Today, if you are an employee of the government who sustains damage to personal property there is the "Employee Claim for Loss of Or Damage to Personal Property form" to fill out. In 1964, Congress passed he Military and Civilian Employees Act as a way to maintain positive morale by compensating service members and other federal employees for personal property that is lost, damaged, or destroyed incident to service. But in the 18th century, no such law existed, there were no forms to fill out, and there was no comptroller to call.
It was in the year 1790 when the federal government instituted it's first tax on the common people. In the majority of states, the "Whiskey Tax" as it was called was met with "scarcely an objection". But not so everywhere as President Washington stated in his 1794 state of the union address: "In the four western counties of Pennsylvania a prejudice, fostered and imbittered by the artifice of men who labored for an ascendency over the will of others by the guidance of their passions, produced symptoms of riot and violence." Initially the anger was directed at Congress, but soon what Washington referred to as "the arts of delusion", turned the anger of the people towards the officers employed to collect the taxes. One of the officers, the inspector of the revenue was arrested by an angry mob of men and taken as prisoner. The mob, then attacked his house and destroyed it by fire. Washington as commander in chief, sent in a militia 13,500 strong to quell the "Whiskey Rebellion".
But what of the damages sustained by the inspector and other officers of the U.S. government. There was no law in place to protect their property. Just imagine what this would do to the morale of the federal employees. Washington urged congress to consider retribution to not only the officers of the United States who displayed great fidelity in the discharge of their services, but also ordinary citizens who suffered damages for upholding the Constitution and the laws. Thus only four years into the history of this great nation, precedence was being set for the Military and Civilian Employees Act of 1964. Perhaps, Congress referred back to these words of 1794:
"Among the discussions which may arise from this aspect of our affairs, and from the documents which will be submitted to Congress, it will not escape their observation that not only the inspector of the revenue, but other officers of the United States in Pennsylvania have, from their fidelity in the discharge of their functions, sustained material injuries to their property. The obligation and policy of indemnifying them are strong and obvious. It may also merit attention whether policy will not enlarge this provision to the retribution of other citizens who, though not under the ties of office, may have suffered damage by their generous exertions for upholding the Constitution and the laws. The amount, even if all the injured were included, would not be great, and on future emergencies the Government would be amply repaid by the influence of an example that he who incurs a loss in its defense shall find a recompense in its liberality."
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29436
http://navyadministration.tpub.com/14135/css/14135_323.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment