Mr. HENDERSON. I am always averse to interfering with bills of this character, coming from committees; but I regret very much that the Senfrom WestVirginia makes objection to this amendment, because it is nothing but right that it should be adopted. It allows no back pay or bounty which is not already provided by law. The only change that it makes is the change that I indicated a few moments ago. The pension is now allowed upon proof of cohabitation, without a certificate of marriage; but the 2nd Auditor refuses absolutely to allow back pay on the same testimony. For instance, a great many colored soldiers who went from my State have fallen in the southern States. The widow or children can get the pension; but no matter how much may have been due to that soldier as back pay, they cannot get it unless evidence of marriage is furnished that cannot be furnished, namely, a certificate of marriage; because there was no law authorizing such certificates in our State in those cases. Hence it is that the back pay is lost to the widow and children where the colored soldierns fallen in battle. So it is with the bounty. Ifyou put in this amendment the words " bounty and back pay, ” they will not be paid, unless in cases where they are due under the law. This amendment will not allow the soldiers wife or heirs to draw bounty or back pay unless in cases where it is allowed by law, and where the widow or children cannot draw it now for the simple reason that they cannot produce the evidence of marriage that the 2nd Auditor requires. I This has produced a great deal of complaint. have been written to again and a am this winter by these colored people and their agents in my State, and I called the matter to the attention of the Military Committee some time ago by a resolution requesting them to report a bill upon that subject. I really do not now whether it has been done, and I rerct very much that the Senfrom lVest irginia objects to this amendment. He says himself that the provision is perfectly properand just, and should be passed, and he objects to itsim ply because to put it on this bill will produce confusion in the law. He says that this is strictly a pension bill, and that if we put on it a provision in regard to back pay and bounty it will produce confusion. It ought to be remembered that before the 2nd Auditor go all these claims for pension, back pay, and bounty; and this is the properplace exactly for the amendment, because by this bill his attention will be called to the point in regard to pensions, and when he finds that the law on the subject of pensions requires him to take the same evidence in regard to bounty and back pay he will at once ( O so. This is the proper place, and it produces no confusion to insert it here. The 2nd Auditor is familiar with the administration of these laws, and when he comes to find this amendment he of course will apply it to claims for bounty and back pay in the same way as to pensions. There is a crying evil on this subject. The widows and children of these soldiers are entitled to bounty and back pay just as much as they are to pensions, and they ought to have them. It is nothing but just to the families of colored soldiers that they should be enabled to receive the bounty and back pay due as well as the pension. I hope the Senator will withdraw his objection to my proposition. I think it can produce no confusion. know his very great care about laws. He does not like to mingle inappropriate and unfit things together. I know iow particular he is in regard to the language of is bills. I know how careful he is; but I cannot perceive that any confusion is likely to arise, and inasmuch as this provision has been carefully prepared by him, and the amendment I propose can very easily and simply be inserted so as to insure perfect and entire justice to the negroes in his State and in mine and in other border States where so many of them served, I think this is the properplace, and I hope he will withdraw his objection. It cannot produce any confusion, because all these claims O to the same officer, the 2nd Auditor. hey are adjudicated and audited by him, and they cannot be paid except upon his certificate.