Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-11-12

For veteran volunteers, per month, to........sA 81
For othersoldiers. not veterans, per month.. 81 81
II discharged at the end of two years, thC
pay and bounty received will be at the follow
ing rates =
For veteran volunteers, per mouth. x
For other soldiers, not veterans, per month. rs 81
If honorably mustered out in less than two
years, as not being required, the monthly rate
OF compensation will become increased, as the
term Of service is diminished.
In addition to this the volunteer is furnish
ed with his rations, clothing, and medical at
tendance, and is paid in cash for such part of
his allowance of clothing as he does not draw.
Men enlisted under this order will be per-
| mitted to select their own regiments, which,
| however, must be old regiments in the field
! excepting in the cases of those veterans who
enlist in veteran organizations, and with the
! further exception that other new recruits,
while they may, if they choose to do So enlist
| in the veteran regiments, the provisions of
this order in respect to bounties will not be
enjoyed by them.
lt.has been represented to me by officers
| engaged in the recruiting service, rs well as
many citizens and magistrates, that these
bounties do not offer sufficient pecuniarv in
ducements to enable the required number to
be raised within the two months which scarce
! ly remains to u.s. At the request of several
municipal governments, and OF divers patrl-
otto and public spirited people of the COM
| monwealth, l have therefore called together
the general court for the single and special
| purpose OF devlsing means to secure the con-
| tlngent of volunteers assigned to MasSachu-
| sets, and to take such action in the premises
as in its wisdom may be found eXpedent.
| With the present rewards of peaceful in
dustry at home and the expenditure required
| for the support of families left behind them,
| 1t is believed that both the pay of Il Suldier
and these proposed bounties combined do not
| afford sufficient pecuniary compensation to
attract volunteers in numbers large enough
for the public need. And while | hold that
the service of our country in the field, in sup
| port of her rights and liberties, against her
| enemies in war, is of inestimable honor, and
is Incompatible with all rewards of pecuniary
or material advantage, | am none the less
| convinced that the burdens incident to that
service should be equitaby shared by all
| classes and members at the whole community
| since all alike must share IN its benefits and
| will profit alike by the triumphs of the nation
| al arms.
cordially agree, therefore, with those who
advise such additional legislation as will bet
| ter distribute pecunary burdens, alleviating
| them so far as they bear upon the soldier and
| his family, and equally distributing their
! weight upon the people and tue property of
! the commonwealth. But | venture respect
| fully to urge upon every mind the consdera-
ton that we ought not to legislate single and
only with a view to a present, technical, formal
supply of our contingent.
With the eye Of patriotic craftsmanship we
are bound to survey the whole field of pres
ent ard future duty and responsibility. We
must remember that the national cause, its
armies are our own armies, the men whom we
are summoned to reinforce are our own loyal,
patriotic, brave and devoted brethren, to
whose persistent valor it is due, under the
blessing OF God, that there is preserved to us
cause and couptry, and that her symbolic
ensign waves to-day over so many scene OF
triumph dearly bought. We want not merely
recruits, but men for the war; not mercena-
res, but patriotic soldiers; men to whom the
service means duty and honor to themselves,
happiness and welfare for their children here
alter to the latest generation.
am not of opinion, regarding the matter in
the light OF experience or OF the wisdom of
men in other affairs, that any increase OF the
bounty of $l25 now due to the volunteer, paid
in advance, is the measure needful or even
desirable for the procurement of real soldiers
and honest service. Something is needed by
many men to leave behind them at the mo-
IneDt VI departures something 10 STOCK the
family supplies aud to secure to them i'm
mediate aud certain independence from petty
wants and cares. And that is already of
fered. But it remains to propose to the SOL
der a compensation to be based upon the
service actually rendered in the army, rea-
sonably prOpoTtiOned to the rewards of peace
full industry at home. This think, is what
he will ask. No less than this ought he to be
required to accept. And when this is pro-
posed by the government, l cannot doubt that
the liberal equity Of its offer for the procure
ment of volunteers and for the avoidance of
draft will be felt to illustrate the justice gifts
memorable demands for reinforcements, ac-
cording to the exigencies ofthe war, whenev-
er they may occur hereafter.
| am prepared, therefore, to assist in COM
hitting the commonwealth to policy of the
payment of regular wages to the Massachu-
setts volunteers, in addition to all other pay,
allowances, bounties and advantages hitherto
enjoyed
Nor would | restrict the offer to those only
who may enlist as a part of this new contin-
gent. l would include all future recruits,
and l would emphatica!ly include all those
enlisted men belonging TO any OF the Mas
sachusetts regiments or batteries who may,
under the authority OF the president, re-en-
list for an additional term. All volunteers
having less tIldn one year 10 serve, unueT
the present enstments, are authorized by
orders from the department of war, to re-
enlist themselves in their original regiments
on the footing Of veterans, for another peri
cd of three years, unless sooner discharged,
such new term 10 begin forthwith. | hold
it to be not only OF grand importance to
secure the existence of these war worn reg
iments while the war shall last and espe-
cially the services OF these tried and brave
old soldiers who compose them, but it would
be only an act Of grateful justice to proder
them the utmost advantages. Indeed, | can
not feel that it becomes the people of Massa-
chusetts, at this period OF the war; to act as if
conscious only of the presence of an impend-
ing draft, and with view only to its preven-
ton. Gratitude, manlness, and honor, alike
concur with what [ regard as the state sman-
like policy of the situation, to encourage those
mertorious and deserving men to renew their
engagement to the military service.
l have detailed thus carefully the facts and
the figures, and have suggested in brief the
argument illustrating the existing emergency
in which originated the convocation of the
general court, IN order that members may
possess them, so far as they were at my COM
mand, compactly arranged, and without the
necessity of search
Gentlemen, the president of the United
States demands a new recruitment OF the army
of the Union. And it must be had. Massa-
chusetts is summoned to supply her proper
contingent She can not falter and she will