St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-27

Three Months FtfH Pay and Allowance
Claimed Under aa Old Larc
The veterans Of the Mexican war, SAYS q
Washington telegram to the New York Her
aid, have raised q very important point in
con nection With the recent decision OF the
supreme court in the case OF Gen. Emory
namely that they are entitled DOT only to
three months pay proper, but to three
months pay and allowances, which makes
considerable difference, the pay proper Of an
officer prior 10 July, 1870, when allowances
were abolished, being generally less than
one-half and in many cases not much more
than one-third of his compensation. II the
veterans Interpretation OF the law be correct
al officers who have received three months
pay proper for their services In Mexico have
been underpaid, and the whole matter will
have to be. reopened and probably relegated
TO the courts.
To properly understand the question in
volyed a brief statement Of the law and the
facts is necessary.
In July lS4S, congress passed an act pro-
yiding that officers and enlisted men OF the
army who were in actual service during the
war with Mexico, aud who served out the
term of that engagement, or we're killed or
hoporably discharged, should be entitled TO
three months extra pay. At that time and
Tor more than twenty years afterward, the
remuneration Of an officer consisted Of pay
proper and allowances Of various kinds. A
captain OF cavalry, for example, received $50
per month pay proper, S24 for rations, $l6
for forage, aud $3.50 for servants pay,
clothing and rations, making his total mon
thly compensation S106.5O. He was also
entitled 10 an additional ration (S6 per
month"; for every five years. service as an
officer. The "extra pay" granted by the
act Of 1S4S was construed to mean pay prop
er only, aud payments were made accor-
dinghy.
Imam accordance with an opinion given
by Atty. Gen. Reverdy johnson soon after
The passage Of the act OF IS4S, the secretary
OF war ruled that officers OF the regular army
who continued in service after the close OF
the war were not entitled to extra pay, and
that ruling was adopted by the accOuntin z
officers. About SIX hundred officers we're
thus deprived Of the gratuity bestowed BY
congress.
In February, 1879, the Law Of ls4S was re-
vived with the following proviso: "Provid-
ed that the provisions OF this act shall in-
elude also the officers, petty officers, seamen
and marines of the United States navy, the
revenue marine service, aud the officers aud
soldiers Of the United States army EN- ploye1
in the prosecution Of said war" On the
strength Of this additional legislation large
number of officers Of the regular army
whose claims had been barred by the ruling
OF the authorities in iS4S made application
for three months extra pay, but their de-
mands we're not acceded 20. Gen. Emory,
one OF the claimants, took his case to the
court Of claims, and recovered judgment in
March last The government appealed to
the supreme court, which has affirmed the
judgment Of the court below.
Tnis, II was supposed. was definite and
permanent settlement OF the whole matter,
and the accounting officers we're preparing
TO adjust all the claims which have been be ID
up pending the decision OF the court, but the
old veterans have sprung q mine under the
astonished treasury officials, and boldly
claim three months full pay and allowances.
The acts Of ls4s and 1879, they say, do not
contain the words ''pay proper'' and the
word pay" as used In said acts means the
salary, compensation, or recompeuse that
the government paid TO Its military officers
for their services. In other words, 1t Is paw,
rations and allowances.
II the veterans are successful In this their
latest claim al least three thousand officers.
including volunteers and militia, who have
already been paid, win be entitled 70 the diff
ference between pay proper and pay aud al
lOwances, which viii amount to about 500,
600. Those who have not been paid-about
six hundred officers Eni between four and
Eve thousand enlisted men-will receive up
ward Of $500, 900, making q total cost Of
500, 600. II they fail, then only the un-
paid officers and enlisted men will be bene-
fitted, aud the drafts on the treasury will not
exceed $500 900.
The roll of living officers who are now en-
titled 70 the grstuity provided by the act Of
1879 contains many notable names: Gems.
Bragg, Do y, Carlos Buell., Joseph z. Johnston,
Mcdowell, and Ruckcr were captains; Gems.
Grant, sherman, Longstreet, Beauregard,
Fitz John Porter, Getty, Ingalls,, II. J. Hunt,
Doubled. V, and Truman Seymour were first
lieuienants, and Gems, Hancock. Frsnkliu,
Mcclellan, Pope Augur, GibbOn, Pitcher,
Charles P. Stone, Gusiavus w. Smith. P ca
sontou, St1rgis, Stoneman, and others, were
only second Ieutenants. The oetogenarian
Harvey was a colonel Of Dragons, aud
Philip St George Cooke was a major In the
same re-imenL Fremont, the pathfinder
was lieuten snt colonel Of the mounted rides.
ana Gen. Emory, who has had the trouble
aud expense Of lighting the government 10
lWO COURTS was nrsl ncutenant In tue topO-
graphical engineers, and lieutenant colonel
OF Hughes regiment Of Maryland aud dis
triet OF Columbia volunteers
AS the Claims OF those Mexican veterans
who went south" are just as valid as though
their loy:lty had never been in question,
there is probability that JEFF Davis will be-
come entitled to 1919, that being the differ
ence betv cen his pay prOper for three months
as colonel of the Mississippi rifles aud bis full
pay aud allowances for the same rifles.
Tue extra pay does not belong to the
estates Of tie veterans, congress having d.
rectrd tat & shaii be paid 10 the following
representatives only, in the order named:
First. widows, second, children; third, pa
rents, aud fourth, brothers and period.
On miniature baskets OF champagne, we
read: Real champagne. So DOZEN" Why
should one pay so much for sham pain, when
lxrffl