The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-10-02
For the JsH.rsnnisn.
4 For The Jeu"rS' 'nlsn-
THE SOLDIERS BOUNTY OF 1862

gust 4tn, 1907, some TWO hunureu ana
fifty men enlisted to fill the quota OF
Hancock county. The fall of 1862
was an era in the war: it was the be-
ginning of a draft. Many of our In
tensely patriotic citizen had no desire
to be drafted and to make up the
number required, they began to talk
money TO men who wanted money
and were willing to stand between
the moncyed men of the country and
the enemy, if they could be assured
of means to support their families,
and give them the little outfit for the
war, which they all required.
In this state of things, our people
held public meetings and resolved to
give literally to those who would en-
list, both in payment Of bounty and
for the support of the families Of
those who would go. 1t was in'cOn
temptation to raise the money by sub
scription, and afterward get an act OF
the Legislature allowing an assess
ment upon the property of the county
for the purpose OF reimbursing those
who who would subscribe. Nomoney
was raised by subscription for boun-
ties, but the soldiers were promised
by the Military committees, by sub
committees, and recruiting officers,
that they should have volunteer boun-
ty. The Legislature might, in future
authorize collection from the taxable
property of the county; and under
this promise, they went into the field,
confiding in the honor of the people
and the Commissioners of the county
The Legislature, on the first ol
April, 1868, authorized a tax levied
to pay each soldier, who had been
promised bounty, the sum OF fifty
, dollars, with interest, when the custom
: of paying extra bounty had been been
established. The Commissioners oI
: Hancock county made no levy, and
neglected totally TO pay the bounty
I lpromised. s..
4 On the sixth of April. 1866, thu
Legislature re-enacted the law OF SG3
, lregairing the Commissioners in al
. the counties to admit the law applied
to levy the tax. There was som,
doubt rs to the continuance OF til.
4 law, after the year 1866. The atten
tion of, the Commissioners of thi,
county was called to the law abou
the latter part of June, 1866. Thel
appeared willing to pay the bounty
but thought there was a doubt abOu
their power to do so under the act
4 April, 1866. But they said they woul'
levy the tax at once, whenever the.
, were satisfied they had the power t
lido so, under the law as it then stood
Tor so soon as the Legislature woul
. pass an act declaratOry of the act c
1866, or would revise it if necessary
r They united in petition to the Legis
a lature for such an act. A bill wa
4 introduced in each House of the Ii
n gislature, and each House presente
its OWN bill, hut failed to concur
: eIInsr s"S.--' -
: frost. The constitutionality of the ac1
and also the question of the power {
7 County Commissioners to levy ia
. to pay the bOunties under the law @
!, 1860, was made before the Suprem
, Court, and, after full argument. tn
Court decided the act constitutions
, and also to be in force to all intent
4 and purposes, limiting pretty strongl,
. at the individual liability OF such Con
, missioners as had neglected their du
ty under the law. . ri ".'...--.'
q Our Commissioners were notifie
OF the decision of the Court, and re
quested to make the necessary assess
ment to pay the bounties due our SO
diers, who had gone out in the fall @
1862. and they most uncquivocall
promised to do so, and / believe in
. tended to do so, until the first Mon
day in Janc, when the levy was to b
made, then they most unaccOuntabl
declined to make the assessment, not
withstanding tie several Courts, an,
the decisions Of the Supreme Court
: the records of the public meetings
and all the concurrent facts tn
pledges OF the old Commissioners
DC, were brought up before them
they still refused to pay the soldie
his hard earned bounty. . .,.,.
II Now. all this, by ITSELF might no
appear criminal. or. perhaps, yer.
: culpable, if considered alone; but
in connection with the facts bein.
brought, to light that we have nov
three defalcatiOns within less than
six years !; that nearly fifty thousant
dollars have been levied and collect
ed for bridge purposes within tha
time, and we have not good bridge
IN the county, nor scarcely safe one
that it takes about SIS, 900 per annun
to RIM the county Offices, the soldiers
think they ought to have their money
They do not design or desire to pu,
their case in politics, nor to make o
political issue out OF it, but, on the
other hand, they nave employed
counsel to vindicate their rights in
court, where they expect redress ;