The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-05-14


There is no claim more just-uo contract u
sacred, and the people owe it to them
selves to see that this obligation 10 fully
discharged, without having the soldiers Of
their representatives numerically fleece
4 by such pettyfogging ignoramuses - ar
too generally fouQd among Claim Agents:
The soldier should haye his bounty, bach
pay, and pension paid free Of any expens.
on his part. Az but few of the rank AND
die Of the army, or their heirs are sum
ciently acquainted with the necessary forms
and modes Of procedure, to enable them x
prove mp and collect their own claims, thu
aid Of third party becomes necessity
Such services cannot be expected gratu,t.
ously Of private individuals, nor will 1t b
contended that any laws can be passed reg
ulating the charges therefor, that cannot
or will not be evaded and violated.
The act Of Congress, Of May 10th, 1852, es'
tablishes fec bill for such claim agents
but it is notorious that the law is dead let.
ter, and is violated openly and avowedly
the East, some benevolent and pataiotit
persons have formed associations and ap-
pointed agents to perform these duties a
the lo,0est possible sum necessary to pay th<
actual OUTLAY.
This is an advance in the right direction,
but the plan is liable to objections. The
Societies have not the direct sanction and
"
swerable to the Societies only and not to
the authorities. The fees or charges are
computed and fixed BY the Agents, Or al
best the managers of the Societies. They
are not likely to be universal nor their
charges uniform. And lastly / must re
iterate these claimants are entitled to their
pay without any expense. II expense
must necessarily be incurred, let Il Be
paid by the public.
In my judgment this agent between the
claimant and the General Government
| should be q public officer, acting under
oath and under bonds for the faithful per-
Torrance Of his duties.
In our county organization We have an
officer whose duty it 10 to guard and pro-
tect the interests Of the heirs Of deceased
persons and especially Of minors; Why
not make IL his duty to attend to the rights
and interests of the soldier and his widow
and orphan childrenf Why not pay the
County Judge an additional salary Of one,
two or three hundred dollars per annun,
and require him to prepare and forward
all applications for bounty, back pay and
pensions due to residents Of his county,
free of all expense whatever to the appli
cant.
The County Judge is the presiding officer
of a Court Of Record. having a seal, and
application coming to the Government
l -
them dignity and weight worthy Of con-
siderat;0n. assi.
The expense to the people would be
| small and would be borne without q mur.
mur, except from some COpperheads, the
which would make it all the more palata-
BILE to the patriotic.
The County Supervisors have heretofore
paid out large sums in the way Of boun-
ties and for the support of soldiers fami-
lies, and their acts have been ratified "
the people. Could they not make an order
| to pay for the expenses necessary to pro-
cure them their just dues? the want OF
which, in many cases, only makes 1t neces-
sary for them to seek aid from other
sources. $.
HORRIBLE BARBARITY-AN"IN CIDENT IN
THIS UNHoLY WAR."-Weextract the sub
Joined letter from the Houston Daily Tel
egraph of the 30th nit. 1t does not need
comment, especially with the brave men o.
the Union army. whose friends and rela-
tives have fallen during this war:
ED. TELE0RAPH-Among the multifari.
GUS incidents Of this unholy war, not the
least in interest and peculiar attraction, il
the following, which have taken down
| from the mouth of writer and actor In
1 the scene--a man Of truth and energy, and
who bears upon his body the marks Of the
enemy. &.ss.
Along the banks of the Chickahominy
may be seen the usual diversity Of our glo.
rio0s land. Here, abrupt and lowering &C.
olivitiea: there, smooth and flowing tAbll
Tor perhaps more properly speaking, Prai-
rie) land meets the eye; and, even ct this
time Of quick death and ruin, presents 9
picture Of loveliness and beauty, ct once
| pleasing, attractive and almost enhancing
Such y dear old virginia-dear to ME, firsl
because from her soil and chime came my
reverend pFogenitor III he did, - b. used
to tell his prideful grandchildren, black
shoes for living, and secondly, because
the grand, old chlvalric land has % much
II not more Of natural beauty than any
other portion Of the Conledefacy. ,rf
Very we'll but now to the incident fore
shadowed. On . certain occasion my
friends company wa ordered out, with
other forces, to check an anticipated raid
Of the enemy. They went, Of course, and
IL 10 happened that they were then In the
Of the enemies Of our countries had len
their imbecile bodies in the implacaae arms
Of death. Unlike ourselves, the liv-
inR had AMPLY buried their dead on the tor
Of the ground, or 20 shallowly that arms,
and Len bones and skulls were plenty, and
rather in the way. Our boys had sesu
nothing Of the enemy. The scouts report.
them. The boys were not weary, but
thirsting, % to speak, for something to do,
and one proposed they should have : game
Of ten-pins. The proposition seemed i'll
timed and unreasonable; % another ask
ed, show can this be done here, where the
bones and skulls Of our enemies arc lyine
around usi" I" Easily enough" replied
leg bones scattered around will answer for
pine. and the skulls will suit for balls
The strangeness Of the proposition to-
eether With an inexpreesible interest all
1elt in It, won the day, and soon the pins
were ret mp, and the skulls filled with sand
| to give them specific gravity, care being
dificult thing to ind among Yankees) and
thun our revelors bowled away for several
hours. Just think Of 1t The invaders Of
! Of our country having fallen in battle
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