The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-15
Rithmonn pispatcb.
SATURDAY MORNING. FEB Is. Is
Remarks of Nr. Wuodson.

H. Offering his resolutions in the House CT
Delegates favoring a reduction Of the pay of
army officers. especially of the Quartermes
ter, Comm issary ana Surgical Departments)
and Increasing the pay OF privntes, Mr.. Woon-
SOC said
MIR. Speaker, desire 20 call The attention
of this ii ousa ~ some matters IN my opinion
seriously affecting the organic uon OF our
army aud our suCc -ss In the present struggle
| mean the in*daqu& T. paS OF the pflNa'e S"i-
dtrr, aud the eN T ,Vag aut upehsaaoh XIV"
nv the cXistiL, laws to IN u IN, i cofi> OF me
army.
No change in this reg trd can he affected by
the General Assembly nj 'hEh4'' ,ot ne
reason I'll AT. soon ~ Our men are '1i'eu out
from their homes tuconstitut" poriion OF
the army, they PASS At once INTO he service OF
tie Confederate government men provides
for the payment OF the troops from all the
srates Mt The anne rate II can then only be
effective by Instructions To onr Representa-
ttyes IN the Congress IF the Confederate States
To procure. II they can, su,h modifi alton OF
existing tGW rs VIII accom- piIsh he par pos.
and 10 make an appeal 10 the wisdom or jus
tsce OF The Confederate Congress, and that
appeal shOnlJ be NJ tde At once, bojh an
"aconr gem mt TO the volunteer army 20 re
volunteer, ana as some alienation 81 the Sc
we're ordeal through which our people ar"
soon TO pass in 3e'euce II their homes, heir
state, ard their country.
1t has been said upon this n3Or that gre
were tfauscendi1g our du;tes il moving IN
ttTu tons 70 our representa- ives III toa-
Rress. or In Masking apperis - She tonfedsr-
ate GJvernmeht-that they were WISE men
understood 8nd appreC.ated their 1espuRSt-
biiity 10 the people and the country, ana
would wisely and IN CpnNeutent time provide
for the W ants and ncCrsSitI's of both
Ihave foil confidence III the Confederate
Government in las wisdom, lis pntEIoism,
rud Its asa but, q: The same time, mus
ia permitted 10 say-and would he deteiict
Ia my representative uu:y TO the Senet Ohs
and contdiug people whom j have the honor
TO represent upon this floor. il did not say
that, III my opinion, the pay OF tbs private
soldier, under existing laws If Congress, Is
entirely too Low hui that OF the Official corps
entirely too high and are We, the repreSe IL
tatives of the people OF Virginia, sent here tn
guard aud protect their rights and Interests,
10 sit qGieily here while the wives and chill
dren OF the private soldiers @. our army are
suffering for tke very neCeSsHrIeS OF life, and
wait for The wisdom OF Congress to move
them 10 redress the /. Justice now done them
what DO we see here daily aud hourly
At every corner OF the Stress ateYeTy hotel
| may SAY every where III the CitA-tte gag
and bedaZZltng uniforms OF the army Ciiioi1i7
are to be seen by the ores. The large pay
they receive enables them 10 visit, aIinCsf g
pleasure, this, tee most expensive cry OF tHt
Sou'h; and with "a z ~ AMI festive AR IL
Iuxurlate in the fragrance Il an e&quisit'
Havana, and 10 trin lac d" light tan tas /.
Toe" III; hop at the EXchaI IL or IL" SIo.S
wood, at the very modsTat-Iate OF three dol
lars per day, While the humble pri II
he should be f0rtuAate enough TO get here
would be most likely c0mpe:leL % take IN
comfortable lodgings II the. crnino1l3nS
hotel nov successfully carried on under The
superintendeHce Of M1vor Mayo.
Let us look for a moment IT The coulr>ra
tive rates Of pay between tie officers aud pri-
A Brigadier General receives $3I per
month, forage tur four horses besides II sup
ply of tuei, stationery, quarters, 81, &c. Il
Colonel receives 1928 per N. Iih, forage for
three horses, fuel, statiCnely y, re. u maJor
$3.50 per mouth, forge for three horses fuel,
stationery, &c. Captain 3l3p per month.
fuel, stationery quarters, sc. 4 private re-
ctIyes eleven dollars per month, MS rhti0as
and clothing. in addition to t0's, there are
scores OF Qu8rterlnAsters ana Assistant Z uar
rernasteIs, Gommlss&ries and Assistant com =
missaries, Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons,
ranking as toioLel>, Maj and Captains.
and receiving The pay attGchea 10 tho>e re
spective ranks.
WHAT prop5iety is there IL paying Quar-
termasters and COmmiss by tne rank
they may hold, IN tead Of the dunes they may
PERFORM Why nay II Qdartermasier Wttil
The rank OF Major more than one WITH tie
rank Of Captain, when they perform eqGa!
duties / have 10 hesitation III saying mat
sio0 per month Is large compensation fer
any Z uartermaster, Comm ssdTy, or surgeon
ia the army, except tie general officers CT
these departments Il. the seat OF Government;
and that the pay OF all he III PTS II the arm
ought 10 be reduced at lea,t - per cent
There IS 10 b-..Gcn Of the service more nee l.
ing reform and TetIpnch.leEt than tb i, rather
oruame,l tai branch Of QutrieImasters and
Com missarles on The country, and the sooner
IL is done the better. Eh5 Congress o: the
United States has had this su blsci Of the re-
dGctiou OF Officers pay under consideration,
and has proposed reduction OF about - per
cent, aEd while | have no sympathy with or
respect tor that Government, Yet IL i pru-
dent TO rfolt even by the example of our
enemy. This reduction would enable the
Government materially to increase the pay
OF the prlyuies, WithUutat all increasing the
eXpe OF the war.
Why Is 1t that thss unjus. discrimination
between the paT u The officers aud rrivatcs
shout! be made? Is the private soldier or
voIuh teer less patriotic than his captain :!
Are lis atec lion. less arden and true for tha
home ana the loved ones be has lett benin
him Who ia 4. taat, At the peril OF his life,
stands II picket nearest the lines OF tn"
enemy, to give warning 81 his approach :!
DO Is II that stood duritg the slow an i
solemn hours Of HE past dreaTg night, az u
stands to-day ~ u sentinel. upon The snow =
clad tops of your Iofuest N Oun talns, or upon
the bleak shores Of your utmost bOund;iIles
Indeed, | might say, " no now forms the wall
of dete nee ali around the State against the
armed hosts of The invading enemy2 1t Is
the private IN your ranks who performs
these the most dangerous, they are the
most irving and exnaustlng duties OF the SOL
der and he should be remem beTtd CRATE
fully for 1 /, and his children after him.