Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-10-30
Rates ID AdvcrtIsinr.
THE KNOXVILLE WING
Knoxville, Tenn, October 80, 1867.
Government BOuntles TO Soldiers.


Under this head, long editorial appears
in the Washington Chronicle, from which we
make an extract for the benefit Of our sol
diers. 1t shove something of the magni-
tude Of the labor required in the Paymas-
Ter General and Second Auditors Office, in
the payment of their claims.
The chief source of impatience and
complaints at present is the payment of
what is called the additional bounty provi-
ded for by act Of Congress Of July 20, 1866.
This bounty originated in the attempt to
accomplish an equalization of bounties-
that is to award such bounties to the earlier
soldiers who enlisted under the LOYAL and
patriotic impulses which were aroused bv
The first gun at Fort Sumter, as would place
them upon an equality il that respect with
those who came in az the eleventh. but no
less important hour, under the stimulus of
the boGnties which a tagging patriotism
seemed to render necessary. The PROPOSE
ton originally made to grant bounty Of
eight and third dollars a month, without
reference to the period of service, more
nearly approached the idea of equalization
Our legislators, however, quailcd before
proposition which involved an outlay of
hundreds of millions of dollars, and after
considerable struggle settled down upon
the law of July, 1866, which is very tar
from effectlng an equality in the matter Of
bounties. This law gives TO every soldier
who enlisted after the 9th of April, 1861
one hundred dollars if he served three
years, and fifty dollars, if he served two
years. In either case he must have been
honOrably discharged. If discharged at
any time on account Of wounds received in
the line Of duty, he is entitled to the bounty
according TO the period for which he en-
hsted-one hundred dollars for three years
and fifty dollars for two years. The widows
minor children, and parents, in the order
named, are entitled to the bounties of such
as died in the service. None who enlisted
for period less than two years arc entitled
TO this bounty. Those only, in fact, who
enlisted under the law Of July %, 1861 are
entitled. The law is sufficiently plain and
explicit yet il is, as we are informed,
greatly misunderstood, or is carelessly or
alphabetically interpreted. Claimants and
attorneys seem TO adventure applications
upon mere chances of success, where sue
cess can only be realized through error in
the adjustment Of the cases, or it may be
fraud. Thousands of claims, it is said are
thus presented, which are finally rejected
but the examination of them must occupy
time and necessarily retard the settlement
Of legitimate cases. Claims of living sol
diers for this additional bounty, where ac-
OOmpanied by the discharge, are presented
and hquidated at the Office of the Paymas-
ter General Claims of heirs, or of living
toldiers whose discharges have been lost,
are adjusted by the Second Auditor. AS
the Paymaster General is dependent upon
the Second Auditor for facts essential to
the determination OF such claims as are
paid by him, it follows that double service
Is imposed upon the Auditor, namely: The
investigation necessary for the adjustment
Of the claims which come before him, and
the furnishing of the information required
10y the Paymaster General
IL is expected that the number OF claims
under the additional bounty act viii reach
100000 Already, IS We learn, there have
been presented at the Paymaster Generals
Office 400, 900, and at the Second Auditors
100000. It is estimated that 10000 more
will be presented at the Paymastor Gen.
erals, and from 5000 to 10000 more at the
Second Auditors This will carry the
whole number up to 100000. Twenty-Five
third will DO rejected, being inadmissible
under the provisions Of the law and the
rules governing settlements. About 10000
have already been paid, or had been at the
beginning Of August, say $4,000 by the
Paymaster General and 1000 by the Sec
ond Auditor; the former having commenced
paying in January and the latter in June
last. Payments are now progressing at the
rate of from 10000 TO $4,000 O month, each
Of the officers above named disposing of
from 10000 to $4,000 a month. This is as
fast, probably, as the claims can DO settled;
and at this rate, while tho cases in the Sec
ond Auditors office-that is, the cases of
deceased soldiers may be disposed of in
eighteen months; those in the Paymaster
Generals Office will occupy at least three
years Congress has instituted an inquiry
into the practicability of efiecting more
speedy adjustment Of the claims; but no
eApeditory plan has been found feasible.
We have thought this subject Of sufi
Gent importance and general interest to
Justify the somewhat careful examination
We b ave made, and we have but to express
the hope that tho facts we have presented
and tho hints we have suggested will not
be without effect in depressing undue
anxiety on the subject, and inducing claim
ants and their friends TO await, as patiently
as may be, the certain fulfllment of the
generous designs and faithful promises of
the Government.
---$N-=e-es-
In Virginia City, poor widow, IN over