Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-01-15
THURSDAY TowAND BRADFORD COUNTY Pa BY GOODRICH


in the arsenal in that city. recommend that
provision be made for procuring carriages, cais-
sons, aud other equipments for them. The lib
era donors are entitled to the thanks of the
Commonwealth fer their patriotic gift.
| UDder the joint resolutions of the 2Sth of
February, 1862, measures were promptly tax
en- for the relief of our sick and wounded men
! in the field
The wounded at Winchester, Strasburg, Front
Royal, Williamsburg, and Fair Oaks, aud those
in tbs corps of Major General Banks, were du,
| ly attended on the field or in the vicinity, bg
Surgeon General Smith and corps of sur
geoDs under his direction, and were brought
into this State The same system would have
been continued, bnt, in June last, received
letter from the Surgeon General of the United
States representing that it was found incon.
yenient to the service, and must create difficult
ties in the regular Identification of the soldiers
for pay and pensions
In compliance with his views, | was reuc-
tantly obliged to discontinue the system but
| have not ceased to urge on the War Depart
ment the propriety Of sending our sick and
wounded men into the State, where they can
be nurSed and cared for by their friends, and
have to say that at length such an arrange
ment was made with the authorities at Wash
iugton, which it was hoped would be effective,
but there has been such tardiness in putting
it into practicel operation that | recommend
the Legislature to invite the attention of the
War Department to the subject. Our suffer
ing men have a right TO the sympathy and aid
Of their State, to be so rendered as not to in-
jure the service If the bringing them home
Lo o. oocI6 ,rodroo oror
ience to that | would not urge it. But it is
cruel to leave them to the care and (I regret
TO say it) frequently to the neglect, or worse
of strange officials, at points in the immediate
vicinity Of all the abundant comforts which the
so!ictude o. their families and friends would re-
joice to provide for them.
| In addition to the expenses of attending and
| bringing home our sick and wounded as above
stated, have expended less than 81 900 in
the transportation Of friends of sick, killed or
| wounded volunteers, and other persons sent by
me for their care to the several battle fields
and hospitals, and in bringing home for inter
mert the bodies Of those slain. The whole ex-
pense incurred under the joint resolution was
| S5,ll9 IS, the details of which will be found
in the report Of the Surgeon General and of
the chief of transportation.
| have uniformly, when applied to, allowed
| the expense of transportation of one person to
the field to bring home the body of his friend
or relation, and the expense of his return with
the body. The cost Of this has not exceeded
! $780, which is included in the sum of less than
| 81 600 above stated
| In this connection | must speak with ap-
| pause Of the active benevolence of our citi-
zeDs, who have, without compensation, devc.
| ted their time and care to their suffering fel-
| ow-citjZens, disabled by the casualties Of war.
| Not Only have many gone to the fed, to ad-
minister their kind Offices, but in every part
OF the Commonwealth thousands have applied
| their means and eXertionS to the same end ::
and especially have the women of Pennsyl
vania, obeying their true womanly instincts,
shown that they are worthy to be the moth,
ers, wives, and sisters of the brave men whom
they have stimulated to their duty, and sooth-
ed and nursed in the sutTerings that have en-
| sued in the performance of it.
| The city OF Philadelphia having patriotical
ly offered to the United States League Is.
land, as donation for navy yard, Congress
directed commission to report upon the avail
ability Of that site, and also of New London.
10 the general astonishment, majority of the
commission have reported in favor of New
London, but the minority has presented a re-
port, which is fortified by the approval of the
Secretary of the Navy, showing so conclusive
ly the superiority of League Island that it is
scarcely possible that Congress should hesitate
to select that location. To establish navy
yard for the construction of iron-cIad vessels
az point remote from all necessary supplies,
situated on salt water. and accessible 10y more
than one route to any enemy, who may have
momentarY superiority at sea, would appear
to be quite inconsistent with the wisdom of
Congress, especially when site is offered con-
venient to iron, coal and other necessary sup.
plies, situated on fresh water, with q sufficient
depth Tor drought of large vessels, aud safe
from hostile attack by its position
Capt Henry E Wrigley, of the city of
Philadelphia, at my request, and without com
peDsatlon, has made report to me on the de-
fences Of the Delaware, which | herewith
transmit for Information.
In July last | received at Pittsburr, bv tel
egraph an offer from the Pennsylvania Rail.
road Company of a donation of fifty thousand
dollars to assist in paying bountes to volun-
teers. declined this offer, because / had no
authority to accept it on behalf Of the public,
and was unwilling to undertake the diSburse-
ment of the fund in my private capacity I
have since received letter On the subject
from the company suggesting other modes of
disposing OF the money, copy of which is an-
nexed to this message.
If the Legislature should accept the done.
tion, recommend that it be applied towards
the erection of an asylum for our disabled SOL
diers aud that the trustees appointed to su,
perintend the erection and management of the
asylum be authorized to accept such further
contributions as our citizens may offer. In a
wellmauaged establishment of that kind it is
probable that the pensions to be allowed by
the Government to the men will enable them
to support themselves with comfort.