The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-07-08
The Volunteer Clothing Charge.

House last week, will recollect that he charged,
Gen. Cass with voting to reduce the compensation
10 Volunteers for clo.hng from $s .boper month to
$2,5O. The following letter from Senator Came
ron Of Pa. fully refutes this false and silly charge,
Gen. Cass and the Volunteers.
We are happy in being able TO lay
before the public the following letter
from Gen. Cameron, fully explaining
the position of Gen. Cass in reference
to the clothing Of the volunteers. This
letter shows that Gen. Cass took that
course which was NEST beneficial to the
volunteers, and which no doubt tproved
entirely satisfactory to all VIXEN It was
understood. esI e@ IS 'ft
To the Editor ofthe Democratic Union,
A friend has put into my possession
the Reading Journal, containing a let
ter from Sergeant VIM. Gtaef, Of Cap.
tain Loeser's company, fthat city,from
which the following is an extract:
"Next let me tell you how Senator Cass was
treated by the volunteers. You wilrecollect that
we Qhe vounteers) were mustered under the ,ct
|
per month for clothing; and in circular dated
August II, l847, we were again assured ofreceiv-
ing The same. But il seems that Mr.. Cass, with an
economical heart, offered bill ro cause the vol
unteers to be furnished with clothing in kind, at
the rates according to grades, as is provided
for the troops Of the regular army Thus you SEQ
he has reduced our pay for clothing from $s 50 to
~ so. This, suppose, is the compensation We
get for fighting our way to the capital As soon
as the lst Pennsylyahians received news that this
famous bill had passed, they extended rope a.
cross the main road leading to the city OF yHertco,
and hung poor Leiois CasG Some officers, touch
ed by their politics. ordered it to be cut down.but
the boys had him in his Just position again soon
after, where he hung till evening, when be was
taken down and doomed to the stGke"
Having, since the commencement OF
the war, taken par, in all matters re.
lating to the comfor! of our volunteers,
which have been agitated in Congress,
am enabled to explain the uniounded
charge made-unintentionaly, | have
no doubt-by Mr.. Graef, against Gen.
Cass.
The bill from the Military Committee,
reported by Gen. Cass, originated with
the gallant Colonel Davis, who is pre-
eminen,Iy the friend of the volunteers,
and it was intended for their benefit,
and has been Of great service TO them.
The volunteers in our army are allow.
ed by law $3 so per month for clothing
themselves, while the regular soldiers
arc clothed BY the government. In
this country, where clothing is cheap,
this sum is more than sufficient; but
when our troops got to Mexico, where
;he prices Of everything were greatly
enhanced, this sum was found to be in
adequate. The clothing being scarce,
too, The volunteers were often in distress
while the regulars were comfortably
clad, because the quarter-master's de-
partmeni had an abundance Of clothing
on hand for their use. The distresses
of our brave men were made known to
General Cass and others, by letters
from the army; and, upon consultation,
this bill was passed, allowing the volun.
teers to receive from the government
stores, il they desired it, whatever ar.
ticIes Of apparel they might need. at
the price it had cost the United States,
which, on computation, was found to be
50 so per month for each man. In 9th.
er words the government agreed to sell
to the volunteers their yearly clothing
at the rate Of So so per month, while it
gave 10 them, by previous laws, So so
per month in cash, from which TO make
lhe payment. Thus you will sec Mess.
Editors, instead Of taking dollar from
the volunteers, Gen. Cass was instru-
mental in giving them dollar month
more than they were entitled to by
previous laws, and Of giving them, too,
the only means by which they could be
furnished with comfortable clothing N
a foreign land. Without this law, whilo
the regulars would hive been well cloth
ed from our well.6lled military stores,
the equally meritorious volunteers
nigh. have beon suffering for the want
oil clio thing in distant land, where they
were beyond the reach Of the sympathy
of their relatives and friends. No man
in this country has stronger attach.
ments for the private soldiers than Gen.
Cass. Like all men who have risen
from humble life, his sympathies and
feelings are readily excited in behalf Of
those who have none to protect them.
He might forge! the demands ofan off.
Ger high in command. but he could not
overlook the wants Of u private soldier.
II is due to Sergeant Graef to add,
that the humane intention Of Congress.
in the passage Of this law, was, for
time, interrupted by decision Of the
accountant department, which gave il
the construction which was complain