The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-16

in he receipt OF foil pay without performing any
duty. The system so often recommended would
retire them on reduced compensation, promote
efficient officers in their stead, and thus greatly
contribute TO the good of the service, without any
new imposition on the treasury
Proposed Increase Of Cavalry.
The cavalry f,rce now authorized is inadequate.
by the demonstration of experience, TO the wants
of The service. No troops arc generally 30 efncieht
against Indians, and the immense extent oil our
frontiers requires that at leat one more regiment
OF horse should be added to the establishment me
number of privates allowed TO companies OF hii
arms should in no case fall below sirty four, with
a sliding scale upwards to eigbty-tour at the dis
erection of the Executive.
Proposed Extension Of the Pension La'es.
Il would seem but just that the pension laws
provided for the navy should be extended to the
army. No reason is seen for the discrimination
between these kindred branches oil the public GER
vice. The pensions in both cases come out OF the
general fund; ana, as both share common dan.
gers and undergo equal vicissitudcs, in the dis
charge of duties, the same rewards should be ap.
pointed to each The widows and orphans o!
deceased naval officers, seameD, ana marines,
receive ive-year pensions, renewable every five
years, whether the deaths occurred in battle, or
caused by disease contracted in service;
while the widows of army officers receive pen
sions only when their husbands have been killed
in action, and then but for five years, and the pc
riod has never been extended. Widows OF the
enlisted men (non commissioned officers and pri.
what the circumstances although the laws allow
pensions to the widows and orphans Of volunteers
(whether officers or privately who may have been
killed or have died from any cause, while In the
service. Such unequal legislation ought surely TO
be corrected, and no time could be more appropri-
ate than the present. The hve-year pensions
granted to the widows, &c, OF the Mexican war
have just expired, or are about expiring, These
relicts and children of gallant officers are, almost
without exception, in the humbiest circum.
stances. The subject OF pensions ia well presented
in report, dated January 7, 1916, made by the
Committee on Military Affairs of the Senate. See
Senate Documents, No -, Sd volume, lst session.
10th Congress-; also thereto annexed) extracts from
my annual reports dated November %, lS4l, and
November 26, 1916.
have the honor TO remain, sir, with high re-
spect. your most obedient servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Extract from annual Report from Headquarters Of
|, the Army, Washington, November %, lS4l.
"I beg leave to recall attention
to some provi sion Of law in favor OF widows and
orphans Of regular officers W no have died or may
die in consequence of wounds received or diseases
contracted in service-thcre being such provision
already made in behalf of the widows and orphans
of navy volunteer, and militia officers dying
der such crc umstances. Indeed, the whole subject
Of army pensions to widows and orphans and to
disabled officers requires equitable revision"
Extract from annual Report from Headquarters of
the Army, Ne,D York, November &c. ls46.
sour pension system, including allowances to
widows and chidren-interesting alike to rtgu
lars, volunteers and militia men, disabled and in
service. and to their families when the officers and
men die Of wounds other disabilites-is the
poorest in nil Christendom. - (Please
see Cross's Tor Hetzes] MI. La,ps, following the
references Of the index under the heads, Pensions
to invads,' and widows and orphans, provisions
for /. The Limitation to half pay, excludin g
half subsistence; 2. To the half pay of Lieutenant
colonel, $50 month"; no matter how much
higher the rank of the disabled deceased officer
land less and less for inferior gradcs;] 3. Requir
ing the highest rate of disability to entitle the
officer TO receive that sort of halt pay;
and 4 The Limitation TO fire years, in respect TO
both widows and orphans-are all disreputable TO
statue book and civilization. trust the whole
system may be literally revised"