Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-02-03
Payment Of the Biassachusetts SoIdiers---
HnnnrnbIe Provisinn.

Payment Of the Massachuhetta Soldiers
Honorable Provision.
Massachusetts,, needless of the taunts
which have been heaped upon her, goes
on her way, generously doing more than
her part in contributing to the war and
gloriOusly upholding her ancient reputa-
ton upon every field. She now promises
to inaugurate another movement for her
soldiers, which will endear her sons to
their faithful mother, and show to the
world her earnestness in the cause. 1t is
known that the failure to pay the soldiers
has been the cause Of widespread suffering
and complaint, snd that nothing 50 much
served to create dissatisfaction with the
conduct of the war, in the minds of the
men in the field who had dependent fami-
lies at home. The old Bay State proposes
to take the burden of the immediate and
punctual payment of her soldiers into her
own hands, trusting to the Government
to reimburse her. The plan is proposed
in letter from Governor Andrew to the
Legislature, inviting their attention and
approval 1t provides that all soldiers
vino choose shall assign the whole or any
part of their pay to the Treasurer Of the
State, in the manner that they have been
accustomed to pay it to their families. The
State is to agree with the United States to
hold itself indebted to the volunteers who
thus assign their pay, to the amount Of
their assignments. Certified copies Of the
pay roll made up for the guidance of the
Federal disbursing officers, are to be trans
mitted to the State Treasurer, and upon
their receipt he will credit each soldier
with the amount Of assigned pay appear
ing to be due him. This sum so credited,
tho Treasurer will distribute to the fsmi-
lies of the soldiers through the Town
Treasurer in the manner now provided by
law, or retain on interest at the election
Of the volunteer, and subject to his order.
The immense advantage of this plan
will be apparent at glance. The family
Of the soldier need not wait, as now, for
weeks, and perhaps months, for payment
by the United States paymaster, but the
money will be ready for distribution reg
ularly every alternate month, without fail.
It will also be seen that the State Treasu-
ry becomes a savings bank for the soldier
who has no family or others dependent
upon him. His money is safe at home and
accommodating interest until the end of the
war, if he chooses to leave it SO long, or
will be subject to draft if he is sick in
hospital or on detached service.
The State is to be repaid and protected
in this enterprise by an arrangement with
the Secretary of the Treasury that an
amountof United States currency, or
certificate of Indebtedness bearing inter
est from the date when the payment was
due from the United States, and cores
ponding to the amount on the pay-rOlls as
signed by the volunteers, shall be deliver
ed to the State Treasurer as often and as
soon as the pay-rolls are flled-this cur
rency or certificate to be receipted for by
the Treasurer as a reimbursement to the
State. It is believed that the State can
make bargain with the banks to borrow,
at a very low rate of interest, the amounts
needed, say a million of dollars each al
ternate month, to be drawn for as required.