Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-11-29

Irsyutl
,h. e,,lv day OF the great Deficiency Tor whch 's
Governnen, vas bound III JUSTICE 10 pToVle; anu 'hs
estimated deficiency Of god land Tor me o'a'e 'lP
was a,cua,oJ the supposon ina. Tue eh,oe o
W., ne tho Tennessee containing nearly 2,ooo,uul
,o or rand iuaG, would be appropriated 10 sa'is'
S,a,e line warrants; all OF which was lost to the s@
der. and passed 10 the uses oil Kentucky oy Tue
pr,ion Of the Federal authorizes, under tue
or ,to ,reaty of Hopewe lost BY the action OF Ken
,ncty in appropriat,ng the lands 10 her own uses II
trne that in l7Si 10 secure the blessings OF Union
the blessings Of harmony to the nct'on ana 10 sa'sy
even The unreasonable demands OF her sister states
v;;,;, coded to the Federal authorizes tor the bene
r, n the Union her title 10 her vast DOMAIN ii is
ir,, that IN 1850 under the influence OF patriotic I'M
nlss she consented 10 The erection Of Kentucky INTO
nm ;nicnendent sovereign STATE, win complete Jui'S
tc,ion over ali The territory w,'hh her oofosis aei
I-uo II is true that, for the high purposes oil the ma
o, che committed the rgits Of her people TO the Jus
ice and jurisdiction OF Congress and Kentucky: u
this be crime, she must be content to sufer. aho'
Sir !, is equally true, that, from January, l.co, ue
d,,a of The proclamation of Congress, founded on the
,rss,r cr HONEYWELL to l.92, the holders of military
Ina ,or,an,s or services in The Virginia line on State
s,,,ishment were BY force of tina, proclamation, re-
strained from making locations West OF the Tennessee
where sons they expected 10 obtain good cndS-sa
usfvno IN. terms of their contract with Government
From I.o2 10 1918, the treaty Of Hopewe continued
! in Gree. and now Sir, instead Of granting Indemnify
far the injury thus Inflicted, you asked by the gen.
tlemnn to pronounce censure OF Prodsaiity on Inc
State aud enforce the forfeiture on her sodiery, be-
csusa she trusted 10 your honor and justice, and be.
canse she Welded to The generous impulses OF humani
" md restrained the locations OF her warrants TO save
the defeneelrss inhabitants of kentucky from the ex
terminating fury OF The savage
Now Sir submit TO the Justice OF this House and
this country 10 decide neither The harsh charges and
accusations made by The honorable gentleman from
Vermont against the committee 81 The House oil Dele
gates Of Virginia, arc not themselves wholly gratu'-
lcrss
-. o~,li rude fD
claim for exemption from responsibility to satisfy
these demands on The fact ,hat the character OF The
evidence which they are a;!o"ed has been altered
since the date Of the deed OF csssIon These claims
were originally examined by an officer known IA HE
Commssiouer of War" but this Office was abolished
in .S2 and the Jurisdiction vested in the Executive Of
The State. That the tribunal which passed on The
claims in 1854 The date Of The deed OF oesslon 10 the
| MON; no exception, therefore, cen be sustained
against the tribunal, because il has not been changed
The deed was accepted with knowledge Of The tribu
nal authorized to pass the validity OF the clams-
But II is insisted that BY the act Of May, 1872 The APP
piioent for land bounty was required TO produce the
certificate of hs commanding officer, distinguishing
particularly the line in winch the service rendered.
and it admitted that such the provision OF that act
|; continued in force unit, 1915, FL which time the EN-
ecutive authorized 20 allow claims, "when salts
factory evidence ia addnced that The party Is entitled
Should this modification Of law produce the conse
cuences insisted on By The honorable gentleman? Can
il absoye this Government from s obligation 10 sntis
fy the demand, 1t is worthy of remark that the right
Of the soldier is not made TO depend on any rule Of err
denc adopted By the tribunal authorized 10 adudse his
claim, Ills right 10 bounty land depended the fact
of service rendered II he, in isct, performed The con-
diiion Of the enlistment his RICH, 10 the bounty was
complete. IT. by the operation OF any 7nis oil er,at.ee
he defeated of inst Claim founded on an actual
equivalent, gross il Justice was necessarily wrought
The Government, i: is true had right 10 protec, H.
