Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-06-21


ored soldiers, sailors and marines. The
statement of the committee is that pro-
vision for their payment hes, in part,
been defeated of it's purpose by fraudu-
lent cOnnivance of the late bureau of
refugees and freedmen and abandoned
lands, whereby many such soldiers, sail.
org and marines have been prevented
from receiving payment Of their just
claims; also, that settlements covering
| these delinquent claims have been flied
with the second auditor of the treasury,
by General o D. Howard, late commits
sioner, and G. W. B0llocE, late chief
| disbursing officer OF the bureau, in which
fraudulent vouchers and other false
evidence Of payment have been
| filed, and used by the officers,
by which they obtained, improperly,
credits for money alleged to have been
| paid by them to such colored sailors,
soldiers and marines. To remedy this
| evil the committee report q bill direct.
ing the proper accounting officers of the
| treasury to settle the claims for pay,
bounty and prize money, or other
moneys, to said soldiers, sailors or ma
riae7, or their legal representatives, in
case it shall be established, on proper in
vestigation, that they have failed to re-
ceive payment on settlements heretofore
made, and in which vouchers purportiDg
to repre- sent their sctuai payment have
been fled with the accounting officers
| of the late freedmen's bureau.
The second section directs that in
| every cese where investigation shall
| prove that the claimants have not in
TACT received the payment of their
Claims the fact shall be reported to the
proper accounting off yer of the treasu-
ry, who shall thereupOn settle such
| claims.
The sixth section directs the attorney
general to institute proper legal proceed
| ings against all persons who snail be
| shown to bs i'm plicatsd in those frauds,
| in order to vindicsts Iu0lic Justice. and
to prevent less TO the government.
Mr.. Kssson made point Of order,
that as one OF the sections Of the bill
provided for an expenditure of money,
| it should be referred to the COMMITTEES
| of the whole.
Mr.. D0uglas-The correspondence
shows that these accounts have been
| settled, the money paid ever to the
| freedmeu's bureau for the purpose OF
paying these men, snd the bill simply
| provides that these accounts shall be
settled and charged against the appro-
priations heretofore made.
Mr.. Ks7son-Do | understand the
| gentleman to say that 40 money has
| been paid to any of these colored men?
Mr.. Douglec-It has bsen paid over
| to the commissioners Of the freedmenls
| bureau, and has not been paid to parties
| entitled to it.
Mr.. Kasson-Then it is very clear that
this bill provides for another disburse-
ment, ana of course it is desirable to see
the evidence before the house shall pass
| the bill.
Mr.. Douglas-If the gentleman had
not been so prompt in making the point
| of order, / had intended to state to the
house that tine preamble intends to be
only an epitOme OF the report as it came
| from the secretary of war.
| MIR. Kasson-It wes necessary 70
make the point of order promptly, or it
| could not be made at all.
The speaker pro tenn Mr.. Cox lit is
| very evident that the poiEt OF order is
well taken, as the fifth section provides
for the payment of such expenditures as
may be necessitsted by the Investigation
provided for.
Mr.. Douglas / yield to the decision
of the chair, and now / move that the
1
for the purpc:e Of considering the bills
Mr.. Kssson-I suggest to the gentle
man from Virginia to allow the report
to be printed, as we do not know the
amount of money that may be called
for under that bill.
Mr.. Hoar-Tnis bill recites an asser-
tion of grossly fraudulent conduct on
the part Ofa distinguished msjoI-gener.
al of the army who gave his right arm
to the service ofhjs country. This house
took pains the other day to remove from
q member Of this body on the other side
(mesning Brown, of Kentucky, a GEN.
sure which affec. his personsl honor,
the minority Of the house vieing with his
political friends in their desire to do that
| gentleman most ample and abundant
Justice. Now, | ask the majority of this
house il they think it is fair to pass that
bill in relation to Major-General How
ard without having the evidence on
which the bill is based printed.
Mr.. Holman-At any rate the paper
ought to be printed, and | trust-inss-
much ss the gentleman from Virginia
has the right to report at any time
that he will allow it to be printed.
Mr.. Dougles thereupOn moved that
the bill and correspondence be printed
apd recommitted, and it was so ordered.
Mr.. Randall, chairman OF the commit
tee on appropriations, reported sundry
civil appropriation bills. The last gen.
eral appropriation bill was ordered
printed. The bill sppropristes fourteen
million five hundred and eighty-seven
thousand eight hundred and forty dol
lars, against tWenty-six million six hun
dred aud forty-f four thousand three hun
| dntl m
| bills last year, reduction of twelve
million seventy-six Thousand five hun
dred and ten dollars.
The house. then proceeded to the con-
sideration of the bill equaliZiDg the
bounties of soldiers, and was addressed
by Mr.. ThornbUrgh in favor of the bill
It allows to ali enlisted men, soldiers
and sailors and marines, including slaves
and Indians, eight and One-third dollars
for their per cent. of services between
April II, 1851, and May 8, 1865, deduct
ing all bouuties already paid under
United States or State laws. The bill is
not to apply TO substitute men who were
prison ers Of war at the time of enlist
meut, or to men who were DISCHARGED
on their own application for other cause
than disability incurred incurred in ser.
vice prior TO April 19, 1855, unless such
discharge wes obtained with q view tC
re-enlisIment, or to accept promotion
or to persons discharged on the ground
of minority. All applications for b0un,
ties under this bill are to be filed within
five years.
In reply to question by Mr.Banning,
as to the amount which would neces
sarily be expended under the bill as il
stands, Mr.. Thornburgh gave as his es
innate at between nine and ten millior
dollars.
At the close of MI. Thornburgh'
speech, the previous question was mOveC
and seconded, the debate closed, and tht
bill pas ed; yeas l41, nays 46.
The following members voted in tn
negative: Messrs Blackburn, Blount
Boone. Bradford, Buckner, CabelI, Csld
well Ala Caldwell Tenn. ], Chandler
Chspln, Clarke Ky. Culberson, Davis
Dunham, FELTON,, FoIney, Goode
Hamilton N. - Harris LGo HaTri
IVA ], Hsrtridge, Henkle, Hereford
. HoaT, Hooker, Hunton, Jones KY.
Kehr, Lewis, Lord, Lynde, Mile