The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-07-03
esn. Brooke gna the VoIunteers.

we have been informed thai when persons con-
nected with volunteer regiments now in the vicinity
of this city apply for discharges, they receive them
but that the officer in command inserts in such dis
charges a clause which deprives the soldier of his
claim to bounty land, such as " he resigns all claim
to bounty land,' &C. Several cases of this kind
having occurred, Notary waited upon him to pro-
test against the proceeding in the name Of the par
ties, whose REIMBURSEMENT Of the claim appeared
in the discharges to have been voluntarily made, in
order that they might not by their apparent concur
renee in the act be debarred from hereafter asserting
their rights, and that the General refused to make
any explanation, or to give any answer further than
that he would not recognise the interference of any
civil officer This would seem to be a very singu-
lar course of proceeding, and one for which no APP
parent justification can exist. If the soldier be not
entitled to an honorable discharge it should DOT be
given; but if given, the discharge ought to be sim
PIE and full; above all it should not contain an as
serion that the person abandons his claim to boun-
ty land, when in truth no such abandonment was
ever made or contemplated. If the insertion of the
clause be intended as punishment to the soldier
for having asked his discharge after the war is
erded and there is longer any earthly reason for
retaining him in service, then we suppose it must
be authorised by some recent addition to the Ar
ticles of War with which the country is yet un-
acquainted. In case, however, Where there seems
to be some doubt whether the punishment was JUS
tilted in the peculiar manner Of its infection, it
would have been as. well for tthe General to have
given the Notary some authoritative explanation,
perhaps by that means the soldier might have been
convinced that he had actually abandoned his
claims, in defiance of his express declaration to the
contrary. The annexed discharge and affidavit,
show the facts in one of the cases which have given
rise to the above remarks. We make them public,
becauge tie case appears to us one Of great haId-
ship and injustice, and with the hope that the officer
who has no dread of The civil authorities, will have
some of public opinion:
SOLDIERS DISCHARGE.
hn2W e mat Hqif f > aeeG9 Ppyste q Taps, vi
NeFYO rk who enlisted the third day OF December
during the war, hereby honorably discharged from the
Army Of the United States by reason Of his request
was bonn in schenscadys in The STATE Of NewYOrk, is
\ Given al NewO Orleans dis 18th day Of june 1898
[Signed1 GEO. MI BROoKE, bug- General q - a
Written acrossI tS9 Y ii5 On IN s. lsss
I lSignedl LLOYD ]. BE4LE, Raymestef y - a.
Registered Lsignedl .. 3. WTTER,
STATE or Louls1tNA ctr and PARISH Of Nep Orleans
before the undersigned Justice Of the Peace ID ard fer
We farlsh and City of NewOHeans aforesaid Horace j
aIeeeh who, being dulg according % lazy deposeh
ara saith that he IS the Identical Horace J. Mech who was
g4s at7 ln the company commanded By d. Eairqhnd on
ri Regiment NeH ork Volunteers that le enlisted on Inc
thia Gay q December 1916, Tor the during the
a49 va aisehaged a NeyF9fleans on the ~ day
q |Qhei 1850 ~ reason q his Tequest-ls WSt '{l
leeo uelg az an end aud tie said Horace Mech fur
hsf qeposee ami saith hat he Is the identical Horace J.
Mech menhoned named and alluded to in the accompany
ing discharge signed BY George MI Brooke Big. General
dated q 4 s rens l Of june 1888 and that the words
resigns AZ claim 20 bounty land were inserted in said dis
charge contrary to his eXpress desire andt law.
HORAcK j. AlREUH.
Sworn 70 and subscribed on the day and year Est above
written. GEORGE Y. BRIGHT,
SesQnd Justice Of Peaee o the Parish Of Qneal5,