It will be seen that the bill of 1818 and the Mexican pension bill,
being thus passed nearer the close of the wars in which its
beneficiaries were engaged than the others--one thirty-five years and
the other thirty-nine years after the termination of such wars--embraced
persons who were quite advanced in age, assumed to be comparatively few
in number, and whose circumstances, dependence, and disabilities were
clearly defined and could be quite easily fixed.
The other laws referred to appear to have been passed at a time so
remote from the military service of the persons which they embraced that
their extreme age alone was deemed to supply a presumption of dependency
and need.
The number of enlistments in the Revolutionary War is stated to be
309,791, and in the War of 1812 576,622; but it is estimated that on
account of repeated reenlistments the number of individuals engaged in
these wars did not exceed one-half of the number represented by these
figures. In the war with Mexico the number of enlistments is reported to
be 112,230, which represents a greater proportion of individuals engaged
than the reported enlistments in the two previous wars.
The number of pensions granted under all laws to soldiers of the
Revolution is given at 62,069; to soldiers of the War of 1812 and their
widows, 60,178; and to soldiers of the Mexican War and their widows,
up to June 30, 1885, 7,619.
Pages:
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456