Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-01-20
CITE Constitutional aalsofn-


'.' OF years and of honou's, and waiting on the
noiueiS OF the grave for the last and frs, ac; of si @
I;I ' " eo"pe"se iof their services. No money can
&c inns debt to lis full extent Such men en- cvd
to freedom, gallant in its defence so cons,,,, =; Nv ~
mort this country will never have agan-What ,vas M
" :" mem ." the close OF the is wha, they now
ASK. Let 1t be unanimously granted Our oyerGo,vinq
golfers should yield something the old soldier ON the
score OF justice and gratitude. .Eoats .4drccatc
MEMORIAL.
10 ne Honord6te The Senate, and lhe Honorable te
House q Representatives., in Congress assembled.
The memorial and petition of the sub scrber in behalf of
themselves ami other officers in who were in SCR
wee IN the line of the Continental Armvmo,t resnect
fully shcwetli--
That on the 18th OF May, 1873 Congress unanimous
y rcsoived-''Ihat all military officers commissioned
oy orgress, who arc hereafter NAV he i'm ,jo
service of the United States and sba M cor,;,,ra
curing Tie war, aud not hold any office of profit under
these States, any of them shall after the concls;o
[" ne war; be cntitied 20 receive Annually for the term
pay of such officers '
nat on the 2lst OF October, 1890 Congress- resolv
ha' The oliiccis who shall continue IN service TO
te end OF the war, sal! be entitled to half pay during
NC 10 commence from the time OF their reductions
That on tic I'd of March 1888: il was resolved
" nereaS ongress are dcsrous gratifying the rea-
so'o expectations OF the officers OF The army as also of
i's 'iv:jections which may exist, in any part of
me United States, 10 the principle of te half nav es
.""shmcni for which the faith of the United States
haS been pledged; and persuaded tina, those objections
can only arise ftnm tho nature of the cvopensotinn
ana not from an" IndispOsitiOn to compensate those
whose services, sacrifices and suerngs have SD lust
ale 10 The appreciation and reward of their country
hc!eioTc resolved, that such officers as are now in
service, and shall therein TO the end of the
ar shall he entitled to receive the of 5 wears
u pa! III money, securities utcrCs. M Nor cent
per annurn as Congress shall find most cxpedieu in
stead of Che half pay icr life, promised By the resolution
oil the els of October, $780, provided il be AT the op
ZION OF The lines OF HE respective satca, aud the Off
4 y nj Ir.4ll .i,,.-c
same
That, on the 23l OF April 735 an ad iress was re-
ported To ofFTiess By COMMITTEES ofwIjch MIR Nadi-
son was Chairman wherein mother class of
creditors is that illutrous ard patriotic hand of eli,
zens whose blood and whose bravery have defended th,
liberties OF their county who have patiently borne
aonS other dsresscs the privatons of their socnIs
wren inc dStrcsscs oil their country disabled il from
bestowing and W o ask no more Than ., IN
enable them to retire from the field Of victory and ,y
INTO the bosom opeace and private citizenship, and i0
scch ehecual security for the residue o their claims
as their country is now able 10 provide
That the closing paragraph of letter from General
asihn2ton TO congress, al the time aud on ,.
same occasion, in these words That IL: the critical
ana pciouS moment heu the last mentioned cumuiii
cation was made there thc utmost danger dissoit,-
non OF Tie army would have taken place. unless mea
sures similar 10 those recommended lad been ;3oDcl
VIII not admit of douht; that de adoption of the resolu
ION granting hall pay for life has been attended with
ali the happy consequences have orctod Sc far as
respected the good OF the service, let tie aston shino
contrast btMeen the state Of The army at this instant
aud at tic former period determine: and that the esta
bishcnt OF funds, and tie security Of payment of all
Just demands ofthe army will b. the most certain means
o! Frccv wing the national ail!i, AMI the future TRANQUIL
ity OF til. extensive continent is my decided orniou
by the preceding remarks il viii he readily imagined
thai instead o: rel acting rrpTe!cniing from fun icr
experience aud rCcr ton, the mode so strenuouslv
urged N he enclosures and more confirmed
III the seu;im,utand ii in the wrong, suffer me TO
please sell with the grateful deusior for it, besides the
single FaNmen Of wages farther compensation now
due tatic offering, and sacrifices of Tie officers then
have been mistaken indeed. II the whole army have
not rneTted Whatever grateful peorIc can hestoyY
!iiGn have been bCgucd by prejudice, and built O.
pnon on the basis OF error If the country should rot
IN the perform every thing ch has been reGucs
ted IN t!c memorials 30 Congress- then will my belief
become vain, and the hope which had been excited void
o ouniatlon; and if as has been suggested the pur-
pose of lDang their passions the officers arc to be the
only sufferers By this Tevuuon- in retiring from the
icd, they are 10 grow old rovcrty, Indebtedness and
they TO waIo through the vile r1i,c of
dependency, and the miserable remnant 0t that life
to charity, which las hitherto been spent In honor then
1 shall have realized a tale which will etnbHer every
moment of my future life. But am under no such
approximations country rescued b, their arms from
impending ruin will never leave unpaid tie debt OF
gratitude"
! That in letter from General " Washington TO Congress
dated March 18th, 1853, be says, -" am pleading tho
cause of The army which has done and suffered more
than any other army did in defence of the rights
and Liberties Of human nature.n And in letter To- The
Governors of The different states hc says, The pro.
vision OF hafpay for life promised By tle resolve Of
! Cong rcss, was reasonable compensation, offered by
Congress at time wien they bad nothing else give
Tie army, for services then to be performed, as the
The price of their blood and of your Independence and
rs debt Of honor il can never be cancelled until it be
| fairly dscharged.n
That after the conclusion of war. said by Congress
in of IFS addresses 10 the people of the u States
TO be unparalleled in the annals Of mankindD and in
every leaf It's history, the pains of the army are re-
gi,tcTd. Aud after tic army had been dsbardcd Ger.
fcaes bearing an interest Of six per cent. per annum
we're issued bur provision for want Of ability OF
had been made by Congress- for their redemption
they remained Of course almost valuess for any of the
purposes account Of which they had been agreed by
the officers 70 be received in lieu Of their half paw
| That in the year 1920, the interest due on those
certificates, funded at three per cent and OF the
principal thirds at six per cent and third with
interest after ten years from that time.
Having thus devoted their spring time, in honorable
service Tor the public defence, during long, arduous
and doubtlulwar whereby achieved all those NIGH
{, objects for which il carried on, and having thus