The Joint select Committee appointed to draft a Memorial to Congress praying an extension of the act of Congress of June 7. 1832, granting pensions to the officers Soldiers &^c[etc.] of the Revolution &c beg leave to report the following2

Memorial of the General assembly of the state of Illinois to the Congress of the United States

Your Memorialists, would respectfully represent to your Honorable body, that sensibly impressed with the justice of the beneficent policy of the General Government, in rewarding the services and providing the means of sustenance by means of pensions, of our war worn soldiers in their old age, who achieved our liberties, and sustained our Government in its experimental infancy, yet a great portion of our defenders of equally meritorious claims, are not within the provisions, nor entitled to the benefits intended nor relief afforded by the said act

Your Memorialists cannot for a moment believe that in the enactment of such laws, the Government acts upon the policy of simply compensating in dollars and cents the services already rendered, for if so the depreciation of the continental currency in which those soldiers were paid would make the present pensions, a most inadequate revenue ration for their services, at so advanced an age, as to allow them, but a short enjoyment of their countrys justice: but they regard it as an expression of their country’s gratitude for the patriotism and services of the founders and defenders of our liberties. And if so, or if it be merely upon principles ^2a Stricti jure, they cannot see the reason of a discrimination between those who served “three” and those who served “six” months

Your memorialists are firmly of the opinion that justice or gratitude or both, under the prosperous condition of our country, and with an over flowing treasury, demand that those several grades of persons, and species of services rendered by persons down to the year 1795, for a period of three months: and also that the organized Militia Men[,] Mounted Militia Men, Mounted Militia volunteers, and Rangers who so gallantly defended the country during the late war with Great Britain, by a bounty

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in land, similar to the bounties heretofore granted for similar services, should be remembered and rewarded by like pensions

The fatigues[,] privations[,] and hardships of those in the service of the Government down to 1795 could scarcely be less, than were endured by the brave defenders in the Revolution, and their compensation altogether as inadequate.

The privation, suffering[,] and hardships, endured by those engaged in the late war, in the western country, is, at this day; hardly sufficiently known or appreciated: and in the opinion of your memorialists justice demands at the hands of the General Government a few acres of that vast and rich domain, they so gallantly defended, and of which the Government has such immense quantities now unocupied and useless in her hands, as a compensation, and upon which they may find a home in the decline of life

Your Memorialists therefore pray your Honorable body that the pension act of 1832 may be so extended as to embrace within its provisions all those who served a tour of three months down to 1795: and that a bounty in land be granted to those above described, eng[ag]ed in the late war with Great Britain &^c as in duty &^c

Resolved That our senators in Congress be instructed and our Representatives requested, to use their exertions to procure the passage of a law in accordance with the principles contained in said Memorial

Resolved That the Governor forward a copy of the forgoing Memorial and resolution to our Senators and Representatives in Congress3