Whether one thinks of all those scared by Afghanistan and Iraqi “burn pits”, or “Agent Orange” from the Vietnam War, the typical bureaucracy of government things makes the post-war treatment of those that have sacrificed much to be delayed at best, or never facilitated by these governments themselves until after they have died.
Jason Bourne:Do you even know why you’re supposed to kill me? Look at us. Look at what they make you give.
This is not new news, for even ten years ago, vets were calling attention to the characteristic of statism .. the ability for this “collective” to avert responsibility of the decisions of the state. As Karen Kwiatkowski shared over a decade ago:
But we can take a short lesson on statism.
When I burn waste here on the farm, I don’t always obey the county rule that restricts burning before 4 pm — I make a judgment call based on wind and weather, and go from there. But, as the county guidelines advise, I don’t burn chemicals, Styrofoam, recyclable materials, or ammo. There is a simple reason I don’t burn those things — it might be hazardous for me, my family, and my livestock, and damaging to my property. Even though I’m next door to an often malodorous chicken farm, I do care what my neighbors think and don’t wish to do harm to their property or environment either. I imagine that the soldier pictured throwing waste into the burn pit, and every other soldier at Balad behaves much the same way when disposing of garbage on his or her own property.
Why can’t we extend private property good sense to government? This is the fundamental problem — whether we are considering Congressional and Federal Reserve bailouts, partnerships, and nationalization of bad banks, uncompetitive car manufacturers, or underfunded insurance companies, or if we are trying to understand why the military pollutes at home and abroad with such impunity.
So it is with government in general, that they (unlike individuals) can:
- mandate “service” (called conscription, which is really slavery)
- escape prosecution for war crimes (killing of innocent people in a war area), for the wasting of thousands of people’s lives when wars are based on lies (i.e. every war the US has fought since the American Revolution)
- escape prosecution for damaging the health of those that survive as well as the environment.
This did not start in the 21st century or the 19th/20th century, but even in the 18th century it was apparent that even the most honorable government (which most history books paint the republic of the united States of America as outlined by the Treaty of Paris in 1783) could also accomplish an incredible disservice to those that served in wartime.
Here are a few examples from 1783 and beyond for the American hero Francis Marion. While Francis and his men were not conscripted, they did feel the post-war abandonment by the very government they risked their lives to protect.
First to set the context for Francis Marion returning to civilian life:
Returning to Pond Bluff he found desolation as there were no furniture, no livestock, no clothing, no household goods, no provisions and not enough money to buy cattle and horses. Everything was overgrown and there was a lot of work to do for this 50-year old. He had some money from inheritances but he would have to go into debt to make this plantation viable. Rice growing had depleted the soil and with the British no longer a trading partner all he could do was subsistence farming. Cotton would not be introduced in the region for a few more years and so the future did not look all that good. Half of his twenty slaves had left for parts as far away as Nova Scotia. The other ten had been working his deceased brother’s plantation Belle Isle in Pineville. His pre-war overseer June and his wife Chloe and their daughter Phoebe and her daughter Peggy plus ten field hands were available.
Now the areas where the US government, after the fact, dropped the ball in being as honorable as Francis Marion himself was:
- The November 1782 election meant that Marion had to leave Pond Bluff yet again for the January 6,1783 legislative session. Writing from there on January 18th he shared the inequalities that tainted his excitement about the future of the colony as well of the federation of states. It seems that the Rhode Islander Greene was awarded 10,000 guineas from SC toward the purchase of a SC plantation and quoted an old saying “that kissed goes by favor”. The correspondence he had with Greene stopped abruptly as the hostilities stopped in December 1782. Marion had hoped that Congress would follow through on the promise of a lifetime of half-pay for officers but it would be 50 years before that practice would finally start. He lamented that “idle spectators of war” were in charge now. Yet, he still loved his country and his principles.
- Early in 1783 the SC legislature did vote Marion a commendation complete with a gold medal but there is doubt if that was ever delivered. In 1785 he would receive a 300 acre land grant but for unknown reasons he never applied for the 500 acre land bounty granted by Congress to Continental officers. Marion was promoted but only to full colonel and he suspected it was due in part to his leniency toward Tories as the war wound down.
- March 1784 saw Marion received a position at Fort Johnson in Charleston Harbor of basically a port collector paying him 500 British pound sterling per year but required him to be at the fort most of the time. He was not keen on Charleston life and the upper class that emerged again there. Four years later with budget cuts this position was reduced to 20% of the previous pay so he resigned. Another legislative piece that Marion wanted no part of was protection from lawsuits due to wartime decisions and actions (like plunder). Marion was confident that his actions were proper during the whole course of the war. No lawsuits were ever filed against him.
The government did not treat Francis well at all when the war was over and this 50-something had to try and start over again.
Enter “Providence”:
- Marion found himself with a secret admirer, a spinster and first cousin Mary Ester Videau who was in her late 40s. She had inherited a considerable fortune over the years in money and land. It was Marion’s niece Charlotte Ashby (daughter of his brother Gabriel) and her fiance Theodore Marion (son of his brother Job) that prodded uncle Francis to call on Mary. At 54, Francis and Mary married on April 20, 1786 in a double wedding that featured the two cousins that got them together. They traveled, camped and fished together while also “adopting” a son and daughter in the extended family. The son was to take Marion’s last name if he was to see his substantial inheritance at age 21 so that the Marion family name through Francis would live on, except that this adopted son would have 8 daughters and no sons.
- Marion now focused on expanding the wealth with cattle and hogs mainly as well as rice when the economy improved. Marion could be considered upper-middle class at this point in SC. His post-war terms as state senator are unremarkable and even attended the 1788 SC ratification of the new constitution but was not present for the final vote. He was more a Federalist than a states rights guy like Thomas Sumter and Wade Hampton. He continued to command a militia brigade until 1794 when Charles Pinckney was promoted to major general (Marion and Sumter caused a deadlock in voting so the legislators opted for someone else). Marion was in poor health at that time anyway as he expressed in a letter to his grandnephew (adopted son) that a cramp in his fingers and constant pain in his head plus a fever. At 63 on February 27th 1795 he died at Pond Bluff and buried at Belle Isle. His land was worth about $500,000 in today’s money. While Francis had a will it had not been witnessed so his wife received only 1/2 the proceeds and Francis’ nieces and nephews the other 1/2. Mary ended up buying out the nieces and nephews and the adopted son inherited slaves “and their increase” upon Mary’s death in 1815. When the adopted son died in 1833 he had more than 150 slaves. No slaves were freed upon his death, but there are two things to consider with this. 1) He must have wanted to provide for Mary and allow her to free them upon her death. 2) SC law states that freed slaves have to leave the colony within 6 months or face re-enslavement which meant the breaking up of a slave family.
.. and loyal friends and those touched by his efforts for “the cause”:
- Prior to his death, a delegation of Georgetown dignitaries traveled to Pond Bluff and presented him with a written address: “Your achievements may havenot significantly swelled the historic page .. but this is of little moment. They remain in such indelible characters upon our minds, that neither change of circumstances nor length of time can efface them .. Continue general in peace to till those acres which you have wrested from the hands of the enemy. Continue to enjoy dignity, accompanied with ease, and to lengthen out your days blessed with the consciousness of conduct unaccused of rapine or oppression, and of actions ever directed by the purest patriotism.”
Called the “Washington of the South”, the more one learns of Marion and his character, the more he inspires admiration.
Government .. not so much!
-SF1
(back from three weeks of R&R, highly recommended!)
