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SAVANNAH BEPUBMCAN*
. FREUKMCK B. FELL,
dm PRiirrsin.
. | . t|
/-d
mi
rasso,-8sibst—aoDacBT,six, rasas*.
rtrtste m utorttreE.
r.jyiiL n*i asn nw asVssvMiaxsi* astua is
am run* ■ tuvotoox ax niita, uau-f-o
' so**** raoffaMW'sotot.Wrw. •. uum.
s " ~ iroMiuv.
^Oh.Rirc.me, Heaven! to sweeten latter life,
v Aud mfcnl mjr wayward heart, a tender wife,
'Vfto soothes 'me, though herxtlf with angaitb
"Nor renders ill for 9,1 nor tongneror tortguf;
• Swayr by -pemuaion^hiaaea ofFmy frown.
And rrt^nt," unfc-n’d, a queenwiihoul a crown.
J AbW-to^lCaxe me, berkcenmpt^li’d hand
~ < -!hrtkrj>'and homely needle-can command:
'AndleaWinp wTth web grace her tottgoe applies*
Her r#ry nfaftimfirtU- a gay dkgniae.
Beal form) prSaioce, at" if prince* came, ‘
*•«! oSdert; e’en-tt) me, with hridal ilunne;
A friend,'srplajrtajte, at my whlie-i call,
. A rcad)'iiune,'thoagh aftmmimed frutn a-ball;
•iShr hold* in eye that conquest youth achiev'd,
-Leveiwithout pmrV.-and please* uBpereeiv’d.
’SVSwXSr tihdomd JnuBigtmer, 25th tilt.
m;rnuvfiotrg»r officers’ cl.ii.ms
Tlie;«lsi*W’V>f The surviving officers
the'rsAitetioiwry -arrfiy hare again come
hefifra-cniigressj-tiyn memorial', presented
- in (he house efreprescfilatives’ on Mon
day; hjr'Mr^Jolmaon'.-ibf'Kjr. We cheer
fully comply «iith the ftqaest to publish
their mfesihrial, -anil the statement by
' which it was accomptiile-i. ”\Ve add the
-hope, that the -dec'••ion on rthe subject
*ST the 'present 'Cession - may be final.
-To (he honorable* the'Scnate, and (he hon
nr.ible the house of representatives of
the ' Uflited States, lit congress aaaem-
b!*«l,’ y Vie'memorial of 'the subscriber,
“sblleitortm belief of the surviving offi
cers of the revolutionary'army »f the
^United Suites, most respectfully repre
sents:
That Jris tbnstitucftts,-the surviving of-
^ficera ofthe revolutionary army, in renew-
'•iug -their application Hoyhur -honorable
’houses, for an equitable oclile'.mehtof the
I half pay, as stipulated bv (he-resolves of
' cotiferess, are not moreimpelted by the af>
*■ dieting necessity,“to which the faithful de-
• votion of their youth ftfind military service
'•of iheir country has:reduced.them in the
- decline Of life, Ilian by<* ocnSe cl duty to
" thihnselvcs, as men-of: lutnor, to "demon-!
i strafe- and cstaWinn, by .'incontrovertible.
' proof, the truth and ‘justiew af the claim
’ which they have preferred; and relying on
1 the equity of the national* Councils', under
f such information, they' h'aVe instructed
i vour-memorialist, to state ithe following
i'a'cts, with the evidence brwrhich they are
' ml poor ted:
* By the resolve* of coogras,"of 'August
.'llth, 1779,'October 91st,-1Z80, snd Jan*
«uary 17th, 1781, it nvas^stiplilated thal
'hair pay for life should 'bestrewed to the
'officers of the revolutionary army, whose
'terms of service* are Specified in tbe-said
••resolves.
The proofs of this stipulation are recor-
*ded in the acts of the government, under
t'tlie several dates above redtrd-s-and the re,
^petition of the promise; so-oftdp made,.‘not
'only declared the gratitude of the-go vern-
'ment to the officers, for -service* already
‘ rendered, but manifested its •'arfxity for
’•the continuance of those services,-which it
’•thu* solemnly stipulated to-reward,
• The contract,'on the part Of the officers,
"was faithfully perlotme*l,-.at-the 'aacrifice
sgf every personal considevhtFon, and the
' entire reliquishment of; private pursuits.
