United States. Continental Congress. [Congressional resolution on half-pay]
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.02017 Author/Creator: United States. Continental Congress. Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Manuscript document signed Date: 22 March 1783 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; 34.2 x 21.3 cm. Order a Copy
Resolution of the United States Continental Congress on half-pay commutation signed by Charles Thomson as Secretary of Congress. Instead of half-pay, the officers were given five years full pay in money or securities on 6 percent annual interest. Says the various officers can collectively agree or disagree with the resolution within six months time. Docketed by Henry Knox on verso as "An Act of Congress the 22nd March 1783 for commuting the half pay, pledged to the Army - A certified copy."
[draft]
By
The United States in Congress Assembled
March 22, 1783 -
On the report of a Committee to whom was referred a motion of Mr. Dyer together with the memorial of the Officers of the Army and the report of the Committee thereon, Congress came to the following Resolutions. -
Whereas the Officers of the several lines under the immediate Command of His Excellency General Washington did by their late Memorial transmitted by their Committee represent to Congress that the half pay granted by sundry Resolutions was regarded in an unfavourable light by the Citizens of some of these States, who would prefer a compensation for a limited term of years or by a sum in gross to an establishment for Life and did on that account solicit a Commutation of their half pay for an equivalent in one of the two modes abovementioned in order to remove all subject of dissatisfaction from the minds of their fellow Citizens. And Whereas Congress are desirous as well of gratifying the reasonable expectations of the Officers of the Army, as of removing all objections, which may exist in any part of the United States to the principle of the half pay establishment, for which the faith of the United States hath been pledged; persuaded that those objections can only arise from the nature of the Compensation not from any indisposition to compensate those whose services, sacrifices & sufferings have so just a title to the Appropriation and rewards of their Country.
therefore
Resolved - That such Officers as are now in service and shall continue therein to the end of the War shall be entitled [2] entitled to receive the Amount of five years full pay in money or Securities on interest at six per Cent p. annum as Congress shall find most convenient instead of the half pay promised for Life by the Resolution of the 21st day of October 1780, the said securities to be such as shall be given to other Creditors of the United States, provided that it be at the option of the Lines of the respective States and not of Officers individually in those Lines to accept or refuse the same and provided also that their election shall be signified to Congress through the Commander in Chief from the lines under his immediate Command within two months and through the Commanding Officer of the Southern Army from those under his Command within six Months from the date of this Resolution. -
That the same Commutation shall extend to the Corps not belonging to the Lines of particular States and who are entitled to half pay for Life as aforesaid the acceptance or refusal to be determined by Corps and to be signified in the same manner and within the same time as abovementioned. That all Officers belonging to the Hospital Department who are entitled to half pay by the Resolution of the 17th day of January 1781. may collectively agree to accept or refuse the aforesaid Commutation, signifying the same through the Commander in Chief within Six Months from this time. That such Officers as have retired at diferent periods entitled to half pay for life may collectively in each State of which they are Inhabitants accept or refuse the same, their acceptance or refusal to be signified by Agents authorized for that purpose within six Months from this period: that with respect to such retiring Officers the Commutation if accepted by them shall be in lieu of whatever may be now due to them since the time of their retiring from service as well as of what might [3] might hereafter become due; and that so soon as their acceptance shall be signified the Superintendant of Finance be and he is hereby directed to take measures from the settlement of their Accounts accordingly and to issue to them Certificates bearing interest at six pr. Cent. That all Officers entitled to half pay for Life not included in the preceding resolution may also collectively agree to accept or refuse the aforesaid Commutation signifying the same within six months from this time -
Cha Thomas Secy
[docket]
An Act of Congress of the 22d
March 1783, for commuting
the half pay, pledged to the
Army -
A certified Copy
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