Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-02-08
CONGRESS.
REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONS.


Rehort, in Part, Of The Committee on
Revolutionary Pensions, mon The
subject ofthe manner in which the act
ofthe 1874 March, 1918, has been
erecuted, sc. &c.
The Committee on Revolutionary
Pensions, to whom was referred the
resolution of the 18th instant, Report,
in part: that letter was addressed to
the Secretary of War, relative to an in
quiry into the manner in which the law
of the 18th March, 1918, has been ex-
ecuted. A copy of which letter, and
the reply of the Secretary of War, are
now laid before the House.
TO the Han. J. C. CAtHoUN, Esq.
Secretary cfhe Department Of Har.
SIR: ! am instructed by the Commit
tee on Revolutionary Pensions to ask in
formation relative TO the " manner in
which the act Of the 18th March, 1918,
has been executed; ascertaining, as far
as may practicable, the class or class
es of cases which it has been construed
to embrace, and such as have been ex-
Guided from its provisions :---.whether
the objects contemplated by its passage
have been, or probably will be, effected
by the operations of the law: and, ifnot,
whether it be susceptible ofsuch amend
ments as will ensure the accomplish
ment of those objects lso, a " state
ment of the number OF certificates of pen
sion, which have been issued under the
said law; the number of cases suspend
ed the number rejected, and the num-
Der Of applications received, that have
not been acted upon"
! have the honor to be, very respect
fully, your most obedient servant,
JOSEPH BLOOMFIELD,
Chairman.
Congress Hal, December II, 1919.
Var DEPARTMENT, 22d Dec. 1919.
SIR: In reply to your letter of the
18th instant, inquiring " into the man.
her in which the act of the 18th March,
1918, has bsen executed; ascertaining,
as far as may be practicable, the class
or classes OF cases, which it has been
construed to embrace, and such as have
been excluded from its provisions" 81
have the honor to enclose copy ofthe
regulations which have been adopted by
the department to carry it into effect.
The act has invariably received a
strict construction, and none have been
intended to be admitted, but those who,
under such construction, were believed
TO have " sery ed in the war Of the revo-
luton until the end thereof, or for the
term of nine months or longer, at any
period of the war, on the continental
establishment,1 and who were in such
"reduced circumstances in life" as to
be IN need of assistance from" their
" country for support u all of which
facts, the oath of the party, and the Ger
tificate ofthe judge, have been required.
Under which construction, the following
classes of applicants have been ex-
cluded:
Those who are not in such reduced
circumstances in life, as to need assis-
lance from their country for support.
Those belonging to the general civil
staff, the medical excepted. Under this
head are included quarter-masters not
holding commissions in the line, but act
ing under warrants from the head of that
branch of the staff; wagon-masters, and
wagoners forage and barrack masters !;
artihcers, such as carpenters, &C.; bat
teau-men, employed in the quarter-mas-
ter's department, in the transportation
of troops of military stores.
Those who belonged to state troops,
i. e. military forces of every description,
acting under the authority of, or COM
missioned by, the executive of a state,
and not by Congress, and those who be-
longed to corps for local defence ex-
cept such as were recognized, by the
old Congress, as being on the continen-
tai establishment.
Those who served in privateers, trans
ports, vessels bearing dispatches to
foreign countries as we'll as persons
who served in civil capacities on board
of national vessels of war, such as cap
tains' clerks, sc. are also excluded.
Finally, those who, though they serv-
ed nine months, did not SO serve under
one enlistment.
Tt anc,uer tLat mont &c ,,ovr IN o,,;rx,