Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-08-15
STOP THAT LIE!

The Democratic orators and papers
assert that the proposed amendment
to the Constitution of this State,
disfranchises all those soldiers who,
under the impression that the war
was over, and that they had fulfilled
their obligations to the Govern
ment, left the army when Lee and
johnson surrendered on the 18th Of
April, 1865, without their discharg.
es. The following law on this sub
ject convicts all men who make this
assertion, Of wilful misreprescnta-
tion:
Constructive DesertiOn.
The following is the correct text
of Mr.. AshIey's bill for the relief
of reputed deserters, as itpasscd in
the House of Representatives by a
unanimous vote:
BILL FOR THE RELIEF OF CERTAIN
VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
THEREIN DESIGNATED.
WHEREAS, A large number of men
who voluntarily enlisted in the ser.
vice of the United States for def
mite period or during the war, and
who faithfully served until after the
surrender of Lee and johnson in
eighteen hundred and sixty-five,
under the impression that they had
faithfully filled their contract with
the government, did, without au-
thority, leave their respective com
mands and go home; and whereas
all who thus left the service are
marked upon the roll as dcserters,
and are unjustly classed with those
guilty of the great crime of deserting
to the enemy or deserting during
the war; therefore,
BE 10 enacted By The Senate end
House Of Representatives Of the
United States Of Amerjca az Con-
gyeSS assembled, That no soldier or.
sailor shall be taken or held as a
deserter from the army or navy who
voluntarily enlisted to serve and
who did faithfully serve the pre-
scribed period of his enlistment
until the nineteenth of April, eigh-
teen lwndrcd and sixty-flve, and
who, without proper authority or
leave first obtained, did quit his
command or refused to serve after
said date.
SEC. 2. Aadbe IL fWther enacted,
That any volunteer soldier or sailor
who may at any time have absented
himself from the service, and who
voluntarily returned to duty and re-
manned with his proper command
until it was regularly mustered out,
cor who was killed in battle or died
before the expiration of his term Of
service" shall not be classed as a
deserter.
SEC, 3. Ind be H further enacted,
That the Secretary Of War and See
retary Of the Navy be and they are
hereby authorized and directed, un-
der such rules and regulations as
they may prescribe, to cause all APP
plications Of soldiers and sailors,
of the class hereinbefore described
as deserters, asking fora correction
Of the rolls or to be rcinstated,
which may be hereafter presented
to their respective departments, to-
be examined, and lift shall be found
that the applicant voluntarily enrcr-
ed the service and faithfully served
the term of his enlistment or until
the nineteenth day of April, eigh-
teen hundred and sixty.iive, and
only left the service after said date,
his name shall be replaced upon the
rolls, He shall also be entitled to
discharge, setting forth the facts
as they exist; and the persons thus
reinstated, paid and discharged,
shall not be subject to any penalty,
disability, or forfeiture of citizenship
as a deserter.
SEC. 4. ANd be IL further enacted,
That all dishonorable discharges
given to any soldier or sailor in.
Guided within the provision Of this
act for such alleged desertion or re-