The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-22

they be easily identifed2 have gone into some cal
ouations In relation 10 this matter and will state my
conclusions 10 the Senate
BY the act of 1928 pension was granted to all the sur
lyyng oioers and soldiers of the revolution In the
turns from the Pension Office this appears that
there were two thousand hundred and seventy
applications under that act and that Of this number only
thousand hundred and put
upon the pension list The rest unable make out
their claims assume therefore that since under the pen
sion law of 1928 nearly half the applications were dsa
lowed for want Of proof onefourh the officers may
be fairly estimated as incapable of proving their
der this bill Their descendants scattered from Maine
TO Georgia, and from the Atlantic TO the Pacific
Then taking off oneourth Of this number il will leave
thousand two hundred and for-four Multiply thou
sand two hundred and fory-four by two thousand four
hundred and will give you the total amount necessary
TO be appropriated for the entire exngushmen of all the
claims likely to come in under this bill $2985 600 lit
Tie less than $3,0o0,o00.
This to be large sum- but compare it with what
you have done in other We have the largest
pension list in the world, believe in proportion to the
military force which we have employed in our wars.
find in looking at the report OF the Commissioner of PEN
sions, that have upon the pension rolls fifteen
thousand persons and we have been paying them since
1884 period OF twenty yearson average 900 900
year In 1851, the estimate for pensions S2344,2 ,220.
The actual payment for the last year $,876072 That
Twice that viii than provide for all the claims
which viii be allowed under this act II, therefore, we
have dealt literally with those who now living who
rendered services, why should not make adequate
provision for the descendants of those who dead
There another view of this question We passed the
other day-and believe that you Mr.. President Mr..
FooT occupying the chair the principal champion OF
ia bill to give ten millions of for unatc asylnms
in the States suppose that the value of that grant may
be put down at $l0000o00 find, on looking at the
ports that for military services have given away TWEEN
tfour millions of acres of land and that than three
ourths of this quantity has been granted to those who
were engaged in the of to those engaged in Indian
warares and in the Florida and Mexican Efnd, in
addition to this that have granted away for railroad
purposes six millions of This makes total of forty
millions of of land which we have given for the
living; and yet gentlemen object TO providing a
small pttance for the descendants of those who dead
The honorable from Michigan to think that
this bill has been sprung upon the in irregular
way Now sir fnd in looking through the previous pro-
ceedngs of Congressfor know personally very little Of
what has been done hereha in l8l there report by
Mr. Richard NJ johnson upon this subject He reported bill
proposing provide for these claims pretty much this
bill does. Again in 1924 and 1928 there similar
bills reported They, however, umned in granting PEN
sons TO the living although the committees reported bills
corresponding very much with the provisions of this
cep that instead of going back TO the hafray and char
ging the officer with what he received by way OF COM
mutation they proposed to give him the amount OF the
commutaon with deduction Of oneeghth from it and
to allow him interest also. That done because,
cording to all the evidence it appeared that the officers
ceiyed actually only about oneeighh OF the amount OF
their commutation.
have looked much into the progress Of the ques
ton from that time; and do not find that there were any
petitions presented from 1928 to 1850 About that
rod the petitions which the bill is framed began to be
presented AT the last Congress there were two or three
This year there about fifty; and satisfied that
next year there will be five hundred, and they Will continue
to multiply, until finally your table will be covered with
them and something viii have to be done.
have stated, Mr. President all the information
which have in relation to the subject and do not pro-
pose to discusswha suppose every senator feesthe
great propey and justice of the claims which these people
have upon us.
Mr. WALKER Mr. President wish make addi-
onal observation present in reply seeming objec
ton taken by the honorable senator from Michigan 10 this
bill He seemed TO liken it to that class of propositions
Nh hny
the depreciation upon revolutionary currency He viii
observe upon examining the BILL that il does not partake
of that quality all but the moving consideration OF the
bill undoubtedly the depreciation of the revolutionary
currency The senator must be that promises were
made under resolutions Of Congress OF hapay Tor life 10
those officers who should TO the end OF the revolu
onary war That got up camor in the country that
there likely TO be fastened upon 1T pensoned class
for life and the proposition became very unpopular 1t
then proposedI think by General Washington in the
first nsancehat Congress should commute this halfpay
for life TO five years full pay In the resolution of Con-
grcss committing the halfpay for life was not provided
that the individual officers should be called upon TO give
their it, but that 1t should be given by divisions
Mr.. CASS BY State lines.
Mr. WALKER Yes, sir, by the continental lines Of the
several States Agents sent into the country and
this obtained, either expressly or impedly
but in whatever way the communication was assented To- II
evidently the supposon Of those whose hafpay for
life thus be commuted that they to receive the
full amount Of the commutaton Instead, however Of
oeivng in money, communication certificates were issued
and il Is known part Of the history of the country that
they worth AT different periods varying from eight TO
twelve per cent only.
Now this bin proposes 10 rensa,e the parties, upon
certain conditions in their hapay for e but IL does
propose that the government shall pay the commuia
ton over again for IL provides that the nominal amount
OF the Communication shall be deducted In full notwith-
standing the depreciation from the amount OF the hafpay
to which the officer would he entitled consequently
are making good the depreciation upon our certificates
Of that day. but restoring each officer TO his rights
under the promise Of hafpay, and then dcducting the
mammal amount which he did get hy of tation
The result viii be this II the life shortone the
mutation viii amount In reality TO much, and in fact
than the hafpay for life and therefore the de-
scendants In such cases viii get nothing Tor when You
make the deduction there viii be found TO be
balance against the officer But If the life good one
or long one-f II ran until the time when the half
pay according the resolution OF Congress would amount
TO more than the full OF the commutationhen the
descendants win get the balance after deductng the
mutation II will therefore be perceived by the senator
from Michigan and by the Senate that the provisions OF
this bill do not make good any depreciation whatever
The senator's recollection may him in remembering
that the Committee Revolutionary Claims two years
apo believe did bring forward proposition TO make up
10 the officers of the revolution the amount OF The depreea
ton That committee this session could not agree upon
that proposition but they deemed IL wiser to report bill
OF this kind and after very full and careful examination
by the senator from South Carolina he reported this bill
am satisfied that he has examined its provisions with
great care and that he has devoted much attention TO the
history Of the period am satisfied as doubt not the
other members Of the committee are that this BILL TO say
the most Of H. will do nothing more than legal justice TO
the officers Of the revolution and for one should be
truly gratifed TO see II passed.
Mr. CASS The honorable senator from Wisconsin must
not misunderstood ] take no position against the