The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-26

sIuced 10 inquire into the expedency Increasing the
zee q the marshas OF the northern and southern districts
OF oaofna, and also the salaries of tho judges thereof
SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS or THE OFFICERS on THE REyo.
LUIiokARY ARMY
4 MIR. EVANS. AS there seems TO be but little busi.
ness before the Senate this morning. beg leave ask
,he senate 70 take up Senate bill No. lsd entitled bill to
provide Tor The na settlement of the claims of the officers
OF the revolutionary army, and of the widows and Or
phan children OF those who died in the service.
No ooJectlon being made, the bill was taken up. read
me second Tune, and considered committee oil the
whole II declares thatthc officers OF the army OF the
revolution who were entitled 10 bapay for life under
me resolutions OF Congress OF October a. 1885, Janua
yiI i7sl, May s, l7Sl, and March 8, 1885, shall be
entitled 10 receive the same, although such officer may
have received in lieu thereof the Communication of full
kay iGr hve years under The resolution of Congress Of
Hach ~, 1888; and the Secretary OF the Treasury is
authorized to pay the due after deducting there
from The amount received for communication. 1t is also
pIovided hat all payments made by authority of this ACT
/ Mr.. EVANS Mr President, before we proceed fur
ther witn ms bill beg to have verbal alterations
made. desire TO have the word clause" stricken oul
OF Inc thirteenth line OF the fifth section and the word
section Inserted in lieu thereof, 80 thar il will read
payment shall be made uEder this section except
tnose specially described IN the said resolution OF the
oath OF August, 1850"
The alteration was made by unanimous consent
Mr.. EVANS There IL another verbal alteration which
wish 10 have made in the twelfth section AS stands
whether owing to the inadverlence OF the committee or
mistake OF The printer cannot sayhe sentence is not
grammatical; and wish have the word " it's" stricken
out, and the word their inserted in lieu thereof Il will
then read "and all claims presented with the evi-
dence Tor ther adjudication, within that me shall be for
| The alteration made by unanimous consent
MI. STUART. should like 10 learn from the hon.
ora6e senator from South Carolina something with
gard 10 the effect OF this bill and whether the attention
OF the Secretary Of the Interior the Secretary of the
Treasury, or both, has been called to the subject 1t
seems TO me TO provide not only for very new, but
bn tha ndo rs
settling accounts of this descriptions should apprehend,
from hearing the bill read, that the effect of il would be
to bring IN great many claims that have much foun
dasion presume the honorable senator explain the
matter, however. t.r
/ Mr.. EVANS. 1t will be necessary, Mr. President to
20 somewhat into detail in order present the facts TO
the Senate in relation all the classes TO which this
b 10 Intended TO apply Soon after, before the
declaration OF Independence, Congress determined to raise
an army to consist OF eighty eight baaiions These
divided among the States proportion to the ratio OF their
population, or in some other way and the whole TO-
gether formed what is called the continental line The
contingent o each State was called the State line: thus
the continental line made up OF the Massachus
line, the Virginia ne aad the lines of all the other
Satesin all making, as have stated, eighty eight bat
talions ~
One great difficulty that was experenced-and all who
have read the correspondence of General Washington
with Congress cannot but be impressed with twas this:
The constant hucuatoD that was going o. occasoned
by the old officers and the old soldiers going OF the
service, end coming in rendered The army very
inefficient; and consequently, General Washington
constantly impressing upon Congress that il OF
the utmost importance that measures should be taken
give the army permanent character. In order
compsh this object, the 18th of May, 1T78 Congress
unanimously resolved that all military officers commits.
stoned by Congress who now are, hereafter may be-
IN the OF the United States, and shall connue
therein during The war; and no, hold any office Of profit
under these States, any OF them shall alter the con-
cuson oi lhewar be entitled 10 receive annually for the
term OF seven years, il they live so long, hall oil the
present pay OF such officers" This the inducemen
held 10 these officers 10 remain in the service until the
end OF the II followed, OF course, that in the various
battles which were fought, many OF these officers
killed and consequently, as this was only personal
compensation 10 them. nobody else could have H. Con.
gess therefore, the 24ih OF August $780, passed an
other resolution 10 The effect that the resolution oil The
18th DAY o May, l77S granting bapay for seven years
to the oicers OF the army who should continue in service
to the end oil the war; be extended to the widows OF those
officers who have died, shall hereafter die ia lhe SER
kvce iihere be widow, 10 Of her death OF
Inermarrsge, the said hapay shall be given TO the or.
pbsn children OF the officer dying aforesaid II he shall
have lett snyp Now, sir this constitutes one class OF
these claims, although II is very small class There
have only been two or three petitions presented by the
children OF those officers who killed in battle; and
this bill proposes provide for them
This small class OF the widows and orphans of those
officers who were killed in battle who died of wounds
received 10 battle, extended BY this bill to include
class OF that not embraced in resolution oil
Congress OF 17ss There one case before the COM
mee which did not come within this provision and as
1t was an exceedingly meritorlous one. it though,
proper 70 provide Tor H. II Is The OF Mrs Mary
Perry, who was the daughter OF Michael Watson This
the only case of the kind that has before the
committee, and i is not likely that many Others will be
presented The class OF cases originally provided for
embraces only the widows and orphans OF officers belong
ipo 10 the continental line; II was provision intended
for them, and for them alone and all propose 10
do 10 provide Tor lew who have not been provided
| for, and come within The act who are under
seventy ears OF age The number OF applications
under this provision WILL therefore, be Very small as il
has been nearly seventy hve years since the provision of
i7S0 passed. and seventy since the end of the The
provision which we propose 10 make is this
And benefit the said resolution OF the 2lh OF Au
gus 1880 shall be extended 10 the widows and orphan
children OF all officers who killed in battle or died Of
wounds received 10 battle, whether such officer belonged
to the continental ne volunteer corps called uto
service under the authority OF State bur payment
shall be made under this section, except those specially
described In the said resolution OF the 24h Of August
1880"
/ To wit, the widows and orphans That provides for
one class
Now Mr President in the latter part OF The year ITso
in contemplation OF The reduction OF the army Congress
adopted this resolution;
"Thnt the in-chief and comma nding officer
IN the southern department drect the officers OF each State
10 meet and upon the officers for the regiments to be
raised by their respective States from those who nooe
continue service and where IL be done agree.
be determined by seniority and make of
those who remain which is TO be transmitted 10 Con-
gress ether with the OF he officers reduced, who
1 are to be allowed hsf-pay lor life"
i Then follows another clause that the officers who
shall continue in the service to the end of the shall
also be entitled TO hapay during life, 10 commence from
the tune OF their reduction. This is provision intended
to embrace every officer who reduced or made
pernumerary, and every who remained IN the army
until The end ol the war.
Them SIR alter the last battle fought, and while
the army eneamped--at least the greater part OF it,
in the city OF New York, under the immediate direction
ol uIgaat ttaio in