■Theprobfof this faet is recorded in the inr
•dependence mid ehvereigntyef the-United
3 States—and it but MO sadly-attested by
"the necessity which urgei'tfie! flreseht ap
speal to the justice oC-gorecnmerit.
On-the part of government, no Variance
Cfrora thw-terms of the cnntaactAvas disclos-
**d dntihthe-22d of March,! 1783, (the pre-
*limiuXry articles of peace being then sign-
-*ed) when a prajudice*s»u»»tthe.balf-pay.
Shaving been excite*! in some scctious of
-our coontry,'the"sen'!or«fficert of the army
suggested-theideauf « Commutation, which,
•although'generally objected toby the ion;
ior officers,was, under theinfluence of age
’and rank, nflopted b/ths lines composing,
-the main army; and the resolve'of Congress,
tprAposing ’a ' commutation -of .-five years’
wfitfl pay* ttiTieo of .tiie-Hmff pay for life,.
1 -which Itad tceD-arrtjnwrilly -nvipnUtAt,-
-«nd which bail unquestionably held an in-
•DriCnce in deciding the-younger"portion of
Hbeofficowseoan abstraqted.pursuit duty,
•Vtha puatA- ' v
Independently, however of the bbjec-
.'tioos offered by thc^jouior officers of the
■'main, army, MW commutation of the half
-rtny, thero-ioa fact iff decjMve importance,
«s regards a large-portion of tlic officers,
in relation to that chapge -«4 the compen
sation. , V >i -
The officers-of the dines »T Georgia,
South Carolina, Notlh-Carolina, and tome
■ -corps, of Virginia, Ifid-no voice whatever,
either by -fines eras'individuals* in the
. question o? camAoUtidn. They had been
made nrisonert chwar-beforc ami at the
-capitulation of Charleston, on the 12th ol.
May, t780^1nd were not after war da reor- 1
.^anitS'tib
. Your tiytmorialist• was > at that time a
captain in toe first regiraentof South Care*
line, and-Aid dd-Cayip to major general
Lincoln, - who then commanded ..in the
.-'southern desartmenn and. four memorial-
. ut, being iitorwOnls\pppoioted assistant
secretary ot war; -is enabled to -assure
.Tour honorable houses that this statement
j» strictly cmtcct: t Q« is not, however,
instructed to • request-dii/ dlstinetioaj
. and he believes that ih^gearroaS^ptritS
. of those lines* w'm survive to Unite
-With their brother .officers in the present
^ application * do not desire to be separated
fi-r.r.i lli.ur faithful conirailt-* in honor and
misfiirtune; but, cimfiding in die justicetof
the claim, await with them that'equitable
decision, which the just and niaftnaniin?
bus spirit of the national-tounciU'shall
■bward. *
In addition to facts so conclusive as'
‘thosealready adduced in favorof the cTaim,
.your memorialist begs leave, watb th«- most
respectful deference, to state ttf your hon
orable houses that, in commuting the half
pay tor life, an error of the most injurious
nature to the officers was (no doubt inad
vertently) committed—such an eiTor, in
deed, as, without impeaching the integrity;
of government* needs only to be mention--
ed, even at this distant period, to proenre
immediate-redress to the imured party. •
The average age of the officer* of.the re
volutionary army, at the war, in .1783,
could not, by just computation, be reckon
ed beyond thirtydive years, which on an
estimate of the expectation of life, collect
ed frdin the; most approved writers .on an.-:
nnitie*, would have entitled the officers to.
au average commutation ot-rr-v years ami,
six months full pay, instead, of five years:;
and would have allowed to the younger of-,
Beers,-who disagreed to the commutation,'
an-average of twelve years* full psy. >
If ram t iese data you Vmemoriahits con
cludes,.that if the commutation of five
years’ full pay had been paid to his const!
