Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-08-07
Collector Merrill and the Headquarters of
the Provost Marshal.

the Provost Marshal.
The Woodstock Standard of last week
has timely article on Collector Merrill.
though in the matter of compensation, to
collectors for receiving Communication money,
it is probably mistaken, as we understand
that has not yet been definitely fixed The
Standard says, what is no doubt true, that
good deal of dissatisfaction exists in the
community. and especially among drafted
men in the matter of paying commutation
money" This complaint arises from the
Inconvenience to which drafted men are SUBJ
Ject, because Mr.. Collector Merrill chooses
TO SIT very quietly upon his throne at St,
Johnsbury, and the complaint is every day
becoming more serious, and many are al.
ready raising loud camor for his removal,
and we confess that as the matter has Leen
represented to us, the demand is just. Mr..
Merrill thus far refuses to do the first thing
for the convenience of those who nav COM
mutation money, and besides the risk of the
mails which drafted men have to assume.
they are also subjected to much expense in
procuring drafts, &c. The Standard thus
illustrates this point
To show what injustice there is in this
way OF transacting the business, we will state
case which has already occurred Three
young men, brothers, who by years of hard
labor and strict economy, had saved up from
five hundred to one thousand dollars each,
were drafted and reported here last week
TO the Provost Marshal. Upon examina-
ton they found they must either 90, furnish
substitutes, or pay communication money.
They decided TO do the latter, as no substi-
tutes were 10 be found In order TO do
this they were compelled to purchase draft
for nine hundred dollars, which cost them
two dollars and twenty-five cents"
we are informed that an offer was made
to Mr.. Merrill to receive the communication
money free OF all expense, at Woodstock,
if he would allow and authorize it to be
done there, and yet he refused even that
MIR. Poland, collector in fke First District.
who resides at Montpelier, has not only been
at Rutland, the headquarters of the Pro-
vost Marshal for that district, to receive
communication money but gave public notice
that he would be there {or that purpose.
and not only has be done this, but when he
could not be there himself, has had some
authorized person present to act for him.
This is as It should be, and we know of no
reason why the same accommodating spirit
should not have prevailed in this district.
The internal revenue law and the enroll
ment act are both a burden upon the oeo-
plea consequence of the war-a burden
which all loyal people mean TO bear cheer
fully for the benefit of our common coun-
try, and they ought not to be enforced in
manner to make them more odieus, but all
upon whom these acts operate should be
dealt with as leniently as possible, and the
Standard well says that the harsh features
of the law can be relieved very much by
Judicious course on the part of those who
enforce it."
This is all we propose 10 say on this
point at this time. The other matter is
this: That the headquarters of the Pro-
sost Marshal should not be at Woodstock :;
That IN consequence of being there the gov
eminent is subjected to much extra ex-
pense, while drafted men suffer more than
by the inconvenience to which they are
subjected by Collector Merrill. The head
quarters should have been somewhere on
the line Of the railroad, and was so ordered
and intended by the government in the first
place. Drafted men inform us tina, in ma.
ny instances there has not been sufHeieo,
transportation at Woodstock Station, whence
they still have TO be transported some nine
miles. Arriving at Woodstock, they can