The National tribune., 1881-12-17
SOMETHING ABOUT PENSIONS.

SOMETHING ABOUT PENSIONS.
A correspondent sends us the following article
concerning pensions:
The first pension law passed by Congress was that
of April TO- 1906 and was entitled San act to pro-
vide for persons who disabled by known wounds
received in the Revolutionary war" This was fol-
lowed by an act concerning invalid pensioners and
was approved April 25 1908 the object OF which
to provide for payment of State pensioners Of the
Revolution by the United States, and for invalids
disabled subsequent to the Revolution
An act to raise additional military force, ap-
proved Jan H. 1872 to provide for invads OF the war
of1812 stated that any officer, non-commissioned
officer musician private shall be disabled by
wounds otherwise while iii the lire OF his duty IN
public service he shall be placed on the list OF nva
lids of the United States"
By act of April Is, 1916 the widows Of the sol
ders of the war OF 1912 were added to the list of
those entitled to pensions. In case the widow was
not living the children under 16 were entitled.
An act supplemental to the Act for the relief OF
surviving officers and soldiers Of the Revolution,
and approved June T. 1882, made an increase in the
amount of pension previously paid, said increase to
continue during life.
Act of July 4, 1885, provides five years half pay
to widows or orphans of those who have died since
April 90 1918, in the service of the United States
of wounds received in the service This act was at
expiration renewed from time to time until by act
of February 3, 1853, "all those surviving widows
who have been or may be granted and allowed five
years half pay under the provision OF any law or
laws of the United States, be and they are hereby
granted continuance of such half pay during life"
In case the widow was not living the children (un
der 16 years of age of said soldier entitled to
pension.
As an inducement to those who might be per-
suaded to enlist in the then existing between
the United States and the Republic OF Mexico 1t was
May 13, 1876, enacted - That the volunteers who
may be received into the service of the United States
by virtue of the provisions of this act and who shall
be wounded or otherwise disabled in the service,
shall be entitled to all benefits which may be
ferred on persons wounded in the service of the
United States"
By act of February 2, 1913, the widows of Revolu-
tionary soldiers granted special favors.
April 1, 1864 the pensions of the soldiers of the
Revolutionary were increased
February 1S, 1867, the pensions of the widows of
the soldiers of the Revolutionary increased
to the annual amount previously paid to the
soldier.
Between the passage of the first pension law in
1906 and the commencement of the OF 1861
there were various "acts" of minor Importance
mostly in keeping with preceding enactments.
On July 22, 1861 an act was passed to authorize
the employment of volunteers to aid IN enforcing
the laws and protecting public property and it
further enacted that any volunteer who may be
ceved into the service of the United States under this
act and who may be wounded or otherwise disabled
in the service shall be entitled to the benefit which
have been may be conferred persons disabled
in the regular service, and the widow if there be
one and If not the legal heirs of such died may
be killed in service in addition to all of pay
and allowance, shall receive the sum of hundred
dollars"
In order to provide pensions to invalids in the
war of the rebellion and their relatives" &c, on
July IA, 1862, it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United States in
Congress assembled 'That if any officer non
commissioned officer, musician, private of the
army, including regulars, volunteers, and militia,
or any officer warrant petty officer seaman Or
dinary seaman, fotillaman marine clerk landsman
pilot, other persons in the navy marine corps
has been since the 4th of March, 1861 shall here
after be disabled by reason of any wound received
or disease contracted while in the service of the
United States and in the line duty, he shall upon
making due proof of the fact, according to such
forms and regulations may be provided by
in pursuance of law be placed upon the list of in
valid pensioners of the United States and be entitled
to receive for the highest rate of disability such
pensions as is hereafter provided in such cases. and
for inferior disability an amount proportionate
to the highest disability" This act also provides
pensions for the widows and children of soldiers and
sailors "who have died since the 4th day of March,
1861, or who shall hereafter die by reason of any
wound received disease contracted in the service
of the United States in said war" Provision was
also made for dependent parents, and also for de-
pendent brothers and sisters under Is years of age
From the foregoing brief extract from the pension
laws of the United States it will be seen that with
the exception of the Revolutionary war when the
country was not able to pay it's treops much less
pensions, it has been the custom of the Government
at the commencement of war to make special
enactment providing pensions an inducement to
aid in procuring enistments in service where limb
and life would be placed at risk, the Government
being conscious that the regular pay offered was less
than that offered to in ordinary health in their
usual avocations.
War is to say the least, very unsafe business The
soldier may not enter battle clothed in coat of
mail; can he wait to put on his gum shoes be-
fore starting his long and muddy march; or hold
up an open umbrella to shelter his person from the
cold and unwelcome rain. The result is that disease
and death make sad havoc in the ranks.
In the twenty four battles of the Revolution
1888 Americans fell in battle. In the Mexican war
1O0 454 men weye mustered into the service of which
number 9749 were discharged for disability and the
number of those who were killed in battle and died
of disease amounted to 1886. Making more than
one-ffth of the entire number in said war.
During the war of the rebellion, according to the
report of the Adjutant General, United States Army
the number of enlisted men and commissioned Of
fcers amounted to the grand total of 942 The
number of those who died in the service amounted
to 3O3 5O4. 74,707 men discharged, disabled by
consumption, diarrhea and dysentery, debility,
rheumatism and heart disease OF the vast mum
Der of those who wounded contracted dis
ease in the service, and who continued in the ser-
vice until discharged, and who have since died