(Cent* in Kohl or silver, they WoulU'at Uiii
time, umler the error here stated, have had
a clear and equitable claim for the. addi
tional sum ofifive years and six mootba
of the -fill]. pay, with its accumulation of
thirty five years'interest, amounting to
sum far a beyond the moderate’proposition
which they now submit to your honorable
houses,'ot resuming the original contract,
without charging any interest on the.ar
i enrages oft* half pay, or .making; P«tof. the UnitedSutes tothejirinciple
any de-inetion "for the-loss which they t/lg
surtafn in allowing (he full nominal
amount hi the commutation certificate; ; ris e from thenature of the com
to be refunded, ^instead of the one' d a ,iy .indisposition, to
cghth or one tenth part, wh,U they recetv- ^ a ’ te lhose who J 8erv ices, «crifi-
ed. onarak forcej by want *r tread c J^ d suS - eri „ g , have so just afitle to
s S ? -PPr 0 t>ationiudrewards J oftl.ircou„
mad* by the gbverumeot in that time to re- •V l - rherefor That -such of-
deem tRo principal or to p*y any part of ficers
as arc now in serticc, and- shall con
tinuc therein to the end of the war, shall
the interest.
Were it necessary to adduce any addi
tional proofs in support of the clrtm, your,
memorialist appriheuds .that complete
confirmation ofall the facts Stld opinions
here stated wi|l be fobhd in the memorial
ol the citizens of the United States which
he is charged to present to rour honorable
houses, in behalf of his constituents, the.
>urviving officers uf the revolutionary ar*
my. In that minute and interesting'rep
resentation, their servioes Are fiit only
greatfully recognized and appreciated, ant'
the. justice of their claim completely ad
mitted, but a pledge is given by many
thousands of the. moat respectnble citizens,
that-they will cheerfully .contribute their,
proportion of assessmeht to the just ami
grateful purpose of tuISling this national-
engagement.
Aa this liberal interpostion, in'jbchalf of
the surviving officers of the revoletionary
army, by the citizens of the United States,
to many of whom public trusts of great im
portance are confided, is of high authority,,
and irtt only establishes the; justice of the
claim, but gives a pledge 4 to make provi
si on for its discharge, your memorialist
under the sanction and in the words oi
their solicitation, on behalf of his consti
tuents, most respectfully snd most earn
estly entreats, thr' an act ray be passed
directing, the act ranting bfficers of the.
tieasnry to adjust the claim of each sur*<
viving Officer of the rhvolutionaiy army of
the'United States, who, by the resolves of
congress, was entitled to half pay for. life
—calculating the amount of the principal'
of the arrearages .from the time of his' re
daction, and deducting therefrom five
year*' full pay—and the balance of ar-
reages being thiie ascertained, to issue a
certificate, bearing interest of fix per cent/
per anifum, to the officer for the amountnl:
said balance; and the officer to be 'thence
forth entitled to receive half.pay, ill half
yearly payments, for and during the term
of his natural life.
As the relief to be received by the sur
viving officers ofthe revolutionary army,
"whose average age now approaches seven
ty year*, will be gTeatly mcrussed by the
promptitude with which it is accorded,
your memorialist also entreats that the
attention of your honorable houses - may
be directed to this interesting considera
tion.
And yoor memorialist-will every pray.
If. Jackson,
Sthdltr on behalf iftht SurvMng’ Ojpcen of -ifte
'pay I
by the Resolves of congees*.
In Congra*, -iugus* lift, 1779*
“Resolved, That the half pay provided
by the reitulutibn of the . T5th:51ay, .'1778,-
be extended to continue - for life, and that
the holding of a civil office untler the Uni;
ted States, or either uf them, shall be no'
bar to prevent any officer from receiving
the same.”
In Cnigrtu, October 21tt/1780.
each state ti> meet and agree Upon the of
ficers for the regiments-to be raised-by-
their respective - states,-from- those, who
incliue tiV continue In-service; and where
It caniiot be doue by agreement, to-be-de
termined by seniority: and rnakw return of
those who are to remain, which Ja io.be
transmitted to congress, together-with the
names af the officers reduced, Who-ace to’
be allowed half pay fisr Jife.
«Resolved, 'ITiat the. officers -who shall
continue in the service, to the end of the
war^ shell also be entitled to halt pay dnr-
Up — ~
_ jife, to commence fittin-Ute 'time of
their reduction.”
In Ccngrtu, Loamy xrt 'h. IT8U ..
