cause a man shouldered a musket he I is not necessarilv in honest man. j JIc may have made a martvr of himself; he may have done glorious olii'd.s and won the riht to stand among the foremost in the country, but it does not change the nature of the man. If he was dishonest before he went into service, he is probably a dishonest man all the same alter j ins reiurn. v e nnu mere aie a l . ii' . i:.. .11. w .. ' l . . will attempt to get it bv falsehood. ! 1 here are so many of this class that I am safe in saying that we pay not less than ?:. per annum to men who were never entitled to a pension under the law. Shall the Government pav these vour disabilities shall be put upon the tension roll on a par with men who have no right to pensions under the law ? Shall the people of this Irnnntrv lw fcitwl to ii.av fr:iiidnTent : - . - - I . tensions ? The Government as well j as ourselves has a right to have the ; tension roH one of honor and not a , subject of suspicion ; and the ( lov- j eminent has a right to demand that j there shall be such a system for the settlement of these cases as will ena- i ble it to obtain the truth in these , cases ; that it shall have such a sys-1 o'm as nas iteeu ajtpnncti oy me ; civilized world, and shall not lie oompelled to accept aud iroceed ! claimant but the Government is in-: tcrestedthat such a change as I have sugirested shall be made. ! But now I come to a point that viu,iitnmnnit,i.l ia i T,a,l ct-ctoTii anil. recommended as a bad system, siuV ; ill Will. l.V ll'.- ' . . "V... . , . 1 1 1 1 1 . . V..- ifinrr tli r-biimrtntj tn ri rrre:it defil 1 of expense and unnecessary trouble, j and that it is utterly impracticable, j and that it is utterlv impracticable. That has been urcred acrainst it. I i !i"f ;i U'H lor aim a law Vt l s h i ; ed fvoui vour own Con. TcssioiiaJ 'your Captain, or some other witness. who l-i perhaps i;i Missouri or Wis consin. Mipj-os ? such a commis sion was to come h-re to Altoona : is their anything impracticable in going before it and telling your sto ry? Is there anything impractica ble in having your witnesses going beforv.' that Commission and telling : tiieir storv ? 1 think not. Supihw your Captain or other witness U in' Missouri. He has ;i commission there before whom he can tell story, and three cents postage will i bring the statement he makes to the ommission iiere. 1 nee.i not go through with all the details in order that you may see that it is imt on'.v possible, but one of tlx' easiest tilings in the world to do. Jiwt a.-. easy as it is to have a hearing in court, and easier, because you do nt have to go through ail the cere mony required in court. Who has made this allegt-ratioii that tlie is impracticable? There have plan iieen ictitioiis si.-ned by solmers and s.u ors forwarded to Congress remon strating agains: this system. They have conic from my own stat'-. V i--consin. from I'eiinsylvani.i. fr.i'ii thio. M'ew York, and otht r States. 1 have .-.-en them everywhere j.lo- "tills testing against the auoption oi UHi plan. Who Were theaUt'io!' side, but there is a "ring"' about Washington who live on the Treas ury. They g.-t there money out of. the Treasury through claimants who are to g. t some, and when they can not get their money ottt of the Treasury through the claimants th y are wiiling t" g.-t it outof the claim- : ants themscive.-. These men are the ashmgtu ci.tun agents. I totd yon then- were ' . I :i claims imscttl"d m tin- iieits'.oii lice. There are few men in Wash ington, with a half-do.en others.1 whose names 1 could give but will not now, who repp-sent more than 2::'.i.!hk ttiese claims. Your neighbors do not attend to your business for you. bu.t your ease is sent to Washington. These nu n represent to you that they have greater facilities than anybody el.