Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-10-29
The Reason why the promised
Aid To the Families Oh wis.
cOnsin Volunteers cannot De
paid during the WINTER

MADIsoS, Wis, Oct. II, 1862.
To the Wisconsin Volunteers and their
dependent Families
The Milwaukee ATsWs of the l4th inst,
charges me with having" been engaged.
since the adjournment of the legislature,
in the dsreputable business of retailing
falsehoods by private letters to our SOL
diers in the distant camps, for the pur-
pose of prejudicing our regiments against
! the democratic candidates at home"
This charge is FALSE an every particular.
/ have made no statements to our SOL
| diers in distant camps" or elsewhere,
that are not strictly true. i have, IN one
or two instances, possibly three Mt the
outside, in answering business letters,
where inquiries have been made in rela-
ton to the matter, given the reasons why
the families of our Volunteers will be
deprived of the promised aid from the
| State at the time Of all others, when they
will most need it---during the severe
/ weather Of winter.
The Meas calls upon its readers " 10
write Immediately to the Southwest and
to the Potomac Let there
be no delay, wr;tel write /! Let every
! soldier know the TRUTH The advice is
excellent. / am free to acknowledge
that have not done my duty in this re-
spect, as I have not, with the exception
! above named, written word to any one
! in relation to the matter. ! thank the
| Neaos for calling my attention to the sub
ject. have been grossly negligent; |
will be so no more. Ii the NeWs will
pardon me for past negligence, L will
speedily send this open: letter to every
soldier and soldiers family whose address
l can ascertain. After about the middle
of November, the payment of the five
dollars per month, promised to the fami-
lies of Volunteers, will be stopped, not to
be resumed until sometime in the month
of February. Somebody is responsible
for this. Who is it? The Democratic
members Of the last assembly. There
are hut two WAYS in which the State can
raise money. One, by direct tax, the
other, by borrowing. The legislature, at
its recent session, passed an act levylng
a direct tax of two hundred and seventy
five thousand dollars, the proceeds to be
used in paying the promised bounty t"
the families Of the Volunteers. This tax
cannot be collected so as to reach the
State Treasury before the middle Of Feb
ruary. The members Of the Legislature
knew that it would require something
over two hundred thousand dollars 10
continue the payment OF this bounty UNI
til the money could be realized from the
tax and the only possible way in which
it could be raised was by borrowing
money on the bonds of the State. The
Senate passed an act authorizing an is
sue of bonds to the amount of two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars, and sent
it to the Assembly. la the Assembly
the bill was deliberately defeated by the
democratic members. Every democrat
present, with one honorable exception
Hollis LATHAM, of Walworth county
voting to indefinitely postpone the bill, and
every republican present voting against
postponement, except Leonard.
The following is The vote on the ques
ton of indefinite postponement. Demo
Gratis in italics, members elected as Union
men, in SMALL CAPITALS.
AYEs-Messrs. Abert, Berry, Basset,
Boyd, G.. ". Brown, Butler, Coles,
DUrcHER, Elliott. Ellis, Finger, Gage,
Clifford, GriRen, Hatcher, Hogan, Hop
pock, Jenkins, Kirchlof, Leonard, Nc
Colluns, Mclean, Maloy, Mayer Nor
row, Plato, hogan, Saher, .Sanborn,
.Semmen, tShletz, .shumway, Stann, ,Sto-
aosN, j. -E. 7Homag, TRIP, Vanderpool,
WadswortA, Wilson and Mr.. Speaker,
Falmer-40.
NoEs.-Messrs. Adams, Arnold, Ban
mister, BARNES, Beau. Beyoe, Brandon,
Chandler, Combs. Crosby, Docksader,
Field, Guernsey, Hammond, s. Hanson,
johnson, Latham. McDil, Miller, Mills,
MOORE, Newick, E. Palmer, Pope, Roun-
seville, Stevens, Stoddard, Stantz, Tay
lor, Thompson, Upham, Vivian, Webb
and Williams-34.
The vote was taken on the afternoon
IF the day before the final adjournment.
Bear in mind there was no other way in
which, the money could be raised So rs
t. continue the payment during the win
ter moths, exception the manner propos
ed in this bill To have voted an addi-
tionai tax would have been Of no avail,
as the money could not have been collect
cd in time And vet, the Democratic
members of the Assembly deliberately
refused to authorize the raoney to be
raised in the only way in which it could
be raised, and not only so, ut 5Aey made
no proposal or ottemptto raise II an any
other woy Such are the facts. They
cannot be denied or explained away.
do not speak of the motives that infu-
enced their action. Possibly they may
have acted from pure motives. If SO,
let them make them known, but not at
tempt to deny The facts.
About 10 o'clock on the last day of
the session, vote having been previous
ly taken to adjourn ut II o'clock, mes
sage was received by both Houses Of the
Legislature, from Acting Governor Lew
ia eatiinee offantiop 10 tba faaf fbat tho