Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-01
NO. rs.

PiohHS" VI tils piece Vi Soou HoI
threatened to compel the city to refund to the
National treasury more than ten millions of
dollars saved by the operation. No prudent
imbecility of that kind has astonishcd that
people.
| Of this class of men or credits almost one
hundred thousand were credited to different
States by claim and otherwise, mostly to New
York, Pennsylvania and New England.
| The cities of New York and Boston did not
obtain their thirty thousand naval credits
more or less, as Maine did through the me-
dunn of their sub-districts and municipalities,
but by the employment of city agents, who
were to clutch and grab all kinds of men and
credits, no matter where they enlisted, to
what State or district the belonged or from
what State or town they received their bounty.
If they were men who were then or had at any
time been in ANY branch Of the Military SER
vice of the United States, and unassigned and
entitled to credit under the laws of Congress,
then they sought to be quoted to that State,
city or town where the largest bounties could
be commanded. If they were merely credits
then they were subject to the assignment Of
these paid agents. Of this latter class it is
understood these two cities largely filled their
quotas. The city Of New. York, it seems
proper to say, arranged with one Blunt, q
gentleman of great energy, formerly from
Skowhegan think, in this State to fill its
quota. He had been conspicuous in the
affairs of that great city for quarter of .
century. With great promptness he met the
requistion of the Government with these
twenty thousand credits of men already in
the se,rice Of the country. For thus relieving
his city, he received directly and indirectly
about one hundred thousand dollars, and up
to this time it is not known that any investiga-
ton has been had or ordered, or threatened.
That was the reception which Blunt met with
when he had saved his city from the s'hated
and hateful draft"
| Boston entered into a written contract with
one Burrill to fill her quota from the same class
of credits. He was to have one hundred and
twenty live dollars for each man or credit put
on the quota of the city. Under his contract
he had assigned on the quota of that city more
than six thousand of this class Of credits,
giving him as per agreement nearly million
Of dollars. This vast sum astonished and
shocked the authorities of Boston, and they
sought to avoid its payment. Fortunately for
the Treasury of the city, the keen eyed So
| licitor discovered a defect in the contract, .
fatal defect. Republication followed the dis
covery Boston saved four millions Of dollars
and Burrell cheated by the officials, is to-day
pleading at the door of the City Council for
twenty-five thousand dollars of the millions
which he saved to the city's Treasury. Shame
full to Boston if the credits were genuine-a
swindle on the government if they were fradu-
lent. She should pay the millions to the Gov
ernment or the thousands to Burrell. This
claim of Burrell is still pending before the
City Government of Boston and within few
days that eminent man, VIM. B. Spoonar. Esq,
declared before the city council that he felt
and all good citizens felt that injustice had
been done to Mr.. Burrell."
Mr.. j. NJ. S. Williams gave an interesting
account of his experience as recruiting
committee in Cambridge during the war, and
how s'glad he was, at a critical time, to pro-
cure from Mr.. Burrell some hundreds of Just
such credits for that city," ''He had not
doubt that draft was saved to the city of
Boston by the means adopted by Mr..
Burrell"
James A. Dupee, Esq, said, sin this case
justice had not been DONE"
Hon. Henry w. Paine, gentleman well
and favorable known in Maine, sustained Mr..
Burrell, and favored a reference, ''that JUS
tice might be done him."
1t is understood that the credits of Burrell
were composed of enlistments in both the
Naval and Marine Service. No complaint has
been entered against these kinds of credits
there.
Now the city of Boston has population of
less than two hundred thousand. The State
of Maine, with seven hundred thousand and
more, with two hundred miles of sea coast,
skirted with people necessarily tempted
and inclined to the sea, could not have failed
to put three times as many men into the Naval
service as the city of Boston. Moved by the
highest impulses of patriotism, stirred to its
depth, by enthusiasm for the National Flag,
claiming preeminence in fidelity to the Union
and denying audience to all else till its pres
ervation was assured, will you so far modify
remembrances of those ''Historic days and
| al IN nd at np1y - rtv
hundred and forty-nine sturdy men went into
the Naval service from Maine? Never, and
yet but that small number stands to our cred
it. Mr. Speaker, 1t is safe to affirm that
more than eight thousand men went into the
! Naval and Marine service from Maine and as
citizens of Maine. Four hundred aud fifty
one are known and named, who went into the
U. s. Army prior to September 3D. 1862, and
were never credited. Seventeen hundred and
forty-seven enlisted in the Regiments OF 9TH
er States prior to that date and were total
loss to Maine. This is not all. 1t is suscep-
tible of proof, that more than twelve thou
sand men were thus lost to Maine, during the
war, by original and re-enlistments for other
States And yet because thirty-two hundred
and forty-nine of this vast number had been
quoted to Maine, the very sky has been dark
ened by the denunciations of ambitious as
pirants partizan politicians, and their igno-
rant 1OllOWeTS, anu uc uHsCEupulOus nave
sought to make character pay tribute to their
infamous demands. The man who will thus
submit to be pursued without protest, or who
will permit others to be thus assailed and dis
honored is q coward and sneak! Worse
still, is the man or men who will give counte-
nance to action so abominable and to pur-
poses SO vile that he or they may enjoy the
outgrowth of his accumulated ruins. To all
such miscreants let there be but one reply:
Il tell ye all, am your betters, traitors as
ye are"
Begging your pardon for this depression, I
will return to the line of my remarks.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, 1t seems proper to en-
quire how and by what authority these en-
listments come to be credited on the quota of
Maine. Were they gathered by vagrants and
INSCRIPTIONS bounty robbers and brought
here by knaves who seek money even at the
expense of national life? Were they assign
ed to US in gross by the government tor equit-
able distribution among the sub-districts and
towns of the State? Nothing of this kind.
No agent went forth to hunt them. Noas-
signment in gross was made of them. The
I a Al ssI. 4. -.