The Placer herald., 1866-02-10
Missing Cotton.


When General Curtis occupied Helena, in
1862, his army captured $500 bales of cot
ton belonging to General Pillow, then in the
rebel service. These were coufiscated, and
as was supposed, turned over to the United
States Treasury. Since General Pillow OBJ
tained his pardon, however it has been as
certained that instead of the Government re,
ceiving the benefit of this operation, it is
suspected that it is reserved for the use of
General Curtis, as no return was ever made
of it. Gen. Pillow, we understand, has in
sttuted proceedings against Gen. Curtis for
the missing cotton, or its equivalent in cur
rency-Memphis Daily Commercial.
1t has been we'll understood in this State
and throughout the country that Gen. Cur-
tis went to Helena bankrupt, and retired
from there millionaire. 1t is equally well
understood that not content with robbng
individuals and the Government out of all
the cotton he could Law his hands on, he
seized all the Government cameIs he could
find and transported them to his farm on the
Des Moines river. 1t is as quite as well
known that Government discovered the
calnels and ordered them from Iowa to St.
Louis, and that the military commission or
dered to investigate bis case, at the head Of
which was Gen. Mcdowell, found him guilty
Of camel and cotton pundering, but through
the connivance of the authorities at Wash
ngton, the report was suppressed.
We rejoice to know day of reckoning is
at hand, and we trust that Curtis and all
others, who have betrayed their trust, by
robbing individuals or the Government of
property, will be pursued, tried, convicted
and punished for their crimes.
Curtis obtained his position in the army
| by favoritism, and has been screened by ia.
voritism. Such men as he and Ben. Butler
ought to be made to disgorge their i'll gotten
gains, and we trust the parties interested
will neither compound with them or let up
their pursuit of them until they have paid
dearly for their treachery. Statesman.
STARTLING F1GuEEs-It appears from of.
fetal statements, the total number of men
who received, respectively $500, $500 or
$500 bounty during the war, are 1,73O,34O,
and the bounty in the aggregate, amounted
to $l3, 3,0l5 100000. The total enlislments
during the war were 2 SO 900 men, of whom
73l 900 received 20 bounty. In answer to
inquiry by Scbeuck, Chairman of the militia
ry committee, respecting the proposed law
eqnaliziny bounties to all soldiers who serv
ed during the war to suppress the rebellion,
the Paymaster General says that if it is re-
quired to pay each soldier, or bis represent
tative enough to bring his bounty to $4oo
Qho largest sum paid) it will require s63s,
O0O,OOO He adds that the sum estimated
to accomplish the end proposed by the law,
even if reduced by half, gives an amount of
money sufficiently enorm Gus and startling to
awaken grave considerations as to the expe.
diency of the measure, if it can be consider
ed at all practicable, at present, without en-
failing financial ruin. In further argument
against the proposed measure, the paymaster
says the actual soldier would derive little or
no benefit from it, as specializing adventur
ers, all over the land have been laying up
soldiers discharges in anticipation of just
such legislation, and are now doubtless, pres
sing its consummaton; and these large boun
ty allowances, in spite Of the most careful
vigilance and scrutiny, have led to frauds
incalculable.