“Resolved, That all officer* in the fa?
pita! department, and medical staff, here
inafter menttonedj -Who shall continue in
service W the «id «.f the war, or be rerf’Jc
ed before' that time ’is supernumeraries,
shall be entitled to, and receive, during
life, in lieu of half-pay, tf.e following *»
lowancr,”4" ei >
' Br the preceding resnlvds of congress,
ko often tepeatedjitis incontestibly pvov-l
ed tohive been the intention of govern-
cvent to' make « provision for the officers
during life, to tKe full amount of their half
pay, respectively—and 'the subjoined re
solve^ which proposed tlie commutation,
I expressly states'-tiiat it should be Tor on
equivalent. .
h Cingrc,, Morck22d, 1783. |
<«0n the report of a committee, 'consis-
dhig of Mr. Hamilton, Mr. J>yer,and Mr.
Bedford, to whom was referred* motion
of Mr. Dyer, together with the .memorial
of the officers ofthe army, and the report
I of the committee thereou; congress came
-to tlie-following resolutions:
| “Whereas, the officers ot the several
tines unA* ike immediate command of his
excellency general Washington,-did, by
their late memorial, transmitted by their
committee, represent to congress, thatl
the-half pay granted by sundry resolutions,
was regarded in an unfavorable light b> i
the-citizens of some of these states, .who
I would prefer s compensation for a limited
* term ul years, or by* sum in gross, to ai>|
establishment Tor life; and did, on that
account, solicit a commutation of their
half pay for an equivalent, in one of the
two modes above mentioned, in orderl
to 'remove all subject uf dissatiaractioiJ
froraithe miudsof-their fellow-citizens.—
And whereas congress are desirous as well
[of gratifying the reasonable expectations
of tlie officers of the army, as of removing
all.objections, which may exist in any
ofkhe rhalf pay .establishment; forwhich
he faith of the -United Slates has been
leSgeSf persuaded that those objections
be-entitled to receive the amount of five
yearsfi'l^pity, in money, or securities on
interest, St six per cent, per annum, as
congress shall find most convenient, in
stead of the hall pay promised for life, by
the.resolu lion of the 21st day of October,
1780; the said securities to be such as
liven to the other creditors ofthe
United-States, provided'it be at the op
tion ofthe lines ofthe respective "states
and not-bf officers individually in those
lines, .to refute, or accept-'the same; and
provided a|sO, that their election, sliail be
signified 1 to congress through the comman
der in chief,.from the line* under' his im
mediatwctKnma.nd, within (wo months, and.
through "’Uic commanding officer of-the
southern-army, front those .under-his .com
mand, within six months from. the.date of
this resolution..
u ,ThitHUe..same ‘ cmnmutatio.n shall ex
tend to the corps not 'belonging to the
lines of particular"state'*,And. who*re en-,
titled to half pay for life* as aforesaid; the
acceptance or refusal to be determined by
corpj, and to.be signified in th'jsametnu.i-
ucr, -and .within tlie same time as above
taentioned.
“That all officers belonging to the hos
pital department, -who are entitled- tn-half
:ay by the:resolution ofthe 27th day-of
,[anuary,'1781, fnay collectively .agree:to
accepter refuse the aforesaid commutation
signifying the same through the command
er, in chief, within six months from’this
time.
That- sut-li officers as have retired at
different-periods, entitled to half .p^y .for
life, may collectively,.in each .state of
which they ova inhabitants, accept or re
fuse the same; tlieii assent orrrfusal-tobe
signified-by agents, authorized for that
purpose, within .six months from this-peri
od; that with respect to such retiring- offi
cers, -the • commutation, if -accepted by
them,shall be-in lie*of whatever-may be
now due-to them,-Since the time of their re
tiring from, service, .as welI,.a*rof what
might hereafter become due^ainl - that, so
soon av their acceptance shall be signified,
the superintendent ol finance be, and he is
hereby directed to take measures for the
settiemeut -of their accounts .accordingly,
and to issue to them certificates bearing
interest at six per. cent. ‘That all officers
entitled to half pay- fur" life, not included
lathe-preceding resolution, may also col
lectively agree to accept or refuse the
aforesaid commutation, signifying tlie'
same within six months from this time.”
