The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-10

il was resolved that those who continued
.untl the end of the war should receive
half Iay for seven years after from
the date of the establishment of peace,
Unable, through difficulties with a
drprpciated currency and state Jeal
Iousies. ~ carry this scheme out CON
promise was agreed upon which provided
that all military officers commissioned by
congress, who should continue in the ser
vice during the war, and not holding any
Office of profit in the states, should be en-
.titled to receive half pay for seven years
a Ter the war, provided that such gratuity
"a ,-. AN oath of allegiance 70 the United
State. and actually reside within the same
! In 1880 the provisions of this act were
made 20 apply 10 the widows and orphans
of such officers as had died in the service
! Non commissioned officers were 10 receive
! $50 ~ "A specific reward at the end of the
war, but in order TO allay the discomfort
among them congress changed his TO half
pay for lile-whiCh provision was after
wards committed on a petition from the
officers pensioned under il TO full pay for
i've years, the petition stating that "ihe
half pay granted by sundry resolutions was
regarded in an unfayoraOle light by the
citizens Of some of the states In many
instances the individual states made prOvi.
sinns for soldiers who had served through
the war, notably Pennsylvania. Whatever
may have been the promises contained In
the various provisions made by these early
acts little or nothing came of them until
1926, when of 2,4S0 commissioned officers
of the Revolution but $50 remained, and
these $50 congress that year proceeded TO
provide for. In 17SJ and 1883 acts were
passed for the pensonlngot invalid private
soldiers, and from that until 1905 various
laws were placed upon the statute books
looking towards a general pension system
In 1905 the National government assumed
the pension lists of the states, and the
present system was fairly inaugurated, AT
the very outset many abuses crept into 1t,
and as far back as 1904 the saying was
heard on every side The revolutionary
claimant never dies-he is immortal" In
1918, 219iS persons applied for pensions
under an act of that year providing for
those who had served in the army OF the
of nil l,G
longer at any period of the war" and who
were in need Of assistance from the coun-
try This was greater number Of persons |
than were in Washington's army at any
period OF the war The first year the sum |
of Sl,Si7900 was required to meet the
provisions Of this act, and the second So |
7G6, 40 were necessary. The country, be
coming alarmed at the continued increased |
required, and the scandals !
under them becoming SO numerous G,000
names were dropped from the rolls In
1920, two years later. Twelve years after
another act was passed which only in.
creased the number Of frauds perpetrated
and which increased the number OF pen
sioners to IL 900. From 1892 until July
II, 1862, the date of the first act to provide
pension laws were passed-many of them
deserving ones and many for purely politi.
Cal reasons.
With the act of 1862 the Pension De
partment of the government commenced
TO assume its present gigantic proportions
gradually increased in importance by
every act since that time, and especially !
by the one of Jan. 2jth, 1si9--the arrears
of pension act-when back pay was grant
ed to those already on the pension lists and
to vast number of new claimants, who
ayaled themselves of its provisions. The
arrears act brought in new cases to the de-
partment in 1919 and 1880 at the rate Of
10, go month, while the average in 1878,
the year prior TO its passage, was but ,597
1t caused an increase in the appropriation
necessary to meet the wants of the depart.
rent of from SEQ Sl4 4lj in 1878 to SO
$50 Si7 "A, the sum available for the year
ending June 30, 1885, and to meet all the re
Qurements under Ii careful estimate
shows that no less than $4,000 600 will in
time necessarily be expended. Under all
the acts from 1862 to 1885 the sum of
$,85 ,092 ,6I0lS has been expended In
1885, at the end of the fiscal year, there
were on the rolls Of the Pension Depart
ment 3i5, l25 pensioners, as shown by the
report Of the commissioner, classified as fol-
lows; 2il, 45G army inyalds, 1854 army
widows, minor children and dependent
relatives; 2,14j navy invalids; 1895 navy
widows, minor children, dependent rea
tives; 2,9i5 survivors of the war of 1919, |
and Il PIG widows of those who served In |
that war. On an average these pensioners |
receive $ll036 per annum. During the
period of what may properly be termed |
the late war pension Legislation 96s, $40
claims have been filed and 5S0,S97 have
been allowed. To discharge the duties
Al, 4