The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-02

again see them striving for tariff system, for mammoth
bank and for the other monsters of the federal series
just as they did in 1s4o'
Soldiers Bounty and "specu intors."
Audi aiterdm partemi
10 the Editor Of the Union:
clear both Sides" wise and just injunction.
The nvectve INDUCED in by sundry newspaper CORE
epondens touching purchases by capitalists OF soldiers
land certificates, treasury scrip, seems imbued with
feeling, and to contemplate the accomplishment OF pur
pose, scarcely honorable than the motives and de-
signs imputed to the purchasers is there not more pas
than evinced this subject! That at least
eighty of every hundred discharged soldiers would de-
sire to sell their bounty lands or treasury scrip may be
assumed indsputable Congress- at least in present
ing the alternative 10 the soldier, of taking either 100
of land 800 in treasury scrip, acted this
sumption. Nay, according to certain notions that have
recently been bruted Congress has thus made the govern
ment 1t not the greatest "specuator" upon the necess
Ties of the soldier at least the most formidable competitor
Of capitalists in the purchase of the soldiers bounty lands
Presenting the contingency of the market being repete
with land warrants and the soldiers being thus unable to
sell them for half their value Congress steps forward
and offers to buy Of the soldier his claim to land for
thing less than fifty per cent of its value II would be
nice question for the casust to ascertain the wrong
buying from the soldier his claim for reasonable price,
(Which must be measured by the demand for the thing
the MARKET and the soldiers wants just as he arrives in
the country, or at any other time when, in his opinion,
would be most valuable to him II there be wrong in it.,
it would seem to require microscopic vision TO discern
it, II wrong there be in this business the public
not in the enterprise OF spectators" as they are
termed Congress inerposed every imaginable difficulty
in the oay Of The soldiers selling his scrip, and thus d.
further and attempted TO anticipate the profit OF the CAPT
tas by going into the market and offering itself to com
pound with the seeran . BY giving him
OF the value Ito itsel of $500! By such "specula-
ton" it will perceived TIC government acould make
out OF every soldier 500 profit.
The value of the soldiers claim to bounty, like every
other commodity or article OF traffic, only be deter
mined BY what il will bring in the market That Con.
gress did not demand expect the soldier to settle
the land, is evident from its offer buy of him.
AS well might the Spectator" who buys or imports
goods from the manufacturer, and reals them to the cit
Zen at proh OF from 20 to 80 per cent? be denounced
the who gives to the soldier such price may be
agreed upon for his claim with the risk and trouble Of
Of the market being gited by land warrants or treasury
scrip According to such rule Of right, the baker, who
buys flour at ~ per barrel from the farmer and realizes
$40 when made into bread, is guilty of fraud The
rule may be extended to every vocation enterprise In
view OF all the rsksthe delay and stringent regua.
tons of the Pension Oicethe prediction may be haz-
arded, that purchaser will realize greater profit
his investment in these claims than 10 per cent This
Will nadeqSaey pay his agents in prosecuting the claims
Orleans elsewhere for blank FORMS fees of justices OF
the peace and noaries But assuming that the purchaser
Will realize 10 per cent, 1t reduces the soldiers loss, M
loss be in any event, to that per centage When is
recoected that the gorernment IS IN the market offering
to buy for $I0On fact for 1907 So for its treasury scrip
brings no moret will be conceded that this toss of 10
the advantage he derives from the reatsatton OF his
claim just when he most wants money. This advantage is
one which even the government cannot offer him in its
speculation.
Ii the purchaser of these claims New Orleans else
where for sums agreed between the seller and buyer,
sss The land -warran,s after being issued e the sol
der, are worth according TO the minimum rates OF the
governmenp $500 each. Would then. person who
the expense of trip to Washington, and long and te
dious delay here, had paid agent for obtaining
sognOn Of his ghs BY the Pension oce which is the
be guilty OF wrong Let II not be forgotten that capital
lists in giving this sum- pay $50 more TO each soldier than
the government offers. If this be wrong, what is the
soldier to do He can do no more with his bounty than
sell 1t Tor It's market value, either before after IT
sued; If there be no improperly in so purchasing, it
of rong between buying before after the issue of the
warrant or scrip Would it have been patriotic to
have refused the soldier the market value Of his
modify until after he had wearied himself agent by
long watching at the Pension Officei
The transactions at New Orleans, and elsewhere are
generally in this wise: The soldier, landing applies
to capitalist to sell his claim and if the latter accedes
to his terms the soldier delivers all his papers and evil
dences OF his claim to the capitalist, advancement by
the latter OF sum varying from $40 to $50, with
tract (Which from the phaseology OF the act of Con-
gress, depends the soldiers honor for its vaue) to
execute to the capitalist an assignment OF the land
rant or scrip after is issued, payment to him of such
further may be agreed upon between the contract
ing parties. The question of morality, therefore, which
some regard involved in this matter may be left to those
sing to execute transfer assignment of the certificate
scrip, the balance of the consideration money be-
ing rendered him by the purchaser. Nay, worse than
this for capitalists have before investing their funds,
generally required the soldier to make oath of his nten
ton to assign transfer after the issue of the warrant
or scrip, payment of the additional amount agreed
upon. Are not those, who disposed to invite him
disregard his Obligations, guilty Of melting him to perjury?
Americans are rightly styled. common sense people"
tits difficult for them to resist the temptation therefore,
10 inquire whether all this noise arises IRON specula
ton" for popularity, and whether il has any the least
reference to the soldiers interests If the real and sub
stanial interests of the soldiers be the object the best
mode to augment the value of his bounty insist on
mpartng the greatest possible degree of despatch well
as accuracy to the decisions of the Pension Office with
out the indulgence of needless apprehensons that agents
or capitalists may thereby realize profit Let the
warrants scrip be issued rapidly possible, and the
motive of the soldier to sell beforehand will be almost
entirely removed JUSTITIA.
"Justtt'a appeals ous for justice, and lay his
municaton before readers with the few comments
which il seems to require. Here the correspondence
must stop, and the discussion cease far regards the
columns of the Union.
We have question that the Pension Office has done
lis duty, and interpreted the law correctly No complaint