Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-02-17
Maine Legislature.

Maine Legislature.
The bounty legislation hill was taken up
and after much discussion all the House
amendments were adopted, and the bill
was passed to be engrossed in concurrence,
as follows:
BE it enacted By he .Seaefe and House
Of Representatives in Legislature asscmbt-
ed, as fotto,cS:
SEE. l. The past acts and doings of
cities, towns and plantations in offering.
paying, agreeing to pay. and in raising
and providing the means to pay honnties
to, and all notes and town orders given by
the municipal officers of any city, town or
plantation III pursuance OF IA previous vote,
for the benefit of volunteers, drafted men,
or substitutes of drafted or enrolled men,
who have been or shall hereafter be act
ually mustered into the military or naval
service of the United States. are hereby
made valid.
SEC. 2. All contracts heretofore made
by the municipal officers Of any city, town
or plantation, that has voted to raise
bountics. with any volunteer, drafted man
or substitute, for the payment of the
bounty thus voted, and all contracts here
totore made by said officers or their duly
authorized agents. with third persons.
corporations or associations. for the pur-
pose of raising means to pay such boun:ies
SO voted, are hereby made valid.
SEC. 3. All contracts heretofore made
by such municipal officers, or by third
persons, iii behalf of any city, town or
plantation, but, without previous authori-
ty therefor, to pay bounties to such volun-
tecrs, drafted lnen or substitutes, or to
raise money 10 pay sneh bounties where
such volunteers, drafted men or subs flutes
nave been or hereafter shall be actually
mastered into the military or naval service
OF the United States, may be ratified or
confirmed by said city, town or planta-
ton.
Sec. 4. All votes of cities, towns or
plantations to pay expenses of recruiting
tor their several quotas, and all contracts
heretofore made in pursuance of such
votes, are hereby made valid.
SEC. ) Ali taxes that have been assessed
to raise funds to pay bounties. or to fill
contracts for the object named in this act,
are hereby maize valid.
SEC. 6. Authority is hereby conferred
upon cities, towns and plantations to offer,
pay and agree to pay bnunties to yolun-
| tccrs drafted men or substitutes required to
| I'LL their quotas, under any call for soldiers
| by the President OF Government of the
| United States heretofore made where such
volunteers. drafted nien or substitutes have
beea or shall hereafter be actually mustered
into the military or naval service of the
| United States, and to assume and pay to
persons or associations, where they have
advanced the bounty, OF have by private
subscription given II bounty. to each vol
u'teer. drafted nan or substitute: prorjL-
"t' that no town, city or plantation is
authorized ny the provisions Of this act
to hereafter offer, pay O. agree 10 pay as
bounty Tor any voluG;cer, drafted man or
substitute. Il sun exceeding three hundred
dollars for the first wear the person-so en-
listed or drafted shall be mustered for, and
one hundred dollars far each additional
year; and ptoti,ioi farther, That 10 boun
y shall be paid i-om the treasury of the
state to any person enlisted or drafted and
mustered into the service of the United
STATES prior u the second day of Febru-
AIRY, leol, except upon his subsequent re-
enlistment and muster into such service
nor shall amy bounty be paid by any town,
city Or plantation for the assignment to
such town, city OF plantation of any per-
son heretofore enlisted or drafted and
mustered into the service Of the United
States, except on subsequent rc-cnlst-
ment, where such enlisted or drafted man
has heen or may be credited to the State
without the payment of such bounty: and
| DrDlIfTSI fy,ry|or fbnt pntli,, IN,
shall authorize the municipal officers OF
any city, town or plantation to pay any
man more than shall have been actually
paid for his substitute.
SEC. Z. Any city, town or plantation
having voted. or that shall 50 vote, may
fund the debt incurred in raising means 10
pay the bounties and expenses authorized
by this act or any prior act of the Lcgsa
turc, and may issue bonds therefor, with
coupons attached, for interest at rate not
exceeding six per cent. per annum, papa
Bile selili-annually, said bonds retleelnablc
amy time within twenty years from the
date OF their issue: such bonds to lie sigtl
ed by treasurer and selcctmcn or major
part thereof OF towns: the treasurer aud
assessors or major part thereof Of planta-
mons. The tfeasurer's signature only to
the coupons shall be required.
| SEC. {. The treasurers of the seyera!
cities and towns of this State SHALL on OF
before the first day of November next, re-
turn to the Governor and Council Il state
ment of the financial condition of their
respective cities aud towns. as it exists on
the iir>t day OF October next. which re-
turn shall exhibit the aggregate indebted
ness, the years when aud the purposes for
which 1t was created, the rates of interest
paid, and the time when it falls due to-
gether Win an estimate of the real and
personal property owned by said city o,
towns; and the Governor and Council
shall examine such returns and report the
sameor an abstract thereof to the next
session of the Legislature
SEC. o. Nothing in this act shall be
construed as making valid so much of
any contract herein referred to as shall be
usurious by existing laws.
SEC. 10. No bounty shall be paid from
the State Treasury to any volunteer,
drafted man or substitute enlisted or draft
ed since the second day of February
eighteen hundred and sixty -four, except
ing upon calls for troops already made by
the President or Government of the Unit
ed States.
SECT. IL. All acts and parts of act,
inconsistent with this act are hereby re.
pealed.
SECT. IL. This act shall take ctfec
when approved by the Governor.
The Senate then adjourned.
"a Wenotice that local papers, publish
cd in villages about as large AZ Ellsworth