Mr. SCHENCK. I think my friendfrom Kentucky has not heard the statement Imade. We do not re ose to interfere with any exist in law. e 0 not repose to re udiate any obigatien, if any has been incurred: We propose to put such construction, or to make such provision of law on the question of evidence touching the claim of colored men, as will enable them to get their bounty. Now, the difficulty is that the law provided that ifthe man were free on the 19th of April, 1861, he should be entitled to bounty, and not if a slave. The question arose with the accounting ofifieers what should be the proof of the man’s freedom, and they have decided that the only proof they will look to is an entr on the muster roll, “free 19th April, 1861. The Senate propose to let in other proof where that entry did not appear, and the House committee went further and recommended that it should be presumed that a man was free on the 19th April, 1801, unless the contrary appeared from the muster roll or from some matter of record; but in doing that, there were these other words added, that he should be presumed to be free on the 19th of April, 1861, and at the time of enlistment. It is proposed to get rid of these words, “ at the time of enlistment, ” which remder the whole matter contradictory; and the accounting officers are unwilling to act under the law passed the other day unless it is that far modified. Now, the Gentfrom Kentucky proposes to go bac ', under the existin law, and declare that all shall be treate alike, both white and colored. That is already done under the bill passed equalizingbounties. Under that law, whether a soldier, sailor, or marine be black or white, he gets the bounty, and the colored man would get under that law, if it should be passed, all that is already provided for. The gentleman effects nothing by that part ofhis amendment which declares what the law is. We had better leave it for the construction of the courts hereafter. Otherwise it might introduce a matter of controversy, and defeat the measure in the Senate. Meantime there are some 700 cases suspended and the men cannot get their bounty because the accounting officers want the law made clear as to what roofis required.