Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1818-11-18
Officers of the Revolution.

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Officers of the Revolution.
From the EerlS e SchuyikiN Journal.
Mr.. GETz,
The remnant Of the officers Of the
revolutionary army; who are in life.
have petitioned congress to pass an
net, directing ths proper accounting
officers TO adjus. the respective claims
OF such. as were by the resolves OF
congress, entitled to half pay for life !!
to deduct from tie amount five years
full pay, the amount Of the commute
ton. and to gr NJ certificates for the
balance and also to continue to them.
half pay during life; and petitions are
now circulating. praying Congress to
grant the prayer Of the petitioners.
As j am one Of the many who he.
Iieve the revolutionary officers have
been much neglected, and that their
request is moderate and reasonable.
and ought to be granted. Isubmit the
following observations for the consid'
GRAFTON Of my fellow citizens. VIII"
either have not considered the subject
or do not possess the information re
quisite, 10 enable them to form =
correct opinion as to its merits.
Those who recollect the situation
Of our army. during the revolutionary
war, must remember. and others who
have peruscd the history Of the war,
cannot fail to he convinced Of the pri
vs,ions which our officers suffered.
and the loss Of property and Of the
means Of securing competence Tor
themselves and their families, Occa
stoned by the depreciation of none!
and the impossihi'ity OF paying them
punctualiy, or in money which the,
could use to any advantage. Coz srcss
was 50 we'll aware.Of this, and OF the
merit Of the officers, anjthe necessity
Of making SONG provision for them
10 enabic them tn continue in service
without wholly ruiuinY themselves X
their families. that they passed rcso
lutions promising TO such officers as
remained in the army. halt pay for
life, TO commence from the time OF
their reduction. 1t is obvious th;.i
this was u contract between govern
mrDt and the officers, and that ever.
officer who continued in service and
complied with the terms Of the rcsu
luton was AS much entitled to half
pay from the time of this reduction.
ashe was to full pay during the time
lie was in service, or as any iaboreT Is
to his hire or pay for his services.
And On the 22d March. 1888. Congress
resolved that such officers as we're
then in servire, and should continue
therein until the end Of the wav, shoUl,i
be- entitled to reee've the amount OF
five years suIl pay. Instead Of the hall
nav promised. Ii the an,cuut of Eve
years fun pay had been advan cd in
none va. the end Of the war. Or il
fv",ds had Teen provided for the regu
lar payment OF l.e principal and inter
est on the certificates given in lieu Of
money, SO that the officers could bav,
sold them for their nominal value, tho
communication wonid have been ashan-
tagcons to the officers, as it would
have enabled them to purchase lals
or. stock to carry on SINE bushes
for their maintenance but AS Con
sress did not, and in fact coud moi
appropriate such funds, the ccr,il ate:
granted 10 the officers were 0flittlt
or no use, as such Of the OIL co wis
were able to keep them coua not
draw interest, and these who were
obliged to sell. did not get ahos one
ftarth or one eighth OF their no,ina
vaNc.
Ii is evident that TO officer wul'
have accepted Of this comlnissio. il
lie mad nof expected To rereive thiiy'
years full pay, either in money r il
surh certificates bearing intercs, 81
Ms to enable him TO purchase che
land or stock for the support ofin'
self and family. But, uoiortnnael
congress had not the power to apr,
pirate any funds for tue payuicM {
the interest or principal Of the GERS
ii ates they issued: so that they iu
mediately deprecated. and the u,
greatcv number Of the officers yer
obliged to sell them for one founh o
one eighth OF tiieir fomipa' ,alue
But even these officer. who were cr.
aLled to keep thrir certificates, di
not receive ,i.cir full value for wher
in the year 1890 the debt was funded
II was nm The tniItWiar rerrs. tw,