The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-01-07
UNITED STATES PENSION LAWS.
Comprehensive Digest Of Pension Legislation From the Founda
ton of the Government.
copyrighted. 1904. by Tzr NATIONAL TRIBUNE
TIE FIRST U. 8. PENSION LAW.

TIE FIRST u 8. PENSION LAW.
The first pension law of the United
States was resolution adopted Aug. ~,
1776, by the Continental Congress, sitting
ut Philadelphia. 1t is as follows:
whereas in the course of the present
war some commissioned and non-commis-
stoned officers of the Army and Navy, as
also private soldiers, marines and seamen,
may lose limb or be otherwise so disabled
as to prevent their serving in the Army
or Navy, or getting their livelihood, and
may stand in need of relief:
Il. Resolved, That every commissioned
officer. non-commissioned officer, and priv
ate soldier, who shall lose a limb in any
engagement, or be SO disabled in the service
of the United States of America, rs TO rem
der him incapable afterwards of getting
livelihood, shall receive, during his life,
or the continuance OF such Disability, the
one-half of his monthly pay from and
after the time that his pay as an officer or
soldier ceases to be paid by the committee
as hereafter mentioned
'.2. That every commander of any ship
of war or armed vessel. commissioned Off
Ger, warrant officer. marine, or seaman
belonging to the United States of America,
who shall lose limb in any engagement
In which no prize shall be taken, or be
therein otherwise so disabled as to be rem
dered incapable of getting livelihood;
shall receive during his life, or the con-
of his monthly pay, from and after the time
that his pay as an officer or marine or sea-
man ceases; to be paid as hereafter mer-
toned. But, in case prize shall be taken
at the time such loss of limb or other dis
ability shall happen. then such sum as he
may receive out of the net profits of such
prize, before a dividend is made of the
same, agreeably to former orders of Con
gress, shall be considered as part of his
half paw. and computed accordingly
"3. That every commissioned offlcer,
non-commissioned officer, and private sol
der, in the army, and every commander,
commissioned officer, warrant officer. ma
rine, or seaman of any of the ships of war,
or armed vessels belonging to the United
States of America. who shall be wounded
In any engagement. so as to be rendered
incapable of serving in the Army or Navy
though not totally disabled from getting a
livelihood. shall receive such monthly sum
as shall be judged adequate by the As
sembly or other representative body OF the
State where he belongs or resides, upon
application to them for that purpose; pro.
vided the same doth not exceed his halt
pay; r oom;ss;oroa
officer, non-commissioned officer, and priv
ate soldier in the Army, commander. coin
missioned officer, warrant officer. marine,
or seaman of any OF the ships of war. or
armed vessels, belonging to the United
v
or disabled as aforesaid, shall be entitled
to his half pay or other allowance, unless
he produce to the committee or officer APP
pointed to receive the same, in the State
where he resides or belongs. or to the As
sembly or legislative body of such State.
a certificate from the commanding officer,
who was in the same engagement in which
he was so wounded. or, in case of his death,
from some other officer of the same corps,
and the Surgeon that attended him, or a
certificate from the commander OF the ship
OF war; or armed vessel engaged in the &C
man, received his wound, and from the Sur
geon who attended him, of the name OF
the person so wounded, his Office, rank.
department, regiment, company, ship OF
war; or armed vessel, to which he belonged,
his Office or rank therein. the nature of his
wound. and in what action or engagement
he received it.
ss5 That it be recommended to the sew
eral assemblies or legislative bodies of the
United States of America. to appoint some
person or persons in their respective States,
who shall receive and examine all such Ger
tificates rs may be presented to them, and
register the same in book, and also what
support is adjudged by the Assembly or
legislative body of their State, to those
whose case requires but partial support.
and also of the payment from time to time
of every half pay and other allowance, and
of the death of such disabled person, or
ceasing of such allowance. and shall make
fair and regular report of the same quar-
terly to the Secretary of Congress or Board
or War, where separate record shall be
kept of the same.
&c. That ii be recommended to the As
eemblies or legislative bodies of the several
States. to cause payment to be made of all
such half pay or other allowances as shall
be adjudged due to the persons aforenamed
on account of the United States.
az. Provided, That all such officers and
soldiers that may be entitled to the afore-
said pension. and are found to be capable
of doing guard or garrison duty, shall be
formed into a corps of inyalids, and sub
ject to the said duty and all officers, ma
rines. and seamen of the navy who shall be
entitled to the pension aforesaid, and
shall be found capable of doing any duty
on board the navy. or any department.
thereof, shall be liable to be so employed.
BY resolution of Sept. %, 171S, the bene-
fits of the foregoing were extended to all
disabled i'm the service before Aug. 26.
1716, and ''since the commencement. of hos
fiIities on the 10Th of April, 1715."
THE FIRST sERyIcE-PENsIoN LAW.
Under date of Jan. %, 1878. Gen
George Washington, COMMANDMENT Chief
Of the American Armies, submitted to q
which occurred the following:
AS [ consider a proper and satisfac-
tory provision for officers, in manner, as
the basis of every other regulation and ar
rangement necessary to be made, since
without officers no army can exist, and nm
less some measure be devised to place those
of ours in more desirable situation, few
of them would be able, if willing, to con-
tinue in it.
81 shall begin with a few reflections,
tending to prove the necessity of Half
Pay Establishment At the
commencement of the dispute-in the first
illusions of their zeal, and looking upon
the service to be only temporary, they en-
tered into it, without paying any regard
to pecuniary or selfish considerations. But
finding its duration to be much longer than
they at first suspected, and that instead OF
deriving any advantage from the hardships
and dangers to which they were exposed,
they, ON the contrary, were losers by their
patriotism, and fell far short even of a
competency to supply their wants, they
have gradually abated in their ardor: and
with many, an entire Discrimination to the
service under its present circumstances, has
taken place 1t is not, indeed
consistent with reason or justice. to expect
that one set of men should make O sacri.
flee of property, domestic ease and hap
piness, encounter the rigors of the field
j. the perils and vicissitudes of war, to obtain