, 1861-08-29
Allotment Tickets.

tfIou LIE n. I. EFenl1g Post
i. The twelfth section Of g au act to authorize
the employment of volunteers to aid in en-
forcing the laws and protecting public prop
ersy,'" passed BY Congress On July 10, 1861,
provides that the Secretary of War be and
Is hereby authorized and directed to Introduce
among the volunteer forces III the service of
the United States, the system Of allotment
alent system, by which the family Of the vol
nnteer msy draw such portions Of his pay as
he may request
The pay Of q private of volunteers in the
service OF the United States il thirteen dol
lars per month. This sum does not seem
ed that the Government not only provides
soldiers and sailors with food and lodging,
but AEo furnishes them with clothing and
these three items of personal expenditure be-
Ing thus cared for, "the pay" Of soldier-the
money portion Of his total compensation
represents, IN fact, surplus which, if he were
single man and could save il from his salary
or wages In any civil employment, he would
either put away az his savings or spend for
1uxuries. II he were married. man this sur
plEeage would 60 to the support Of his fani-
y. Now, the object Of the section in the
War bill which We have cited above, is to fa-
ci1itate this disposition Of the pay of married
soldiers and to enable every man who enIists
to make certain stated provision for those
dependent On him.
In the navy this has long been done. A
married seaman, On enlistings asks that an
allotment tickst,h which is simply power
Of attorney, be given to such person, his
provide for, emitting this person to 3 csrtain
portion Of The monthly pay Of the grantor.
On presentation Of the allotment ticket at the
office Of the properly appointed Government
sgent, the bearer receives the amount to
which the ticket entities him or her, and ia
the account book Of the ship il which the
nan sails tie same amount Ia deducted from
his regular wages,
By the section We have cited above, the Sec
rotary Of War is directed to establish the same
facldtles for soldiers IN the Union armies We
have reason to believe that the existence of
this law is not generally known among our
| troops, and tEat many who are now under
| a1IRs are anxious to avail themselves Of its
| provisions, if the proper authorities will take
the requisite measures, while many who would
otherwise enlist are prevented By the impos
6lbll1ty, rs they believe, Of leaving any ade-
| quate provision. for their wives and children,
The Union Defence Committee and private
clarity have done much to aid the families OF
volunteers; but this aid is not certain and
| regular, and it has the character Of a charlta-
BILE gift, and gives the recipient the feelings OF
a Fauper. All this can be cured, if the depart
| ment will cause It to be made known that ey.
| ery man who enlists may assign 8 part Of his
pay to the support Of his family, and tha!
proper officers will be appointed to make pay.
ments at stated periods-monthly, If possible
-tc all holders of allotment tickets. a sol
dier may easily leave ten dollars monthly to
his family. This leaves him three do11ars per
month to spend for tobacco and other small
luxu1:es. The sum thus assigned would be
certain, and the recipients would feel that they
| received not charity, but honorable support.
Private charity will have enough On It's hands
during the next winter, aud our citizens should
be released from all demands upon them
which nre not unavoidable.
We trust that the government will take i'm
mediate action in this matter, and afford fscil
tiles to every soldier In our armies to assign
such portion Of his pay as he may think best
to the support Of those who are dependent
upon bin. By caring for this, promptly, many
men can be secured for the army who nov
hold aloof, becauee they cannot leave thei1
families destitute, but who would gladly en-
LIST, if they could make even very mode1at,
| provision for them