self agans: The operation Of fraud far as this could
be enacted without defeating the demands Of justice;
but, in framing rules of proceeding it had no right
founded ~ morality, 10 establish rule which would
necessarily defeat The Just claim, make II unre0Scna
Jv difficult for the claimant solder TO assert his right
In l779, when the American army was embodied, and
the commanding officer easy oil access, II might have
been reasonable to require Of The soldier TO produce the
certificate Of his commanding officer. The soldier
onght, in Justice, 10 have submitted 10 the inconve
nience for the sake Of the security afforded 10 Co.
vernmcnt. But, in lel5, when the commanders Of
most of them we're, in fact, dead-when the living
were dispersed owe. the Coatnentthe observance Of
this rule was obviously Hpossbleand the requisiton
or enforcement of Tie rule would have heen nothing
less than an uablUsing denial oi Justice. Accordingly,
It changed. With Difference, | submit tina, the
change justified, ard demanded by the strong ob
cations Of morality. TO re, i, matter o! mar
VEL That 50 rigorous rule should hayc long endured,
10 the preuG Of the aged soldier o! the Revolution.
Sir, The change was effected in 1915, and, in my
opinion II leisurcly, tardly accomplished.
Bot did the action Of Virginia, in changing the rule,
[
Government, | humbly submit, that the change was
no Than actually demanded by the change Of
circumstances, and that every Just precaniion was Oh
served, which the public nteres; could demand. Tie
rule adopted by the authorities OF Virgins, very
Joyous to The proceedings OF this Government in smi
lar circumstances Here the military bounty land is
granted The Re revolutionary soldier Continental!
establishment, from ether States, by the Secretary OF
War whose discretion satisfied with the evidence oil
The army returns "and such other sufficient evidence
IN nei nj yr0u
the Executive is authorized to allow land bounty, "When
satisfactory evidence is adduccd that The party IS en-
tailed Here, the claim subjected 10 the jurisdiction
Of The Secretary Of WARN Virginia, 10 the urisdIc-
lion Of the Governor Here, the Secretary of War
rroulfcs "sufieent evidence In Virginia, the Go.
vernon requires '.saiisac,ory evidence Nor is this
the only guaranty extended 10 this Government by
The regulations Of that State "For in order TO obtain
one warrants, in any one case, the heir, CT
heirs must obtain a duly authenticated order Of some
court Of record, certify ing, that the icer soldier
Died before after the Isl January, l7csand that he
Gied lestac or inlesiaie-f lestale there must be
hibted certified copy cf the will. And If any ndul;
heir Is dead, Then has heir must exhibit an order oil
court certifying that he Died tcs:ate interstate and
if he died tesiaie, copy of his will must be produced
"The order Of court must certify who are the heirs
ard that Hey are the only kers. The heir, must also
make affidavit that they the ideRtcai persons named
the said order, and that they verify believe they are
the only heirs-and their affidavit must be sustained by
that Of other person, who mus, be certified by
justice ol The peace, as man entitled TO full credit
! that he believes, from his own knowledge, or from
common reputation that they lie heirs Of the de-
ceased officer soldier
Such are the guarantees extended 10 this Cove men
hy The provisions ii the Virginia law. Yet they a:e
Icpuda;ed BY the honorable gentleman from Vermont
who claims for this Government an reception from
sponsbll,,y, because oil This change in The law The
gentleman complains Of The commission cfftaud, and
details The history o. particular cxamp!,s. That fraud
has been perretraled, do not deny suppose i, to
| be true 40 human institution can be devised TO pro
tee, society against the Vaccinations Of the fraudulent
Bat your exposure 10 Tie operations Of fraud shared
in common with a me n aud with all communities, and
release you from your obligations to pay the just
If there be these 10 perpelrated fraud, punish then
with e the rigor of law. On them execute the law
No, in mercy, but with cruelty. Satisfy the eSaciions
Of the s,ernest heart. Even deliver them the