The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-11


and ill-will of the parry which Le
fought on the battle-field5 Of the late
war, and which now asks him to
vote for Hancock and English, the
candidate of the Southern Brica-
diers.
At the beginning Of President
Grants first Administration. June
80, 1862 there were on file in the
Treasury Department, 66,IS6 claims
for bounty and back pay. Between
that date and June 30, 1874, there
were received 1861 more. making
total Of 2C0,S47. The settlement
of these claims was one of the duties
of the Second Auditor OF the Treasu-
ry, and So energctically was it per-
formed that he was able to report
June 30, 1879, that only 2j.03S of
these claims remained on hand.
/ Seven-eighths of them had been set
tied. This rapid adjustment of these
claims was due, in great measure. to
the aid furnished by a Republican
Congress. The party which had
carried on the war, and stood by the
soldier while it continued. did not
desert him when gratitude became
its sduty.Appropriations were prompt
ly and checrfully granted, legislation
smoothed away difficulties which
confronted deserving claimants, and
laws which included meritorious
/ cases not provided for in existing
statutes were perfected without de-
lay. The Executive and Legislative
branches of the Government WED
with each other in acts of national
gratitude and justice.
Congress passed an act June -.
1874, requiring that all remainders
of appropriations which should at
the end OF two years be mexpended
should be returned TO the Treasury
al the end OF each fiscal year. This
was done for the purpose Of bringing
expenditures more directly under
Congressional supervision, and in
the interest of economy. When
money once appropriated by Con-
ress has been returned to the Treas
ury in this way it becomes part of
the Governments funds, and cannot
be taken ont again except by anJth-
or appropriation act Of Congress. In
order that the public business should .
not suffer by this new requirement I
the law also provided that the Sec /
retarv of the Treasury should report F.
TO Congress at the beginning OF each .
session how much Of this money was I
needed to pay accruing obligations, /
SO that the sum needed might be re- +
appropriated. In this way delay .
was prevented I'm the settlement of.
soldiers bounty and back pay claims .
by a Republican Congress, and one
Of the last acts of that Congress was .
the reappropriatioa, March .. 1879, (
OF S53i,141 % to pay "boUHty to+
volunteers. their widows, and legal F.
heirs. " and Sj97 ,l2S 80 for "pay of.
two and three years volunteers.
This money was at once available (
for use In settling claims OF this kind. .
1t Is plain that thq was no desire
for delay mpaying the soldier dues
IN those days
At the next session the Democrats
had q bare majority in the House
knowing that they were not vet
strong enough to follow their real in
tliuaiions I'm legislation. they did
not seriously oppose the passage of /.
Il Republican bill which reappropri-
ated S609.940 - Tor the pay of vol
untccrS
But soon the Brieadiers of the'
Confejcracv and their Northern
Democratic allies became strong
enough in both the Senate and the
House to curb the gratitude and pa
triotism which had poured out mil I.
lions to keep the Union veterans and +.
their families fFom suffering Those
who fought behind rebel intrcuch-
mcnts and voted for secession ordi- .
nanccs found it unpleasant tn be
Obliged. from fear of Northern seuti-
ment, To sanction the disbursement
of money to those who fought to up
hold the Union. They did not dare
openly to offend the soldier element, I.
hut in the feeling described above /.
may be found the key to their sub T.
sequent Obstructive legislation This .
legislation and It's effects were as fol /
lows The act requiring the Secreta- .
~ Of the Treasury to report 10 Con
-ress estimates for needed reappro- .
priations was appealed june II, IS. (
and it was then made the duty OF
the accounting officers Of the Treas
urv TO continue to receive, examine. .'
and consider the justice and validity
Of ell claims under appropriations
which had been exhausted. or uf
which the UncXpendcd rcmaindcrs
had been returned To the Treasury.
They We're to certify the sum due 10 (.
each claimant in report to the Sec .
Tetary. who was required to report .
the amount 10 the Speaker of the .
House aj the beginning OF each Sos (
SION The Speaker was to lay the
report before Congress. In this way
were the claimants thrown upon the
mercy Of the Democratic majority.
and a course of procedure required
which could not fail 10 delay pay
ments
The fiscal year ends June 30, and
at that time the remainder Of the
unexpended are turn
cd into the Treasury. There i no
money available for the payment OF
these claims after that date. and the
cannot apply 20 Congress
ior money until the beginning OF the
session. The session does not begin
until December. After his applica-
ton has been made, in the form of
an estimate, it must be referred to q
committee. The committee may
holdit under consideration for q long
time, and when at last the appropri-
alton bin gets out Of the committee
and into the House. lis passage Is de
layed by long debates. Only at the
end of the session can the money be
obtained, and some accident may
postpone action upon the bill until
the next session. Generally the next
June 80 is at hand-anditmav have