---. They will tell you that they can lo into the pension office and get a i-jise through, orif they cannot th y can get a member of Congress w ho j will, or who they say will. .ow it j is these men who stand behind this 'remonstrance against the adoption of the nlan 1 recommend, simple hecau-e they know when this j oi is adopted " 'the!!-, s occupation is gone;"' that if ymi 1 mploy anyho ly to aid you it will be y..ur neighbor, who will not be a party to.my fraud. These men know that the great bus iness wlii.-h they have built up un der these fahe pretenses will be scat tered among the country attorneys. Therefore they SUV the system is im practicable ; it cannot be d-ee-. oh h: and the Commissioner of 1'. n sions is a fearful fellow, and he don't love the soldier, and he is full of all kinds of evil intentions and purpose--. Thev tell vou to beware .f him. Send vour remonstrances ; to Congress, to the President. to vour ; Senators, and everybody, that this bill which has grown out of the 1 :.. .. 1' M I' il ll 1 III' i numi .-s;i 'in 1 .-.Hill .... t .. , plan ot proceeding. Now, no doubt ! liibnt: Look at the motto at lisjcase head. 1 cannot recall to mind just j ijx mont ..... ...-a i. 1.. : : . ..!. now wnai us worus are. oui n isai0 very patriotic one. an.l it is 111 the ! . . interest ot the soldiers and sailors. so it mv. The man who runs thi ; paper is the largest claim agent 111 the United States. The Xtli'iKil Citizen S'J.Iirr is another, and this is run by the next largest claim agent. The l'niil Staff Ilmjrd nntl Uazdlc is not run jn the interests of anv one in par- ticn ar so lar as it a ni tears, hut in . . .. - , . . a system out of which this Wash- ington ring may make its fortune whether the soldier gets what U longs to him or not These are the gentlemen from whom comes this opposition to the better system, and who are trying to lnuuence tne peo- to aid the bad cause. They say the (lOvernment is a hundred years old, and we have been going on in this wav a hundred years ; hut now X...Z.. i:... .',.-,;.ir llnntlm. UUt lUlll. s v v'iiiiiii. -eiivi inuu, ,, i an, says that the svsteni is bad. As told "vou a little while ago. they : don't know that the svsteni which I i1;nc recommended was adopted by ! the fathers in tensioning the llcver lutionarv soldiers and employed for nirtrt. than fortv-five vears. when the i .resent svsteni" was established for; tiie soldiers of the Mexican War and intended lor where the claim-, ants came home on certificate of ; disehuKre. iust as it wss intend to: since the War of the Jlebalhon tie?e ,nclJ iavt. carried their opposi-' tion to such an extent airainst this ; irovsel measure that they have i inf in rlinrn the in Vest ernt l, in 4,1 ing in charge 1.1 ... . ...... - - - - " the Tension office and had the ear . of the committee almost from the time of its organization down to - the present time at least of some Iiicill' il .Kin th.'-r pre.-c; to ...il l:n find ..i t . h ii.-e -a . -!'; .. pra.-lieed up. Were doing it di. rs. I !.: I... n in any per.- oi tlie 11! teres; miliioa of j...,, who claim .i i. t!i:in -so; ;.(.- '. i.i -interest i' si:" be presented i: t.:a:i ; soiiai.y 1 i cause w'nii mueh t g a L ; Wo lid to i; i e.V w O'lICi ' man' lays.' . iii.ri. Y."l kli-e.V l! coui;i, suits ;,i p - i; !e vie v a;-. I their ca-i mad ; many of y, ,;.i v ; to g.-t yoiir east t..-. : aie I s iiue try .other pc.ii!e. : President and ! Hays J,, r-ef. i ! and they writ' ! epistles t i ! have- !:! .!.) I.; cs? Wou'el V e li ne..' to :,ii -' l: :i sa v "eiy V.'I'.ot HIV l;!i:. , me make t'u- . :iV:.-.,!!, ,'...U-.-: J ee T! ie ... .)'!-; .,i m.-nt !' lie- . i .til. rs '. S i : t . ! ; ' of I 'ie' M : Ti -ss , I , ''ig i- If the: to a p tion '. n: !!: not d ii i d mv t; became ipl. -ed illi.e V. the bll elowded '.1 a a 1 -out actio. a case : !,. the re . Mil l.i'W V. pushing their y.ars hav g I 1. r -erean: ! pies of jn-t of friend-h .ieee.ei e :iv 'in- e'ifl a. of fairness al .Ua is now ; rule. t !! v.i se mad -.