Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-03-02

| however, accrued az incident TO the engagement
could not be impaired by any act OF the Government
and was perfected, by compliance upon the pant OF
the officers, With the terms Of the contract
Sueh ne was happy to find, was the reasoning Of an
aos anu Distinguished jurst upon the nature Of this
eompac,-such wa. the reasoning of the enlightened
Committee in 1881, Of which Patrick Henry wa.
Chairman, as appears by the 6rs, resolution before re
The 9 h section Of the same act furnishes another
argument IN support OF the views aud a further
Illustration OF the same liberal policy which IN. Gen.
ers Assembly was then disposed TO pursue towards her
Ollie
Virginia has promised to tho officers who served to
the end Of the tcdr, certain proportion of land pradua
tel according to tic rank OF the officer. And yet in
Nov, 1851. she directed those lands TO BE- surveyed
i'ca'ed-and allotted TO the oficers-subject 10 thu
| following conditions:
"Prorided nercrfheless, That If at any time after
the said location and allotment shall have taken place
any officer shall resign, or by his mi.couduc forfeit
ms commission the lot by him located shall revert
1861
ButMr FAULKNER asked, would il he vt all fore ed
view oil the Gaze TO say that in Feb. l7S2 Virginia con-
siiered the Gar least her conrac, with her
officers was concerned I, all proper nents and pur
poses, ended! There was then no, enemy within
ner border':-The British army had the Fall preceding
captnated almost at dscretion-there was no
OF renewal Of future hos,ili,ies-neyo stions for
reace were pending, and the military establishment Of
virginia, in the pcIfec, security her situation had
been reduced 10 few scattering corp. on the Eastern
waters IL IL true as before remarked, IN, treaty
not sgnsd-'he execution of the articles was not no,i
he'd 10 the Executive authority technically the war
was not endcd-Bu,, so far actual hostliies con.
'ute state oil war-and the cessation of those hostes
sa'e OF peace-'he war was az emphaticaily ended in
February 1852 as in April, 1885, And i'm making her
contract, did Virginia in fact look ard TO mon than
termination Of hosrirs! IL a.ked the on then
would not such have been her rrp,vy Doe. IL an,.,r
mat she any where imposed il condition on her Of
hcers. that he should continue IT. service until the no.
hcaon CT the signing OF the articles the Executive
anu his sgnhcaton Of their receptions. Ii was obvi-
Gus the Commonwealth was then satisfied that the oiii-
GERS bad fully perfected the contract upon their
and with generous haste she was proceeding to fulfil
on bers-whsn ell ,be evdet &c upon ~ bich the in
dvidusl claims rested, was suddenly lost-Tnat %;
dence has since been found. And are thew now lies
ned to experience reverse ef the feeling which
sctuaed the Commonwealth towards them. L. cold
hearted avarce, and cruel nseus biliiy TO ma that
G1vernment which Then glowed with gratitude TO- the
nneAanpled services Of her son.'-Nuw that we have
become happy and hou ishing by their hbours and
grown rich and powerful om the sacrifices and tolls
their hes, d,ys'
Taking the lists transmitted by the several boards
coRvcn Tor that purpose, the evidence OF indviu
al claim and imprCs'ed with the ,teniAr Justice
'heir right tie General Assembly, in May, 1888, pass
cd lie following Act:
"Be IL enacted Tina, the Auditors shall ycorJ, +.
sue to such OF the Off e the Safe line and Navy
az are ~ law en'iti half pay their warrants ior the
same"
Under the authority Of The shove Act and sus,,i,.
by The opinion Of the Attorney General of the State
the Auditor proceeded 10 i.sue warrants for half nav
an u Issued Warrants to reve al officers, when Thai,
acceptance by the frcasure' ami al further proceed
ngt under The Act oi Nay 1888, w-r- arrested nv
resolution Of the October session Of 1888 prohibiting
the further allowance OF thosesviAims
whether 10 consider the r. solution of Oct
1883, "a The INST evidence Of suhsidng gratitude aud
the hrs indie ton Of the upgen policy VIII ch Vir-
GINA has 81 &c tnat time pur ueI toward. her officer.
