Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-15
The Soldiers Bounty Bill.

Remarks of Mr.. Ed,nunds of Vermont on
the amendment providing that State bounties
should be deducted
Mr.. Edmund said :-Yhe extreme ini Istice
OF the amendment OF the Senator from Iowa as
applied Certainly to the State OF Vermont, and
do not know but to other States-tbey can
answer for hemselves-compels me TO enter
my dissent to that IN particular. 1t is fair to
say also that dissent from the amendment of
the senator from Massachusetts,; but that is
i-r better tor my State thsn the amendment of
the Senator from Iowa. The State of Yer
mont from the beginning, from the first soldier
OF hers that entered the teld-and believe
she has never been accused OF being behind
haad IN sending tDcm there-provdsd by State
tax tor every solder an extra compens alton of
| seven dollars per month that every soldier
OF her twenty thousand, or whatever her share
might have been-and it was tlied-receved
from month 10 month, as he was in the fed
performing service, seven dollars per month
| from the State IN addition to MS UniJed States
pay. he has received at time when it fit
| and proper that the faith ana Justice OF the
| State should be exercised toward him because
| 1t Was time when, more than any other, him
| sslt and hls family whom he had left benlnd
needed ii. We entered upon that scheme as
| an act OF Justice, lh:t tee dear ones who
were left behind should be provided for then.
Ihe result # 1t IS that only leaves a conpen-
| saiIon under this amendment to all ous soldiers
OF one dollar and a third per mouth and no
more. Now, if you ;ske from that the United
| States bounty that has been paid, Of 500 IN
the first place, $500, $500, or $4OO in latter
| times, according TO the particular circum-
stances under which each man enlisted, the
Result is that except In the accidenta. cases OF
| Death sometimes when the man did net serve
| out his term and therefore his dollars per
| month stopped, there is not soldier of the
State of Vermont who will receive penny OF
bounty In persuance Of the amend me Mt of the
oenator from Iowa. Oat of the 5000 900, 900
CT S3oO,0OO.OOO that you propo to give to
| the soldiers o. the nation, the Vermont soldiers
| will receive not one dollar. That is the "equal-
| lzatiOn" which they to have under the pro
vision 30 kindly offered by the Senator from
Iowa, and supported by the Senator from Ohio
on the ground, suppose, that the burden upor
the Treasury will be less.
| Now, reverse the picture. That is the equal
ization of the bountes for US. Where is tn,
equalization of the burdens upon he States or
the other hande The State of Vermont pays
one half of one per cent, and little over o
all the internal taxes of the country. 1t is
small sum, to be sure, fraciionally /; but the re
suit is under this measure as provided for by th
amendment of the Senator from Iowa, if it val
take, iOt llIuStrdtlon, S<OO,VOO,OUV 10 aCcoul-
pl.sh the object, it will be the duty OF the Stat
Of Vermont TO contribute from the labor of he
people $l,OOO,OOO toward It. Therefore, Will
you profess to eQuaIise the bountiss 10 soldier
} in Iowa and the other States, where they di'
not provide for them in the time of need, yo'
call upon the States of Vermont TO pay over
million dollars to those States without receiv
ing penny of compensation Or bounty in re
, turn. Certainly, if that equalises bount.es,
uneq qusizes, ii there be such term, the burde
of taxation ". ich our Constitution and laws re
quire TO be imposed equally upon the States
For one, sir, l object decidedly to this LAT
species of gratitude which, in order to sho'
t your generosity toward the soldiers of one sec
lion OF the country, takes from the pockets c
the soldiers of another section because the
. are at home and hard at work, all who have nc
, their graves in the South the money 70 max
that good. Ii the State of Iowa or the Stat
of Indiana OF any other State feels that SEE ha
not done justice TO her soldiers as the time weI
. by, It is not 10 late for her to do it. The
! have the power OF taxation in those States,
suppose. They know tie wants of their ioca
Q soldlery. They are qaite competent AID ab
{ to provide for them. Why cali upon US wis
{ as the time went BY, made proper and etficie'