The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-16
Land Bounty for tho Soldiers OF the Rev
OIutiOn.

IL seems singular inconsistency that Con-
gress, in disposng with 50 much liberality of
the public lands, has postponed so long the sat
sfaction of the Revolutionary land claims.
When Virginia ceded away the Northwestern
Territory, she reserved portion, supposed suf
ficient TO bestow upon her Revolutionary Off
GERS and soldiers a bounty in land for their ser
vices. This reservation proving insufficient,
application to Congress has from time to time
been made, for appropriations of land TO
discharge this engagement which she had
entered into. Under these applications ap
preparations of land have been made by
Congress, but not sufficient 10 meet the
outstanding Revolutionary claims. There
are now many of those claims which, hav-
ing been verified in the manner prescribed
by the law, are now on file awaiting the action
of Congress. These applications have been
for years disregarded, ostensibly because they
are amongst the claims some of which are fraudu-
lent. let this constitutes no reason why the
merltorous claimants should be denied lust
compensation. There is no instance in which
general demand against the Government is es-
tablIshed without including some unworthy
claims, but itnever vtiates those which are GOOD
nor has II been ever held to discharge the Govern
mentfrom the obligation to satisfy all which shall
have been established in conformity with the law
But the honest claimant need not be prejudiced
by the lmpostor; let the testimony upon which
the warrants have been granted, if necessary,
be reviewed by o proper commission suspend
or cancel those which appear to be fraudulent,
but let not the Government postpone an appro-
priaion OF some portion of that immense public
domain 10 which the soldier of the Revolution
established the first title, to satisfy the last de-
mand which can be made give them or their
heirs some compensation for those services
which though long since rendered should never
be forgotten give them this compensation be-
! fore the public lands become valueless, or be-
fore they shall be released to the land States ;
do not grant to every settler gratuitous home
stead, and liquidate all the claims on account of
Revolutionary services, by wholesale imputa-
ton of fraud. We have been led to these
remarks by the following observations upon
Congressional neglect and injustice They are
from the pen of a gentleman who served his
country faithfully in the last war. and whose
father was an officer in the Revolution The
claim has been many years since established
according to law, and only awaits grant of
public land TO satisfy il. The remarks are
made by no clam-agent or mendicant, but BY
man Of character and property, who is true
friend 10 that Union which he has contributed
to maintain. We hope that Congress will do
something to remove the imputaton of negli-
gence and bad faith which those interested in
the Revolutionary claims have with so much
! appearance of justice preferred against them
| "Whilst have regarded with pleasure the very
liberal spirit which Congress has manifested in
granting bounty lands to the officers and soldiers
of the late wars. have been greatly surprised that
claims Of equally deserving class, the officers
and soldiers of the Revolution. II has seemed still
| more strange that Congress should have held out
! inducements 10 claimants to establish their right.
to bounty lands, aud then withhold from them the
appropriation of lands necessary 10 their satisfac-
ton. There are mnny claimants whose land war
rants have been filed for years in the land Office
at Washington. Il has been shown, by the reports
Of various committees, that the lands designed for
the claimants wholly inadequate; and il has
resulted that whilst officers and soldiers Of the
Revolution have received compensation, others
equally medtorious have never received any re-
turn for services cheerfully rendered and priya
tons periodically borne"