CHAP. XIX.- An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War.
| Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That every commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer, musician, and private soldier, and all officers in the hospital department and medical staff, who served in the war of the revolution until the end thereof, or for the term of nine months, or longer, at any period of the war, on the continental establishment; and every commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer, mariner, or marine, who served at the same time, and for a like term, in the naval service of the United States, who is yet a resident citizen of the United States, and who is, or hereafter, by reason of his reduced circumstances in life, shall be, in need of assistance from his country for support, and shall have substantiated his claim to a pension in the manner hereinafter directed, shall receive a pension from the United States: if an officer, of twenty dollars per month during life; if a non-commissioned officer, musician, mariner, marine, or private soldier, of eight dollars per month during life: Provided, No person shall be entitled to the provisions of this act, until he shall have relinquished his claim to every pension heretofore allowed him by the laws of the United States.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That to entitle any person to the provisions of this act, he shall make a declaration, under oath or affirmation, before the district judge of the United States of the district, or before any judge or court of record of the county, state, or territory, in which the applicant shall reside, setting forth, if he belonged to the army, the company, regiment, and line, to which he belonged: the time he entered the service, and the time and manner of leaving the service; and in case he belonged to the navy, a like declaration, setting forth the name of the vessel, and particular service in which he was employed, and the time and manner of leaving the service, and shall offer such other evidence as may be in his power; and, on its appearing, to the satisfaction of the said judge, that the applicant served in the revolutionary war as aforesaid against the common enemy, he shall certify and transmit the testimony in the case, and the proceedings had thereon, to the Secretary of the Department of War, whose duty it shall be, if satisfied the applicant comes under the provisions of this act, to place such officer, musician, mariner, marine, or soldier, on the pension list of the United States, to be paid in the same manner as pensions to invalids who have been placed on the pension list are now paid, and under such restrictions and regulations, in all respects, as are prescribed by law. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That every pension by virtue of this act shall commence on the day that the declaration under oath or affirmation, prescribed in the foregoing section, shall be made. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That from and after the passage of this act, no sale, transfer, or mortgage, of the whole, or any part, of the pension payable in pursuance of this act, shall be valid; and any person who shall swear or affirm falsely in the premises, and be thereof convicted, shall suffer as for wilful and corrupt perjury. APPROVED, March 18, 1818. |