National Gazette

From the N.York Daily Advertiser
of last Thursday.
In consequence of a Notice to the Officers
of the late New-York line, to meet the
24th instant (June) to receive the report
of Mr. Joseph Brown, their Agent, the
following letter was presented, and is
published for the information of those
who are absent.
To the Officers of the late American Army,
in the State of New-York,
GENTLEMEN,
FOR your unremunerated services, sacrifices, and sufferings during the late war,
you did me the honor last winter of appointing me your agent, to present your
memorial to Congress, and solicit your claims—an office I the more readily undertook, believing the justice and dignity
of the United States concerned in compensating such acknowledged earnings, and
fulfilling their most sacred contracts, that
while unpaid, entail disgrace on the government, and a stigma on humanity—but
with the worst possible grief for the honor
of America, I am obliged to say that the denunciation of ingratitude has recorded the
result of your memorial.
If the revenues of the United States had
been insufficient to make a proper compensation, an apology for the refusal might be
admitted; but when we see the public money lavishly bestowed on officers of the civil
list, to support the present government,
and 1,200,000 dollars annually appropriated
in carrying on an unnecessary and fruitless
Indian war, such inability cannot be imagined: one twelfth of this sum as an annuity, would be sufficient to sweeten the eve
of the lives of those whose morning & noon
has been devoted to the service of a country that enjoys peace, liberty and safety.
If you had petitioned for the sums actually due on principles established in the
courts of justice, throughout the United
States, you had a right to 16/ in the pound;
but when you offered to take up with the
savings which government had made out of
the army debt, and your claim was denied,
and your case without remedy, every honest man blushed at the ingratitude of the
Representatives of the United States.
The funding system (or more properly
the army confiscation act) pays the possessor of your due bills about 15/ in the pound:
the residue is in the hands of government,
which nothing but the most unjustifiable
detention can keep from you—and on receiving this, it would not amount to more
than one third of the sum stipulated for
you; six months wages.
The succeeding Congress will be a more
equal representation, and I flatter myself
will not suffer the dignity of the United
States to be stung with the reproaches of
all nations—nor their constituents to be
disappointed in having ample and complete
justice done.
As you will unquestionably renew your
application, permit me to suggest to you
an idea on the subject. The President has
hitherto been silent, probably he feels hurt
that you have never applied to him as your
friend and patron to second your application; you probably may think he ought to
have done it without, as no man can be
more indebted to others than he is to the
late army, and no man knows better their
sacrifices and sufferings; however be this
as it may, address yourselves to him, he
will not, he cannot avoid interesting himself for you.
I have the honor to be
Your most humble servant,
JOSEPH BROWNE.
* The courts have invariably decreed
that all payments (without specific agreements) made in paper, shall be estimated at
the current and not nominal value of such
paper.