National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-26
The Rounty Bill,

To the Editor of the National Republican:
SIR: In a former letter called attehNS 80 va
rous bounty bills passed since the war, thes2lees
Of which was to equalize bounties, and endeavored
to show that tlSO OOO, 900 had been spent in that
way, and that we were not as near equalization
now as we were in 1865. The trouble was this:
We gave 500 to men who had already received
800, instead OF giving like amount to those who
had received nothing, thus increasing the ine-
quality instead of removing it. That the same
objection may exist to the present bill, to slight
extent, is true, and wv OGDEN Leg" and "Picket"
are to that extent right in their objections to the
bill; but they ought TO remember that what was
main feature Of previous bills is an unim pOrtant
incident to this one. This bill commences at the
bottom and goes up; the others commenced at
Thanking you for your kindness in publishing
the previous letter. and fOrgivinB the errors made
in the dates Of acts passed since the war, ask
March 3, 1865, an act was passed. the eleventh
section OF which (page ass, 18th volume Statutes
That the bounty Of 800 provided by present
laws to be paid to the heirs Of volunteers kille
in battle, shall be extended to the widow, If liy
ing or If she be dead to the children of any vol
unteer who shall have been or may be killed in
the service, whether he shall have enlisted for
two years or for less period oil time.
The act, II carried out, would have caused the
pay ment of q very large amount OF the money de-
handed by the present bill; but by system of
legal Interpretation known only at the war De-
unteeTSlwhO enlisted for less than two years, but
that those who enlisted for less than that time
were militia. Thus the heirs OF three months, one
hundred days, six months, nine months, one year,
twenty months and other troops, are prevented
from getting the money already voted to them.
The amount so withheld is very large. The pre-
tence under which 1t is withheld is not worthy Of
attention. The present bill, In regard to these
heirs simply reaiiirms and enforces the execution
of existing law, and does not cost the Government
q dollar.
In several of the bounty acts PASSED during the
war no provision was made for heirs even OF two
and three-year men, but subsequently, acts were
passed correcting the error. Now, in the equall-
Zation acts Of April p, 1872, and March 3, 1878,
passed since the war, the same omission was
made, and if the present bill does not pass, Con-
gress will, no doubt, soon pass bills giving to
heirs the same bounty as soldiers under those
bills. The bill advocated now will prevent any
necessity for special legislation on those subectS
and will save the millions of dollars tn st such
special legislation always costs.
Finally, 1t is not claimed by me that the bill Is
perfect but hold, with reason aud knowledge,
that II Is an equalization bill; that It will send
money to soldiers and their heirs in all parts Of
the country; that 1t will give money to deserving
men In every regiment in the service during the
war, and that every dollar paid out under II is o
dollar the United States owes. B.