Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-11-14
From the New York Evening Post.

e ALLorNEEr TIcKErs.-The twelf
J, section Of can act to authorize the en-
0 ployment Of volunteers to aid in el
|. forcing the laws and protecting publ
1 property" passed BY Congress on Jul
/ l9. 1861. provides "thst the Secretsr
. Of War be and is hereby authorize
. and directed to introduce among II
, volunteer forces in the service Of h
: United States, the system Of sllotmer
tickets, now used in the navy, or som
, equivalent system, by which the famil
Of the volunteer may draw such POI
tons Of his pay as be may request.
. The pay Of q private of volunteer
; in the service Of the United States j
thirteen dollars per month. This sun
does not seem very considerable; but
must be remembered that the Govern
ment not only provides soldiers snC
sailors with food and lodging, but alst
furnishes them with clothing; and thest
three items of personal expenditure be-
ing thus cared for, "the pay" of a
soldier-the money portion Of his totsl
compensation-represents, in fact, q
surplus which, if he were a single man
and could save it from his salary OF
wages in any civil employment, he
would either put away IS his savings or
spend for Injuries. II he we're a mar
ried man. this surplus would go to the
support Of his family. Now. the object
OF the section in the War bill which we
have cited above, is TO facilitate this
disposition of the pay of married sold
iers, and to enable every man who en-
lists to make certain stated provision
for those dependent on him.
In the navy this has long been done.
A married seaman. on enlisting, asks
that an allotment ticket" which is
simply. power Of attorney, be given
to such person, his wife or mother, or
whoever he may have to provide for,
emitting this person to a certain por-
tion Of the monthly pay of the grsnier.
On presentation Of the allotment ticket
at the Office of the properly appointed
Government agent, the bearer receives
the amount to which the ticket entities
him or her. and in the account book Of
the ship in which the man sails, the
same amount is deducted from the
regular wages.
By the section we have cited above,
the Secretary ol War is directed to
establish the same facilities for soldiers
in the Union armies. We have reason
to believe that the existence OF this law
is not generally known among our
troops, snd that many who are now un-
der arms are anxioBs is syail ihen-
'7eives of rs provisions, y the proper
authorities will take the requisite mea-
sures, while many who would other
wise enlist are prevented by the i'm
possibility. as they believe, Of leaving
any adequate provision for their wives
and children. The Union Defence
Committee and private charity have
done much to aid the families OF volun-
teers; but this aid is not certain and
regular, and it has the character Of q
charitable gift, and gives the recipient
the feelings Of pauper. All this can
be cured. il the Department will cause
it TO be made known that every man
who enlists may assign q part Of his
pay to the support Of his family, and
that proper officers will be appointed TO
make payments at stated periods
monthly. If possible-to all holders Of
allotment tickets. a soldier may easily
leave ten dollars monthly to his family.
This leaves him three dollars per month
to spend for tobacco and other small
luxuries. The sum thus assigned
would be certain, and the recipients
would feel that they received not chsri-
ty, but honorable support. Private
charity will have enough On its hands
during the next winter, and our citi-
zens should be released from all de-
mands upon them which are not un-
avoidable.
We trust that the Government will
take immediate action in this matter,
and affort facilities 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 him. By caring for this, prompt
Iy, many men can be secured for the
army who now hold aloof, because they
cannot leave their families destitute,
but who would gladly enlist, if they
could make even very moderate pro-
T. tka,,