-l.ee yi you t i vhei; '! to V.:: gen! ietii f 1. to gt a tain ptvi author! !.. that "' ! "- :: them Vo hex- 'e s lee an u; y. ill ir ha Il'-V, 1:1.1:1 -:.!. 11 th.ni tha in:!' u stands tliCV d. i::1 r! 1. itp.in iu-t tic . and ail rn'ist w 1-V their turn. Thi ;s tin-00 b, thelie in ' 0:1 thin". an- do:i I wish t say ': ot:e sp"ak of it her" be. -a us nig on a su'i;.-ct . est. 1 have .-ii-the eases made s; for mouths pa.-t Vet-.'. 1 --r. ,.; 1 it la ol-'l in 1:! name put 0 oftheca-e. I own 1 l.e !:::;.ii 1 S'ioW V of I'd:-!!- this t need ' l.lgilT jt-iat 1 tiiat there i- great ami .n.g men and V . they mu.st 1 xp. ; turn. Nov.-. gentlemen. -!:ovv cii' L I) til i:-s tr: th 1 1 -.' - -which I adv '-aie a:M 1. mendi-1 for four years adopted, tin-re is no r. as, .-::. u;.i i;i whv ! -d w"if !. - on--. :i:d tii. hould not alter extra a v. i v . soon as tin- case is t c,,rd from ih' War I htaini-l. it i- r. ..i r. a. iv r r y, .ii '!l her, w ra.,:. ee..L d .rii- i before your comm.- al v- is lor Volt to sav ii will have the case pr. eases should be set;!' will see that it is a i.i, to the client-. The j arrears which has , ' pensioners is .-I.i . i which is r.t l. a.-t t I'ib n . biisin.-ss man. If it i.- t-.o j fore he completes i,!- case 87". so if vuii can gain a y, I you save money to you is. : I It may be a nutter of i; ; know something about tin . s PA ll'"s ti imoit..i , ol work tiie pension FeW inell undel-talid tiiere. 1 told y.tv. t': (;!i.;.s.V.( origiied elaii. Im'.J. There were the crease of pension, to: service in the war of ! 1- "lo'. ere ,::db- :s ided -he- 'i: is l,.r :ls. ; arr. 1. I'll. ".'' which have been iil.-d in the pen-ion j office since 1: Of tin- i.".7.""" onlv about 17,""" remain tuisettl.-d. I arrears and in.-rea-e in l!g p':.-ioi!i cases andbounty land claims. j There has been nearly 1 ."' ?. i.t t . decisions m:Me oy the pen-ion oiit'-e since l'.l. .Many e;lr. have hr.d two. three, and four examinations for increase, and :uauv cases ha.v.- ore Ik - cii taken up and sometimes re- reived, to say noihing oi tno-e w men have been neglected and n. opened when additional evidence has come or seventeen years wuu- n have ei.u --! ed since the act of 1 slow work. 1 de-ire c ma very il-t to show you how tiiewors; nas gro'.ui. l.'i;r- tcP. J P I." M lileCtS. i he m.lil l.a.s - . increased tOtn.lt ClermoUS bg Ue since lMJbh when it wis only 11 lor the first year. Now, you will - on the one hand th. s delays. o'ni r : 4.;'-.v.. .)! iU- i i : : I ' :t:- : ii v i. L !"' : : ev i. ! t; ! ih W: Mil ! I-;.!::- 1 1 . 1 l!:e ' d I .MS. r t: i-.n i-'i I'i ! ; ! :!.-! d I.-, -( I ' .: e.-r; V.' ,'oie eo; -.I Lvtth- 'V.oine:! f...:hd ; . . f . ;: an t. - I.-.. I up 'i I- 1 Is, I i . : r lioej I II a -., V- 1 ' i;i;; i j. '.-! j- lie ; 1 1 1 ; 1 1 1 . .1 .' ,,,.,!.. ;'. .:-! h.:d f hi purp . v b e -thi- T.i'r : 1 1! I' .:..: ...- Wli.t Viiii: h.M.i: D..V AH the ,. Th- r,a ; '.org an- si Tie' fi! i 'idou pr!--. Ti:e syie tie- murd.-r talkiug a' ki .a.:! - a ;.- r- v.-;; Th- f :lo-,vs w,'i . i:i uavs very, sold their tor a c, Th" old -lavc-brr. change. -C! .. i i.L- ci ,j. ii i .., el:".!lge. Traitor- who tfldo f defeat--"! for a charge. l.'eserters who lVi.-:;ds in Canada The Knights of want a change. i'i.-lett swears van; a the lb! Cir-.- change in Philadelphia. or ;. 'U'l 'burn the damned t.vn verv K-i Ti.ebu Lean -'oer- a. t harvge. Ha!le, k ; Trie devil :...rt clarag. All i. i :i hi.ui- g a If;- vi:. .1 !:: V. ".. V t': . ii :i . ii , tie , I. -i'.i . : its p'. :i i;s c - n. a t 1. eVil i'.'ilr I-r:i: ,-.U , t:.!;..- l,e I. 1! !!.' and i:::d- ;r..Ji, I.i i. mr ;:;:!s r.; i iarg -et:i. . rv hi ii U'tio.i .'1'lh 'a.' i. t:." party Ir. ..'ii L-r-, a:g. 1. '. . ..a b - g.. ver:,. s X. V a.:b. t;-e-- 1 i if 7V.7-' Ly;- i- r. i w-::i Ih i W. b
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