The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-28

Il is reported that a military commission,
/ consisting of Malor-Cenerais Hitchcock,
| ". r. smith, and Seth Williams, has been
| appointed 20 investigate the enlistment IN
QUO army Of certain prussians, which took
place in Boston harbor in the spring and
| summer OF 1864. lt will be remembered
| that a considerable number Of foreigners
who we're enlisted there st thst time were
| credited 10 the quota of the state Of Mas
sachusetis, and that these credits contribu-
| ted 10 free the citizens OF that state from the
dran. II is alleged by the Prussian minis
| ter Baron Gerolt, thut the men in question
/ were hired in Germany and brought 20 this
/ country, as they believed % be employed
Ia agricultural and mechanical labor They
I did not understand tha Eurli,h language,
and were NOT Evare Of the nature Of the
| papers which they were made 20 sign. By
virtue OF these papers, howeyer, they were
| conveyed 10 Gallup's island, the rendezvous
/ for recruits, iu Boston harbor, and there
| converted into soldiers, in spite Of their IN
/ willingness and circumstances. Precisely
| how many men were thus compelled 10 en-
Ter the army by virtue of fraudulent enlist
| ment papers, We do not know; but Sc Is our
| impression that the eases presented BY the
| frussiau government must amount TO
about one hundred. Some of these unfor-
tnnate men were killed IN battle; s me Of
I
incidents 81 war; but most of them were
some time ago discharged from the ser
vice.
Il IS not maintsined, 50 FAR a. we are
| aware, that the authoriiics of Massachusetts,
were cogalzant ot the nature OF these trans
actions. The onlistmeuts were made not in
| behalf of the State government. nor under
is responsibility. rhey were The work Of
Gay and town authorities, who dealt with
brokers and agents, paying them their price
upon the presentation 0f The usual c0rtif-
Gates of enlistment. The frauds were
altogether the work nf these agents. We
have no doubt that such frauds were com
mitted. They grew naturally out OF the
system OF raising troops By means Of high
hounucs, which was then In practice. The
CRIMES perPetrated under The stimulus OF
That systcm we've something fearful. Their
| eoofla''y eNoccds The power OF imagination.
and lheis variety was all-ost endless ID
could net BE- expected. when these villains
| were cheating uud rohoing everybody. that
| they would overlook So simple and conven-
tent method Of pluudcr a. vas offered bv
! these creQulCus Erd coofd.ur German inn
migrants. Accordingly, some of them len
| victims Ia other Statcs but noEherc vers
81 many cntrapped - in Massachusetts. In
| deed, We believe that the bounty brokers Of
that state alone sent vessels % Germany
and brOught over recruits by the cargo.
The military commit sion. o. course, i an
pointed o. ascertain the facts. and % deter
mine whether the charges % fraudulent
and violent enlistment Of Prussian subjects
In Massachusetts are true OF uoE SunpoS
ing them 10 be true, it Is q question what
remedy is spplicahle. ltis not probable that
toe bounty brokers guilty Of these crimes
will be- found able b. Indemnity their vic
Tins or their relatives l0r he wrong done
them We presume, also, that the towns Of
Massachusetts which have prohted by
these enlistmtnts viii b. very backward IN
satisfying any such demands, The govern
mcnt Of that State Of course has no power
90 appropriate money for such g purpose
without special act Of the Legislature: nor /
can The national treasury be drawn upon /
without an act o. Congress. There is no |
reason 70 doubt, however, that in case it 4
ahau Be proved that wrongs - extreme I
were actually committed sgaiust the sub 4
lects 81 a power which, during the war, re-
renamed eetlrely hiendly, Congress win I
promptly iake measures 10 satisfy every
just claim, ieaVing tue sccount I, be srttioa
siterWerd between Massachusetts and shr
national govcTnmcnt.-Ciiouco RrarBEo4r
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