Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-03

ing excitement among the towns in reference to
thesc credits In declining to allow their claims for
bounty, they reported to have told their agents
that the Board had no evidence that any such
were 10 the service, had ever been--that their
names could not he found in the Adjutant Generals
heport-a document very good in its way but of
no authenticity whatever in a controversy touching
the legitimacy Of town quotas--for IL should be
oorne In mind that the late war on our part was
4Nafionat and not State war, (as the Commission
ers seemed to have supposedly and that all material
facts connected with enlistments, filing Of quotas
and to who and who in the service can
alone be verified by Federal documents and Federal
} records. They are reported also as having more
Than ins'auated to these municipal officers, that
their towns had been grossly defrauded, and that
the whole " transaction from top to bottom was
an iniqutous" swindle. Indeed, so wrought up
was the agent Of q particular town by these sweep
ing inuendoes, that he Immediately commenced suits
against some Of the parties who passigely consent
ei to the transaction, charging foul conspiracy
between United States and State officials of the one
part. and the defendants of the ether, to defraud
an innocent pality-aleging in effect that
no such men as those named in the official certificates
OF the Provost Marshal Of the State had any exist
ence in fact. and that these officials and defendants
knew the whole thing from inception to conclusion
to be base fraud. And it is but justice to the
Commissioners to say that they have faithfully in
corporated these verbal charges and insinuations
into their Report, giving them fixed and durable
form.
Is it not about time to inquire little farther
into the matter, and ascertain if can, what these
so-called "paper credits really and are, and
by whom and under what authority they were cer-
titled to and directed to be quotaed
l. They are described in the list or mastering.
in-rol (under the sign-nanual Of the proper cert-
tying officers Of the U. as the Of men
who had been duly enlisted into the Marine service,
ana who were still in that service. accompanied By
f the essential statements of a musteringin-roll.
Ihs, then, establishes the point that these ''nanes
instead of being my thical qy fictitious were the
names Of real, live men who had enlisted and
then in the Marine branch of the United States
service.
2. By general order from the War Department
issued in pursuance of act Of Congress providing
for an equalization of the quotas between the East
and the West, approved Feb. "a 1864 all enlist
lnents in the navy or marine corps since the
commencement Of the in effect author
ized to be credited TO the States, districts sub
districts in which they respectively eccarred.
3, Under the provisions of the act referred to,
and the genera! order issued ia pursuance thereof
1t Is plain aud undeniabe that these marine enlist
ments were entitled TO be credited somerohere.
The proper United States officials of the
marine corps declared in their erticate, that this
list of enlisted in the marine service at the
crulting station in the District of Columbia,
tie1 either because said district is not within the
limits OF any State of the Union because the par
order IN reference to bouutes to the men, sug-
gested by said parties from some other cause
to be credited to the State Of Maine, or TO any
district or sub-distrct therein.
s. The names borne upon this list certified to as
aforesaid (Which was presented by the parties hav-
ing charge of it, 10 the A. A. Provost Marshal Gen.
| Of Maine and by him sent to Washington for
directions whether to allow disalow it)
by Pro Mar. Gen Frye directed to be credited to the
State OF Maine, or any district subdstret there
Of according to the mastering .in-roll and certificate
I of the officials of the marine corps.
I 6. These marine enlistments were subsequently
credited to various municipalities in this State by
the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal of Maine, in
conformity to positive orders from headquarters.
1 1t was precisely at this point that the respon-
sbe connection of those the Commissioners call the
"passive conscnters" to the ' transaction" !"
, menced. With anything occurring prior to this
point OF time they had no responsible connection
: They purchased these credits, portion of them
Of the party owning or having charge Of the list
at stipulated price per man, averaging perhaps
some $40 for and years men indiscrimiuately,
and sold them ont 10 the agents of various muni-
cpaiities for perhaps an average of $500 per man
making profit Of some S25 per man-using how
ever no deception in reference TO the character of
the men, while representing them good, legal
credits and guaranteeing that they should fill the
quotas of such municipalities, and remain to their
undlsturbed credit.
s The men SO credited did ill the quotas of the
respective municipalities which purchased them
saved them from the impending draft, and remain
to their undisturbed credit to this hour
.. There was no thought or expectation on either
side of future State bounty aud if by subsequent
legislation the State has chosen to discriminate be-
tween quotas legally filled. and give bounties only
to natps enlistments-or If it had chosen to give
bounties only to red-whiskered recruits-it is not
perceived how the persons who sold the men dis
criminated against, were or would have been in
any way responsible for the event.
o.. is suhmittai nartle WI
bought and sold these credits had not right to
assnme that they were proper and legitimate, on
the strength Of the simple fact of their allowance by
the U. 5. officials referred to? And if so whsretn
consists the 80 iniquty or wrong" of their
nection with the g transaction ?' The Commission
ers do not undertake to tell loherein. Can anybody
else tell mherein? So grave charge ought to be
accompanied by specifications, at least to be
ceptble Of particularizaton.
The filling of municipal quotas, whether BY
enlistment or otherwise, has been found by those
practically acquainted with the business, matter,
not of emotion and sentiment but pre-eminently
of ia,O and fact. Rigid nfexible rules and not gen.
erous impulses and patriotic feeling, govern. No
matter how enthusiastic aud brave the offered as
IA recruit may be, if be is day too old day toe
young-if he is minus front teeth, index fn-
ger-if "varicose veins " are too conspicuous upon
his legs--if his breathing is short-or if, IN the
estimation of the examining board he fails to come
up to the exact requirements OF the service In any
other particular, he is debarred the high privilege
Of doing bntte for his mperilled country. Yet the
decision of the proper officials in all such cases
must be accepted as final. 1t won't do to so upon
any other hypothesis than that such decision is
legitimate conclusive and right. Verbose disser-
tatons upon, caustic denuncatons of, such de-
cision ." "iniqutous and wrongful" are as
futile as they are iil-advised.
Recognizing, then, the principles here limited at
applicable to the facts of this case we again ask
and with augmented emphasis " whereia the wrong
81 nd tnla itv 'pfth tha aatto in
sists, SO FAR as those pronounced by the Commis
sioners "passive oonsenters" to it, concerned! !
Was it :" wrong" g inquitous" for them to
assume that the action of the U. 5. officials was
right and proper? Was it wrong or "iniquit-
for them regard and represent these credits
good and legal, after they were pronounced to be
such by competent authority! Was ii 1" wrong"or
"nquitous" for them to buy these credits after
they had been declared good and legitimate by
officials who alone were authorized to determine
the question Was it "wrong or IS 'inquitons
for them to sell these credits to municipalities,
with the sanction Of such high authority If not,
han in yhnf fbarrs o.