The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-10-13

to show that coiored soldier was not free man
at the date aforesaid, under the provision OF the
fourth section of the ACT making appropriations
for the support of the army, for the year ending
the thirteth of June, eighteen hundred and sixty
i've the presumption shall be that the person
was free.
SEC. 2. Ind be 1t further resolved, That in de-
termlning who is or who was the wife, widow, or
heirs OF any colored soldier, evidence that ne ana
the woman claimed to be bis wife or widow were
joined IN marriage by some ceremony deemed og
them obligatory followed by their living together
as husband and wife up to the time OF enlistment,
shall be deemed sufficient proof OF such marriage,
for the purpose of securing any arrears OF pay,
pension or other allowances due any coored sol
der at the time of his death; and the children
born of any such marriage shall be held and taken
to be lawful children and heirs of such soldier''5
Thus much for the negro-his widow and
children. Having accomplished this sublime
act of rewarding pre-eminent virtue and he
roism, for "the colored troops fought mo-
bly,") the trump" sinks quietly to rest In
the consciousness of having performed its du-.
ty,until again on the 2Sth day of July, 1866,
(the last day and the last hour of the SESSION.
when, as if conscious that 1t must do some
thing to help elevate the white soldier to the
level of the black hero, it again puts forth it's
power,and this time permits the white soldier
and the negro as sceN, to receice an extra $50
and 500 bounty, acheneUer- the money shalt be
UpDrOpft1teU Oy subsequent congress " puy
this psttance, this cold charity.
This act of July %, 1866, provides shat
each and every soldier who enlisted into the
army of the United States, after the nine
tsenth day of April. eighteen hundred and
sixtv-one, for period of not less than three
years, and having served the time OF his en-
listment, has been honorably discharged, and
who has received, or who is entitled to re-
ceive, from the United States, under existing
| laws, bounty of one hundred dollars, and
| no more, \ shall be paid the additioal boun
| ty of one hundred dollars hereby authoriz-
! ed"
! 1t also makes provision for the allowance of
| $50 bounty to such soldiers as have enlisted
for not less than two years, and who have serv-
ed their term, and who have already received,
or are entitled to receive from the United
| States, under existing laws. bounty OF one
| hundred dollars, and no more.
| 1t also allotgs the bounty above mentioned
| to certain heirs of deceased soldiers.
| From the wording of this act, 'that each
and every soldier, &c. it will be seen that the
negro is provided for as we'll as our white SOL
| diers.
| Recurring again to the act of June 18th +,
| 1864. which was the original law authorizing
the payment of the bounty to negro troops,
we find in section l, page 127, of statutes at
large, the appropriation, >"For pay Of volun-
/ teers, including the bounties authorized by
law, one hundred and seventy seoen snaitsions
four hundred and SIXTY tt0o thousand Secen
| hundred and tlCenty- eight dollars and tCenty.
| fce cents" The black soarv7or cannot accuse
the "rump" of so ungracious act as grant
| ing him $500 bounty and making no appro
priation of money to pay HIM
The act of July %, 1866, permitting the
| while soldier to receive psltry 500 when
be can get is) Is headed thus -.
ssBe it enacted by the senate and house Of repre-
sentGtireS, &c, That the following sums be and the
same hereby appropriated for the objects here
after expressed for the fiscal year ending the thr-
tieth OF June, eighteen hundred and sixty-seVen,
VIZ - &C., &C.
In regular session, as each object is nam
ed, the appropriation is added for that obj
all the way down TO the last of the act. and
until The soldiers bounty as mentioned, and
then tie soord dollar is seen no more. IL has
disappeared-it has slipped the memory of
the ing lorious ''rump"-in other words no ap-
| preparation of money tras C0ted for the pay
| ment OF the neW bounty. And what is more,
not single claim for the new bounty can be
paid until congress again c0nrenes and makes
an appropriation for the payment of 1t; and
the departments having the adjustment OF
these claims for the new bounty knew full
| well this state of facts, and under instruc-
AlOub AEoAl sLlC cCC4osnAJ Va VI 40 ptSAA-
| Der II, 1866, require six months from Ooto
Der l 1866, to-wlt; until April l, 1867, for
the fling and classification of these claims,
! before single one can be paid which means
simply this Congress meets again In Decem-
Der, and sdjourns March 3. 1867-beiore the
six mons tbs expire they will have time to ap-
| propriate the money necessary to pay the new
/ bounty claims, provided there is any money
| in the treasury after paying the "colored
troops" and congress feels disposed to make
| this appropriation.
! We have given the LAW and the FACTS as
they exlst-as they can be substantiated by
every person who, doubling their correctness,
will take the trouble to look them up. We
neither sot down taught in malice" nor mis-
| represent single fact, and candidly appeal
to our countrymen and countrywomen-the
! white race we mean, the pure Caucasian
blood for whom God made this beautiful
country of ours-to read, investigate, and
| then act as their calm and NuclOuded judge
ment dictates.
We ask the weary and worn veteran of
| 1862 who, full of life and hope and health,
went forth to battle for his country and her
| rights, and who now drsgs out miserable
existence, rendered wretched by a constitu.
ton shattered and undermined by disease
contracted in the service of his country, how
he relishes the acts of this trump" congress,
who, after all the dangers and excisements
OF grim visaged war" have swept by, over
look the fact that no served his country faith
fully for tUenty three months, it may be, and
turn him off without tarthing of bounty
! but find a warm place In their hearts for tn Q
| miserable negro, and remember him 10 the
tune Of $500 bounty After the war was
over, and they were seeking whom they
might reward for the vindication and protec-
tion of the old flag in its hour of peril, and