The Portland daily press., 1899-03-04
WAS HiNoToN's SOLDIERS.
They Fsred Badly as Compared witt
the Cuban Revolutionists.

Nv. y. Curtis, In Chicago Record.)
General Conner and his army Of Cubans
have Jared great deal better with thoir
pay than did George Washington and the
revolutionary patriots who tonight under
his command. They got very little pay,
or clothing or supplies, for that matter.
and were in about the same condition as
the Cubans when the war closed and Con-
gress gave orders to have them mustered
out. In 1855 the discomfort became alarm
ing. Washington was powsrless to do any
thing. but entreated them to be patient
and await the generosity of Congress,
which WAS then engaged in petty contro.
versies and dissraceful intrigues The
treasury was empty and the states re-
fused to give the. government any further
pecuniary aid. 1t was then that Col.
Lewis Nicola, an influential officer, sug-
gested monarchy, with Washington as
King, and drew from the general a rebuke
in some of the noblest and most patriotic
sentences ever framed in the English
language
In December OF that year the soldiers
sent committee with q memorial to Con
gress, which was answered In January,
1854, by the adoption Of 4 series of unsat-
isfactory resolutions, directing Robert
Morrison, the director Of finance to take
such measures as the condition of the
public treasury would permit, and calling
upon the States to pay their own soldiers.
were mutiniss in several camps and
reasonable addresses were delivered from
the platform and In writing, which cul-
minated in an attack upon Congress by a
mob in Philadelphia. On June ~ mutt
nous soldiers surrounded the Statehou Sc.
where Congress was in session, and
after placing guards At the doors, made
demands for immediate legislation to
provide money to meet the arrears of pay
within twenty minutes time. Some Of
the leaders In Congress succeeded In per
suading the soldiers to return to their
camp, and..promised early action, but not
until there had bean q serious riot and q
disgraceful demonstration. As soon as
Washington heard of 1t he sent Gen.
Robert Howe with ]. 800 men to suppress
the riot. The ringleaders were arrested,
tried. found guilty and sentenced to
death. but were afterward pardoned by
Washingt oniat the request Of Congress.
In the meantime Congress shook the
dust of its feet from Philadelphia because
the authorities OF that city had done moth
ingito restrain the mob, and moved to
Princeton, where, on July 4. 1854. a reso-
luton was passed authorizing Mr.. Morris
to settle all accounts due every officer
and soldier and give them therefor GER
titicates payable at the pleasure of the
government. After several years investi-
cation and auditing about 90, 00n individ-
ual certificates were Issued by John Pierce,
paymaster general of: the army, for about
$l9 900, 900. These certificates were small
pieces Of white paper beaying the name
of the individual, Fhe amount to which
he was entitled. and the signature of john
Pierce They we're sold at a. discount as
soon as issued and for several years oircu-
lated as currency. At one time they, were
as low as 1e l-2 cents on the dollar when
spectators got hold of them and several
large fortunes We're made by those that
had faith, in the credit of the government.
They were funded by Alexander Hamil.
ton and became part of the first debt
of the United States.