Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-01-17

[a4he CeGnasy Dou1s O1eoea6.
rhsrsy = ss@s q saats.rs u Is. 1stseas, II
your paper 81 ~ Ssenink "a ~ ssDoaqty
Quesdon," that II Justice Is the pub,le' e
sss1e = A ought ~ - be allowed = p1as
uhnoticed. Ano6e fhese I wili oba eVn !:
1st. That Il Is possible, II not pfehab1e.
that your estimate of the AMOUNT q C6nntr
Waxfants 70 b istned . inch ,too larGc.
Af TIE fine The Board wae h sbsSion & Nas'
thought ~ many that tAs quota ff ttis
county would not sxceed Nur hundrsd
men; ana 4 the entire qnota sh4ll b AIsd
with volunteer with ! county bounty Of
$3.50 each, only t0O, 800 would " required.
This estimAte, Il Y ttue, may b to snail,
ana pahAp8 our quota may reach 500, when
VI, 600 would b necessary. Mum what j
can learn In the matter, however, am H.
cfined 70 think the former number win H.
nearer the quota than the latter. ''
T 2. Az to the legality Of the warrants an
thorixed to Be issued 70 olMnt6tss. or FOR
their benefit, do not believe there Is any
doubt in the minds Of those whose opinions
on the matter are supposed to be entitled to
the most weight. That such warrants are
legal, md that the county cannot avoid the
payment Of them when issued as authorized
= and directed By the Board Of Supervisors, |
have no doubt
Sd. tits my opinion, however, that no
power has been conferred upon the Board to
appropriate money for bounties to drqfted
men, and that the resolution adopted by the
Board to do 50 in case draft shall be made,
is not authorized by law, and warrants thus
issued would be illegal and void. However
proper and equitable it may appear to some
that drafted man should receive bounty,
as we'll as the volunteer, still if the law do
termines the matter there is no help for it.
4th. 1t is stated in the article to which /
refer, in substance, 'that no portion Of the
resolutions passed can be ignored without
vitiating the entire series," etc. This is
not true. The resolution adopted BY tho
Board authorizing the committee TO pay
drafted men the same bounty as to volun-
teers, does not, in my judgment, impair Or
affect, IN tho least, the other resolutions
which refer to the volunteers only.
These resolutions are separate and dis
tinct from each other, and they were SO ex-
pressed and purposely intended to be. The
resolution providing for the payment Of the
$3.50 to drafted men, was tackled on after
the others. which had reference solely to
volunteers, because it was dc,nan2ed, with
out regard to its legality, BY one or more
members Of the Board, as being elnincntly
proper and just. And this accounts for its
passa gc-nor is it necessary that the Board
should be specially convened to amend Or
correct their previous acts in any respect
whatever. Besides it would do no good, as
from the position of the different members
on the question. Ihave no idea thatthc whole
thing could be made to "slump through"
however 50 much is desired by some.
9th. When the time for volunteering is
over and the draft takes place, the Commit
tee who had charge Of the matter, can stop
raising any moro money, or issue any more
Warrants if they choose; and if necessary
they can be enjoined from doing SO, until
the question has been settled by the courts.
And this need not interfere in the least With
the raising Of volunteers, ~ contemplated,
nor in any manner affect tho legality Of
Warrants issued for that purpose.
1nesc Warrants are good and will be paid
every dollar Of them By the County, and it
is to be hoped the people from the different
sub district in the county will come forward
take the Warrants and hand over to the
Committee whatever amount is necessary to
pay the bounties in money to the volunteers
Of each sub district 4 can be done and
think it would b, ifthis bug s-bear story about
their illegality, kc.,is confined. to those
who are determined that the County shall
pay no bounty. 9
q. P. wHrTCONB.