North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-07-27
-
RnEATIEG

he United States. by the State Govern
,nents. and by cities, coun ties, AMI other
municipalities, In their payment there has
been great want Of unif 'rmity and SYSTEM.
The policy of the General Government has
rot been the same at all times, and in the
States there has been infinite diversity
Upon the whole, the system Of bounties has
been costly AMI unequal; the amount OF in
destedpess created by it is. enormous, and
uneq ual sums have been paid to soldiers of
the same grade of merit. Under any systcu
of local bounties to avoid censcription, the
wealthy parts of the country enjoy an nd
vantage over others, and especially where
manufacturing and other interests find it to
their profit in providing the supplies of the
war to retain their laborers OF home, substi-
tuting payments of money in their stead, un-
less each State shall be firmly required to
furnish the substitutes to fill up its quota
from its own citizens. But the General
Government has permitted the agents of such
interests in State to 60 into other States
md into the Southern country and obtain
enlistments for bcunties, both of white and
black troops, to be credited upon the quota
uf the State Of the agent. If it shall happen
hereafter :hat local payments of bounties,
whether by States or municipalities within
them, be assumed by the Government Of the
United States, the inequalities of the system
and its extravaganza in many cases will be-
come matter of concern to the whole peo-
pie. And it is a just matter of complaint
against those who have held authority in the
Federal Government, that by their policy and
want of policy on this subject the burden of
the war has been vastly increased, and been
distributed irregularly and unfairly.
The pecuniary outlay and indebtedness
III
mostly incurred by powerful and influential
communities. it is quite possible that they
may be recognized hereafter by Congress as
q legitimate object of national assumption :;
and if this happen those communities that
have retained their laborers at home, and
thereby secured their prosperity during the
war, will cast part of the burden of their
exemption upon other sections.
Obviously what has been wanting has
been wisdom and foresight IN those who
have controlled the public measures of the
war, and who haye resorted to ono expedi-
ent after another without q fixed policy !;
who have acted where they ought not, and
have failed to act where action and regulation
were demanded.
NEGRO TROOPS.
But subject which requires particular
notice is, the employment of negro troops in
the war. An act of Congress- passed the
18th day of July, 1862, authorized the
President "to receive into tho service Of the
United States for the purpose of constructing
intrenchments, or performing camp service
or any other labor, or any military or naval
service for which they nigh: be found COM
petent, persons of African descent and such
persons should be enrolled and organized
under such regulations, not inconsistent with
the Constitution and laws, as the President
might prescribe )" and further, that they
should receive ten dollars Fer month and one
ration, three dollars of which monthly pay
might be in clothing"
Without any other law on the subject pr-
or in date to the present session OF Congress
except an imperfect provision in an act of
1862, the President in his message of Decem-
ber 9Th, 1863 announced, that "of those who
were slaves at the beginning of the rebellion,
fully one hundred thousand are now in the
United States military service about one
half of which number actually bear arms in
the ranks"
AT the present session, on the Oath Of
February, an act amendatory of the conscrip-
ton law of 1868 was approved. the twenty
fourth section Of which provides for the en-
rollment of colored persons between twenty
and fortyfiVe yeas of age that slaves of loyal
masters enrolled, drawn and mustered into
the public service, shall be Tree, and one hun
dred dollars for each shall be paid to the
master and that in the slave States repIe-
sented IN Congress, the loyal mastor of a
slave who volunteers into the public service
shall be paid sum not exceeding three hum
dred dollars, out of the military communication
fund.
By the army appropriation bill, approved
June 18th, 1864, it was further provided,
that all persons Of color who have been or
may be mustered into the military service Of
the United States shall receive the same uni
form, clothing, arms. equipments, and equip
age, rations, medical and hospital, attendance
pay and emoluments, other than bounty, as
other soldiers of the regular or volunteer for
ces Of the United States of like arm of the
service, from and after the first day Of Janu
ary, 1864; and that every person of color
who shall hereafter oe mustered into the
service, shall receive such sums in bounty
as the President shall order in the different
States and parts of the United States not
exceeding one hundred dollars [each.'l
This enactment is similar IN terms to a
bill which passed the Senate in March last,
upon the consideration of which it was an
nounced that at least two hundred thousand
colored troops would be raised, Adding to
this number the number stated by the Pres
ident to be in service, in December last,
would make one quarter ofa million Of troops
of this description.
The measures above mentioned would es-
tablsh the following points in the policy of
the Government. first. The employment of
black troops generally, both slave and free.
Second. The equality Of black troops with
white as to compensation and supplies, and
third, the payment to the loyal master Of a
slave of a bounty not exceeding three hun
dred dollars when he volunteers.
The practical results Of this policy are, to
obtain an inferior quality of troops at the
highest rate Of exprnsc to impose upon the
Treasury the support of an enormous number
of the undisciplised and ignorant negroes to
recognise the principle Of buying negroes