Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-11-11
MILITARY ASYLUMS.
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large amount of money hos already been expended on
sites and buildings for military asyum and the
mlssoned officers and soldiers regularly SUPPORT
these institutions though by The way be induced
enter them but persons who objects Of The lowest
erty and dcsliluon The pulley which produced these mil.
ary luns though prrdcaed OF kind feeling and Chris
an sympathy il nevertheless thought to be devoid of prac
tca utility As, for example, married soldier ~ BECOME
inmate as the rule stands agre separa lie
himself from his family, neither wives nor children are
permitted 10 dwell within the walls Of these military nona..
lerirs In word they the exclusive homes of military
bachelors, wido@crs without children, and unnatural hus.
bands who willing 10 f0suke their wives and children
But az, In ihs instance the evil complained of Ia moi
without remedy II is most respectfully recommended that
pension Of least hundred and fifty dollars wear b..
allowed TO each disabled aged soldier who MAY prefer
residence among his fellow citizens TO the not
10 say Degrading retreat Of military a5yum This pen.
sion may lppoar rather largo first sight but il surely wifi
not be cOnsierej 80 when il remembered that our SOL
diers during their service in the army themselves TO
sustain it..
According the army Register of 1853 there arc about
nine thousand enlisted men, Of all ranks in the military ser
vice Each Of heee pays three dollars per annum 10 The
asylum fund. In addition 10 this voluntary tag there ia
another source OF namely fines imposed by gene
raj rGgimenal martial the amount il 10 believed
o! some six thousand dollars per annu; which sum added
10 the general tax OF twenty thousand will make
total o thirty three thousand dollars collected from the a,mv
in ono year for The support Of its poor
In The year 1872 when tho idea Of military asylum was
first brought for consideration, certain general officer
oil great experience and kindhrlr,dncss dsapruvcJ of ,r
system. and advocated what decidedly bcer-a slight
extension of The pension st tut the out and dis
ahcd pojcr should be furnished with little means of
living amo. his citizens instead being subjected
to the degradation Of cndirg his days in military aims
house.
And further: remark that in the army of the Un,lcd
States there are without including tho staff CORPS one hun
dred and hy-e.ht companies: and the general regulations
admit Of thee soldiers wives each company; hence the
aggregate number OF this female battalion is four hundred
and sevenyiour. But this goody number of wives with
so 10 speak, nm amy CT helpless chdren) can receive no
benefit whatever from the asylum fund.- though ho four
hundred and seventy husbands pay thousand four
hundred and twen,y -twu dollars year 10 sus,inI
The idea Of military asy may have been taken o,,
similar institutions in England ana other counrrs In En-
rnpean nations may be able Stale policy 10 keen
the military as distant in location and sympathy Gom nil
civil intercourse and communion possible But in the,e
United States the soldier and the citizen are one and The
sao the military man ceases 10 foster and respect the hirh
or dignity of his citizenship he is longer fit for soldier
And hence is commended that should DO the privilege OF
tho American soldier after his long separation from his fell
wcitizens TO be permitted to roln Them; or at least IL
should be for the veteran himself decide whether he viii
end his military under The restrictive rule of an aim,
house or in the society Of his civilian iriends
The foregoing remarks are submitted from motives of af
lection for that OF eevice which the
attached from youth middle age believed thew CON
tain the universal sentiment Of the enlisted portion of the
lrmy. AN OLD SOLDIER