The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-02-11
t HE ALLOTME Z N t SYST e n.
Its Practical OperttIo. n


A correspondent Of the N. Y. Post writes
that paper from Washington. describing the
operation Of the allotment system, as being
carried out in the case Of the New York Reg
iments. "The Commissioners" says the
write. "proceeded to the nearest regiment, the
sixty fourth, and having explained the matter
to the officer, had the regiment drawn up on
three sides Of square, and addressed by one
of the number. They dwe!t upon the horrors
Of wisky aud the danger Of mince pies, the
folly of poker, and the sorrows and wants Of
neglected families at home. They explained
the working Of thelaw, showed how the men
could signify the amount of pvy they wished
to allot, and the name and residence of the
person to whom the money should be sent /;
and defined the plan Of allotment, which is as
follows: The paymaster gives the soldier a
draft for the amount of the allotment, drawn
on the Assistant Treasurer in New York city,
At the same time that he pays the balance to
the soldier himsefin money; the draft is then
mailed, directed to the persou to whose ord er
it is drawn, who alone can use it. "For 10 :
stance" said the commissioner, in making
this explanation, suppose John Simpson
writes to send home ten dollars each month to
his wife, Mary Simpson; he government gives
him treasury draft to the order of Mary
Simpson, which the soldier sends direct TO her,
and as it is drawn to her erder, no one elss
can use it, ard if il is lost the government will
replace it. The regiment was then marched
10y companies into the respective quarters, or
company streets" as they are called, aud af-
ter the matter was again fully explained, the
roll was called. Each man was spoken to (;
the ondition Of bis family inquired into, an I!
he was again warned against the perils Of
camy.
"rhe regiment did well, many Of the men
sending home their entire pay, saying they
could earn enough by work 10 camp; some
cent funds out of love for th,ir families, others,
as they admitted, to put themselves out o.
temptation. If they did not allot when their
names were calod, the Commissioner iDquir-
ed into the condition of ther family, and often
shamed or persuaded them to help support an
aged mother or destitute wife. Some Of the
scenes were curious. The officers almost un
iversally TOOK deep interest in the success of
the scheme, lent every facility, aud treated the
Commis toners with great consideration.
Capt. Holiday, of the Twenty fourth if re.
memember correctly, when the sergest CON-
menced calling the roll, stopped him, told him
to call the officers also, and on his RECON- menc-
ing with the sergeants said there we're higher
offidere, and he wished them to call them all.
The sergeant began: "Captain Holiday
"Put me down seventy five dollars month ;"
The effect was electrical, and the soldiers al.
otted almost to man. Out of one company
many of whom were on guard, forty sent
home an average of ten dollars and half; and
in another company, sixty three men averag
ed nearly ten dollars each. The coudtry re-
gimcnts always behaved finely, but some Of
the Germans could not understand thu ar.
rangsment and the Irish city regiments, were
suspicious. The beauty Of the system is its
permanency, and that it anticipates the re
ceipt o. the money. A man, before he is paid
resolves to send something home to his fam.
lily; but after he is paid the first drink of whis
Ky gamo Of "poker" auuihilate his good re-
solutions. The money is gone before he is
aware. The sitlcrs too, are exclusively indig
nant at the change, having tried to throw
odium upon the entire scheme; but between
their Interference in this matter aud their
charging a discount on Treasury notes they
have overreacbed themselves, and their hours
are numbered. The Commissioners have Wis.
tied some forty regiments, and are doing their
work thoroughly"