Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-07-01
GEN. cAss AND rnE VOLUNTEERS.

we are happy in being able to lay be-
fore the public the follwing letter from
General CAMERON, fully explaining the DO
sition of General Cass in reference 10 The
clothing of the Volunteers. This lettel
shows that Gen. Cass took that course
which was most beneficial to the Volun.
teers, and which no doubt proved entirely
satisfactory to all when it was understood
Tothc Editors Of the Democratic Union:
A friend has put into my possession the
Reading Journal, containing letter from
Sergeant VIM. Graef, of Capt. Loeser's
company, of that city, from which the fol-
lowing is an extract:
"NeXt let me tell you how Senator Cass
was treated by the Volunteers You will re.
collect that we, (the Volunteers,) were mus
tered under the act of May, '46, by which
we were allowed SO so per month for cloth.
ing, and in circular dated August 18th, AZ,
we were again assured of receiving the same
But it seems that Mr.. Cass with good eco.
nomical heart, offered. bill "to cause the
Volunteers to be furnished with clothing in
kind, at the same rates according TO grades,
as Is provided for the. troops of the regular
army" Thus you see he has reduced our
pay for clothing from SO SO to So so This,
| suppose is the compensation we get for
fighting our way TO the Capital. As soon as
the 1st Pennsylvanians received news that
this famous bill had passed, they ertended a
rope across the main road leading TO the Gin OF
Merico and hung poor Lewis CasS Some
officers touched by their politics, ordered il
to be cut down, but the boys had him in his
Just position again soon after where he hung
till evening, when he was taken down and
ras doomed TO the staker'
kHaving since the commencement of the
war, taken part in all matters relating to
the comfort Of our Volunteers, which have
been agitated in Congress, l am enabled to
explain the unfounded charge made, unin-
tentionally have no doubt, by Mr., Gracf,
against Gen. Cass.
The bill from the Military Committee,
reported by Gen. Cass, originated with the
gallant Colonel Davis, WHO'S pre-eminentlv
the friend of the Volunteers, and it was in
tended for their benefit, and has been of
great service to them. The Volunteers in
our army are allowed by law So 30 per
month for clothing themselves, while the
regular soldiers are clothed by the govern
ment. In this country, where clothing is
cheap, this sum is more than sufficient, but
when our troops got to Mexico, where the
price of everything was greatly enhanced,
this sum was found to be inadequate
The clothing being scarce, too, the Volun-
teers were often in distress, while the regu-
lars We're comfortably clad, because the
Quartermaster's department had an abun-
dance of clothing on hand for their USE
The dlStresSes of our brave men were made
known to Gen. 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.
if they desired it, whatever articles of ap-
parel they might need, at the price it had
cost the United States, which on computa-
ton, was found to be 50 so per month for
each man. In other words, the govern
mcnt agreed TO sell to the Volunteers their
yearly clothing at the rate of 81 50 per
month, while it gave to them, by previous
laws, So 90 per month in cash, from which
TO make the payment. Thus you will see,
Messrs. Editors, instead of taking a dollar
from the Volunteers, Gen. Cass was instru-
mental in giving them dollar a month
more than they were entitled to by previ-
Gus laws, and of giving them, too, the only
means by which they could be furnished
with comfortable clothing in foreign land.
Without this law, while the regulars would
have been well clothed from our well filled
military stores, the equally meritorious
Volunteers might have been suffering for
the want of clothing in distant land,
where they were beyond the reach Of SYM
Pahy of their relatives and friends. No
man in this country has stronger attach
nlents for the private soldiers than Gen.
Cass. Like all men who have risen from
humble life, his sympathies and feeling are
readily excited in behalf ofthose who have
none to protect them. He might forget
the demands of an officer high in command
but he could not overlook the wants of q
private soldier.
II is due to Serg. Graef, to add that the
humane intention of Congress, in the pas
sage of this law, was, for time, interrupted
by decision of the accountant department
which gave 1t the construction complained
of by him; but, SO soon as this construction
was known here, the subject was re-exam
ined at the instance of Gen. Cass and 9th
ers, and the construction intended by Con
gress given to the law which authorise
the volunteers to receive from the publ,
stores, the same clothing as is now Furnished
to the regulars, but does not compel, then
to take it,-at 50 so mouth, its actua
cost in the United States, without transpor
tation or other charges.
As have heard Serg. Graef spoken of a
a gallant soldier, he will, l am sure, whel
he comes home, like true Pennsylvania
be among the first to acknowledge the injus
tice he has done to Gen. Cass.
SIMON CAMERON.
WASHINGTON, June 10, 164S.