Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-04-01

ment, &c, to this commission" with satls-
| factory proof of their claim--and upon thelr
report. containing the names OF the creoit
claimed, the war department acted. NO as
signments" to Maine; only claimed credits
/ s.allowed." You will thus perceive that the
greatest care was exercised by the Govern
mcnt and the commission. 1t was weii' lor
we remember, gentlemen, that there was
anxiety and alarm existing in Maine in July
and lngust. 1864. From these details this
House will get a tolerably distinct knowledge
of the manner of ascertaining the number OF
men enlistng for Maine in this branch of the
service and also learn how the claims OF
towns were made up. The allowing OF these
credits to Maine left three thousand of her
hardy sons at home, and saved more than two
millions of dollars to her State and town
Treasures that must otherwise have been
paid out to supply the deficit. In all this we
were faithful to our Government and its laws
and true to the great interests of our State
am thus particular in detailing these facts
that we may all the better and more intelli-
gently enter our protests against these con-
tinuous and unfounded; these wicked and
mischievous assaults, upon the complete and
magnificent war record OF Maine. Iput upon
the air no unmeaning challenge when affirm
the facts here stated. and hold myself account
able for them everywhere.
They came to the quota of Maine without ex-
pcnse to the Treasury to the amount OF single
cent, the declaration Of the gentleman from
| Cherryfield and the Commission on EqualiZa-
ton of the War Debts to the contrary notwith-
standing. The silly reports that these men came
back and drew three hundred dollars State
bounty each could have only originated in the
manufactorv of the mischicf-maker, or in the
imagination of the political slanderer. They
have been dignificd bya cowardly and insinu-
ating endorsement in an important State paper
and god -fathered by Immature nursing in tins
House.
Mr.. Speaker, if the gentleman from Cherry
field is correctly reported in his speech Of yes
terday, he said that ''the War Department as
signed to Maine about three thousand OF these
credits; that commission assigned eighteen
hundred of them to towns and that the balance
was disposed of in some mysterious way, ana
that these men subsequently received three
hundred dollars bounty from the State for
each man." If am not correct the gentle
man will advise me. To the first part of this
statement will reply by official transcripts from
the records. TO the latter have already done
So will venture in this connection however
to repeat and re-affirm, and the books of the
Treasury and of the Acting Paymaster sup
port me in it, that not one of these men ever
received one cent of State bounty directly or
| indirectly. Its repetition only makes its
offensive character more conspicuous and in
famous. Now to the assignment of these
thirty odd hundred men. Let me show the
gentleman from Cherrytield, his law partner
and the members of this House what the War
Department says about their disposition. On
the 3Oth of August 1864, the Provost Marshal
General wrote as follows:
Washington. ID. c.
Major J. W T. GARDINER,
A. A. Pro. Mar. Gen. Augusta, Maine.
MAJOR Il am directed by the Pro. Mar.
Gen. to acknowledge the receipt of the COM
muncation of the 26th inst from the COM
mission appointed by the Secretary of War to
gire credit for cnlistments in the Navy under
section of enrolment act approved July 4,
1864, announcing that credit was due the
State of Maine for three thousand and eighty
three men (30s3) enlisted in the Navy and not
heretofore credited. The Prorost Marshal
General oHops the credit. Please give it ac-
cordingly and notify His Excellency, Gov
ernor Cony of this action.
Very resp'ly, your ob't,. servant,
T. A. DODGE, Major V. r. c.
In charge of Enrolment Bureau.
War Dept. Washington, Feb. 1870.
OFFICIAL Cory.
Thos. M. Vincint, Asst. Adj. Gen.
Enclosed in this letter or copy was estate
ment of men in the Naval service of the
United States, credited to the State of Maine
as per returns received to Aug. 24th, 1864"
DISTRICTS.
First Dist, seven hundred and fifty-eght, 758
Second 90 two hundred and sixty
eight, 26S
Third - four hundred and eighty
nine, 4S9
Fourth 90 two hundred and thirty
two, 232
Fifth 90 eight hundred and seventy
nine, S13
1926
General credits four hundred fifty 457
3,0S3
j. w. t. GARDINER, Maj. and A. A. P. NJ. G.
SAMUEL CoNY."
"War Dept, a. G.. O. Washington, d. c.
Feb. Z, 1870.