The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-06-11

I l.
maui 20 convince the people that the aforesaid
acts OF congress were highly unjust and tvran.
nicai' ana that it was but the first step towards
lhe establishment of pensions and an uDcon.
Iroiiaois desPotIsm. The act of Congress mass.
eo N 1903, committing half pay, for life, for
i've wars Iau pay, was designed to appease the
aPpi .' OF the people, and to convince
l'sli 'nct TINS gratuity was intended merely to
ihueMnny the officers for their losses by the
depreciation of the paper currency. and not "a
establish precedent for the granting of pen.
sfohs, Tins act, however, did not satisfy the
people, VINO supposed that the officers had been
generaly UNIDENTIFIED for the loss of their nav
~ the grants made them from time to time by
tne legislatures of the several States. Besides.
tiae act while 1t gave flee years fall pay TO the
cOsee's' allowed but one years pay to the pri-
ontes a distinction which had great influence
~ exciting and continuing the popular ferment,
anu one mat turned large share Of the public
rage against the officers themselves. Great
commotions were excited amono the peonIe hy
reason OF the half pay and communication acts.
bellion. ~ ~
IN december, 1852, the officers of the army
peing apPrehenslve that they should be disband-
ca before their accounts should be louidated
ana u'e engagements Of government compiled
Wtii' resolved to memorabilia Congress on The
SUBJECT and Major General McDougall, Colo
mel ogden, and Colonel Brooks, were deputed
as Committee to wait on that honorable body.
requesting their attention to the distresses IN
der which the army labored, ard to solicit pay
ment OF the money actually due to the army.
and security for the Communication of half pay,
stipulated by the resolve of October, 1850, for
q sup IN gross, which they conceived would be
less Objectionable than the half pay establish
hent.A Subsequent to this proceeding, a report
was Circulated IN camp, that Congress did not
mean tocomply with their resolves respecting
nan pay, &c. This operated very powerfully
on Inc minds of the officers of the army, and
occaslonedthem TO forward an address to Con-
gress In behalf of themselves, and their broth
fen, the soldiers. They asked for supply of
money to be forwarded immediately to the ar
my for the settlement of the accounts of arrear-
ages of pay, and security for what is due: for
communication of half, for full, pay, for a certain
number OF years; or, FOR sum in gross as
should De agreed on ; for settlement Of &C,
counts Tor deficiencies OF rations and compensa-
tons, and of the deficiencies of clothing and
compensations" " They conclude their ad-
dress IN these words: The pressure of evils
and injuries IN the course Of seven long wears
have made their condition wretched in many
instances. They therefore intreat, that Con-
gress, to convince the army and the world that
the independence of America shall not be plac-
ed on the ruin Of any particular class of cit-
zens, will point out a mode for immediate re-
dress; and that the disabled officers and SOL
dlers, with the widows and orphans of those
who have lost, or may lose, their lives in the
service of their country, may be included, and
that some mode be pointed out for the eventual
payment of those soldiers who were the sub
Iects of the resolution of Congress of the 18th
Iof May, 1878"
In consequence of this address, Congress
passed the following resolves, namely, that the
superintendent of finance be directed, CONFORM
ably to the measures already taken for that pur-
pose, SO soon as the state of the public finances
will@permit, to make such payments, and in
such manner, as he shall think proper, till the
further order of Congress.
With respect to the second article of the ad-
dress, the settlement of accounts of the arrear-
ages of pay, that the several States be called
upon to complete, without delay, the settle
ments with their respective lines of the army
up to the Erst day 81. August 1885, and that
the superintendent of finance take such meas
ures, as shall appear TO him most proper for
effecting the settlement from this period That
the troops of the United States, in common
with all creditors of the same, have an undoubt-
ed right to expect security for what shall be
found due, and Congress viii make every effort
in her power to obtain from the respective
States, substantial funds adequate to the object
of funding the whole debt of the United States,
and will enter on an immediate and free consid-
Grafton Of the Nature of such funds, and the
most likely mode of obtaining them .
Such were the distresses--tlle embarrass-
ments--the poverty-the inability-thB mer-
its-the acknowledgements and efforts-both of
the army and the countryfor which they fought,
and bled, and on whose will and power they
depended for their recempenss for tolls, expens-
es, privations, dangers, and wounds. Congress
always acted with good faith, and did justice
as fast and as fully as they had power, and no
imputation rests on the Continental Congress.
They had viii 20 do what was then impossible
with the scanty revenue and the distracted state
Of the country.
The recent act of May Is, 1928, for the re-
lief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of
the army Of the revolution, win do all that is
obligatory on our republic TO perform under the
existing circumstances Of things and, as the
war of the revolution was unlike, in its origin,
character, and prosecution, to that of any other
that has, or viii ever succeed il in this land we
may well hope and expect, that what has been
done for the veterans of the revolution, win not
become precedent for the establishment OF
pensions hereafter. Our country is now fairly
exonerated from old obligations, (unless some
mertorious cases have been inadvertently omit
ted in the late relief act) and while we do equi-
ty to voluntary and exalted patriotism---to those
who have actaally (pugnare pro arts ct focis)
fought for God and their country, it becomes us
not designedly 10 embrace the mere sluggard,
the coward, the nercenary, the depredator, and
the unrelenting murder of the human race,
1 in the acts of our muni6cence. Our lberulity
should Congress forget how much easier it is
for Legislators to appropriate, to themselves and
others, the collected revenues of the country,
than for their hard labOring and impoverished
constituents to replenish an oft emptied treasu-
ry 1t is time to study retrenchment and prac-
tiss a more rigid economy. DELTA.
1gIcpEy. Y. aArEOJTS TT,Earc