The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-19
Bounty Land Bill.

No measure of the present sesslon--the great
measures of pacifcation scarcely excepted
has excited such popular interest as the bill
granting land to the officers and soldiers of the
war of 1912. 1t is measure of justice which
the people desire to see matured, TO see IT ma
tured before the meritorious recipients shall
pass away; before the land, the medium of
their compensation, shall be so far reduced In
value by the policy of the Government, or by
the increasing influence of the new States, that
the bounty of the country will bring no sub
stantial relief to the veterans who deserve it,.
Its passage at the present session will be in
time to gladden. the heart of many who so gal
lantly served their country in the hour of peril.
With the characteristic carelessness of the sol
der, they have provided little for the winter of
age. This opportune gift will minister relief,
tighten the pressure Of poverty, and smooth the
rugged decline of existence.
We have been gratifed to observe the zeal
with which almost every public man has advo
Gated the measure. Nor do we attribute it to
their love of popularity it is the innate justice
of the measure which inspires their support. 1t
is popular because it is just. Every citizen
feels that the soldiers of the wars of indepen-
dence are worthy of any reward which CRATE
full and prosperous country can bestow. The
pittance which the government bestows is a
mere acknowledgment, not a discharge of the
debt which gratitude owes to valor.
To realize the value of the services for which
the Bounty Land bill affords an inadequate com
pensation, we should remember the events of
our earlier history, when powerful enemy,
toied in first design, scarcely waited for an
excuse to attempt again our subjugation; when
a scattered population, a feeble navy, de-
fenceless coast, dependent upon our foes for the
very clothes which we wore and the weapons
which we wielded--when a factious opposition
to the cause of the country-all tempted pow
erful foe to assail us. When these evils rendered
the result Of the second contest somewhat doubt
full, the citizen soldiers of the Union estab-
ished forever the independence of the country
and entitled themselves to the lasting gratitude
of mankind. The policy of the Bounty Land bill
will be permanent-it will teach the youth of
the republic that her service is twice blessed;
in the proud convictions of duty, and in the
grateful appreciation of their fellow-citizens.
We trust that the passage of this bill will
be in time to enable the soldier to realize the
bounty of his country, by disposing Of his land
at something like its value; and in order to aid
as far as we can in enabling him to do so, we
wish to call public attention to one peculiarly
in the bill; it provides that call sales, mort
cages, letters of attorney, and other instru-
ments of writing, going to affect the title or
claim to any warrant or certificate hereinbeiore
provided for, made or executed prior TO the
issue of the patent OF certificate of entry on
such warrant or certificate, shall be null and
void to all intents and purposes whatsoever. :"
This is most important provision for the
soldier
The prolonged delay which has postponed
lators to traverse the country, and purchase
from the poor and ignorant soldier his claim, or
obtain his promise to give large proportion Of
the land in consideration of services to be rem
dered in recovering it. The impression has
been produced that there will be great Difficult
y III COMMUNICATING bht NihiiiiS anu SpNuiihS
the certificates Of service. The difficulty which
attended the applications for revolutionary pen
sions is represented to exist in regard to the
applications for bounty lands under the present
bill, when, in fact, there is no difficulty what
soever, the record evidence of service being on
file in the State or Federal archives. We
trust the members Of Congress will distribute
the information necessary to secure to the sol
diers the bounty of the country, so as to enable
them to secure the full advantage of what was
intended for them. The Departments will no
doubt furnish any information to applicants
The press will, we hope, publish the fact that
no legal knowledge and no intricate formality
will be necessary to secure to the soldier the
benefit intended for him, without invoking, at a
sacrifice of half his land, the tender mercies of
an attorney.