Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-22
OUR FOREIGN GUESTS.
How Their Ancestors were Paid Tor
Their Services by the Governments.

OUR FOREIGN GUESTS.
Thefr Services by the Governments.
At the close of the revolutionary war the Con-
fLental Congress was unable to raise the means
necessary for the payment Of the army in full,
and it was with great difficulty that sufficient
money was obtained to send the soldiers to their
places Of enlistment. So far as pay was con-
cerned, no doubt the foreign officers Jared
rather better than our own soldiers, strong
effort being made to pay them as large a por-
ton Of the amount due them as possible; but to
pay them in full could not be done. An adjust
| ment of their accounts was made in 17S2, and
partial payment was made in cash, and certifi-
Gates Of indebtedness given for the balance.
these certificates bearing an interest of 6 per
cent; but like all other paper of the CONT
mental Congress they deprecated rapidly in
value until in January, 17S4. under a resolu-
| ton Of Congress. they were called in and new
certificates were issued. which were subse-
quently redeemed by the present government.
| sTRATTENED CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FOREIGN
OFFICERS AND MEASURES FOR THEIR RELIEF.
As showing the straitened circumstances of
these officers long after the close of the war, the
| following extracts have been taken from the
old Journals of Congress" and may prove in
| teresting to some of our foreign visitors ut the
present time, who will doubtless recognize
many familiar name among the number given
below:
'On the 22d of January, 17S4, the committee
| 10 whom had been referred letter from Major
| Gen du Portal, requesting some immediate
payment for himself and other officers belonging
| to the late corps of engineers and also letter
from Brig. Gen. Armand, as well, on behalf OF
| himself and other officers belonging to the
| legOnary corps, late under his command, as of
| the said corps of engineers report
That the foreign officers, lately i'm the service
| Of the United States, who were not attached to
the line of any particular state, complain Of
| great and singular hardships under which they
| have labored during the late war. The pay
| which they received for q considerable time, in
deprecated money, was very unequal to their
actual expenses, nor could they be prOfted by
| the recommendations of Congress on the subject
of depreciation. which afforded immediate relief
| to the rest Of the army, because there was no
| state to which they could look for the balance
| of their pay; hence it followed, that some of
| them have depended in great measure for their
| support, on remittances from their friends in
France, while others, less fortunate have con-
tracted considerable debts in America. That i'm
! their present situation they neither have the
| means of subsisting in America nor of returning
| to their native country. unless some part of the
money due them by the public shall be paid;
''ResoEued, That the superintendent of finance
take order for paying to the foreign officers Of
| the late corps of engineers, and to the foreign
officers lately belonging to the legionary corps,
commanded by Brig. Gen. Armand also, to Major
| SegOud, Capt. Beaulieu, late Of Gen. Pulaski's
corps. and to Capt. Pouthiere, late aid to the
| Baron Steuben, such sums on account of their
pay as may be necessary to relieve them from
their present endorsements, and enable those
in America to return to their native country"
CERTIFICATES OF INDEBTEDNESS AND THEIR RE
| DENTON.
Under this resolution, which was adopted
Robert Norris, then superintendent of finance
issued certificates Of Indebtedness dated ''ye
9Th April, 1884," bearing interest at 6 per cent
/ from January l, payable annually at the house
of Monsieur Ferdinand Grand, banker, in Paris.
| No time was specified for their redemption. and
it was not until Alexander Hamilton assumed
| control OF our national finances, that any at
i tempt was made to redeem them. In cOmmu-
| ncatiOn to the House of Representatives. dated
| January 23d, 1872, he thus refers to them:
There is part of the public debt of the United
States which is a cause of some perplexity to
the Treasury. 1t is not cOmprehended within
the existing provision for the foreign debt which
| is confined to loans made abroad; and it is
! questionable, whether it is to be regarded as
portion Of the domestic debt. 1t is not only due
to foreigners but the interest upon it is payable
| by express stipulation, in foreign country;
| whence it becomes matter Of doubt, whether it
be at all contemplated blythe act making provision
for the debt of the United States. The part
| alluded to is that which is due to certain for
| eign officers who served in the United States
during the late war. In consequence of a reso-
luton of Congress directing their interest to De
paid them in France, y it has accord
ingly been paid to them in Paris down to the
31st of December, 1873, by virtue of a special
| that year, since which period no payment has
been made. Provision was subsequently made
| for their payment, principal and interest, IN
| gold, or its equivalent, from moneys obtained
hui HILL. r,.lp
| last certificate was made in 1928. The original
certificates, which are yet well preserved, were
! printed on parchment, and were the only bonds
of the United States ever printed on that mate
| rial. The par value of the amount of these
certificates issued was $186, $685. "a. The follow
| ing is
LIST OF THE OFFICERS TO WHOM THEY WERE
ISSUED:
| General Thaddeus Kosc;uskO, Mai. Gen. du POr-
| tail, Maj Gen. ]. B. j. De Laumoy, Brig. Gen.
Glaubeck, Baron de Uhtrick, Major de Bert de
| Majau, Capt. John Price, Col. Jean Ternout,
Capt. John Sharp, Capt. PHILIPPE Streubing,
Major ROchefontaine Major LIE Enfant, Capt
| L. J. de Beaulieu. Lieut.. Col J. S. de Brahm
| COrnet Peter B. Raffanau. Capt. James de Sc
| gOnd, Lieut.. Col. Murnau, Lieut.. J. DescOu-
teres Lahais, Chevaler de la Colombo. Capt
Peter Castaing, Capt. Capitaine, Col. Raider
| Balleire, Lieut. Col Gimat, Capt Chevalier de
| de POntiere. Lieut.. Col Louis de Fleury, Mon
| sieuI de POntgebeau, Lieut.. Col. Cambray, Major
LIE Brun de BellecOur, and Lieut.. Col. A. G. de
Villefranche.
FOREIGN OFFICERS PROMOTED.
By resolution Of the Continental Congress,
November 16, 1871, 'Brigadier Gen. du Portal.
commanding officer of the corps of engineers, in
consideration of his meritorious services and
particularly Of his distinguished conduct in the
siege of York, in the state Of Virginia was pro-
NOTED to the rank of major general; Lieut.. Col
| Gouvion received the brevet of colonel and
Capt. ROchefOntaine the brevet of major; the
two former being also granted leave of absence
| from the United States for six months.
Congressional Report ON the Services
Of Baron de Steubem.
On Monday, August 25th, 17S8, in the House
| of Representatives, the report of the committee
| to whom was referred q letter from Baron de
| Steuben, was read as follows: 'The committee,
consisting of Mr.. Gilman, Mr.. Otis, Mr.. William
son, Mr.. Darlington and Mr.. L. Hommedien, to
whom was referred q letter from the Baron de
Steuben, requesting an adjustment Of his claims
on the principles of q contract, alleged to have
been entered into between him and the United
States DreyiOuS to his pnOaDinO in their sorvico