The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-21
Attorney General speed on aounsie,
70 CnInraI anldl.-.


The subjoirsd letter from The sscoad
] ComptrolIe- Of tie Treasury b Ia Payinas.
ter General contains the rist If the ATTORNEY
Generals opinion rslativs 70 bouusies 70
eoiored troops, which vas briefly mentioned
- these dispaiebes last night The follow
/ ing IS the cOmmunicatiln
SlR: Tbs otiee, on the 18th us submit
ted 70 TIE Secretary OF the Treasury he
views entertained here UPON certain ones
tons relating % she b0uufies 70 which col
ored soldiers heretofore employed ID The
service a the United States are entitled bv
law, and requested the opinion Of the Attof-
ney 6eneral, who, in 8 very abe and elabo-
rste opinion, coneuis Eith tbs olics. sub
s'aniiatly Affirming hat colored soldiers
entering The military service we're il an
casea 70 Do treated as freemen AZ ~ dets AZ
taear aeceFtaace IN the service. ana tkaf
Were VS. Hpon the statute hooks no Law
elmer iorbidding thsir eRploymsut in the
army or with the exception 81 the brief
period Of nineteen days intervening the pss-
saFe Of the set Of june 18Th. and that Of
July 9Th, 1855, creating, on account Of color
auy distinction in The pay Allowance Or
bounty 70 which soldiers were entitled -
IRON the most reliable inforInali5o, il Is
believed that few, il any, eolared volunteers
e.iiaiiea curing the interval Of ninetssn drys I
soeFe alludsd g, and che anonaly q ieris- |
aaron q ne set Of Juhe 18th, 1855, vii /
therefore deprive few, il any, solder of
bounty, the Attorney General suns up his |
argument in the following conclusions.
Flrst-Ihat persons Of color who nav
naYe acquired their freedom By The provfs- 4
ions oftne act Of July 18th, 1859, ard Who |
were mustered into the military service
prior to the 18th Of June, 1865. are entitled /
2 receive the bounty allowed By law Tor vol
untesrs.
second-That persons Of color who nav
have escaped from slavery after the passinr
y ne act q July 18th 1852, and who may
nave been mustered into the military SER
zee oeiore The 5th Of June, 1854, and Who
we're unclaimed BY LOYAL owners Al ne 80
p enlistment, are entitled 10 receive the
bounty payable 81 law 10 volnni eers.
Ihird-Ihat all persons Of color ernan~i-
5ated 5y the Presidents proclamation OF
aAoary lst, 1873, who, after She date Of
nat proclamation and before the 18th Of
uns, 1854, enlisted ana were mustered mt
ne service as volunteergyzs en- iisd.to axe
Fourth.-Thsl All pers o. color n.us- I
cred into seEvics, after De lsih Of June
So are -eitz. tleds 70 receive respectively
1eh suPs bounty Is the President nav
ave 90 = TIE diiisrent States not sx-
esdin 81. andred dollars, ana II
fiith--leit All volunteers reseived into
ne service after July 4th, 1864, are entitled
reserve the same bounty for the term of |
niistment without regard % color. Il viii
e perceived that in these Eve points ihat
gere IN reply 70 specific questions from fhia
nee rights Of col0red soldiers Who nav rot
ave been free on the 10th Of APRIL 1881
nd YET volunteered between that daie and 3
be passage Of tie act Of July l7th. 1859. are 2
OF embraced. The Attorney General. how c
yer, says elsewhere, in his opinion. on trest- :
ng Of toe second section Of she act Of Jar d
9Th, 1864, which bad been thought By 6
One % have deprived colored soldiers II Q
ounty, thai The letter Of that provision does
% ailect tho rights vested un.ier the laws
2 force AZ he time Of their enlistment
'hleh i has been seen gave the same boom
7 to eolored men rightfully received into 0
he service as was accorded TO white troaps,
ID further still, his opinion states unhesi- q
ltingiy that enlistment in the Uniou army
lakes the save a free man forever, enti- e
ing him 10 be placed on q footing with a
hits volunteers. YOu are Therefore re- II
leetfally requested 20 direct The payments 4
bounty IN coniormity with the ofsaoinr / n
ecision5 allowing 70 cnl0red soldiers, wher- e
fer, and ex ept from the 18th Of June to u
Re 9Th Of Juy, 1854, whenever enlisted "
iring the rebellion. The bounty provided q
2 volunteers by laws existing at che terms
saeh enlistment
J. NJ. BROADHrAD, ComptrolIer.