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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'