The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1827-01-25

what did the government realize by this
postponement =? For they really had this
more Iheh seven years license OF delay 3
NhL, SIT oy retaining IN their own hands
lhe Iory'tWo millions of their creditors
money tGey lett the people Of the United
states better enabled thereby 70 give life
ana inollon 'o every species of industry,
theh Iahgushing under the effects of pr0.
traoted and eNhaHsting war; and thus to-
ley toundatlon for the acquallon Of that
Individual and national wealth which now
90 emntnuy distinguishes our country.
Nor should i be forgotten that these very
men, now before you, were, by this delay,
! deprived OF that pay which they had so
doubly earned, and thereby lost that cap.
TAI which might have enabled them 20 par
ucipato IN that acquisition. This sir, was
that tide IN the affairs of these men,"
which, because they were BY their country
thus not permitted to take il az the flood"
has left them all their lives in shadows and
in misery.
pray you, sir, to look back once more
with me 10 that disastrous, that glorious e.
ra OF our country, the first period OF the
| war, from 1875 to 1880. /, has been seen
tlat this war was, for this five years, sup
.
/ N2VO,WO,oOO Of that currency by which
this was effected, we're finally redeemed
! by government for S200,O0O. Most of the
loans, both foreign and domestic were ere
ltod subsequent TO this time the expenses
to individual States for specific supplies
grew up mostly after this period and all
, depreciation paid before that year was paid
ont OF the great current mass Of continen
tai money. The great amounto State ad-
yHnces: the final balances for surplus State
supplies; the loans, foreign and domestic,
aud the allowances afterwards made ioI
scpIeciation, all belong more properly Ia
Inc expenditures of the last period of the
war. This S2OO000,0 0O0 Of continental
money, finally redeemed by government
or 500 coo, was, therefore, the great NOV
NJ medium, and almost the whole expense
- that war for fac years. Such war, loI
such q duration, for such n sum'
What dad the war Of 1912 cost the coun
~? THIS war, Sir, cost yon, reckoning
loans, and the consumption of current re
cnuo, and the military and naval mum
tons then IN possession and claims for lQs
cs ana services, already made and allow
10 states and individuals; thus war, | say, |
n, cost you, III three years, not less than
l2O, O,WU,UUO In this war you paid your ar.
mes and navies IN silver and gSd; IN that
.ou pald them IN continental money. Can
go, Sir, ~ comparing the expenses Of these
" wars resist the conclusion. ihat mil
uona were saved 10 The government nj by the
ysc OF that eyanesCent medium wherewith
he revolutionary armies were paid
All these losses and savings were crown
ci aud completed by the Gnnl manner oi
funding all The agreed balances allowed TO
Do due 10 these officers and soldiers: for the
veght OF the funding system fell also up
on them. They received for all arrears of
tcfcst, no other payment than the amount
IN three per cent. stock; and for one thlrd
oi the principal they received no pay AT all
nlll the expiration OF ten years. 1t has
Dccn seen that each officer who served I'll
he close of the war, iost, by this system,
IN his Communication certificate aorl !
more than S2lOO, Every other officer al
soldier Of the army, now alive, has lost ~
tic same proportion and The patton has, !
from these losses, in the same proportion,
saved.
II then, we consider what We fairly oW
ihcse men for depreciation unpaid ioI
he long delay IN settling their accounts
for the longer delay in paying them the
ultimate balance and the still greater
!ebt resulting from having paid them ior
current services in continental money
not in gold and silver and for the final |
discount of more than ~ per cent swept |
of at once by the provisions OF the fund |
ing system If, ] say. sir, all these losses |
by them, and savings by us are set down |
in the account, c0n we for a moment doubt |
that the nation owes them much more
than this bill proposes 70 give them?
IT, however, after oil, il should be said,
that the nation owes them nothing be.
cause the accounts has long been settled
and closed lot il be so considered, for
the sake Of the argument Nevertheless.
have not the nation made very profitable
bargains ont Of them IN the course Of these
negotiations? Have they not saved scve-
raj millions by their mode Of managing |
settlement, and payment, ond funding, !
with these meni II, out OF these savings /
unques'ionably great, We now make some !
provision for that remnant oF them nov /
alive, can il ever with any justice, be said
that the nation has been made poorer 10y
the armyS
II IS presumed that the last provision Of
the bill viii ~ rs support, require no od-
dtional reosoungs. II is sustained by oil
the arguments sustaining the provision for
widows Of hose officers who served till
the close Of the var. u is believed that
the ouly objection 10 il viii BE- found IN
the smslness Of the sum provided for
each individual. The committee felt
themselves circumscrbed by the sugges-
tions Of the House. and could not presume
to 90 beyond SsOO,OOO for this fund II
could not have been intended TO give TO
these women more than their husbands,
ifaliye. would have received and although