The New York herald., 1867-08-19
the EXTRA SOLDIERS BOUNTY.
Letter from General Paiuc.
MhwAuKKR, Wis, August 10, 1s6

MILWAUKEE, Wis, August TO- 1867,
His Excellcncy, Luuus FAIRcmID. Governor OF Wis
DEAR SRI have received numerous letters from SOL
diers OF our State entitled TO extra bountes under the
act Of July 2S, 1885, which disclose the stence OF
serious dssaisfacli with the progress made in
settlement Of these bountes and anxiety to ascertain
who is responsible for tho delay; whether II is una
voidabe, and whether remedy OF the evil is TO be
expected Finding It d,fcnt to answer at length all
you public letter for the information OF all concerned
At the commencement OF the last Sc sion Of Congress
the House OF Representatives adopted q resolution
directing the Secretaries OF the Treasury and OF War to
inform that body whether additional legislation was ne
cessary to expedite the payment OF the extra bounes
The substance OF tho information conveyed by their re.
plies and ny the verbal statements Of the Second Auditor
made by living ers the Paymaser General makes
the pay ment upon certificates furnished bis appca.
ton by the second Auditor who has the custody OF the
muscr-out rolls OF the army and, upon examination OF
these rolls, ceres the facts in each that forty
FIVE clerks were employed in the examination OF the
rolls and preparation OF those certificates for the Pay
master General and for tho Commissioner OF Pensions,
who settles certain claims for pensions upon like cera
Gates; that many clerks engaged in this work
could be safely and probably empoyed that there
had already accumulated in the oifce OF the
Second Auditor $1,000 unanswered applications
Of the Postmaster General for such nforma-
ton, and, in tho Paymaster Generals of1ce,
about 10000 cases in which applications had
the last three months tho Second Auditor had an.
swerei the Paymnster Generals applications at the
OF IL C93 pcr month, and hoped eventually reach
600 per month that tho settlement Of all the boun-
ties due under the act could be effected than
This information, II correct showed that the delay
would be remediless, unless some plan could be
devised By which more clerks could be as
pared BY an onicer Of the Pay Department,
passed by the House OF Representatives providing
that Photographic copies OF the out rolls should
be taken for the Of the Paymastcr General which
would furnish him fac spk OF sverv ROLL and 20 rem
DIR possible to increase tho clerical force employed on
extra bounty claims. We we're assured by photo
Rrapher who had been employed many years in the
Treasury Department and had copied papers much larger
tfa ~ q
joint resolution entirely practicable But tho reso.
luton defeated in the Senate
IL said that the Second Auditor had eighty thousand
muster out rolls for the 1865 aloue that tho
pense OF pho'ographing would be very great that to
tached parts of the rolls and render il i'm
possible perfectly 70 photograph either the rolls or the
apponsages ana that many OF tho entries were In red
ink. which could not be copied by the Photographic pro-
cess The photographer referred TO thought these difficult
ties could he easily surnouned but the joint resolution
WAS indenn tcy postponed by the Senate motion OF
Senator Wilson, who said that when we passed tho
Bounty bin was not supposed the work could be com.
plcted under three or four years"
Oa hIs motion the Senate disposed OF the subject by
adopting resolution Calling upon the Secretaries Of tho
tey had already furnished in obedience 10 the order Of
the House 81 Representatives The information that tho
secone Aud.or had in his ONCE 10000 muster out
rols tor the year 1866, and therefore, probably.
10000 in ALL led me- and think many other iepreson.
atves 20 doubt whether certain that only forty.
hvc clerts could DO employed in their examination
could not sec Why each clerk must have B. 600 rolls
could not see why, with sufficient ONCE pom and labor
plolcl.y sa,eHAtheu nVc huhureu or even one thou.
sat clerkt might not be employed In the examination
OF 10000 rolls did not regret that the House resou.
tor was defeated In the Senate because thought saw
prospect of Obtaining relief by the employment Of an
increased ioce upon the original rolls themselves The
impression very extensive IN the House that after
all there migr bc at tho bottom Of the trouble some
undisciesed reason net originating In the nece stes OF
The case, and AT the close OF tho session special COM
ee appointed 10 ascertain the cause of the delav
AMI suggest remedy n possible This committee has
power TO sand for persons aud papers and determined
to make thorough and impartial Investigation a, tho
commencement W the neEt session, and ascertain and.
poss bic, remove che obstabes tho speedy nept
OF thefe bouties Until Congress shall act upon
commrees report are prospect OF relief for our
soldiers who waiting for the additions. bouriies pro-
tided by Jaw.
Very respectfully, your obecent servant.
HALBERT f. PAINE.