Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-03-06
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON
'. .. IN CONGRESS.

- Der of the House of Representatives on
the opening of the Second Session of
the Fourteenth Congress, dec. 2, 1916.
On the Sd, the Annual Message of the
o. President was received; on the 4tll' of
the month the Presidents Message was
dissected, and on the 9Th the commit
tees upon its various subjects were an
nounccd, of one of which ION the subject
of the Militia) Gen. HARRISON was APP
pointed chairman.
On the next day, being the first day
after the organization of the House, Gen.
HARRISON moved the following resolu-
ton, in which the reader will perceive the
germ of the provision afterwards made
for the surviving officers and soldiers of
the Revolutionary war:
Resolved, That the Military Com
"mlttec be instructed to report bill
providing by law for the relief of such
"of the officers and soldiers who, having
faithfully served in the armies of the
"Unted States, are now in distressed
" circumstances, and who, not having re-
"ceivcd wounds or disabilities whilst in
"actual service, are excluded from the
"benefts of the pension laws.''
On presenting this resolution, Gen.
HARRISON said, "It had been his lnten-
"tion to offer with this resolution, some
observations upon the matter to the
"House: but, understanding that this
twas not considered wholly proper on
" originating motion, he should re-
"servc his remarks for another stage of
"the business. He did with the less re-
luctance, since any remarks he should
have made would have been with a
"view to enlist the feelings of the House,
"and he felt, on reflection, convinced
that such remarks must be wholly un-
necessary on this occasion, and that
"TlIE HEART OF EVERY AMERICAN WOULD
CHEAT IN UNISON WITH THE OBJECT HE
CHAD in VIEW. He had made the reso-
"lution as broad as possible, that it
"might afford to the committee choice of
the various modes of accomplishing the
"obicct proposed to be committed to
them.''
The resolution thus moved having been
modified on the suggestion of an cxpe-
rienced member of the House so as to
leave it, according to usage, discretion
airy with the committee to report by bill
or otherwise, was agreed to without OPP
position.
Though nothing deGnitive in reference
to this subject was done at this Session Of
Congress (the two Houses having their
hands full of other business of more i'm
mediate urgency it is plainly evident
that it was this proposition which led the
way to the provision for the survivors
of the Revolutionary war; a mea-
sure which circles the fame of this Repub-
lie with glory the ancient Republics
could not boast of, by exhibiting to the
world the most beautiful example on re-
cord of A NATIONS GRATITUDE.
1t was not until the following Session
of Congress that the first act on the sub.
ject was passed. At the opening of tina
Session, Mr.. MONROE, who also had ven.
Grafton for the principles and actors o
the Revolution strongly impressed upol
his character-not the less strongl,
from his having been himself per-
sonally associated with its trials ant
its perils-introduced the subject to Con
grcss in the following appropriate ant
touching terms, following very nearly, tn
reader will perceive, the language o
Gen. HARRIsoN's proposition at the pre-
ceding Session of Congress:
"In contemplating the happy situation
"of the United States, our attention
"drawn, with peculiar interest, to tin
" surviving officers and soldiers of on
Revolutionary army, who SO eminent
SLY contributed, by their service, to la.
I" its foundation. Most of those yer.
meritorious citizens have paid the deb
"of NSaure, and gone to reposc. 1t
"believed that, among the survivors
"there are some not provided for by ca
"isting lars who are reduced TO indi
"gence, and even to real distress. Thes
T" men have claim on the gratitude G
IS their country, and it will do honor t
:" their country to provide for them. Tn
"hpse ola few years more, and the op
opportunity will be forever lost. Indeed
$50 long already has been the interval