Such were the resolutions ot congress,
which stipulated that half pay for life
shouliLbe allowed to the officers of the. re
volutionary army of the United States; and.
such the resolves which proposed to com
mute the half pay for life, for a gross sum'
in-mohey or. securities, which should, in
the express words of the resolve, be equi
valent to the half pay for life—that.is to
say, by estimating the expectation of life,
according to the overage age of the officers,
“Resolved, ItiaJ the commander • in which coaid not, by correct computation,
chief, and commanding officer in .-the be reckoned bevond thirty-fire years. It
southern department,direct the officer* of remains, therefore, by a just arid accurate
lisc'jsiieo of the half pay for .life, in all its
relations and dependencies, to demon
strate that the commutation, by the errone
ous estimate .offive years, instead of tqn
years and six month’s full pay, has been
productive of immense loss to the officers,'
and of correspondent gain and advantage
to the public, on principles-which on poli
cy could require, and no reasoning can
justify, as appear* by the following
The aemmotation of w’Schy bH the -'ex
pectation of life, at thirty-five years, wTbich
.was the average age of the officers of the
revolutionary army-Of tl 1 '* United States,
at the close of the war in J78S. ought, ac
cording to the annexed -estimates, of'Dr.’
Price and Mr Morgan, and the opinions of
all the most approved writers on annuities,
to have been estimated at the rate of ten
years and six mouths full pay. ami would
have amounted to Sl<bQ80,000
Baton the estimate of .five
years, the rate at .which the re
solve of congress, instead of
an equivalent, fixed the com
mutation, either by arbitrary
decision, or erroneous calcula- ;
tion, which, on every principle ;
ougbttobe corrected,dhe com
mutation only amounted to. £4,800,000'
Occasioning an aggregate -loss
to the officers of 85,280,000
« >
And to each officer an aver
age loss in principal of
And a lust in-interest, at six
per cenhfor thirty-five yeata, uf
Making a total lass to each
officer of
28,184
And an advantage to the poblic. agaiu&t'
the resol vu of congress ibat thtjresol ve ought,
to be an equivalent for the naif pay, and
against every equitable principle, amount
ing to < £5,280,000!
And thirty fiveyearsintereat * •"
thereon, atfi percent 11,088.000
ur,” and. as man aubstmitire. it 'meant
“a thing of the same weight, dignity or
value.” And he makes the following quiir
tations, viz.: \
"They «Uve without s natora dull be tenf,
•■It tests with you to make the equivalent"
1 . .• «• v• gUi ■: *>«»“•,
“They f»«v s recolar obedience to one law wiH
be a fttll/’tqiava^Hi for their btetch of another.
? Having thas arrived at the truemeaning
ofthe wqra “equivalent” which neither par
ty can disclaim, as it has been expressly
used by both, we proceed to enquire wheth
er the “commutation,” aa fix,ed by congress
was a full equivalent for the half pay for
lifr. at stipulated by the same honorable
body;and, to simplify the enquiry asjmuch
as possible, we shall coutinue to consider
'the half pay at captain aa the average rate.
By the resolve of congress of October
21st, 1780, the half pay allowed to a cap
tain for life, .was £240 per annum.
■ By the resolve of Mfirtoh 22d, g83, tho
Statement of the halfpagemd commutation,
in their relation to each other.
At-tiic close Of the war for indepen
dence, in 1783, there were about 2000 of
ficers, entitled by the resolves of congress
to half pay for iite,-.which; calculated at the
average rate of captain’s half pay, amount
ed, at 2240 per annum, to g48O,0CO
Total advantage to-the pub
lic by not making tlie commu
tation a just equivalent, ac
cording to tlm.resolve of con
gress of March 22il, 1783 816.368,000
Say sixteen million three .hundred ami
sixty eight’thousand dollars gain .to the
public, und-loss to :the officers, against
the plainest principles of justice, on tin-
calculation of simple .interest, and accord
ing to tlie-payment of interest on the pub
lie debt, quarter!^, and by compound -in
terest, ainountingdo forty two million two-
hundred anti ninety thousand nine hun
dretl and twelve dollars!
