New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-28
DUB DEAD SOLDIERS.

TIONS-THE GOVERNMENTS TITLE ~ IhEA'
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-The Hon. VIM. L..
stoughton of Michigan. member Of tho House Com
mitee on Military Affairs. has, at tho request OF tho
Committee carefully investigated tho titles BY which tho
Government holds tho numerous National Cemeteries
whore the bodies Of soldiers who died during tho late
war are buried and he has prepared an interesting 70
port upon tho subject. general system OF military
cemeteries organized BY tho War Department imme-
ately after tho close Of tho Rebellion. In the Northern
States burals Of soldiers who died In hospital were, In
most cases. made In cemeteries belonging to towns.
Cities and religious societies; and although careful
record been kept Of these cemeteries, and OF the
number and name Of soldiers inferred In them.
has not been considered necessary for the Govern
ment to assume control over them, the patriot
ism Of the people being relied upon to maintain them In
proper order Tho expense Of supplying Ia,
however. borne by the Government In tho Southern
States where the great majority Of Union soldiers arc
buried the bodies been gathered and given orderly
burial upon land purchased for tho purpose BY tho Gov
eminent and these burial places, together with few In
Eastern and Western States, are termed National
Cemeterie and under the immediate control OF the
Quartermasters Department Each Ia under the charge
of superintendent and the graves arc all marked with
head boards painted white with black lettering show.
Ing the name Of the dead soldier his company and reg
men and the date Of his death, wherever these facts
could be asoertaned Hundreds Of graves are however
simply marked unknown Soldier" with the date of
the battle in which he was killed.
The following list comprises alhe cemeteries the title
of which Ia vested in the United States:
Green Mount Cemetery, VT; Beverly Cemetery, N.
j.; whitehall Cemetery, Bristol, Penn: Lebanon Gem
etsry ph,ladsphiA Penn d Finn. Point Cemetery u
United states Military Asylum, d. G.; Arlington Gene.
terry Va: Rural Gemstery Chester Penn; odd Fellows
Yorktown, Va; Glendale, Va; seven Pines Va; Fred
mngton. N. c.. Staunton, Va Newbern, Beaufort,
.t s 3 %ls; Barrsecss temsssfy, Fla; Cor
Miss Nssse Ro csspcsy Mas v SiDs
Bluff Cemetery, Ark: Fayetteville Cemetery, Ark Fay
:sss La 4 esnesI Baton ESeEs
p, HSs0n lie ssn antonio
Tenn; Memphis Cemetery, Tenn; Memphis Cemetery,
Cemetery Tenn KRoIyills Cemetery Tsnn shiloh
EstsS9ss t cs%eeTy Sy cemetery L.
ssnop MN spsns, k MsSsS1
tery. Wis; Prairie da CHEN Csmstsry, ws; 0sixoods
CemeteEy Chicago III Crown Hin Ge%Setery Indian
city Cemetery, MOI Springfield Cemetsry. Mo-; Spring
Cemetery, lows Fort Scott Cemetery, Kansas Battle
Ground Cemetery. ID. CT Hampton Ccmctery, Va; Rich
mond Cemetery, Va; Fort Harrison Cemetery, Va.
The cemeteries at Gettysburg, Penn and at Antietam
Nd do appear In the above list for the that
they are governed by Boards Of Trustees and have not
yet been transferred to the Government The National
Cemetery at Andesonville, Georgia, IL also omitted. The
War Department has not yet been able to obtain the
record title from the former owner upon reasonable
terms 1t embraces IS acres, and was originally estab-
shed by the Rebel authorities for the burial Of the Union
prisoners who died In the prson-pen Anderson
willie. Tho number Of soldiers buried Of this place 10
ls,7l7.
The Arlington Cemetery. where 1855 soldiers are
buried Is situated upon tho Arlington estate three
miles from Washington which was for many years the
property Of the late Geo. Warrington Park Cuss who
bequeathed 1t to Gusts Loe. the oldest son Of his
daughter, the wife Of Gen. Robert E. Lee Gusts Lee
oieer In the Rebel army, and served under his
fathers command Tho estate was sold during tho Re-
beon for unpaid taxes and was purchased BY tho Gov
eminent for cemetery. Nearly half million Of dollars
have since been expended upon It. Mr. stoughton holds
In his report, that the rights Of conquest and
Of eminent domain constitute . sufficient title to
this cemetery audo all lands In the South taken BY the
Government for the burial of the nations dead during
actual hostitieA He says "thas the conqucror has
right to take 30 much Of the conquered territory ~ may
be necessary for FORTS srscnas and burasppears too
clear for controversy. This right Ii fully realised by
Grotus vatel wheaton, and all other writer's upon In
ternatonal law The land used for such purposes may 10
vert TO the original whom no longer required by
the Government, but In OF cemetery sueh time
never como. Tho object for which land was taken
for cemeteries lasting and preoudes the possibility Of
any reversion"
The act OF Concss TO establish and protect national
cemeteries authorizes the Secretary Of War to take
land required for such purpose and provides for an
praisement of tho property so taken by any district
or circuit court on application Of the owner 1t Ii be-
oved that no further icsation 10 ncccssary TO enable
tho Government to forever hold tho national cemeteries
but to set at rest all questions upon tho subject tho
Committee on Military AAirs have agreed TO report
bill declaring that the National Cemeteries arc the prop
ery Of tho United states aud arc forever nalienabe
taxation. 49,
Tho whole number OF soldiers buried In all the eeme-
terios L. ascertanod to bo s0 3 and the xpendturcs
Of the Governuicnt Tor eenetory purposes has boon
C.li3.aoo