Mr. PERHAIfiMr. Speaker, at the close of the morning hour last Friday I had nearly concluded what I had to say on this question. I had shown, in answer to an inquiry then put. to me in regard to the probable expense of paying the pensions proposed, that it would in all possibility be not ess than $10,000,000 perannum; and that this proposes togo back something more than aXear, so that for the 1st year the expense would be more than $20,000,000. It is, as I have said, impossible to say how much it would be in the aggregate. We are now paying the last of the pensioners of the revolutionary war 83 years after the close of that war; that is about 52 years after the time of granting pensions generally to the soldiers of the revolutionary war. We have, then, probably about 30 years more in which we would be paying these soldiers of the war of 1812, if this bill be passed. At; an average of 5 millions a year you would have $150,000,000, which would be the total outlay under this bill. Now, Mr. Speaker, I will say, in behalf of the ComInvalidPens, that we have had this subject of pensions under consideration for a long time. We have had applications for pensions in all forms before us of destitute women, helpless children, in a conditions of suffering; all presenting their claims to us; and I think no member of this House can feel a deeper sympathy for this class of persons than we do, and none would be more willing to rant pensions to these soldiers than we are cond the committee satisfy themselves the conntry was in a condition now to meet this expenditure. The truth is, we have other claims to pensions which we have not yet met, althoug we have extended the provisions of the pension laws by acts already passed and which are to be passed to an amount of something like 6 millions. There are many others not provided for. Many have been killed in organizations known as home guards, having done good service for their country, and their widows are living with large families, and penniless in many instances. We feef we could not extend the pension laws to that class of persons. Should not the widows of men who were killed in battle receive the bounty of the Government sooner than those who only served in the war of 1812 and have not been wounded?. Now, Mr. Speaker, we have had many complaints since the action aweek ago. These old soldiers have been writing to us, and some of them have said very hard words to us because we have not been more willing to meet their expectation in this regard. I have a letter now in my hand from one who has written to many other members of the House; I believe the Gentfrom Pennsylvania among others. This gentleman complains that it was said in the debate on this subject that Congress had been extremely liberal in its legislation in regard to the soldiers of 1812, and he wants us to pointout to him in what this liberality consists. Ie says he cannot see it. He asks us to take his own case. He says he enlisted in 1814, just before the close of the war, and served 6 months faithfully, and all the Government has ever given him since that time is 2 land war rants, of 80 acres each, which he sold for only $150. That is all he has received during the 52 years since the close of the war of 1812, and he says it is only 3 dollars peryear for that period of time. He does not complain that the Government did not pay him all it agreed to, nor that he was injured at all by the service of 6 months. He probably was never in a battle, never smelt gunpowder; still he is among the 1st to complain and is the severest in his censure. Now, I only wish to say that my friendfrom Pennsylvania, [Mr. S'rrzvnus] in his very earnest remarks, made a mistake in one regard which I wish to correct, so that it may not have a false impression. He remarked that we pensioned the soldiers of the Revolution indiscriminately 35 years after the close of the war. That is not correct. 52 years had elapsed before they were pensioned. The same time has now elapsed since the war of 1812. I do not desire to occupy the time of the House. The committee have many private bills which they wish to call up, and I will move the previous question, unless some gentleman destres to s euk on the subject.