The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-09-05

DC Killed In battle or die from wounds &C.. shall be
en'tedlo half The monthly pay which the deceased
was entitled TO at the time Of his death" That act
was limited TO 1--WE years. Subsequently il was re-
newed by legislative action, when In 1897 under the
act already quoted, Its provisions were extended to
all such officers as might die in tie serriee" Il will
be perceived that the act Of 1913 speaks Of the pay
The deceased entitled al The time Of his DEATH
and not the iineal rank he held.
Now TO the laws regulating the pay Of officers and
particularly that Of Quarter Master Of the Marine
Corps. An act of Congress Of the 3Oh of June,
1884, fixes the pay Of the officers Of the Marine
Corps al the same that is allowed officers of SINH
lar grades in the infantry of the Army. BY an act
passed The I'd of March, 1921 II is declared that the
pay and allowances Of Quarter Master in the Ar
my shall be the same as Major Of Cavalry: and,
by an act passed on The 18th day Of April 1905 the
pay OF Major Of Dragons Is fixed at sixty dollars
month
The pay rolls on file in the Navy Department
show, thatthe Quarter Master In question had been
receiving sixty dollars per month"; for years prior to
his decease and yet with all these acts Of Congress
staring him in the face the Secretary Of the Navy
arbitrarily declares that his widow shall receive only
the half Of captains pay, $40 per month, and AFRO
gates to himself the Office Of speaking for Congress,
and tells what that body contempatedby their acts Of
legislation.
BY referring 10 the report Of the Secretary Of the
Navy, Of December, 1886, il will be seen, that the
act OF the Sd Of March, 1887 establishing the laws
regulating The pay Of the Navy, which were in force
on the LIST Of January, 1885, as the guide for pen
sions that should be paid, was merely explanatory,
and an act regulating the pay ofthe Navy having been
passed subsequently, 10 that date, fixing rate of
pay for officers while at sea- and another while on
shore, which might lead 10 great rregularity in
the amount Of pensions which the widows of officers
dying under the two circumstances embraced in the
law, would receive Previous to this act Of Con-
gress pensions TO the widows of officers of the Ma
rne Corps, Notwithstanding all contributed out of
their pay towards the fund, were confined to such
as were killed, or died Of wounds received in the
service And why was il that they wsre extended
TO all those who might die in the service of their
country. The same report Of the Secretary of the
Navy gives the reason Because, says he, of their
"patrotie conduct in volunteering their services IN the
campaign against the Greek Indians, in whiek they
hare distinguished themselves by their zeal and persc
rerdnee in The duties assigned them" The Quarter
Master in question, was one Of those volunteers.
These are the facts connected with one Of the va
liant exploits of the Secretary of the Navy. Re-
nowned hero To select poor unprotected widow
to enter his arbitrary edcts against, in direct viola
tion of the laws Of the land Fortunately she has
! friends who will see her wrongs righted and show
this licensed despot that "thus tar, and farther
shalt thou CO." in the exercise of the "little brief
authority in which he has been drest.
Who will hesitate to believe thatthe Secretary Of
the Navy is no, the author of the assault on the Navy
andils officers after reading the foregoing facts.
ARISTIDES.