Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-09-12
Soldiers Extra Bounties they are
not Paid.

not Paid.
Congress, just before it adjourned, says
the Detroit Post, passed bill giving extra
bounties to soldiers. That law was intend
ed to pay these extra bounties Immediately.
1t made every necessary provision for SO
doing.
Immediately after its passage, the Secre-
tary of War appointed board, with Gener-
al Candy as its President, TO decide upon
the proper construction of the law, ana to
frame rules to govern the different depart
ments in paying the expected claims. This
board, it is stated in the dispatches from
Washington, has finished his report. The
report declares that the law is explicit, that
the bounties ought to be paid, and also pre-
senting the required rules for carrying ii in
to imm ediate effect. This report, it is sta
ted by the New York Tribuaes correspon-
dent, has been suppressed by the President 5
direction. An order was issued at the same
time, to the Second Auditor OF the Treasu-
ry, not to pay the bounties until further or
ders. The New York Herdld'S correspen-
dent-a johnson man-says he is tauthori-
zed to state that the bounties will not be paid
ed will naturally ask achy the intention of
Congress is thus defeated, and their just
claims postponed. The correspondent OF the
Chicago Tribune answers these questions as
follows:
1.-The contradiction telegraphed over the
ioa 70, =, hot ri ba
retary of the Treasury had not issued an
order forbidding the payment of bounties
under the late act of Congress, Is in itself
unfounded. Such an order was III the pos
session Of the Second Aud tor last week.
The further statement that the Treasury
Department is awaiting the conclusion OF the
report Of the commission appointed by the
Secretary of War, to ascertain II the law
would Justify the payment OF the bountles,
and to frame rules governing the disburse-
ments, is also a misstatement. The facts
are as stated in these dispatches two nights
since, The report Of the commission aodS
ready to be made on Monday, and instead,
1t aras aoittheId 6y the President. The re
port acaS IN fduor Of the payment Of the
6ounties The aohOJe thing iods intended as
q secret attempt to preUeat the payment Of
ony bounties till after the elections, and an
the meantime to create the impression that
Congress did not really intend any payment,
but simply passed some unmeanlug words
by which to deceive soldiers and obtain their
votes. The chances are that the uneXpect-
ed exposure of this transaction will secure
the publication of the report. 1t is said,
however that there IS settled deter0aina
tion IN Administration circles to preUent the
Republican party from recetring dny Of
the good tCiU aoIich ,coutd spring from the
general payment Of bouHtjes before the cleo
tiOnS.
The Soldiers can thus see how they were
to oe duped, if possible, into supporting the
President, by Withholding their bounties-
These bounties are only due to privates and
on-commissioned officers. Gen. Custar and
the other officers who support the Phlladel-
phia scheme, and are attempting to lead the
soldiers into the Copperhead camp, are not
interested in the bounty law. They do not
lose anything by the delay in paying the
bounties; consequently they are well afford
to support the President, who holds In his
hands the power Of promotion; but the
keeping back of the poor private's we'll
earned bounty for three or four months, for.
political effect, is cruel injustice, and, in
many cases, great hardship. Congress
voted him the money; he is fairly entitled
to it Immediately and it is a meanness of
the most despicable sort to withhold 1t, for
the sake of depriving the Republican party
of the political credit of having shown itself
the friend of the soldier. Telegraph.