Mr. CONKLI G. If I can get the attention of the House a few moments, I will endeavor to state in a very few words the object of my amendment. I shall not begin by pretending at great length the regard I have tbr the soldiers and sailors of the Republic. I assume, for this purpose, that all men and all parties are sincerely willing to do everything that can be done and to strain a point always in the interest of the soldiers and seamen who have fought in the late war. This amendment is ostensibly for the purpose of equalizing bounties, but unless the amendment which I have offered shall prevail I submit to the House that it will do anything but equalize bounties. The Gentfrom Ohio, [Mr. Scusncnfl in making his point of order, if I understood him aright, said that this amendment, in the form of a bill, had once been fully considered and adopted by this House. If an opportunity had ever been afforded to consider this bill fully in this House, I doubt whether I should now be called upon to propose this amendment. But in the a seuce of all deliberation in the House we were brought, under the operation of the previous question, to a vote upon the bill, which, among other things, involves the in congruities which I shall endeavor to point Out. This bill involves an exenditure of from 80 to 150 million dollars, according to an estimate made bya gentleman who assures me that he has looked at the rec ord with great care, and upon whom we are all accustomed to rely in such matters. Now, sir, asto the operation of this bill. I trust I may be allowed to speak of the State of NewYork, because that State is an example of the manner in which the measure will operate upon the eastern and NewEngland States generally. It will cost the State of NewYork $20,000,000 to pay the tax imposed by this bill; and my belief is that the soldiers of that State will not receive, under the bill, $500,000; nor do I believe that they will receive even $100,000. all told. Why? Because in the State of NewYork and in most of the NewEngland States, almost from the outset of the rebellion from a period, at all events, as early as the year 1862 bounties were paid by the State, by counties, by municipal corporations, and by volun tary associations; and these bountiesare to be deducted altogether in estimating the additional bounty to be paid under this bill. Thus the House will see I am still spenkin of the State of NewYork as an example of al these eastern States that while the tax for the payment of these bounties is to be uniform, as it must be, that State will be virtually excluded alto gether from participating in the benefits of the bill. Is that right? If the State of NewYork, if the NewEngland States had been unpatriotic, if they had been lnggard or nigger ly in supporting the war, a measure which would thus punish these States might be defended or excused. But on the contrary, we are to be punished because we came forward with our hounties at the outset of the rebellion and gave not only men but money in excess for the purpose o sustaining the war. I may say that in my own district in the year 1862 1 well remember the circumstances under one single call 24 and 3/4ths%., one quarter of the entire assessed valuation of the taxable property, went to pay the bounties of soldiers and to provide 'or their families. This was under the call for 300,000 men. One quarter of the substance of the people, as it stood on the tax book, went to pay these boun ties. Ought we to be punished or that ‘I Ought NewYork to be punished because with mu nificent hand she paid her soldiers and made provision for the families of those who 1st stepped forward as volunteers and went into the ranks 'I I think not, sir. Yet the effect of this proposition will be to impose upon States situated as NewYork is their quota of this tax, while their soldiers will be excluded from participating in the proceeds. I may be told that the soldiers of NewYork have already received the bounty proposed by this measure for others, and that therefore they should not receive bounty again. Granting this for the sake of argument, will an gentleman explain to me how it is equitable that NewYork, NewEngland, and Pennsylvania, having once aid these bounties, should now be compelled) to submit to taxation to pay the same bounties over again to the soldiers of other States States that in the beginning with held this measure of munificence? But, sir, there is a latter branch of my amendment which proposes to strike out that provision of the bill which excludes from its benefits all those who ever asked to be discharged from the service. Look for one moment at the effect of that amendment. When Richmond fell when Petersburg fell when the parapets of li‘ort Fisher were held aftera hand‘ to hand fight, the struggles went on very largely by eastern troops, it so hap pened by men raised in the eastern States, but the most of them, the war being virtuull over, before the 9th of April, 1865, signifie their desire enmasse by re iments to be discharged from the service. nder the bill as it stands now all these regiments, the 117th NewYork regiment for example, the 1st regiment that mounted the parspets of Fort Fisher, cut to pieces as itQvere, more than decimated, almost blotted out by that fight, when