The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-03-22
The New Bounty law.

non essential details the two Houses die
not agree, and a committee Of conference
has reconcled the differences. The re
tort Of the committee viii certainly be
agreed TO 10 both branches, if Il has nCt
already been done, and the various dis
tricts Of the State will very properly be
brought under uniform law regulating
the assessment of taxes and The payment
OF bountIes.
The new bill provides that the school
directors, or other local authorities OF any
township, ward or borough shall be au.
thorized to pay bounty not exceeding
four hundred dollars to all men enlisted
under the pending call, or any future call,
aud the tax for the same shall be levied
10 accordance with the provisions Of the
act of last year, withthis exceptIon-that
ali persons subject to draft shall pay, 10
addition ~ their tax on property, per
capita tax Of twenty dollars, and all aliens
between the ages Of twenty and forty five
pay the same. The provisions Of the old
law prohibiting the collection Of more
than Two per cent. per apnum ou the tax
able valuation Of property for bounty
purposes remain. The per capttu tax
will very materially lessen the burden Vi
bounty debts upon property, and very
justly.
The law also provides that bounty
not exceeding four hundred dollars may
be paid to drafted meO, or to their fault
lies 10 such sums aud at such times Is the
local authorities may determine. BY this
provision the families of drafted men can
be cared for by the School Directors out
oftbe bounty funds due to their husbands
ar brothers on whom they are dependent,
and dissoIute or proaiEate men can be
restrained from squanderlng the money
due to their wives or children.
AS the law merely couiers the author
ily upon the township, ward ana borough
authorities to pay 6ounties, the matter
rests wholly with the people themselves.
The law is not mandatory, and any town.
chip may decline TO pay bOunJies either
20 volunteers or drafted men. or they may
pay any sum fran SlOJ to S40O, but they
cannot exceed $500 Under the amend
ed conscrIp.ion law men must be credited
to the districts In which they are enrolled
aud competition iu boonies has there
iorc ceased Each district can provide
such bounty for its own citizens, both
volunteers aud drafted men, as they may
deem Just to themselves aud 10 the sol.
Jiers aud they can now also apply the
rame rule TO volunteers, relating to the
payment Of the bounty, that the general
law applies to drafted men. As yuIun-
teers cannot enlist elsewhere than in their
own districts, the school directors of each
lJcality should, as a matter Of justice to
the families OF the soldiers, reserve the
whole or a paIt Of the bounty to be ap.
piled 10 families where des,itution ],
probable to follow the absence of the
husband. Ii has Rst been uncommon
hitherto for men 10 volunteer, receive
large bJunues aud squauler their money
before they entered the service, leaving
families behind to be a charge on the
charity of the citizens. Under former
laws the local authorities could not cou
troll bounties to volunteers, as they could
be credited wherever the terms suited
them best but under existing laws, botl
State aud National, the control of tn.
whole matter is 10 the authorities Of til,
districts, and they can pay what suu
they cAoOse.to whom they choose-eithe
wife or husband-aud at such times a
they choose.
bounty taxes have grown to be mos
oppressive owing to the competition here
totore created bv the discretion give vol
unieers 20 oo credited where they prefer
cd bat We trust that the people will no
withhold what Is just to either volunteer
or conscripts now that the discretion is u
the other side. Under the laws and or
ders as they DOW are, townships may is
sue their bonds TO volunteers OF draftet
me0, payable at such times as they ma,
prefer, aud they eau hold them Tor th
use aud benefit Of families either who'll
or IN part, and thus make the bount'
what il should be-a fund for the sup
port Of those who may be dependant Of
the soldier In this way excessive taxation
aud the necessity Of raising vast sums 0
money at once is avoided, and the wan
that has been 50 widely prevalent amon'
the families Of soldiers will be hencef0rtl
unknown. Let the districts act prowpti
and ever generously, after considering
what is due TO the gallant defenders q
the Republic, and what is due to them
selves as taxpayers but let all doubts b
resolved in favor Of the soldier.
R9-Hcn. George DaTsie died in Allt
gheny county on Friday week. aged 6