Mr. FESSENDEN. I was not aware when the title of the bill was read what its chameter was. I believe it was referred to the ComFinance. We considered it in our committee, and I believe were unanimous in the opinion that it ought not to pass. In the 1st place, there is an exemption of $600 in the law, and $600 is a great deal more than the ordinary run of pensions. This bill, therefore, could only apply to officers of high grade in the Army. There is no need of any such law. It is a mere ad captandum affair. It is ver rare thata pension amounts to $600. All an or that are exempt; the general law applies to them. Ifa pensioner happens to have property and that is pension brings a his income to over $000, there is no reason in the world why he should be exempted ou the surplus any more than any other citizen. We take it from everybody; we take it from all the officers in the public service, and all the clerks in the Depts. If we give $100 as a bonus or gift to certain clerks in the Depts, 5)er cent is taken out of it from day to day. 1'ow, in addition to giving the pensions, if they happen to have property, why should we make pensioners a privileged class and excuse them from the payment of tax on what they have over and above the amount that is exempted by law? All the class of pensions that the Senator refers to are exempt already, because their pensions do not amount to the sum that Is by law exempted. There is nothing in this bill except the word “ pension” in reality. That is all the charm there is about it. There 15no reason why we should select any portion of the community and make them a privileged class to be exempted from the paymentof taxes, because the pensioners proper pay none now, and probably never will be able to pay an. Therefore, on principle, as connected with the internalrevenue, which it is very dangerous to break in upon. the ComFinance thought that, as the thing was useless in point of fact, it would be a dangerous precedent, and we had better avoid it.