Mr. HARDING, of Kentucky. It will be observed, Mr. Speaker, that this section proposes to give pensionato (provoett marshals, deutyprovostmarshals, an enrolling Officers, and ranks all of them as officers of the Army, the provost marshals as captains and the deputies as 1st lieutenants and the enrolling oiii cers as 2nd lieutenants, thus securing to them a pension much larger than that to which on private soldier would be entitled. Now, sir, the truth in regard to this matter is that there is no reason in the world why. provost marshals and deputy provost marshals and enrolling officers should be pensioned in preference to the home guards and 1000s of others who rendered importaht service. Why, sir, there is not a locaity on all the border where the home guards and private citizens have not shouldered arms at the risk of their lives. But thisgclass of officers embraced in this section were anxious so far as my knowledge extends, to secure these positions. They received a much larger compensation 7than private soldiers a compensation large enough to make the securing of these offices a matter of great competition. These men were in a very different position from the soldiers who volunteered or were drafted into the service. These provost marshals, deputies, and enroll in officers were not willin to go into the field as volunteers; they staid at home and dodged the duoer. And they were, in many cases, of most doubtful loyalty. As a general rule I admit that there were exceptions I know of no set of men who have less claim to be made pensioners on the bounty of the Government. There may be there donlless are pecu liar cases in which a provost marshal or dep duty provost marshal has been wounded or ki led under circumstances entitling him or his widow to be pensioned. But let all such pe culiar cases come up on their merits; let private bills be introduced to meet any meritorious cases of this description. A sweeping provision like this should not, it appears to me, receive the approval of the House. In many parts of the country men of this class were engaged in combinations to speculate on the wants of the people. In some sections on the border peop e could not carry their produce to market without obtaining the con‘ seat of a provost marshal or deputy provost marshal. These men formed combinations in many cases to obstruct the free transportation of produce to market. Having through their agents blocked u the channels of commerce, they would speculate on the misfortunes of the farmers. This was done in Kentucky in vari' ous instances. Farmers could not carry their produce to Louisville without a permit from the provost marshal or his deputy. With the channels of trade thus blockaded. combinations were formed by these men and their agents for the purpose of, speculating on the wants of the community. At one time a man could not 0 to Louisville to buy ten pounds of codes or his family without obtaining the consent of the provost marshal of the district. This was the case all over the State of Kentucky. It seems manifest to me that this class of men are entitled to no favor such as is proposed in this bill. Now, sir, let every case stand upon its own merits. Where there is' an honest, faithful officer who has been wounded and is still living he should be pensioned. Ifsuch an officer has been killed in the service his widow and children should receive a pension. I know, sir, that this bil as it now stands will include most infamous and disloyal men, who were engaged in speculations and were guilty of spoliation of private reperty.