In Congress— June 7^th 1785. Pensioners— By the United States in Congrefs Affembled. JUNE 7, 1785. RESOLVED, THAT it be and it is hereby recommended to the feveral ftates, to make provifion for officers, foldiers or feamen, who have been difabled in the fervice of the United States, in the following manner, viz. 1. A complete lift fhall be made out by fuch perfon or perfons as each ftate fhall direct, of all the officers, foldiers or feamen refident in their refpective ftates, who have ferved in the army or navy of the United States, or in the militia in the fervice of the United States, and have been difabled in fuch fervice, fo as to be incapable of military duty, or of obtaining a livelihood by labour. In this lift fhall be expreffed the pay, age, and difability of each invalid, alfo the regiment, corps or fhip to which he belonged, and a copy of the fame fhall be tranfmitted to the office of the fecretary at war, within one year after each ftate fhall pafs a law for this purpofe; and a like defcriptive lift of the invalids refident in the refpective ftates, fhall from year to year be annually tranfmitted to the office of the fecretary at war. 2. No officer, foldier or feaman, fhall be confidered as an invalid, or entitled to pay, unlefs he can produce a certificate from the commanding officer or furgeon of the regiment, fhip, corps or company in which he ferved, or from a phyfician or furgeon of a military hofpital or other good and fufficient teftimony, fetting forth his difability, and that he was thus difabled while in the fervice of the United States. 3. That all commiffioned officers within the aforefaid defcription, difabled in the fervice of the United States, fo as to be wholly incapable of military duty or of obtaining a livelihood, be allowed a yearly penfion equal to half of their pay refpectively. And all commiffioned officers as aforefaid, who fhall not have been difabled in fo great a degree, be allowed a yearly penfion which fhall correfpond with the degree of their difability compared with that of an officer wholly difabled: That all non-commiffioned officers and privates within the aforefaid defcription, difabled in the fervice of the United States fo as to be wholly incapable of military or garrifon duty, or of obtaining a livelihood by labour, be allowed a fum not exceeding five dollars per month: And all non-commiffioned officers and privates as aforefaid, who fhall not have been difabled in fo great a degree, be allowed fuch a fum as fhall correfpond with the degree of their difability, compared with that of a non-commiffioned officer or private wholly difabled. 4. That each ftate appoint one or more perfons of fuitable abilities, to examine all claimants, and to report whether the perfon producing a certificate, fetting forth that he is an invalid, be fuch in fact, and if fuch, to what pay he is entitled; and thereupon, the perfons appointed to make fuch enquiry, fhall give to the invalid a certificate fpecifying to what pay he is entitled, and tranfmit a copy to the perfon who may be appointed by the ftate to receive and record the fame. 5. That each ftate be authorifed to pay to the commiffioned officers, non-commiffioned officers and privates, the fum or fums to which they fhall be refpectively entitled, agreeably to the before mentioned certificates; the faid payments to be deducted from the refpective quotas of the ftates for the year on which they fhall be made. Provided that no officer who has accepted his commutation for half pay, fhall be entered on the lift of invalids, unlefs he fhall have firft returned his commutation. 6. That any ftate may form fuch invalids under the aforefaid defcription, as are citizens of the fame, and are capable of garrifon duty, into corps, to be employed in guarding military ftores, aiding the police, or otherwife, as the ftate may direct. 7. That when invalids fhall be formed into corps, there be quarterly returns, comprehending the pay, age, difability, regiment, fhip or corps to which they feverally belonged, made out and figned by their commanding officer and tranfmitted to fuch perfon or perfons as the ftate fhall direct, that their pay may be ordered according to faid return. 8. That all invalids, as well thofe formed into corps, as thofe who are not, fhall annually apply themfelves to a magiftrate of the county in which they refide or may be ftationed, and take the following oath, viz. A. B. came before me, one of the juftices for the county of in the ftate of and made oath, that he was examined by appointed by the faid ftate (or commonwealth) for that purpofe, obtained a certificate, or had his certificate examined and counterfigned, fetting forth that he had ferved in that he was difabled by and that he now lives in the and in the county of 9. That the affidavits, drawn according to the above form, and dated and attefted by a magiftrate, be fent by the faid magiftrate, to the perfon or perfons appointed by the ftate, to receive and record the fame, and that a counterpart of the affidavit, be preferved by the perfon taking it, to be exhibited to fuch perfons as fhall be appointed by the ftate to pay the invalids. [undecipherable: probable reading Cha Thompson sec'y]