The New York herald., 1864-10-23


6ed for tho duties Of soldisshipr within three
weeks after their arrival ct peaceful post on
the northeastern shore Of Virgins; while Of
tho rabble, or something worse, who had
been arrested by the police and then
induced to enlist in order to escape State
prison or the peniten tiary, ninetenths, az might
have been expected, only remained long
enough in the service to secure good oppor-
tunity for desertion. Once having done this,
they were then in fair way to become adroit
bounty jumpers" and there are innumerable
cases on record in which some Of these men
have enlisted as many as twenty or thirty times
In the service Of the United States, pocketng
tho bounty In each case. and then abscondng
in various DISCUSSES, supplied to them through
their confederates, the bounty brokers.
hit any wonder, looking at these facts and
with our knowledge that the practices of this
city have been repeated elsewhere it any
wonder, we say, that the President has been
obliged to call for vast levies Of men to All up
our armiesi or tho many millions Of dollars
assessed upon the property Of Manhattan
Island for procuring recruits, far more than
two-thirds OF the whole have been absorbed BY
the chief bounty brokers and their two sets Of
associates-the runners" acting Hnder them
and capturing the victims, and the high demo-
cratic, republican and military patrons over
them, with whom they were compelled "to
divide the pool" or the seventy millions
expended to avoid the draft in the entire State
Of New York, how many millions have gone to
enrich the bounty runners the bounty jumpers,
the corrupt examining surgeons and mastering
officers, the winking military commandants and
ries who spread their broad egis of joint pro-
lection over these abominable villaniest
And Whist tas been done in New York has
been done in every other loyal State-New
England. as might have been expected, enjoy
ing bad pre-eminence. In most, il not all,
the New England States the various townships
and counties did more than rob the recruit of
his local bounty. They compelled him TO sign
away his State aud United States bounty as
well. the local authorities cashing these assign
ments and thus being able 70 give ss high AZ
six or seven hundred dollars per man to the
bounty brokers for every recruit that could be
cajoled, or drugged, or bullied into the POSI-
ton Of q volunteer 1t is New England that
has been most active in securing Southern
negroes to take the places Of her own non-beliig-
erent children in this war for the supremacy Of
New England ideas; and it is New England that
has imported whole cargoes Of ignorant and
defrauded Europeans to represent her name
and CARRY her flag upon the battle field. Had
it not been for the system Of bounty swindling
shsdowed forth, General Grant would long
since have crushed out the last hope Of the
rebellion, and the bow of . glorious peace
would have been spread in radiance across the
heaven of our distracted country.
1t 10 only to be remarked, in conclusion.
that the government has not yet punished. nor
even attempted to punish, any one OF these
bounty swindlers. Some few of them were
arrested by General Dix upon his own autho-
rity and committed to Fort Lafayette; but the
powerful politicians In whose interest they had
worked, and with whom they had divided tho
spoiIs, wore not long in securing their release.
There are scores of men to-day confined in our
military prisons whose crimes are a. snow
when contrasted with the black and desolsting
guilt Of which these scoundrels stand con-
victed. Yet they are at liberty and untroubled.
One of them, who, ayear ago, had to live dis
reputably upon his wits, in o manner bringing
him frequently under the cognizanoe of our
police, Is now . millionaire, enjoying the
luxuriss Of . palatial home by the seaside;
another has . magnificent mansion in one OF
the best Of our avenues, and il the rival
in COARSE extravaganza Of the w-Aedged
"oil aristocracy" of the petroleum district;
while third has recently started for Europe,
in company with . gay party Of friends and
social retainers. to spend in reveling in foreign
capitals that bloodstainsd wealth which was
secured In his business as bounty swindler.
LAWYERS AND LIBEL Surrs.-Newspaper are
always liable to libel suits but one Of very
curious character against the HERALD came Off
in one Of our courts last week. In our de-
sire to befriend q lady, the widow of
soldier who had fought in battle gloriously
for his country, We published card,
whereupon . couple Of young unfedged
lawyers, fresh from the country, full Of conceit
and ambition to revolutionize ell our law
courts, newspapers and public affairs generally,
brought suit for libel against us, laying the
damages at $4,000. After trial Of one days
duration the decision Of the Court resulted,
not in mulcting US in $4,000, but actually
giving MS Eve hundred dollars damages and
costs. So the unHedged country smattcrers Of
Blackstone were disnally disappointed. The
bes: Of the story is that We, not wishing to be
bothered BY going into court, offered these
young country jurists five hundred dollars to
settle the matter, which they refused. They
wanted $4,000; but they didn't get II, and We
came out Of the transaction $1,000 better, be-
sides spelling the unnedged country lawyers
reputation for smartnesa Thus ended this