The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-12-10
Patriotism in Salem.-A 81

Patriotism ia Salem.-A special town
meeting was called in the town of Salem, in this
county on Tuesday last. The object of the meet
ing was to subnit to the voters ofthe town the
question of raising by tax, a sam sufficient to rs>
fund to the drafted mon of that town, who have
paid their $500 Communication money, two hundred
dollars each q We do not know who the movers
in this matter were, who would tax them selves and
the people to pay men for staying at home, but
we presume ii was done out of benevolent motives
at least. The question was pretty thoroughly
discussed, pending the call Of the town msetiag
whether there was any law authorizing towns to
raise money by taxation to pay men for staying at
home. 1t was equivalent to the same movement
made in New York city Just after the memorable
draft riots there, when the city couHcil tempted
TO raise by taxation an amount sufficient to pay
the Communication money of all the drafted men of
that city. That scheme was nipped in the bud on
the ground of it's illegality, An appropriation was
after made to pay $500 to the family of ev~
cry man who was drafted and went to the
war.
There is no doubt that in some instances l.
comes hard for the drafted man to raise the $500 to
exempt himBelf from responding to the call ofhis
country, OHL IL SSoIlH 80 US mat BlOOlQ De q case
for private benevolence or the assistance of friends
In this Tins, when the Government calls TO.
men to sustain its arm against rebels and traitors,
the man who pays his $500 does not thereby be-
come a public proteges, but if he cnlists or goes
under a draft, to fight the battles ofhis country he
does become a public defender and bensfs ctor, and
the public are bound to see that he wants for
none of the neceslaries of life himself, and much
less the family that he leaves behind. 1t was on
this principle that our Legislature authorized
towns and cities TO raise money for soldiers fam
lilies and to pay bounties to volunteers. And it is
on the same principle that Soldiers Aid Societ les
are scattered over the country, in almost every
school district throughout the loyal States.
AS we have before said the day set for the spe,
oial town meeting was Tuesday last. We under
stand there was a full and very general turn out
of the good people of Salem on the occasion. The
day was fair, and men were busy closing up their
fall work ,bus they could not be detained at home
on such an occasion. The patriotic people OF
Salem met and after talking the matter over final.
iy concluded TO let the whole matter drop, and
the town Board was not even organized. The
stigma of voting a tax to pay mon for staying at
home cannot attach to the patriotic town of Sa>
lem.
After tnis matter was thus happily Disposed of,
another was imm sdiatsly started and notices were
posted, calling = special Town Meeting at tbs
Bulsn Bridge House, on the 10th inst, to vote on
the question of raising by taxation = sum sufficient
to pay every soldier of Salem who has been to the
war and como home disabled, or to the families Of
Salem soldiers who have been killed, and TO vols
untsers under the present call, the sum of $500.
Our informant thinks that such a project will req
Ceivs q majority of the votes of Salem. 1t is quite
certain that under such a stimulus, there would
be no occasion for a draft in Salem on the 5th o.
January Gsxt.