Southern planter., 1832-12-29

OF commlssiOni but ifneither Of these cnn ha
obtained; the party viii so state under oath
and will then procure, if possible, the tesri'
nony oi at least one credible witness. statino.
IN detail, his personal knowledge of the servi'
ces OF the applicant, and such circumstances
connected Herewith as may have a teudencv
to throw light upon the transaction.
II such surviving witness cannot be found
the applicant will so state ia his declaration
and he will also, whether he producespcb ev'
ldence or not, proceed 10 relate all The mater;
al facts which can be useful in the i6yestign-
ton OF his claim, aud in the comparison oCIis
narrative with the events Of the period of lis
ailedged service, as they are known M The d.-
parIment. A very full account Of tbe ser,,;.
ces OF each person viii be ndisDens,hle A. =
favorable teiion upon this case Tho fac,s
stated Will afford one nfthe princinle ,,,co,,.,
OF corroborating the declaration Of The nnnl;-
cant If true, Or Of detecting the impositidn n
one be attempted; aud unless, therefore. an
these are amply and clearly set forth no fa-
Norable decision can be effected. All nnnIi-
cants will appear before some court Of recnrd
IN the county in which they reside, and tbere
subscnbeand be sworn TO, one of the decloro1
tons above provided, according to the nature
of his case.
The courtwill PROFOUND the following inter-
rogalones TO all applicants for a pension ON
account OF service In the militia, State troops.
or volunteers, except the militia of New
Hampshire and the State troops of Virginn:
!. Where, and in what year were Won bornq
y Have youany record of your age; and If
so, where is itl
s. Where were you living when called in
10 service; where have you lived since the re-
voutlonary war, and where do you now liye9
a. How were you called into service; were
you drafted, did YOU volunteer, or were YOU a
substituted Andii substitute, for whom7
B. State the names of some of the regular
officers who were with the troops where YOU
served; such continental g. militia regiments
as you can reoollect, and the general circum.
stances of your service.
To A sOLDiER.-Did YOU ever receive a
discharge from the service; and # so.
by whom was il given, and what has
become of it2
To AN oFFIoER.-Did you ever receive
a commission; and, if 20, by whom
was II signed, and what has become of
hl
/ Z. State the names Of the persons TO whom
you are known in your present neghborbood
and who can testify as 20 your character for
yeracity, and their belief Of your services as a
soldier Of the revolution.
/ The court will see that the answers IN ,hess
questions are embodied in the declaration and
they are requested to annex their opinions of
the truth Of the statement of the applicant
The applicant will further produce IN court
if the same can be done, in the opinion of tbe
court, without too much expense and incon-
venience to him, two respectable persons--one
of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if
one lives in the immediate vicinity of such
applicant, who can testify, from their ac-
quaintance with him, that they believe he is
of the age he represents, and that he is reput.
ed and believed in the neighborhood TO have
been revolutionary soldier, and that they
concur in that opinion. II one Of these per.
SONS is clergyman, the court will so certify.
and they will also certify to the character and
standing of other persons giving such certif-
icates.
The traditionary evidence of service is
deemed very important in the absence of any
direct proofexcept the declaration of the party.
And the courts are requested to be very par
ticular in the inquiry whether the belief is
general, and whether any doubts have ever
eAlsleu upon lne SUBJECT. 10 require from
the applicants positive proof of service from a
contemporary survivor would, after the lapse
of so many years, be todepIive many of them
of the benefit of the law. And as no pre-
sumption is raised against the militia by the
existence of the rolls in the department, there
is no good reason why this requisition should
be extended to them. On the other hand.
TO receive the declaration of the parties, as a
sufficient ground for placing them upon the
pension roll, without corToborating circum-
stances, would be to open the treasury TO great
frauds A just medium seems to present the
best rule for carrying into effect the objects
Of Congress.
If the two persons whose certificates is re-.
qured, cannot be produced in court without
too much Inconvenience and expense TO the
= applicant, then the statement of facts and op-
Mons above mentioned will be made under
cath before somejudge or justice Of the peace,
and the certificate of the court TO the situa-
ton and credbiity Of the persons making the
statement will be given.
Applicants unable to appcarin court by rea-
son Of bodily iniimity, may make the declar-
alton before required, and submit to the ex-