The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-05-13
Relief of Certain Officers.

The following is the text of the report, drawn
by Mr.. Laird (Neb.) and adopted by the House
Committee on Military Affairs, on Mr.. Laird's
bill for the relief Of certain officers in the mat
ter of bounties, which was referred to in our
last issue:
Your committee find that veteran enlistments
and bounties were authorized by General Order OF
the War Department, June 8, 1863 (No. 1911, and
the various extensions thereof. Paragraph OF
that order IS "a follows:
Every volunteer enlisted and mustered into the
service a veteran, under this order, shall be en-
titled to receive from the United States months
pay in advance and bounty and premium of Si02 y
On the promotion of q veteran his bounty ceased,
and not only did the Government stop the payment
OF the unpaid instalments of bounty, but deducted
from his first pay officer SIS, being one-hsli
of the last installment Of bounty paid him before
his promotion, and which he had fully earned.
Your committee have not found any satisfactory
authority for this summary invasion OF what would
seem the unquestonable rights OF this class OF men
The denial Of all bounty to veterans afer promo
lion rests upon the construction Of General Order
No. l9I and the act of July %. 1856. to equaiize
bounties, made by the Secretary OF War, which Is
as follows:
1.-THE provisions Of this act [oEderl excludes from
its benefits the following classes:
"Those discharged during enlistment by way oil
favor or punishment
II is q strange confusion of justice when excess Of
valor receives the same reward as excess Of igno-
niny. Had the contract Of enlistment been forfeited
to the disadvantage Of Government instead Of TO its
advantage or mad the veteran lost MS rights by any
manner of dishonorable conduct we could submit
but when the Government for its own advantage
ends his employment as soldier TO avail itself oil
10 services officer do not believe 10 to be
sound law or common justice that he should be the
sufferer. AL the promotions OF this class were for
long service and gallantry, and were generally
made in the last year of the many in the last
two or three months Of the service, and. conse-
quently, many OF them at actual financial loss &c
the promoted.
The committee find that the Departments did moi
pay the bounty Of 800 TO men promoted from the
ranks in non-yeteTan organizations where dis
charge for promotion took place prior TO the ex
piraton Of two years from date Of enlistment.
In the judgment Of the committee hardship
class Of soldiers, all of whom presumably deserve
by the Secretary OF War In his circular Of Sept 16
1866, as
"Those honorably discharged on account of dis
ability contracted in the service but occasoneC
by wounds received in line Of duty who shall moi
have previously served two three years, respect
lively, at the time of discharge"
IL is difficult to understand why such rule
should have been made by the War Department
Your committee find no authority of law for it. ant
much less authority of justice. III this class of
were honorably discharged-that Is, without faul
of their own and for disabilities, 10 would seen
that the obligation Of the Government to make
good this contract was much completed, so far
these men were concerned, ~ IL could be by tbs
performance of their full term OF service.
Your committee submit the accompanying sub
stitute for House bill lI27, which they Recommend
| do pass.