The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-02-16


the service of the u. S. unless he should ha We
taken an oath of allegiance, and should &C
,uaiy reside within some cue OF the United
States.
That by resolution of Congress. of the
iltn August, l779, it was resolved. that the
halt pay provided by the aforesaid resolution
OF the 18th May, 1878, should be extende d
to continue for life.
That by a resolution of Congress-. Of the
2lst OF October, 1880. it was provided, that
the oihcers who should continue i'm the ser
vice to the end OF the war, should be entitled
70 haif pay during life, to commence from
the time of their reduction.
| That by a resolution of Congress- of the
| 18th January, 1881, all officers i'm the hosni
tai department, and medical staff thereinaf-
ter mentioned. who should continue in service
until the end OF the war, or be reduced be-
iore that time as supernumeraries, should
pc entitled to receive during life, in lieu of
haif pay, the following allowances. viz: the
director OF the hospital, equal to the half pay
OF lieutenant colonel; chief ply stefan and
surgeons, purveyor, apo,hecary and regi-
mental surgeons, each, equal 10 the half pay
of a captain.
l nat by resolution of Congress, of the
lz2d OF March, 1888, it was provided, that
SuCn o1hcers as were then in service and
should continue therein until the cn, o. the
war, should be entitled to receive the amount
oil hive years full pay in money or securities
OH interest at SIX per centum per annum.
as Congress should find most convenient, in
stead OF the half pay promised for l:fe by the
resolution OF the 21st October, 1850 the
SAID securities being such as should be given
TO the other creditors of the United States
provided. 1t should be at the option of the
INES OF tue respective states and not of OH
GERS individually III those lines, TO accept or
refuse the same, provided, also, that their
election should be sgniftd To Congress
through the commandor in chief, from the
lines under his Immediate command, within
two months and through the commanding
oncer OF The southern army, from those uh-
der ms command, within six months from
the date OF the resolution
That the same communication shouId ex
tend to the corps not belonging to the lines
OF any particular state, and who were emit
'ied to half pay as aforesaid the acceptance
OF refusal to be determined by corps, and
10 De signiiied In the same manner, and
within the same time above mentioned
hat all officers belonging to the hospital
department., whower entitled to half pav
10y the resolution of the 18th Of January.
lISl, might collectively agree 10 accent or
refuse the aforesaid communications, signify
ID ."S oa"iS thio uSIi TIE commander III
Chief, within six months. That such Off
Gers as bad retired a; different periods, en-
tltied TO half pay for life, might collectively.
IN each state OF which they were inhabitants.
accept or refuse the same their acc 4ptance
or refusal to be signifed by agents (auiho
rized Tor that purpose within six months.
- nat with respect to such retiring officers.
inc communications, if accepted by them,
shcuid be IN lieu of whatever might be then
due 10 thetH since the time Cf their retiring
from service, as well as what might here
after become due, and that so soon as their
acceptance should be signifed, the super.
intentant OF finance should be, aud he
was thereby authorised to take measures
Tor the settlement of their accounts accor-
inSly, ana to issue to them certificates bea r
Ing interest at 6per Cent. That all officers en-
titled 10 half pay for life, not included in the
Precedihg resolution, might also collectively
agree to accept or refuse the aforesaid Com
mutation. signityng the same within six
months from the passage of said resolution.
Inc petitioners state, and the fact is of
loo general notoriety to be disputed, that
although they confidently expected at the
Time they were compelled from iTperious
necessity to accept the sum in gross, in lieu
OF halt pay for life, that it wolld be Maid IN
them III reality, and not by a fresh promise
without any sufficient guarantee for it's due
performance yet they were Compelled TO
receive certificates, which for want of anv
SPECIFIC provision for the payment of them
or the interest accruing on them were imme
diately deprecated to FIVE for one. and nv
degrees to ten for one in exchange for mo
ney They therefore pray. that half paw for
HE, to commence from the time Of the re
auction or the army, may be granted 10
them according to the solemn stisuIations
entered into with them by congress by the
resolutions before referred to; dedTc,inq
therefrom the five years full pay received
ny them in deprecated paper 10y way of com
mutation.
It's well known to your com n,ittee. and
TO the whoic nation, that the far greater
part of the officers were compelled bv hard
necessity to dispose of their communication
certificates at prices Infinitely below their
nominal amount. That this did not proceed
from want Of patriotism, of which they had
before gwen proofs most upequivocal, or of
want OF confidence i'll their government. but
That alter having spent the vigor of their
manhood IN the service of their country. thew
returned to the walks of civil life, (nanv If
them maifnCd and scarcely able TO hall a
lonSD ignorant of what was passing or ike
| ~ to pass III the councils of their couotrv
ne gripping hand of poverty bore hard ,,pon
them, and unacquainted as they rect ssarilv
we're with civil affairs, they fell an easv
tPrey TO the wIles of the artful and insin;cns
speculator, who was laying in wait to fatts.n