The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-26
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1866
Soldiers Bounties.

THE action of the Government officials with
reference to the increased bounties voted to
our soldiers by Congress, at its last session, is
inexpEcable on any other theory than that of
persistent design to defer their payment to
the last possible moment. For awhile it was
pretended that Congress had made no appro-
priation for the payment of these bounties,
and on the strength of this the Democrats
endeavored to manufacture little political
capital with the soldiers. We have now
before us a Democratic electioneerng card,
on which a soldier is represented as present
ing himself at paymaster's Office, and ask
ing for his bounty, when the reply is made -
81 am very sorry, but Congress has made no
appropriation for youW But this falsifica-
ton of the facts in the case not proving a
profitable political investment, it is now ac-
knowledged that Congress duly appropriated
the money for the payment of these bounties,
and the excuse for further delay is found in
certain regulations" made by the Department
with reference to the presentation of the
claims. These regulations" are rare speci-
mems of official stupidity. They provide that
"all applications shall be filed within the
period Of six months from the 1st day Of
October, 1856, and, before any payments are
made, shall be classified by regiments, bat
talions, or other separate organizations; and
no applications filed after that period shall be
settled until the former shall have been paid"
This will delay payment for six months
more. What possible necessity is there for
classifying all these applicants by regiments,
etc.S The Department has the official muster
rolls, and can refer to any soldiers name at a
glance. Why not pay each mans claim as he
presents it? The soldiers need the money
now. The winter is coming on, and many of
them have families to support. Congress
in the treasury. Why is it not paid to them?
There is no sufficient cause or just excuse for
the delay.
In this connection we might refer to the
silly invention OF the opposition to the effect
that Congress, at its last session, appropriated
larger bounties to the colored soldiers than to
the white. This lie is paraded in all manner
of shapes. The facts in the case are we'll set
forth in contemporary as follows:-
Soldiers of 1861 (When all were white) re-
ceived no bounty at hrst but in 1864 they were
asked to re-enlst, and received:--
"Firs. $l00 bounty 10y subsequent enact
ment) for their three years service.
"Second. For their additional service they
received $500 bounty, ana from cities, States,
counties, and boroughs, sums ranging from $500
to $1,000, as an extra dOucc,ir. These men served
until the end of the Rebellion
''Solders OF 1862 received 500 bounty from
the Government, and, in few cases, bounty
from home
SOLDIERS Of 1868, white and black, received
500 bounty from the Government, and addi-
tional bountie,; and
SOLDIERS of 1864 received $500 bounty from
the Government, and additional bounties.
'Some black soldiers received no bounty what
ever, particularly those who had been slaves.
The law is to correct the neglect of the Govern
of 1862 and 1868, and the blacks who received no
bounty. Their right to such bounty must be
shown by their discharee papers"