The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-19

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such positive testimony The committee addressed let
Or 10 the Secretary. suggesting modheston OF bis reg
. % posas heir sss and the
lrsdion and belief among their Deghbors as to their
having penoSmed the services sated-this testimony TO
be lsksn 10 opsn court before justice OF the peace
The Secretary declines adopt such regulations with
out express authority from Congress and the committee
propose 10 give il to hun Frauds in lew instances may
he pacsed upon the government under rule as liberal
"a the one proposed, but they cannot be numerous
and the committee think II better that such hazard
should be incurred and that few tracts OF land
should be granted TO persons not entitled 10 them than
single mefiterous should be denied his just
reward This Is not pension law proposing TO pay
money OF the treasury semi annually Tor any indeh
nate period and which the rules oil the Secretary
simulate il may be. and ought to be- administered with
far less caution II simply proposes 10 allow the location
OF Wild aud. 70 government unavailable lands, when
we seriously propose 70 g'oe 70 any aaa sV en
In reference to the widows OF deceased soldiers, the
Secretary is rather rigid, and the committee believe
unnecessarily cautious His instructions and form IN
their cases are very prolv and complicated and IN very
many instances ii not absolutely mpossbls to compiy
with, at least involve great uoube ana expense Ihe
proof required OF "A widow 10 which the committee OBJ
ect il in reference the legality OF her marriage Ii is
required OF her show when. where, and by whom she
was married. and not content with this, what CT
name was before she married. She must produce
evidence OF this irom public record if in existence
default OF this, the certificate OF the person who solem
ized the marriage and that again must be authenticated
and she also produce the family record or cert
lied copy and only last resort is permitted TO prove
her marriage and heirshp by her neghbors 1t occurs
10 the committee that much OF this is only quite
necessary but unjust to these unfortunate claimants
The public records OF the marriage OF all those living
in States and Territories settled since 1912 in the
old States where they migrated They should not be
required to send all the Union TO hunt them up
rke fact OF lawful wdowhood and hership in such
can be easily and satisfactorily proven much easier and
in great many ways. IN majority Of cases il may be
shown by the certificate OF the clerk of the court in the
county where the party lives, marriage but by
the tact that the husbands estate settled in such
court and the person claiming treated his widow
and in almost every the personal knowledge OF the
clerk independent OF this might enable him to certify il
where be cerhes the official character OF the in ce be-
fore whom The dec! araon was sworn to-. And in all
cases. s the opinion OF the committee that it ought to
be sufficient to prove before magistrate by two credible
PERSONS certified be such by such magistrate that they
knew the husband in his lifetime, and that he and the
claimant received in society husband and wife,
and lived together such. And the committee falling 10
obtain the acquescence OF the department TO such regu
laon also reports provision authorizing and requiring
such evidence tc be taken satisfactory
THE TRANSFER OF THE WARRANTS
Without discussing the correctness or propety of the
Secretays decision this subject. majority of the
committee have decided in favor OF providing by law for
the transfer and assignment of warrants issued under the
act OF 2sh September last and report bill accordingly
II is argued with much force, that without such pro-
vision great injustice would be done that class of benef
Charles who live in the older States, and who do not
desire to locate their themselves that in fac,
without such privilege the bounty would be compare
lively worthless, il could only be made available after
much trouble and expense to seek out proper location,
and the lapse OF many years before they could sell it, and
that this prohibition viii operate with peculiar hardship
the widows and older and poorer surviving soldiers TO
whom the avails of the bounty object One reason
urged against the power TO transfer is TO protect the
beneficiary from the Spectator; that in many instances
the warrant would be sacrificed for small considera-
tom whereas if compelled 10 locate il wouM be OF
value The committee attached but ltte force to this
argument The bounty land law of the nth February
lS47, not subject 10 this restriction; and is not
very Aatterng to The old soldier 10 thus tell him he shall
not manage his own business. The committee imagine
there are few of these themselves who would com
plain because they invested with the control OF their
own property, as other citizens Nor is it by any
certain that the provision il continued will pre-
vent speculation, and serve protection to the soldier
for 1t ne cannot assign his warrant he will allow another
to locate il for him. and may make deed Tor the land
which would undoubtedly in large class of cases.
and the restriction would therefore only operate lessen
the value of the warrant proportion increases the
trouble, expense, and hazard of the sale. a4
coSsrRucrIoS AS TO ENGAGEMENT AND SERVICE
The committee learn that construction has been given
THE Law reference TO the words engaged and ac-
tually served" in the first section OF the bill, which,
though perhaps warranted by the words themselves,
could NOT have BEEN in the opinion of the committee the
intention OF Congress. is decided that these words
engaged and actually served" mu- be taken and con-
srued to make the engagement to indispensable
as the actual service that is. that il soldier eng aged
but three months though he may have actually
served twelve yet he is only entitled TO forty OF
land; or, he engaged to serve ak months, and
taken prisoner and kept in captivity twelve months or
any longer enOd, only entitled eighty Ibe
committee add section TO the bill which they present. re-
quns different construction TO be given to the act II
provides that where service exceeds the
they shall be entitled in the the bill provides ac-
cods to length OF actual service, without, reference to
engAgement
Nj ROBINSON said: ,..a.s
snot my purpose, Mr. Speaker, after reading my
report, TO detan the House with speech further than
TO give outline OF the and character Of the
bill think that those who have listened TO the report
Will be satisfied to vote upon the bill without further dis
cnsaon That report WAS one IN which all the members
OF the committee concurred
The bill itself proposes to do nothing more than to
esaze the appointments made by the Secretary of the
Interior OF thrtyseven clerks, and 10 organize those
clerks 80 as IN some degree TO keep them separate from
the pension bureau. | hold that Congress should act
without delay and pass this b and thus leave the exc
curve department without any for further delay
IN The execution of the law There il no valid or suff.
Gent excuse now why these warrants should moi be IT,
sued At the rate OF five hundred per dsynone whatever
" the Secretary OF the Interior thought il necessary
without The authority OF law to appoint clerks, why did
ne not set them TO work Immediately What has he been
dong with them Why have not the warrants been
ISSUED The idea that he had 10 wait four months for
could be procured in oh shorter time and tina, the
neay was therefore quite unnecessary II looks to me
although do not make such a charge-tbat there is
disposition 70 embarass the execution Of this Law long
possible 80 as 10 defeat il. II is throwing impedimens
and Distinctions IN the way. TO impress Congress with
The idea that the law be executed and hence 10
nanee It's repeal Pass this BILL and let what they
will say then. 1870
The CLxRx read the bill Il is as follows;
bill, 10 insure the PROMPT execution the act approved
September 28n, 1880 "ganting bounty land TO certnn
omcef and soidersw have been engaged IN the mi-
nary service OF the United States"
SIC j. Be q s~ne,sd BY the Ssaah a~S House Of R.pr,.
NJ