The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-14
Another Enquire" on the prolific subject of the In
auguraton Ball was received too late for insertion
FOR THE MADIsoNlAN.
NAVAL PENSION FUND.

Mr. ALLEN,
The Madisonan of the It'll inst copies short arti-
Gle from the North American in reference to Navy
PENSIONS which is evidently designed to laud the pres
ent Secretary Of the Navy the expense not only Of
his predecessors but also at the expense Of certain Of
fcers of the Navy, who have fought CALAMITY, and
bled freely in. defence Of their country. The North
American says:
Naral Pension Fhnd-We are glad to see that
Congress have at last relieved this fund of great
abuse which it has been of late subjected The in
discreet law of 1887 has been constructed by the
Navy Department, as to extend the benefits OF this
fund to officers of the service who at the same
time on full pay. The absurdity of such appica
ton of the fund is too obvious for comment. An of
GERS being full pay presupposes ability for service
if that ability does not exist, then the full pay is IT
self pension, and sufficiently ample to exempt the
fund which was created for other purposes, from be-
ing exhausted in this shape The present head of tho
Navy Department only followed the construction OF
the law established by his predecessor. He was not
perhaps at liberty to take any other the sub
iect without the action of Congress That act has at
last come to his relief in the repeal of a law that
ought never have been enacted II was originally
Struggled through Congress by one of those strata
gems that dishonor legislation.
More ignorance with less truth, or less charity, is
seldom found in short paragraph even in the
North American. Before reviewer undertakes to
denounce laws and impugn motives and actions, he
ought least to know enough of the subject to avoid
SO great an error as the North American has fallen
into, by atributing the application of Law placed
on the Statute books forty years ago, where il now
stands to the msconstruction of act Of Congress
passed the Sd of March lS37.-The North American
has doubtless taken its cue from Mr.. Paudlngs re-
ports upon the Navy pension fund.- and Is therefore
perhaps the less cupable for was not to be suppo-
sed that the Secretary of the Navy would by false Is
sues and garbed statements, endeavour to excite pre-
judce and hostility against the Navy pension system,
and against those for whom grateful nation intend
ed to provide, and did actually provide fund which
by the galantry, blood and suffering of the Navy
amounted, in 1886 to million and quarter dollars,
yielding an interest more than ample for all just and
lawful demands upon it,
The act of march, 3d. 1887, which has subsequently
exhausted both principal and nteres. of this sacred
fund, was engendered in hostility to the Navy, and
suggied through Congress at the last hour of short
session, under the specous title of An act for the
mole equitable administration Of the Navy Pension
Fund" No officer of the Navy, unless Navy Com
missioner ever saw or even heard of such scheme,
until the law had received the sanction Of the Pres
dent and from that day to the present time the of-
GERS of the Navy have viewed il an cncroachment
upon their rights and palpable violation OF the ma
tons pchted faith. Hence it is that the officers
themselves have been foremost in urging repeal of
the law Of Sd of March, 1897, while at the same time
they insist upon their involabc rights under the law
of the 23d of April, 1900, which is in the following
words, viz
"That every officer, seamen, or marine disabled IN
the line his duty shall be entitled to receive for ie
or during his disability, pension from the United
States according the nature and degree ofdisabity
not exceeding onc-haf his monthly pay"
Thus !, may be seen that the practice of allowing
officers, and other persons belonging TO the Navy
partially disabled by wounds received in battle pension
and pay at the time, is founded in gratitude and
sanctioned by special act Of Congress, consistent
with the Navy itself The pension is to cover or
meet the extraordinary expenses 10 which the officer
may be subjected by his wounds while the pay Is the
qud pro quo the officer performing all the duties OF
his station equally in all respects with those who have
never been in the way Of have been fortunate enough
TO- escape the enemy shot Hence vanishcs the North
Americans absurdty, too obvious for comment.
A TRUE AMERICAN.