Year: 1863

4


In 1888 the Congress of the Confederation
adopted the system of :" half pay" Of the Of
6cers of the army. Under the Confederation
Congress possessed ample power to contract
debts on behalf of the Government, but was
without the necessary authority to raise rev.
enue to pay them. The Confederation was
largely indebted to its army, who had i'm
perilled their all and suffered all things, and
had fought heroically on many battle fields
for liberty and the independence of the
country.


Congress had passed measure whereby
the officers were to be allowed half pay dur
ing their natural lives. But by some of the
States this measure was totally opposed,
while in others compromise was proposed,
by communication of the pay. In this crit
ical condition of affairs, Congress issued an
address on the subject to the several States
composing the Confederation. The Legisla-
ture of Massachusetts addressed letter to
Congress-, assigning as a reason for not
agreeing to the impost duty, the grant Of
half pay to the officers of the army. The tone
of this letter is worthy of note. 1t will be
remembered that by the articles Of confeder-
alton each State respectively was bound to
raise and furnish the means proportiouately
to liquidate the debts and defray the ex-
penses of the confederative government. The
correspondence on this subject between the
Legislature of Massachusetts and Congress,
through its committee, Of which Mr.. Madison
was chairman, shows the horror which the
patriots of those days had of disunion, and
is most pointedly condemnatory of. the se-
cessioni>m of the present times. We take
Virginia and Massachusetts were the two
leading States of the Confederacy at that
time, and the ideas it contains may be fairly
deemed the views of she statesmen of that
era in our country's history.


This Massachusetts, letter proceeds to say ::


1.-The Address of the United States, in
Congress assembled, has been received by
the Legislature of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, and while they consider
themselves as bound in duty to give Congress
| the highest assurance that no measure con-
sistent with their circumstances, and the con-
sttution of this government, and the Federal
Union, shall remain uninterrupted by them to
furnish those supplies which justice demands,
and which are necessary to support the
| credit and honor of the United States, they
| find themselves under the necessity of ad-
dressing Congress in regard to the subject of
half pay of officers of the army, and the
proposed Communication thereof, with some
other matters of similar nature, which
produce among the people of the common
wealth the greatest concern and uneasiness,
and involve the Legislature thereof in no
| small embarrassment" The
General Court are sensible that the United
States, in Congress assembled, are by the
Confederation vested with discretionary pow
er to make provision for the support and pay
ment of the army and such civil effleers as
may be necessary for managing the general
affairs of the United States; but in making
such provision due regard ever ought to be
had to the welfare and happiness of the peo-
pie, the rules of equity, and the sPirit and
general design of the confederation. Wecan-
not on this occasion avoid saying that, with
due respect, we ars of opinion those princi-
|
of half pay to the officers of the army; that
being, in our opinion, grant of more than
an ADEQUATE reward for their services, and
inconsistent with that equality which ought
to subsist among citizens of free and repub-
lican States. Such measure appears to be
calculated to raise and exalt some citizens in
wealth and grandeur, to the injury and op-
preston of others, even if the inequality
which will happen among the officers of the
army, who have performed from one to eight
years service, should not be taken into CON
sideration. And, indeed, if the Uni.
ted States were in the most wealthy and
prosperous circumstances, it is conclusive
that economy and moderation, with respect to
grants and allowances, in opposition to the
measures which have been adopted by mon
archial and luxurious courts, would most
| highly conduce to our reputation, even in the
eyes Of foreigners, and would cause the peo
pie, who have been contending with SO much
ardor and expense for republican constitu-
tions and freedom, which cannot be support
ed without frugality and virtue, to appear
with dignity and consistency and at the
same time would, in the best manner, con-
duce to the public happiness. 1t is thought
to be essentially necessary, especially at the
present occasion. that Congress should be ex-
pressly informed that such measures as are
complained of are extremely opposite and ir-
ritating to the principles and feelings which
the people of some of the Eastern States, and
of this State in particular, inherit from their
ancestry The Legislature cannot without
horror entertain the most distant idea of the
dissolution of the Union which subsists be
! tween the United States, and the ruin which
would inevitably ensue thereon-but with
great pain they must observe that the
extraordinary grants and allowances which
Congress have thought proper to make to
their civil and military officers, have pro-
duced such effects in this commonwealth as
are of tn reatening aspect"


In answer to the letter of which the FORE
going is an extract, sufficient to show the
points in the controversy, and the views Of
Massachusetts thereon, Congress adopted and
sent forth the report of their committee, which
report expressed the views of majority Of
the States, aud of Virginia in particular, and
among other things of the same drift and
sentiment, Congress answered:


| - Your committee consider the measure Of
Con gress as the result of deliberate judg-
ment, framed on a general view Of the inter
ests of the Union at large. They consider IT
! to be truth, that no State in this Confeder-
| acy can claim (more equitably than an indi-