The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-16
$500 223 500

1122 500 $500 223 800
The number of enlisted men who have re-
ceived no bountles is 73S,372. To pay each sol
dier or his representative enough to bring his
bounty up to $400, the largest bounty paid by
the general Government, will require S6Si, l97300
And to pay each soldier such highest bounty in
proportion to the time Of his service, will require
1851, 1892, 800.
Alter reye1ting to these alarming figures.
General Fry adds:-"I will take the liberty of
reminding the Secretary OF War that the foregO-
ing inquiries and answers relate only to the ex
pendituTe that would result from an attempt to
eqUalize the bounties OF the General Government
and if this object were attained, even at the enor
nous cost shown above, IL would be but q par
tal advance towards equaliziug all the bounties,
Government, State, and local, which have been
paid to meh Tor enlisting during the Rebellion.
The subject of requiring the General Govern
ment to assume all the bOunties paid is already
discussed, and If atfirmatively decided, the pre-
sent attempt TO equalize Government bounties,
if carried out, would establish precedent for a
further equalization at the expense of the Gov
enment OF all bounties, and this would cost
probably thousands of millions, instead of hun
dreds Of millions. ! feel justified in saying that
in either attempt to equalize, but a small frac-
tion OF the money VIII ever reach the soldiers
fer whom ii is Intended
Paymaster.Gen Brice in his report TO the
Secretary of War, also transmitted, furnishes
tables corroborating the figures of General Fry
and makes rne following forcible argument
against the project
'Ihe sums estimated as necessary to accom-
plish the end proposed, il even reduced by one
hall, give an amount of money sufficiently enor-
nous and startling from its proportions to
| awaken the gravest considerations as to the eX-
pedency OF the measure, if, indeed, 1T can be
regarded at all practicable at the present crisis
| without entailing financial ruin. IT cannot be
urged in such view OF the consequences tnat the
measure is eXpedient
Nor can 1t any more be claimed that justice
TO the soldier demands 1t. All enlisted during
| the war have received the bounty allowance for
| which they contracted at the beginning when
| volunteers pressed upon the service even beyond
the demands of the Government, The bounty
| allowance of one hundred dollars for two years.
| faithful service was quite adequate to the con-
| dition of things at that time. Recruits at that
| day were untried, and had seen no pfevious,ser
| vice. Subsequently, ia a special emergency,
| rapid recruitments became necessary and
| the great value of tried soldiers of eX-
| perience land whose physical suffclency
had been tested, SO commended itself to the
| Government that the inducement was wisely
| offered of three hundred dollars additional to
| the veteran soldier who should re-enlist, and
| two hundred dollars to the recruit who should
| enlist in a veteran organization, 1t would seem
poor Justice to these veterans who responded to
| the call OF the country in the time of her
| greatest emergency, to bring up all classes of
soldiers to their level Of bounty allowances,
| ignoring all distinction between those who
| served limited period and returned TO their
| homes and those who by reenhstment dedicated
to the country their continued services at great
personal sacrifice till the fighting should be
ended.
1T is certain that to greater extent than is
I now apprehended such legislation will inure
to the benefit ofspeculating adventurerS all over
| the land, who have been buying soldiers dis.
charges with view to such anticipated legisla-
ton, and who are now, doubtless, covertly
pressing its consummatlon. The large bounty
allowances thus far given, spite of the careful
vigilance and scrutiny of the officers of this de-
partment have led to frau Is incalculable. II
cannot be doubted that such extension of these
allowances as is proposed will give new impetus
and opportunity to evil-doers in that line beyond
any thing known to the past.
"The subject presents another consideration
of no trihing Importance as the result of legisla
tion to equalize the bounties The adjustment
and payment of two millions of individuals
bounty claims, if done by this bureau, with its
present force, and with its own organization
with clerks. would require for its performance
indefRite years. 1t is no eXaggeration to say
that the payment of an entire organized regi
ment in the prescribed manner involves less
time and labor than the preparation and pay
ment of the average of one such individual
claim, which demands as theyfallsdo,ra CROPPING
investigation through a long series of oack files
''In these cases and in these times it will moi
do to rely upon the mere certificate of discharge
in the claimants possession ana the facts therein
stated. Such papers are now so eXpertly forged
outright or by material alterations on their face
| as constantly TO deceive shTeWd Judges. They
must be corroberated by the record rolls on file
| Furthermore, clear proof of identity in every
case must be had to protect against fraud. These
bare statements will serve to give an idea o
the magnitude of the questions attending th
| subiect.n
General Brice, in conclusion, suggests that l
further remuneration is persistently demanded
land bounties be given.
|