or wae'hcr grew ont of the loss of the official pa
pers evid ncing heif claims and was intended to pro
cct the Stat against imposition anil fraud he had no,
SAT- factory materials enAh.. hin TO form n certain
opinion Pe haps It latter conj cture r-cei, ed some
conrerance, fro The fact that at the Nav Sc sson Of
o. resolution was pas el requiring the Executive
TO have returns made 10 the next General Assembly
oil al he captai"s sn snbaiteTns ui tn at line.
In 1855, The officers of two Of The State regiments
presented memorial to the General Assembly, pray
ing Tor the COMPENSATION Of half pay, promise 10 Them
10y law The House of Dclega passed the follow.
ing BILL rendering the commua'ion of five years
iu.l pay /" lieu OF the half pay for life.
"Be IL enacted by the General .fsslnbiv That the
oihcers lae OF the two State regiments known by The
name Of the 1t aud End State regiments shall in LIEU
oi the hall pay for life engaged TO tem by law be en-.
titled 10 and receive commuation Of i've years full
pays and the Auditor OF public accounts shall upon an.
pica'ion grant certificate 10 each OF tr- said officers
Tor the account OF the said five years full paw accord
nely; interest upon the said certificates, wi
The incipai, shall commence and be paid by this ate
al The like periods shall he provided by the Congress
oil The u States for the payment Of the interest and
communication OF the Continental offirer''
his bill was amended by the Senate 50 as 10 cx.
riude The supernnmeriry off -ers fcom the compensa-
ton claimed The amendment was rejected bv ihe III
OF Delegates. and The bill ihus LOST.
In 1890 law protesting 10 be explanatory Of lie in
tenion OF previous acts, and pass, the preamble
uIrd'cs, 10 remove doubts "a to the parsons who were
entitled to hall paydeclares those dicars who sew.
ed TO the end of the war; aud those who b. coming 81
pernumerary, were again called into service and did
rsen,er and 10 the end Of The war v.re on.;.
TO hsit pay for lie
Under iha authority Of the ac OF 1890 a few w r.
rants were isu ID by the Audi o. Since its passage
however, and from the misconco ption generally pre-.
va'ling 10 the ru" Of The de- cision of a.
Court oil Appel OF 1897, united effort has he.
made by those supernumeTary tireIs or their heirs
TO recover the debt so uy due them until the pre-
sem session OF tn" Legislature. That eIrt p-ri,ap
the last, il now made ia coLsequence Of The nv
by Judge Cdbe Of all the Off iAl reports ap,
which wero los, shortly aite- the The iii cogcry
O. tho'e documents took place tle 81 oil Oc,ob,
iS29and places III body fully in possession of all
the evidence requisite 10 decide upoI instic. Of
their individual claims, the General Assembly OF
made 10 them though long d.Ilyed-tiiough m ny
o'thrm had sunk n'o the grave. improve shed by heir
patriotism and cursing the DgratiludS of that Couuy
which had attained enviable height OF gtarde r.
aud importance from their eervicesyet some few vet
survived-ohers had leitdesrendsnts who nh-riting
lie poverty and glorycf their ancestors fall heir TO
their claims upon the justice aud gratitude Of their
County
Mr.. Faulkner believed the above exhibited rret;v
accurate historical ketch of tie opinion of the cons
tu'ed authorities OF Virginia, upon the sun nn Ter
cons'd ration In 1881, the claims OF the snnernmme
rary oihcefs wee Tecognizrd by every department o.
Government, aud arrangements made 10 have them
asccr aimed AID iiqnilsied In 1885, their claims were
d'tinciiy and uncquivorally sustained by the House of
Delegates, aud ovtr-ruled Nv G,e maze In 1900 their
right to ihe comp nsat on claim denie
IL causes mel 'ncholy reflection upon the chafac
lnr Il .l. 4.