Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-03-28

willing that anti GRANT men. shall go
their way, not wishing to martyrize
anyone. p 3. .''tafii =..i
BOunties to S0ldiers-Remarks by
The Hon. T. III. Armstrong.
We are indebted to our Columbus
correspondent for the follwing abstract
of the remarks by our representative,
the Hon. T. FL. Armstrong, ON his joint
resolution providing for the equaliza-
ton of bounties to soldiers. This is a
subject of interest to many of our read
ers, and valuable information is here
given which cannot be as conveniently
obtained elsewhere. The resolution
has been adopted by both Houses, and
is as follows: sssu
!. WHEREAS, Assome inequality and
|unfaifness seems to exist in the distri-
button Of bounties to soldiers enlisted
fer the three years service in the late
war; and
WHEREAS, There can he no Just rea-
son for discriminating between soldiers
|honorably discharged by reason of sick
ness contracted while in the service
and on duty, and those discharged on
account Of wounds or injuries received
under like circumstances; therefore
ResoJCeG 6ythe General Assembly OF
the State of Ohio, That our senators and
representatives in Congress be request
ed to use their influence in procuring
the passage of law to provide for the
payment of a bounty of one hundred
dollars to each soldier or his legal rep
resentative, who has not heretofore re-
ceived such bounty, and who enlisting
for the three years service or during
the war, was afterward honorably dis
charged before the expiration of two
years service on account of sickness or
other disability.
ResotUed, That the governor be re-
quested to forward q copy of this pream-
bic and resolution to each of our sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress.
On the 3rd day of May, 1861, the
President of the United States called
for forty regiments Of volunteers to aid
in the enforcement of the laws and
Suppression of insurrection, in addition
to ordering the enlistment of ten regf-
ments for the regluar army, and eigh-
teen thousand seaInen. On the 18th of
the same month a general order was
promulgated by The war department
prescribing rules for the enlistment Of
these men, their pay, allowances, &c,
and also that, when honorably discharg-
ed, each recruit should receive in addi-
ton thereto the sum Of one hundred
dollars, without any restriction as to
time served.
Aslate as the sixth of August follow
ing, a law was passed ratifying and
'legaIizing stali acts, proclamations and
orders of the President relating to the
Militia or volunteers from the. several
States, after the 4th of March, 1872
the day OF his inauguration. This law
of course applied to the order issued
under the Proclamation of May Sd, 1851,
calling for forty regiments. This order
stipulated that these men were to re-
Iceive one hundred dollars when hon
0rably discharged, without any refer
Ience to time served, or nature Of the
disability by reason Of which they
might be discharged before the -expira-
ton OF the time for which they had
had enlisted.
Not fortg regiments only, but elgty-
ttoo responded to this call and were ac-
eepted. Here, then were ,forty-two
regiments mustered into the service
without any promise Of bounty, under
general orders Nos. 4 and %.
On the I'D of July, 1861, prior to the
passage of the law legalizing the acts,
prOelamations and orders of the Presi-
dent, an act was passed authorizing the
President to accept the services of any
number of volunteers he might deem
necessary, not exceeding five hundred
thousand. This act provided for the
payment of a bounty to each man when
honorably discharged, provided he had
served for period Of two consecutive
years or during the war If S0Dner end
ed. ~. f.r ii,l,'i' ''''iii'.''
But all in excess OF the forty regi-
ments, under the call referred to, as
well rs the men of these regiments
themselves, enlisted with the distinct
understanding that they were to receive
the bounty of one hundred dollars, be-
cause the act of July 22d had not yet
been passed. The first call for forty
regiments contained the only terms
that were known to them, CONSEQUENT
lI CRhCn llltAl wiz ClllcGC4 OCAOAC tilC
call for five hundred thousand men was
made, though he may not have been
enrolled into a regiment, and that reg
imeut accepted, till after the passage
of the act Of July 22d, must have done
10 with the understanding that he was
to receive the bounty whether, if hon
orably discharged, he should serve two
years or less. The effect OF this law,
then, was retrospective with respect to
tie forty-two regiments which had been
accepted in excess Of the forty embrac-
ed in the call. There was no way of
separating or distinguishing the former
from the latter. Forty-two of these
Regiments must therefore be consider
ed as accepted and provided for un-
der the call for five hundred thousand
made in pursuance of the act of July
22d, 1861, and allowed the payment Of
a bounty only to those who had served
two wears. This view of the case Is in
accordance with the decision Of the
Supreme Court of the United States,
made and declared In 1870, in the case
of u. s. vs.. .Hosmer.
In this case the appellee was a dis