Excerpt from Speeches and Addresses, Vol. 10
The Bill and Amendment for the Relief of the Surviving Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army being under consideration in Committee of the Whole, Mr. Webster in the Chair,
Mr. Sprague addressed the Committee as follows: -
Mr. Chairman: Enough, perhaps, has already been said in behalf of the Officers of the Revolution. I propose to say something for the Soldiers also. I am in favor of the amendment which has just been offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr. Reed.) I believe that the soldiers of the revolution have a just claim upon us for a much larger amount than any that has been proposed to be given to them. We owe them a just debt, and it arises from our violations of our engagements to them.
In the first place, as to their wages. We were bound to have paid them in money. This we did not do, but delivered them merely paper, or certificates of debt, which were not money; they were not the measure of value, but their own value fluctuated, according to the varying opinions of the times. They were an article of trade in the market, and, like every other kind of merchandise, their real value was their market price; which was from an eighth to a tenth of their nominal amount. The soldier, then, was compelled to receive an article at eight or ten times its real worth, so that, in fact, he obtained, at most, but an eighth part of his wages.
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