Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-01-14
FROM WASHINGTON.
PnEsIpEET's MESSAGE.

rra PREsIDEET's MESSAGE. ar
The following is the message transmit
ted by the President to Congress on its
re-assembling last week:
To the Senate u House of Representatives:
By joint resolution Of your honorable
bodies approved Dec. 23i. 1868. the pay
ing Of bonnties to veteran volunteers as
now practiced by the War Department is
to the extent of $500 in each case prohib-
tied after the 9th day Of the present month.
j Transmit for yonr consideration COM
munication from the Secretary Of War.
accompanied by one from the Provost
Marshal General to him, both relating to
the subject above mentioned. 81
i earnestly recommend that the law be
so modified as to allow bounties to be
paid as they now are. at least until the 1st
day OF February.
1 am not without anxiety lest I appear
to be importunate in thus recalling your
attention to subject upon which you have
so recently acted, and nothing but a deep
conviction that the public interest demands
il. conld induce me to incur tho hazard of
being misunderstood on this point.
The Executive approval was given by
me to the resolution mentioned, and il is
now by closer attention and a fuller
knowledge of facts that feel constrained
to recommend reconsideration OF the
subject. am
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Washington, Jan. 5. 1864.
LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY WAR.
The Secretary Of War. in letter &C.
companying the message. says: No one
seems to donbt the necessity for increasing
the military forces for the speedy termina-
tion Of the rebellion. and although much
difference Of opinion exists in respect TO
the system of raising troops by volunteers
and the payment Of bounties, and the sys-
tenn Of raising an adeqnte force by draft,
yet two things are certain:
Frst-That whatever may be the
weight of argument, or the influence Of in
diviaual opinion. large portion of the
people Of every State prefer the method Of
contributing their proportion of the mill
tary force by bounty to volunteers rather
than by draft.
Second-That veteran soldiers who have
become Injured to service, even when paid
bounty. constitute cheaper force than
raw recruits. or drafted men without bonn
ty. The information received by the War
Department from the armies in the field.
prior to the passage Of the resolution of
December last, indicated that very large
proportion OF the forces now in the service
J would have cheerfully re-enlisted for three
years under the terms authorized by order
of this Department, and such enlistments
have been checked, and will in q great
measure be put to an end by the restric-
tion imposed by the action of Congress.
1t is believed if any limitation should be
imposed upon the payment Of bounties to
encourage the enlistment of veteran forces
now in the field. it ought not to be sooner
than the LIST of FEBRUARY.
FROM THE PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL.
The Provost Marshal General in com
munication says: After great labor the
volunteer recruiting service under the Pres
ident's call Of Oct. 18th. is fairly in pro.
gress. Letters all dated between the Goth
= and Oath Of December, from the Superin.
tendents Of the recruiting service in l6
States are in the main very encouraging as
to the prospect of getting large number
Of recruits by volunteer cnlistments.
Several Of the States were in fair way
to raise the quotas assigned to them. The
I act approved Dec 13. 1868. forbidding sf
ter Jan. 5th the payment to volunteers o.
all bounties except the hundred dollar,
authorized by act Of 1861. was not knowr
at the time these favorable reports were
made to me. have no doubt that TIT
effect of that act will be to check, il i
| does not stop enlistments.
OF the 800 bounty provided by the &C
OF 1861, bnt S25 can be paid in advance
the S75 being due only after two years o
service. 1t took some time after Oct
: 18th to get the people roused to the sub
ieet Of volunteering. They are now mos,
earnestly engaged in it, and have reports
for October and November and part oi
December, showing that AZ 500 men have
been enlisted. and the daily average of en-
listments is increasing. ai
Under these circumstances. respect
fully suggest the propriety of reconside
ration of the act forbidding bounties after
Jan. 5. aaf 9. o.
These communications were referred to
the committee on Military Affairs.
Senator Wilson's new enrolment bill
introduced to-day. exempts those who are
| physically disabled aud also makes the
following exemptions: a'
The President and Vice President
"a The Judges Of the Courts. the heads oi
the executive departments and the Gov.
ernors of States. s-at ets.
It receives as substitutes only those who
are not liable to the draft, and q penalty
of 800 to 81 900 fine and thirty days "a
six months imprisonment is provided for
the punishment of enrolling officers who
are engaged directly or indirectly in pro-
curing substitutes.
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