The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-09

aware, MIR BAYAKp do not cons Ter the que stion now
whether the government ought 10 pay interest. look
upon s As being which constitutes exception
10 any general rule which can be laid down that sub.
ect Congress- the close Of the war. voted TO thess
discharged officers half pay for life For reasons which
have been stated by the honorable senator from Wscon
sin Mr. WALKER was though proper to commute that
hall pay into sum certain and 10 pay a once instead
OF paying successive Gums in the nature o annuity
Certificates OF Communication pay were accordingly issued
and then what was the state of the cass The country
owed the full amount whirb those certificates called lot
They owet the money, II any nation ever owed debit
either upon principles Of justice of gratitude. They
said, ''We will withdraw what we have before granted
you-half pay for ite~Aand we will give you sum OF
money In lieu thereof and have issued certificates for
II" Well these certificates turned out to be OF less value
than appeared on their face We did not therefore pay
them the which we offered to them the commuta
tion for ibe half pay which we withdrew.
Now, this bill proposes TO pay 10 the officer, or 10 his
representatives. mentioned IN H. the difference between
the nominal value and the actual value OF the certificate
Issued TO HIM and aso 70 pay him interest apaa ma.
plain case in which The government oosht 10 pay in
ierest do pot speak o. tle general queson with re-
gard 70 paying interest DO not speak OF the govern
nent being called upon to pay interest upon indefinite
claims when their amount shall have been ascerained
But here is specific OF debt, certain amount ac
knowledged by the government with certificate issued
Tor IT, and the certificate being OF the value which il
purpored TO be and now, ask, upon what principle
what possible ptintpe, il is reconellabe with integrity
in the government that decline TO pay the interest
upon the difference between the which originally
owed and the value OF that certificate which they have
recevedS
Sir, Independent of all other considerations, this is
case OF tady payment by host inadequate fernuner
adn, Tor services rendered this nation, such
surpassed and equaed by any other body OF
military men since the foundation OF the world. These
men who served during that long and disastrous war
who Al last brought Il 10 successful ternination-who
5erved Under dill the ebarfa.smens and privaons Of the
war--,hese men have claim upon the country for at
least the small pance OF remuneration which Congress
vnfed n nd he ma do
ing the stipulation named by Congressltse do hope
that waving every other question about interest," we
the nation the obligation II pay the hletest upon the
national debt: and that we will not place ourselves in
the altitude OF refusing to pay representative OF evo
o OF % %e avs usv h
we have not paid the commutaton hall pay. We gave
them certificates which proessed to be for the whole.
can we stand In The attitude OF debtor who has hoeslly
and faithfully discharged his obligations If we do not
make good the deficiency in the principal and the interest
upon il! hope the amendment OF my friend from Del
aware will not prevail.
MIR. BAYARD do not intend 10 enter into the ques-
tion Of the particular cases in which the government
ought 10 pay interest or rather The general question OF
The obligation OF the government TO pay interest but
shall conhne myself entirely TO the view submitted by
the honorable senator from North Carolina Mr. BADGER]
in this It's being peculiar in It's character, and IN
voving exception 10 the general principles upon which
the obligation of the government with regard 10 pay ing
interest upon claims, Tests am perfectly aware thati
OF course throwing into the The obligations entailed
upon the government OH account OF the services rendered
during the revolutionary war is calculated 10 appeal
vey srongly to the sensibites OF The Senate, and 1t
probably will determine the vote in favor OF the allow
ancs oil interest in this No would admit
readily Than would the extent and value OF the services
OF those who engaged in that struggle No man would
go further than would excepiive case, TO afford
relief sustained by what believe 10 be sound principles.
But | must take this i, stands upon The state
menis given-ior not familiar with 1t herwlse-by
the senators from, Wisconsin and North Carolina who
have spoken in relation It, The officers OF the army o.
the revolution, II appears, were entitled as matter OF
contract under law OF Congress, 10 half pay Tor life
That pay nothing bu, pension tor life Subse-
,quentl, proposition made by The government 10
convert that half pay for life into five years full pay
Now, there could be oblgaton-athougb the honor
able senator from Wisconsin states that they were forced
the part OF the officers TO renquish the bali pay Tor life
and take the i've years pay IN lieu OF IT. Alter the GER
fc cafe was issued the officer under obligation
TO receive it, He might have rested upon tue former
law aud claimed his annual pension if had considered
that favorable to his interests as the new mode pro-
posed but the probability that full pay for five
years. taking the ordinary contingencies OF lie, would be
greater compensation him than half pay Tor life and
therefore those who fit accepted the substitute, and
among oihes, as understand, the person in behalf OF
whose heirs this bill s 10 be passed was one OF the
number " no accepted that comm ulation.
What then, was the contract OF the government The
contract OF the government was BY the acceptance OF the
officer, TO pay him five years full pay and then,
being in condition TO pay the money, they issued .
certificate bearing interest Sir, II that certificate had
been paidI do not understand that ii IL denied
this that il paid with interest upon II, according
The contract OF the governmenttbere would be grea
force in this argument But you now asked, upor
the ground thai the credit OF the government, at that time
was low, and its securities were below par, although
subsequently, to that time il has redeemed the certificate,
and complied with its contract, both TO principle and
iDteresty you asked TO make this gratuy, and
allow interest upon H. as II II matter OF contract
ID seems TO me Mr. President. that we are not bound
By any such obligation. and fear the precedent Take
this step now what will be the consequence with III,
number OF claim agents that exist throughout tn,
country with regularly organized system now hunting
up all the stale claims when the lapse OF time has beer
great that the memory OF those events extent OF h,
service. the question even o payment or Don-paymen, il
a matter resting in doub, and uncertainty We had
case brought forward by the honorable senator iron
up BY some being heirs OF the revolutionary officers
which presented and paid al the treasury, and sub
sequently al the last session OF Congress, again al
lowed that claim TO the rghtful heirs. That shows hi
uncertainty OF payments OF this kind founded on remote
events. when the for ascerianing the Iae fact
have passed away.
put this the ground that the contract OF the gov
ernmsnt has been complied with You may say the Of
Ger parted with his certificate in consequence OF tbs
want OF credit the time, and that he coue
not cell IL AT his value but have paid certificate.
according 10 the contract and with interest," and ar,
no asked only 10 make good It's dimo sned value
but TO make good with interest Tor sixyseven years
think it is carrying the principle OF relief TOO far.
think the next step will be that your continental bill.
will be brought forward wherever they can be hunted
up, and we shall be told that they were worth no
twelve cents the dollar, but not than ore cent
and we snail be told that those who held them the
time they were issued received them probably for pro-
visions furnished to the troops Their patriotism will be
shown us. and them with counter evidence before