Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-06-07

DOOu luitn, 4 INuu iIOth nii. iNuh
Pension Manual
Tho Continental Congress by a series Of resolu-
tons passed August 20, 17f0, provided that every
commissioned and non-commissioned officer and
private In tho army who should lose limb In any
engagement, or be otherwise so disabled In th,
service Of States, In the war then existing with
the mother country, as to be rendered incapabl,
"afterwsrd Of gaining a livelihood" should re-
ceive during life, or the continuance of such disa
blllty, one-half his monthly pay after his pay a,
a soldier should cease.
Hence, before the Revolutionary Wal
had made its cripples, there was a
promise by the Government to those
who were disabled in the cause of lib.
crty that they should receive a pension
If that promise is binding upon the
nation after they were organized under
the present Constitution, 1t is contract
as to these soldiers. We will see now
whether that was ratified by the Uni
ted States. In 1890, after the organiza-
ton of the Government, the Congress
of the United States passed an act, ap-
proved April 30, 1890, "for the regula-
ton and formation of the armies Of the
United States" That act provided
That II any commissioned officer, non commits
stoned officer, private, or musician aforesaid, shall
be wounded or disabled while In the line Of bis
duty in public service, he shall be placed on the
list Of invalids Of the United States at such rate
Of pay and under such regulations as shall be
directed by the President OF the United States for
the time being.
That was in 1890. Thus at that
time the resolution of the Continental
Congress was ratified in the passage of
the general army bill, and ii was prom
ised that any one disabled in the line
of his duty as n soldier should be paid
pension. If that promise was ac-
cepted by the soldier, and he was dis.
abled, was II not a contract, and has ho
not right TO demand his pension ?
In order that there never should be
any misapprehension on this subject,
and that every wellin informed man
should know his rights, prior to every
war, with very few exceptions, SINH
lar resolution or law has been enacted
Such e-enactment took place before or
in the early stages of every great war
In anticipation Of the War Of 1912 with
Great Britain, and for the very purpose
Of inducing enlistments, there was
passed an act approved January II,
1912, entitled "An act to raise an addi
tlonal military force" 1t provided
That ifany Office, non commissioned officer, ,rnu-
sician, or private, shall DO disabled by wounds Or
80
ocrviee. he shall be placed on the list Of invalids
Of the United States at such rate Of pension and
nder such regulations as are or may be directed
by law, dc.
So that we find prior to the Revolu.
ton an act Of this kind was passed, and
prior to the War of 1912 it was rciter-
ated. But il may be pleaded that the
statute of limitations applies as TO all
these acts. Since 1865 many statutes
of limitations have been passed depriv-
ing pensioned soldiers of their rights.
1t has been assumed repeatedly by this
House, that these soldiers are not en-
titled as ofright to pensions that these
are mere gratuity. proper time
we will consider whether these limita-
tion acts ought to stand upon the
statute-books, or whether they are q
disgrace to our Legislation. At this
time | will say nothing more about
them. But assert here broadly that
with very few exceptions the rule is
that every invalid pension is a debt,
and debt the nation ought not to re-
pudiate. a.a
In 1862 il became necessary, as was
supposed, to reitcrate the same legisla-
ton. Hence, we find that on the 14th
of July, 1862, an enactment Of this
kind was passed, which is to be found
in the Statutes at Large, vol. IL, page
$50. Although this principle had been
asserted frequently and broadly in
many enactments and re-enactments, it
was the intention of the Government
that this matter should be placed be-
yond doubt. 1t was intended that no
soldier in the army should doubt or
hesitate for a moment in the belief that
If he were disabled in his country's
service he should not bo consigned for
the residue of his days to penury and
pauperism, or in case of death his sur
viving family subjected to the same
tate The provisions was enacted in
order that he might feel at ease that
he might rest in the confident belief
that if he sacrificed his all for his coun-
try, that country would provide for
those whom he left behind. Hence in
1862, before many invalid pensioners
had been made, this act was passed
That II any officer, non-eom mi missoned officer,
musician, or private, of the army, including regu-
lars, volunteers, and militia, or any officer war
rant or petit officer, musician, seaman, ordinary
seaman, 1otiIla man, marine, clerk, landsman,
plot or other person in the Navy OF Marine
Corps, has been since the ith day Of March, 1861,
or shall hereafter be, disabled by reason VI any
wound or disease contracted while 10 the se,yiee
OF the United States 10 the line Of duty, he shall
upon making due proof Of the fact according TO
such forms and regulations as are or may be pro-
vided for, by, or In pursuance Of law, be placed
upon the list Of invalid pensioners Of the United
States.
This act was to a largo degree pro
spective, The great mass of those who
are now pensioners were then able
bodied men. Under the provisions of
this act they stepped into the ranks.
They had the assurance of the country
whose honor they had always regarded
as holy and sacred that If they were
disabled or should die in the service OF
their country they and theirs should
be provided for.
Mr. Hurlbut What is the date of
the act which the gentleman has just
read
Mr. jerks. July IA, 1862 prior
certainly to the time when the great
mass of our pensioners had become
such.
Mr., Hewitt, Of Alabama. Ifthe gen
tlcman will allow me, would remind
him that in the proclamation of Presl.
dent Lincoln, issued in 1861, calling for
volunteers, a promise was made that
such as might he wounded or should
contract disease in the war should have
n pension and Congress afterward
ratified that promise.
Mr.. jerks. The facts are as the
honorable gentleman from Alabama
[ Mr.. Hewitt states them. The pen.
sion law of 1862 was not passed before
the first soldier went into the army
yet prior to that time the soldiers had
the word Of man they had reason to
trust, that IL they should 60 into tho
service they should be provided for.
Shall that word be disgraccd here on
the floor Of this Congress ? Shall wc
disregard that contract in view ofwhich
they into the army2 They obeycd
the call Of their country and in that
view they did only their duty, it is