Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-12-03
Relief for Soldiers, Families.

Relief for Soldiers Families.
Messrs. Editors Permit me through
your paper to state few facts, with refer
ence to the County Relief Fund of this Co.
There are those who, either wilfully, or
through ignorance, grossly -misrepresent
the design, amounts and power of the
County Commissioners to grant relief
from this Fund; thereby causing much
trouble to the soldiers families, and those
who have to disburse the money. The
Legislature of lS60-61 passed an act au-
thorising a levy for this object, of one-half
mill on the dollar, of all the taxable prop
erty of any county in the State, by the
County Commissioners thereof. The
Commissioners of this County, anticipa-
ting the authority thus given, land from
the pressing necessities and demands of
the families of volunteers for relief,) Dor
rowed from the County General Fund,
and commenced discussing even before
the above act became a law. The levy of
the one-half mill raised about five thou
sand and sever hundred dollars; this
amount was paid out t o these families.
long before it was collected from the tax
duplicate, and the Commissioners found
themselves entering another long, cold
winter with our three hundred soldiers
families upon their hands, expecting and
demanding assistance, with no relief mon
sy in the Treasury. Hoping, however,
that the Legislature would again relieve
them, they borrowed from the Comfy
General Fund as before, and have contin-
ued their disbursements to the present
time, except a few months in the summer
that Is just past. The Legislature au-
thorizedalevy Of six-tenths of a mill, which
VIII raise a fund of little over six thou
dollars when the present tax-dupli-
cate is collected but the Commissioners
have already borrowed and paid out over
1000 dollars of this amount, leaving
but about two Thousand dollars to be dis
bursed to nearly four hundred families,
consisting from one to ten members each.
1t requires no intricate calculation to
demonstrate that this sum, though doled
out never so meanly, viii not last half the
coming winter. Says one, "borrcw as be-
fore from the County General Fund.-
This cannot o be done, as that Fund
has just furnished twenty thousand dol
lars to pay the bounties to soldiers, offer.
ed by the County, and is now so exhaust
ed as to be unable furnish anything now
for any purpose, except the n for which
it is legitimately raised.
Thus it will be seen that something
must be done beyond what is in the pow
er of the County Commissioners to do for
them. That many of them are very des-
titute there is no question; that they
must have help from some source, or suf-
fer, is equally unquestionable and will
we let them want the necessaries of life
while their husbands or brothers are fight
ing the battles of our common country
for us?
B~reasting the leaden hail, or burning steel.
And all the woes of soldiers feel.
! know that many say when called upon
to give, that these families are now receiv-
ing more money than they ever had be-
fore-that they do not make judicious
use of what is given them, &c, &c. Sup
pose these objections DO exist does it ex-
cuse any one for Withholding from them
the ne-cessaries of life ?-for s~teeling his
heart to the wants of the families of the
men who are now protecting him in the
enjoyment of his quiet home. and the
very property of which they now ask but
a pittance. The necessaries of life are
very dear now; FIVE dollars will not buy
any more than three would a few months
since, yet the soldier gets no more pay
than he did then. How it must wilt the
courage and stife the patriotism of the
soldier tolearn that his family isn~eglected
and suffering at home, and he by the
stern fates ofwar deprived of ministering
to their wants.