And for which enormous sum the sur
viving officers,by theirproposition tore
sume the original contract of half pay for
life, relinqui>hingal! arrearage* of interest,
and allowing tlie full nominal amount ol
the commutation certifiestcv(»f which tlii-y
only received one eighth or one-Tenth
part,) to be refunded; and, estimating the
survivors at two hundred, they would on
ly receive in sureties, as .the principal of
arrearages ; £1,200,000
With half payper annum.to
200 officers, whose average age
amounts to seventy years S48.000
Whereas, at compound Interest, calcu
lated annually, the los;) of the officers, bj
only allowing five years, instead of ten;
years and six months lull pay, which Was 1
the just equivalent ot commutation lor the
half pay, and to which the average age.of
35 years was fully entitled, is
£.40,582,496 23]
Being to each officer.an
average loss of 20,291
For which they'propose
to receive an aggregate of 4,200,000
Leaving to the public,
in 35 years, a clear gain
on their hard earned an
nuity, of -239,382,496 23]
Exclusive of48,00Q, the
amount of half pay to 200
officers, whoscaverageagc
is 70 years/ Or deducting
even the capital of that an
nuity, a clear .gain to ,the
public, of £36,582,496 23
Such, at the close of an eight years"
war,in which.the.independence and sove
reignty ofthe-United Stales were estab
fished, was the cruel result to faithful pub
lic servants, whose abstracted devotion to
the cause of their country, in her military
service, hail.left them no other means of-
support than the stipulated reward of
’’those services, sacrifices and sufferings,”
which, in the words ol the resolve of con
gress, of March 22d, 1788, “had so just a
title to .the approbation and rewards of
their, couutry.” Or, iihthe still more em-
phatical language of rtheir illustriarious
eader, the immortal Washington, wm-n
addressing the governors of the several
states, on the subject of (he half, pay and
commutation, he stateain his letter, dated-
Httead.'Quarttn, M’embuig.June 18,1783,
“I may be allowed to say it was the]
“price of their blood and of your indepen^
“dency; it is, therefore, more-than a com-,
“mnn debt—it is a debt of honor—it can-
“never be. considered as* pension or gra
tuity, nor cancelled until it is fairly dis
charged. .G. VVasiu.voton.”
The facts set forth in -the preceding
sets of congress, confirm and establish, be*,
yond the shadow of a doubt, not only the'
justice,but the moderation, of the claim-
now presented bv the surviving officers of
the revolutionary army,. inasmuch as they;
prove—
1st. That half pay for life, was solemn
ly and repeatedly stipulated-to be, paid to
the officers, whose terms of service are spe
cified in the aforsaid aetsof congress.
2dly. That, when it was resolved ( tha£
the half pay fur life shoo hi be commuted,
for a gross som, it was expressly provided
by the said .acts of congress that'it should
be fog an equivalent.
And as tlie true intent and. meaning of
■ery contract are beat collected, ascer
tained, and adjudged by the terms in which
it is drawn, it is fortunate for .tho surviving
officers of the revolutionary army, that the
essential term “equivalentuied in their
memorial tacongress, is aotiooly recogni
zed, but recited, in the resolve which pro-
peses acommutation^of. titc half pay for
life: and it tbertfore, on'ij remains to de
cide, on the best authorities, what is the
correct meaning of the woad “equivalent.”
Dr.. Johnson says, that, “eqviraleqt,”
used as an adjective, mean* ‘“equal infdi-
' xommutation was .fixed at five years full
pay, which gave to a captain £^4Q»
But, by the depreciation cf
tlie certificate to 10 for T, as
Mated in the report of a com
mittee of the house of repre- ■
seutatives, in Peburarjf, 18tO,' *
at which rate it was told lor
want of bread, 12 years after ”
it was issued, audit only yiel
ded ' 8340
! Or axsctly ojpe year’s half pay. ■ Was
this a -lull equivalent? Jt .there one man f’
who will say it .wait any thing more than
one-tenth part of what had been stipulated,
even at The rate.ot Jfoe.yeais full pay; and
when estimated by the just calculation of -
Ism years and six months full .pay, tho fair
commutation to which, on the expectation
of life at the average age of thirty-fivo
years, the ofiicet’ was fufly entitled? Ja
thece-an individual in the community, who
will-say that it amdunted even to 'tlieS&e-
tweutieth part of the turn which, as a just
equivalent, ought to have been paid to the
annuiiant? ' s •
In both of these statements it is clearly
shown tiiat the error and defalcation were
exclusively on the part of the public, as
appears by the following bets:
■I. -No,provisions was made Ter jnanjr
years after the date of. the Commutation
certificate, (which had been fix<.dby con*
grass at one half of what quaht'to have
been its amount, .say.5 instead uf .IQ,) 40
redeem the principal, or tO|pay any-part of
tlie.inteiest, it was utterly unproductiVe to
tliestarving veteran,to whom twelve years
before it had been .paid as.gold and silvery
and, forced by waiit of bread, he sold.it at
a depreciation of ten.for one!
