, 1864-01-18
THE BOUNTIES TO VOLuJN.
TEERS.
Letter from Secretary Chase to Senator
Fesscndens

On Wednesday lust, while the Joint resolu-
tion to continue the bountfes Of volunteers
was pending in the Senate, Mr.. Fessenden
sent the following letter to the Chair to be
read for the Information OF the Senate: ?.
TREASURY DErAnTMEET, Jan. II, 1861
SR-On receiving from you copies Of Sem
ate joint resolution No. and House }oIut
resolution No. 10, relating to bountlcs, with
yonr letter fnquiring whether there arc anY
considerations arising from the condition Of
the Treasury which will make the passage Of
either resolution dangerous or particularly In
czpedient at the present time, and also re-
questing such suggestions with regard to any
modification of either resolution Or to- the
whole subject matter as may occur to me-" I
addressed note to the Secretary Of War.
asking for such information as to thenmount
which will probably ho required for the pay
ment Of the bouuties proposed, the periods at
which the money will be wanted, and the
proportion Of the whole amount likely to be
derived for Communication for drafted men, as
your letter.
The Secretary Of War In answer to my note
says:
unteers hare been or may be enlisted from
the armies IN the f1elR Twentg-onc million
bounty to that number; SIC, ,5OO, 600 wonld be
required for the 1nstallments falling due the
"1here are two other classes of volunteers
besides what arc called veterans:
~. Those who volunteer to fill up old
"2. Recruits for new organizations.
"Io those who 60 into into old regiments
$500 is allowed by general circular No IS;
hut to new recruits only the. sum Of $1OOt
payable under the act OF July, 1861
!, "1he Department has laborcd to contlne
The volunteering to veterans and to filling up
the old regiments. "A few new organizations
were authorized before the present system
wus adopted.
'sThc number that will volunteer for old
regiments or ncT organizations cannot at
present, with any certainty, be estimated,
tut in most Of the States vigorous efforts
authorities to till up the whole quota,
From this statement it appears that $31,-
0c0, eco will probably be wanted for bounties
TO Eetcrnns. The sum likely to be required
for recruits to I'LL up old regiments Is not
stated; but il the number be assumed as
equal to thehumber Of veterans expected to
re,cnlast, the amount required for their boun-
ties will be S15, 750,0O0 II one. hundred
thousand men are thus obtained, and the re-
malnder Of the. three hundred Thousand men
called for be filed up by volunteers for now
organizations, the further sum Of s., 900 600
lug Auo1l1NI7 tuEle1Olc, u lutEE QuQQfeQ
thousand volunteers to the army as veterans,
recruits for old reg gimenta, and recruits for
new organizations, will require appropria-
lions Tor bounttes' to the amount of $780,
756, ,0CD.-
But, If understand the Secretary of War
IS, tC0, Geo for the bounty Of 100 to each man.
allowed By lazy to all recruits, excepting col
orcd, alike, whether volunteers or drafted
lEen. So, too, the estimates Of. SIS. .75O. 600
for recruits to old regiments includes $780,
GO Of usual bountfcs; While the sum Of S2O,-
cCQ, COO for two hundred thousand recruits for.
new organizations is wholly made up Of like
bounties. =, ,
i, therefore, tho estimate Of fifty thousand |
veteran recruits aud fifty thousand recruits |
FOR old regiments be correct, the whole
amonnt required under existing laws In or |
der M to The Iaisirg Of the same number Of men,
eco viii DO required during the present ycar,
Taking these figures to Be correct, I reply |
to your inquiries that ! do not think there |
ire any considerations arising from the con- \
1ition Of the Treasury which will make the |
passage Of either resolution dangerous or par
ticularly ine1pedient. 80 -
must not omit however, to observe TINT
NY additions to the appropriations demand
ID by existing estimates enhance the, difficult
y Of obtaining the vast sums required to sat
Inc nlst auty OF the Republic to Its soldiers
.ua aisas saloas u Pto"a payment and sure sup
NE ,ites .,,ra rats sanups ne Prompt nor sup
!hility nf Gerta}n ,5rnpis;on eAeeeu LIE PROB
Ths ast;-eatas hpots p.otsstou.
-o,., Ieo',a ~ r. ;t snomlttea require
~ roor f9 eeEo s Sc 1sssn fno monaas @ o. 1ne u.s.
nn3tI1 III 13rns ~ OF 42o,ole,V.9
y tbe worl y nna aesasl4h 1 anG
- ~ o4tenSad W;tt ~ 1tapprsg Ine reoelnon small
~ ths 1880 progress towau its
;itio.,a1 s,'..o enSso 10y suMs, anu tne aa-
i1v L. eb4a1nai ~ u ~ nountles, can PROB
IL III - tha tuhnia aftSas a. fsonap,G ds. rates'
,;t,a % sss.y 9tutl Alaounl' aqdeu TO expen-
o1nt;nn NJ 1.noa,4a;nt,,. "osao LEX W saseo ~
owed 10 attend the Question ] @ Of Drnnnt sgty nag
ts cerainty eb}iI 4i'a ,ror ahu a1uP5s 10 3S a. 70
n1a;ora ne,ta en Iiaaa4ae a4c ataof Of tho pest
r,cea nf snnn1iea ~ ;n;ta o;slIea! aata enhance
heir nna,3tr e'' o"u 'n'ate oetefiorat'on Of