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

legislative enac!ments and resolves by which the off,
Gers Of othe. States became entitled under certain cir
cumstances the land bounty promised tue Virginia
lne The archives of the nation prove the fact, that
officers from the most distant States became the recip
enis Of cur bounty Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsy
yana, and Massachusetts, failed not 10 make avail of
tho generous enthusiasm of our Siate and now these
of noble made the subjects Of
apro1ch this floor SIR, the land was the property
Of Virginia: snd animated by the purest potriosn she
resdy to besto~ il generously al who contributed
to the sscrcd Of Independence. She ready 10
sacrifice her particular interest. TO insure the happiness
md prosperity ofAmerca; and The honorable gentleman
from Vermont slr HALL chides her with Proiusion and
extravaganza
Being enabled TO form estimate Of tie
force furnished by Virginia in the Of the Revola
ton, and of the terms which they 10 be admit
ted TO land bouniies, 1t s impcrtant TO inquire what
proportion Of tina, force performed such would
en;te them 10 The beneficial provision OF the law II is
TO be regretted that the loss Of the ros, with the de-
stucton Of the War Office, must necessary, render it
impraccable TO ascertain, with certainty The number
and of those entitled; make nothing better
than conjecured estimate; butt having the number Of
| regiments and Tie terms which bounty lands were
granted, assured by Gen. Po.erfied and Judge
Marshall (who active participants in the scene and
well qualified TO form judgment BY their knowledge
OF the law and the incidents of the times,) that there
could not be less than five hundred entitled, for each
regiment actually raised. The language of the certiG
cate Of Judge Marshall is: g" should not think there
thousand to each regiment entitled TO bounty;
tred. aude TO The reg imcnls actually raised in the
Virginia liGe ca Continental establishment" Now,
there fifteen reg iments raised for the "Firgnia
line On Continental! establishment" One Of these was
totally destroyed and captured At the battle OF Ger
man town. and was substituted by the FIRST Virginia
giment on State establishment, commanded by Colo.
mel Gibson; which continued identified with the Con
tnen,al army. regiment Of artillery was also raised
by the State, aud placed On the ''Frginia line Oh
Continental establishment making seventeen reg-
nautS SartD llu
Judge Marshall be correct, there following five
hundred TO each regimenD eight thousand FIVE hundred
entitled 20 land bounty account OF services rendered
in the Continental line II these two last regiments be
regarded attached the line State establishment
vet there are left thousand five hundred. Nor
would such circumstance at all affect The general CON-
pu,aton; since they were equally entitled to the BENG
fetal provisions Of The law whether attached TO the ons
lne 10 the oiier-thc terms OF enlistment and tie
conditions Of land bounty, being precisely the same in
regard To both lines.
Exclusive of The fifteen regiments originally fur
nishc TO The Continental army, there we're provided By
the laws oil the State two regiments OF infantry two
regiments of artillery, two regiments of cavalry, and
one regiment dcnomnaied the garrison raglment-be-
ing infantry appropriated to the service OF garrlsons
These, together make seven; TO which must add the
tEo regiments despatched on the Illinois expedition
tito these be added the force composing the navy,
(Which ,s moderately estimated equal TO one reg,-
nient,l equally entitled TO bounty by law, We form
aggregate o twenty Eve regiments fairly entitled TO
the bounty provided for its soidiefy by The common
wealth 81 Virginia, in the day Of the Revolution.
Sir | arn not advised Of any circumstance which
makes it probable that in the Slate line
less numerous than Continental establishment,
or would fDraish smaller number entitled 10 land
bounty. They were all formed Gil the same model,
and, with sight exceptions were required 10 be
posed of equal force, each rgcnt consisted Of tea
companies, each company o. SIXTY eight dbed bodied
men, rank and file, commanded by one colonel,
lieutenant Colonel, one major, ten captains. twenty
lsu.enans, acd ten ensisns Such vas the model az
Virginia regiment, whether on State or Continental
ne-a mods! generally prescrlbet except that onr
regiment, perhaps, had only eight companies and tha
cavalry about three hundred and fifty men TO each
regiment.
/; is worthy of remark .hs. the records Of the State
establish the fac. that Virginia. during the Revolution
ary had ia commission fourteen generals, viz tho
commander in c!e!, two major generals, and eleven
brgader generals thirty nine colonies, and forty
lieutenant colonies. Her quota Of men TO be furnished
The Continental army, according The rcauston CT
the Continental Congress, eight thousand one hun
bred aud sixty Can it be that her armed force in the
day of the Revolution the incoasiderabe deepi
csble thing represented ny the honorsble gentleman
from Vermont? with this evidence Of the strength &C
her force, and the munifcence Of her Government,
is submitted 10 the justice OF the House and the
try pass the moderation Of the committee Of Tbs
Virginia House OF Delegates, 10 estimating lie number
Of eleven thousand persons az entitled TO land bounty
for services rendered IN both the State line on STATE
establishment, and on Continental establishment.
To impair the force of these facts, the honorable
gentleman from Vermont has drawn an argument from
the injury sustained by the army in conse quence oi
the short Of ensmens; and he asks you TO inie!
that the Virginia ronps engage for shorter THAI
three years and, therefore, could not have been
lied 10 lard bounty Sir, there other conti:iots
o. which The Continental land bounty, and III.
Slate bounty, besides the service OF three yearadeah
captivity equally entitled the descendants ni the VIC
tim the reward Of his country. But, the true an.
swer to the honorable gentleman is, that The term OF
service prescribed for her troops, by Virginia. as early
as 1876, was FOR "turng The war.' Afterwards "fcr
three year, during the war; both either emitting
TO bounty
We have other evidence Of the number ofpersons
entitled 10 land bounty Under the bengnant operation
of the Virginia Law. commissioner was appointed
under act OF Assembly to examine the evidences 81
the cian,s; and that commissioner reported the
suit of his investigation, that twelve thousand wonld
be justly entitled Nor would this unreasonable,
If reject the duration Of the war; the "rce in The
field, the chances OF war, and The terms which tbs
bounty promised
Bu i, not sa,ry to stain The accuracy ofthess
calculations The number Of claimants is far less tha
the number reported By the commissioner estimated
by The Committee Of the Virginia Legislature. The
decision Of each individual case is subn,ted to the Ex
ccu;ive Of Virginia. lie examines the evidence 10 each
case. lie decides upon IFS validity and he has given
the authority OF his Judicial opinion to The justice an
the legality ofeach lie has ascertoined tina, siSsa
sand four hundred and ninety ene here ISL gen.
mined, arc entitled. fie has determine .'a' -
due 10 EACH and it ia or such cvdc 4onsnon 10. ,.s
LEM, fam Vsrmors i'm &c pa:iment of patriotic
decision Of the House.acy tho Official act OF tie
oif;eis nc. Of The vested ty you, act with com
member of tbs over them.
public fiux thousand four hundred and nue:yono
nleo whoco claims have passed the ordeal Of Legal
ses,ra,ion. BIZ lar the portion have been paid
early firo millions and quartz! acres have been pa
nted; and ono million four hundred and sixty 'noa.
lad acres have been appropriated in The form oil SCRIP
making an aggregate Of 702 acres, appropriated
sa:i.fy The Soldiers Of Virginia lines on State and
,onl;nen,a establishment faere remans demand
), lea acres 10 satisfy the claims ascertaned ots
ne ~ the tribunal authorized TO adjust them. Inc
onorabe gentleman itom Vermont OBJECTS 70 tais De-
assa:y aopropria.ou; preerrng rather TO give a@ay
he lants than pay them to tie soldiers Of the Revolt