Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-11-29

OF the bill passed by the Legislature, barring
all claims for arrears OF State pay due tC
soldiers OF the late war, ate: June lst
1869, il manly and sensible document
The bill was Of course passed without much
thought Of what it essentially amounted to,
or how sach measure of partial rspudia-
ton would look upon the statute book. 10
the light of the Governors objections NJ
one favored the bill, and the veto ives unani-
mously sustained. We copy the principal
part Of the veto message:
The amount due to l.732 soldiers is SlO.-
9o9.l9. Eighteen claims have been paid
since August 1T. amounting 10 S20e rs.
| Twonty-eIgbt claims were paid during the
fiscal year ending July 3lst.
! The granting Of the State pay was an act
| Of great liherality on the part of the State,
and irlly merted by the soldiers But the
paymcnt OF the balance now due Is no
| question Of gilt or bounty. not matter for
| the exercise of Iberality OF discretion, but
| merely one Of fulfilling Il contract.
This State pay WIS Hsrcd as an add
tiOhal IhdGcement to the soldiers to enlist +,
and they entered the service under the
plIghtcd faith OF the State to make this
payment. The soldiers have perform
ed their part of the contract, and We
have no more right to this money
than TO ANY other that falls into our
hands Tor safe keeping. The money, in
each CASE, has belonged to the soldier ever
since he performed the service. and 1t Is just
AS much debt owed by the State as # 1t
were evidenced by u bond or q note will
not discuss The question of our moral right
to make such law. A mere statement OF
the ease seems TO be sufficient.
The UIly argument adduced IN favor of
the bil 70 one of mere convenience and q
pediency, and even on this narrow ground
the arguments agsicst in seem to be over
wtelIaIng.
IL Is true, in most cases, the amounts are
sne one thousand OF them not exceeding
three dollars each bat mary are larger,
some 81 N. IN running up to one and nearly
two turortd dollars each. But however
small iLt AMOUNT, am sure it was not The in
tcntiun Of the Leg stature to withhold pay
Inent or LAY or embarrass the soldier or his
heir- in collecting their dues Quite part Of
this money was due to soldiers who were
killed or died in the service, and wh0se heirs
through Ignorance OF the facts or the small
ness Of the amounts have not called for it.
Much Of 1t, probably, will never be called
Tor; but the State is not paying interest on
it /: 1t Is not set aside to lay these debts and
lying idle. but il in the treasury, in use as
if belonging to the State. When soldier
or hrs heirs prove their identity and title
the money due them - paid from any funds
in the treasurer's hands. trust the time
NAV never cDme when a statute of lImita-
ton. passed after the debt is contracted.
shall be thrust in the face of a soldier or
his family to bar an honest claim, how
ever small.
Such a claim should be outlawed only
when the memory of the services OF our
soldiers has entirely iaded from the minds
of the people and that time has not come
in Vermont believe the senee of justice
in our people is 50 strong that if this bill |
should become a law all Just claims wocld |
still be paid by future Legislatures. but the |
expense OF presenting them would be- more
than the claim in most ca,e., and the cost |
of the State OF examining and passing upon |
then wonld be much more than it liz now. |
Ii il SAID that fraudulent claims are made
on tho treasurer This il, no doubt, true
but none such haze been paid 80 far ~
known, and it il part of his duty u OK
anime and Investigate these cases. lie has
full authority t, reject Improper claims,
and il every way competent, and. am sure,
does not wish 10 De relitseu OIL any DUTY
which clearly belongs to his Office
The fear that We NAV IN some case pay
the wrong man IL hardly sufficient excuse
for refusing to pay the right one.
have been recently informed, and be-
ieve it to be true, that frauds to quite an
extent were practiced upon soldiers few
years since IN this class of cases. II the
State is not directly responsible for these
rauds, they ought to have been guarded
,gaints and prevented.
10 some instances, ! am informed. where
perhaps one hundred dollars was due the
Ioidier, he would not receive more than one
ialf or one fourth OF it. il may be too late
row to correct these mistakes. but the re-
,ollecton OF them should cause w to jeal-
,usly protect the rights of those still unpaid.
! can only conclude that the bill must
ave passed both branches without full
Of its features. Therefore 1
eturn it without my approval.
RKDFIKLp PRocTos.