Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-06-17
Cheating the Soldiers.
From the Democratic Standard

Less than six years ago, to have the
promise of money from "the government
Of the United S,ates," was considered as
being equivalent to the money ITSELF
The soldiers Of the regular army signed
their pay-rolls days and even weeks before
receiving their money, and they did it
willingly, without the least doubt that "the
Govern meut" would deal honestly with
them, and pay them to the uttermost
farthing; and they were not disappoint.
ed.
But SINCE the present War Department
has been in power, this rule has been re-
versed, and when a man now enlists as a
soldier, he must expect to be cheated in
every possible way.
The first thing done in this line by
Stanton & Co., was to refuse to give to the
fve.year regulars the warrants for the
bounty lands to which they were entitled
For many years the rule had been that
any soldier who had been in action while
in the service of the United States, should
receive warrant for l6O acres of land
But when Stanton and bis backcrs, the
Abolition Congressman, gave slO0 bounty
to three year regulars, they made this act
an excuse for depriviDg all those regulars
who had enlisted prior to August, 1861, of
the bounty lands which they were prom.
ised at the time of their enlistment. The
6ve-year regulars, some of whom have
shed their blood upon every battle field of
Importance duriRg the war, never received
any bounty, not even the garrison of For,
Sumter.
During the last three years, the unfair
dealing on the part of the War Depart.
ment has been SO notorious as to create as
much dissatisfaction amongst the soldiers,
and cause many desertions. Men who
had been disabled by wounds or sickness
With dependent, upon, them, were put Into
the Invalid Corps against sheir will, and
not paid for q year or fourteen m onths at
time, while contractors and shoulder.
strapped loafers about Washington obtain.
cd their money without difficulty.
The latest cheating dodge is the deduc.
ton OF part Of the promised bounty of the
ooe.year men. This caps the climax of
meanness. For War Department which
expended over saoo 900 during the first
year Of the war for those worse than use
less articles, brass shoulder.scales and we
know not how much more for the equally
useless leather stocks, TO commence re.
trenOhment now by depriving our gallant
soldiers Of part their hard. earned money,
is an act unworthy of any official pretend.
ing to repressn. this great and generous
nation.
The man who took bis life in his hand
and went forth to suffer, and starve, and
toll, aud face the deadly bullets of the
ferce't lighters the world ever saw, in de.
feUse OF our national life, is worthy of all
that was ever promised to him, and as
much more as q grateful nation can be.
stow.
1t It's argued that these mon did not Sc, "a
out the year. A poor excuse, that. lIf
they had run away from the enemy instead
OF lighting bravely. as Trey did, the war
might have lasted many years, and they
might have received their full bounty by
serving out their torn OF enlistment, with
month or two at the end of it, as most
Of our soldiers have been forced 10 do
heretofore.
We do not believe that President John.
son will sanction any suoh proceeding as
this, nor do We believe that our Generals
or our people will approve of il. II thew
DO, it will be disgrace to the country.--
Never let il be said that the American
people presented the Generals with costly
houses. and cheated The private soldiers
out Of their bounty