The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-03-24
THE GENERAL BOUNTY BILL.

The GENERAL BOUNTY BILL.
! SEC. l. BE 1t enacted by the Senate
and House Of Representatives. ofthe Com
monweaM Of Pennsylvania, an General
assembly met, and at IS herebg enacted
by the same, That all bonds, warrants, or
certificates OF Indebtedness issued by the
commissioners or commissioners and con-
troller of any county or the corporate au-
tborities of any city, ward, or borough, or
read commissioners. or supervisors Of any
/ township of this Commonwealth for the
payment of bounties to persons volunteer
ing to enter the military or naval service
of the United States under any requisi-
tion heretofore made by the President OF
the United States, be, and the same are
hereby legalized made valid and binding
upon such counties, cities, wards, boroughs
and townships, as if full and legal author
ity had existed for the issuing and ma
king of the same when they were issued
and made.
SEC. 2. That all payment of bounties
to volunteers entering the service of the
United States as aforesaid, by the COM
missioners, or the commissioners and con-
troller of any county, or the corporate
authorities OF any city, ward or borough,
or by the school directors or road COM
missioners or supervisors of any town
ship of this Commonwealth, and all loans
made by said authorities for the purpose
of making such payments, be, aud the
same are, hereby legalized and made val
i'd
SEC 3. That the authorities aforesaid
are hereby authorized and required to ex-
ecute and complete all agreements and
contracts heretofore made by the afore-
said authorities Of such counties, cities,
! wards. boroughs or townships, for the
payment of bounties as aforesaid, or for
refunding advancements made for that
purpose on condition that they should be
refunded according to the true intent
and meaning Of such agreements and
contracts, and for that purpose the said
authorities are hereby authorized to bor-
row money and issue bonds, warrants or
certificates, in the name of such county
corporations or townships. with or with
out interest coupons attached, payable at
such time and place as may be agreed
upon, and to levy such taxes as may be
necessary to meet the payment of the
principle and interest Of said bonds, war
rants, and certificates, as the same shall
become due, which taxes and levies shall
be assessed and collected as other county,
city, ward, borough or township taxes
are assessed, levied and collected Pro
rided. That in all election or enrolment
districts, not having any constituted au-
thorities as contemplated by this act
competent to levy and collect said tax,
the board of election officers Of such dis
trict shall be authorized to levy, and pro-
ceed to have said tax collected IN such
/ districts.
| SEC. f. That all assessments heretofore
made of taxes for the purpose of paying
bounties, as aforesaid, be, and the same
are, hereby legal;zed and made valid =
Procided, That the property of non-com
missioned officers and privates in actual
service in the United States Army ami
Navy from this Commonwealth, or who
died, or were permanently disabled in
such service, Or having been in such ser
vice for the space Of one year and six
mouths, were honorably discharged there
from, and the property Of widows of non
commissioned officers and privates who
died in such service, shall be exempted
from any taxation under the provisions OF
this act; Procided, That the provisions
of the first, second, third and fourth see
tions of this act shall be so understood as
to have reference on y to such agreements
and contracts as have been entered into
by the authorities aforesaid, subsequent
to the 18th day of October, 1868.
! SEC. 5. That all the provisions of the
18th section of an act to create loan
and provide for arming the State, passed
the 18th day OF May, 1861, viii h au-
thorized the associate judges and county
!, commissioners of the several counties OF
this Commonwealth to constitute board
of relief for the families of such volun-
teers as have been or shall be enrolled
and mustered into service from their sew
eral counties, are hereby extended, and
: applied to the families of men who have
been drafted or conscripted and mustered
into the service of the United States
And all arrangements made by the sever
al counties of this Commonwealth for the
support of the families Of volunteers, mi
litia, drafted or conscripted men muster
ed into the service, are hereby legallzed
and confirmed, and full and legal author
ity is hereby given said county commits
sioners to borrow money for the payment
of such expenses, and for the extension
of such relief to the families of all private
soldiers and non commissioned officers
who have been mustered in or may here
after be mustered into the service of the
United States, In pursusnce of any requi-
sition made or to be made by the Presi
dent of the United States, or by any law
of the United States now made or hereaf
ter to be made, or by the Governor OF
: Pennsylvania, or any law OF said Com
monwealth now raadc or hereafter to be