The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-04-01

"DisHlPt VIII uOt oiafyueuicS bioukH tHe
priest might more appropriately serve at
the ceremonial Of some Egyptian temple,
than offer himself to lead the war, if he is
determined TO hare one, either here or in
Africa ~
Does the gentleman believe, that no
honest man may claim, and receive money
not due to him Men may mistake the facts;
they may misconstrue the law. Many
claims are allowed by error; many are so
rejected. Will he class all such claimants
together, and call them dishonest men ? If
General Jackson exacted pay both as me-
gofiater and as General at the same time,
be doubtless believed bis services entitled
him to il; and the Executive, who allowed
him that double ppensatIon, did, without
question, find soslI6 qualify in those services
which he considered garrant for that
payment. lam told by some gentleman
.illustrous Individual,' who the gentleman
from Tennessee menaces TO tell Us claimed
and did not receive, or claimed and did re-
ceive, the one half ofan outfit for diploma.
tic services. | once examined, and now in.
yite all men 10 examine, this allegation;
but for myself l will, at this lime, 60 into
no discussion oft. do not speak 'to dark
en- counsel by words without knowledge
If Henry Clay has charged false account
against his country; if he has claimed or
receirtd unearned compensation; then are
the hopes Of the whole world blighted.
The earth has received its last allotment
ofJustice. That glorious attribute ofDeity
has thrown down her scales and her sword,
and gone back 10 the skies. Fdisehood
and fraud shall henchfopth hold the high
places among men; and the world becomes
one vast penitentiary for the perpetration
and reward of crimes, for the prescription
and punishment o. innocence.
If no instance of double compensation
can sustain, by course Of precedenfs, the
allowance intended to be corrected by this
amendment, by what law brought in aid
can it be supported? 1t has not been
quartered on any page of the statute books
and | believe if examined by principle, it
will be left without subsistence. This sub
Ject received the very early attention ofthe
Continental Congress; for it will be found,
that IT was resolved by that body, on the
18th OF September, l776, ',hat no officer in
the continental army be allowed to hold
more than one commission, or to receive
pay but in one capacity at the same time.'
Under this law, when Col. John Laurcns
was, by Congress, sent on very impor.
tant diplomatic mission to France, in 1880,
his military pay was stopt for aine months
during the continuance Of bis mission. Has
that law been repealed either by enactment
or by any long established course ofPrGctice,
in contraventiou of it? The same army
which was raised by that Congress, does,
under various notifications, eriSt, and is
the army Of the United States, at this time.
The articles Of war, established for the
government of tho continental army are
with revislons and improvements, our pres
ent system Of military laws. The present
government, though with enlarged polite
al powers derived from the people, did new.
ertheless succeed to all the substantial obli-
cations ofthe confederation. In greatvari.
ETY. ofquestons, on claims on lands,on mill
tary pensions, and on remuneration for ser
vices, we legislate under the paramount
resolutions of the continental Congress.
BY what law, then, are we released from
the obligation Of that resolution Of that
Congress, which prohibits any ofthe army
from receiving hOo compensations at the
same time Let it be, for the purpose Of
this debate, admitted that the services Of
General M'Neil were, in negotiating the
Wlnnebago treaty, as distinguished, and
as beneficial 10 the United States, as those
OF Col. Laurens in 1880, negotiating with
the King Of France a loan Of ten millions
OF francs, for the use Of the country at thut
gloomy and discouraging period Of the rev
outIon. If the law then could dllotU to Col.
Laurens but one compensation, how can
the same law (for it is not alleged that we
have any other) nol0 grant TO Gen. M'Neil
t'oo /! A single instance Of departure from
this law, in the course Of more than 6fty
years. only evinces that rule must be ioeH
settled, when but one exception 10 It's uni
form operation can be found in our history.
That exception must have been sustained
by lis otcn peculiar circumstances; and can
never, by any fair course Of reasoning, be
brought to overthrow the law to which
1t furnishes but one individual anomaly.
1t is not contended that any circumstances.
connected with this service of General
M'Ncil, furnish any grounds for making
this case another exception, and thereby
allowing to him also double compensation
Neither is the allowance of diplomatic
salary to another Of these commissioners.
while, being Governor of Michigan, he re
ceived yearly compensation, cny depart.
ure from this law. The law Of i776 appli.
cd only to military officers whose services,
us observed By the gentleman from New
York, (mr. Hoffman, are at all times, and
continually, due to the country. No rea-
son exists for applying this rule TO a civil
officer, who, having specific services to
perform, may appropriate TO other employ.
ment all parts of his time, not exclusively
necessary for the performance of these
lie is, therefore, when called to do services
not official, entitled to compensation for
lpipr tLnp, frba c;,.;1 >gsoa.