2d. Admitting thatlhisdeprcciated-vou-
clier was to be considered in (he hand of_
tlie officer at its nominal value, considered
in the hand of the officer atits nominal val
ue, equal to .gold or silver, still .its full
nominal value, estimated in specie, is pro
ved- by tlie best authorities to have been
only equal to one half bf what shonld have
been paid as the just equivalent of tlie half
pay for lil«, at the average age. of thirty-
five years. i
The principles ofjustice are immutable;
at all time, aitd.in all places they are equiv
alent; and, as,the. facts set forth in the pre
ceding statement, cannot be controvoted,
and, as the conclusions drawn from them
are produced by figures which cannot err,
it folloivi.inevitably,that the claim which
is now preferred to congress fur an equita
ble settlement of the; half pay, is not only
strictly just, but extremely moderate; and
it is impossible .that -the enlightened go
vernment of an independent and prosper
ous people should not cheerfully and
promptly comply .with.the pnayerof the pe-
tinners, who (lave every claim to national
justice and gratitude; and the morc.espe-
daily as less^Than the.thousandth part, in
value, of the! land that was won by their
toil and blood, would discharge'the debt. a
Table uf Expectation /raw Dr. :Priecit i
Trcatioe* un Aimuitice—aVoU 2, pcge-Sl. |
expectation of Lire 1
at yean. By table 9. By table-M. By tablets. j
25
26 t
26 6
26 r
30
23 6
24-1
24 1
(D-35
21 5
21 6
316
4-1
19 6
19 5
10 3
.45
17 6
17 6
17 4
50
16 0
.15 9
15 S
55
14 2
139
60
12 4
117
117
65
10 5
97
9 8
79
8 8
60
7?
|C7* To avoid the pqssibilUy.of underral
the age ot the officers of-lhe revolution
srtny, at the cjoae of the war in the y
juraed, although it is the opiniotf oT those
who have the most distinct. knowledge
and recollection of the officers, (hat Sf.
years was nearer the average age.
The commander in chief,general Wash
ington, who served in the war OM765, was
only 51 yearaoW im.1783, and hwage may
be cousidered as the full average of. that
of- the general officers. 'Hie average age
of the field officers did not teach forty
years, and that of the captains and subal
terns, who formed the great mass of the
officers, was nndef twenty-eight years.
Extract from table Jte.l.of the'Peniuglvatria
company on liveo and granting anemia. Skominc-
tle expectation of life in tenoral placet, andproviue
Hat Dr. erica’ aeimate it the loner.-.
Age JTorthaanp. BrestlU,
Years ia England. . in Silraia.
Phil*.
Penn.; according
to piicr.
33.40 31 76
35 25 f8 .24.93
Having thus dqmonstated, by the clear
est proofs* that; according tn the .usage ot
our own,and other nations, in estimating
the value of annuiueiethe commutation of
tho half psy for life, as fixed by congress*
at the rate of five.yeara* instead of ten
years.and six months fall pay, .was not, if i
it lied bran paid in gold or silver, one half I
ofthe “equivalent”■ which the condition
precedent in the resolve of coogreesS r re-
quired. It only remains to show, that
even the legal right is impaired or affect
ed by any tecbnical.nbjectmp that may bo
raised to the presenVelaimTor an equita
ble settlement—aa the plea of “contfaet”
completely rt^utt^b by the oon-fulfil-
Is'