The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-05-12
The Governor, the Militia and the Banks.
Harrisburg, April 80, 1864

I
Harrisburg, April 80, 1864.
The following is copy of the Govern
or's Message, sent to the Legislature on
Saturday: To the Senate and, House OF
Representatives
Gentlemen-On the 18th of June last,
in consequence of the advance of the re-
bel army north of the Potomac. the Pres
ident issued his proclamation calling for
militia from this State to repel the inva-
sion. Immediately issued my procla-
nation of the same date, calling on the
militia to come forward When the men
began to assemble under this call of the
President, some difficulties arose from
their unwillingness to be mustered into
the service of the United States, as mis-
chievous persons made themselves busy
In misrepresenting the consequences of
such muster. In this state of affairs l
suggested to the President the expedien-
cy of my calling the militia, so as to re-
move the difficulties which had been thus
created. The President approved of the
suggestion, and, for the purpose of at
tanning the end proposed by his procla-
nation, directed me to make State call
for militia. 1 accordingly, on the Goth
day of June, 1868, issued my call for the
militia. The United States clothed, e.
quipped, and subsisted the men thus
called in the emergency, but declined to
pay them, on the ground that Congress
had made no appropriation for that pur-
pose. Assurances were, however, re-
ceived from the War Department, that if
the money to pey these troops should be
advanced by corporations or individuals,
application would be made to Congress,
on its meeting, to make the necessary ap-
preparation to refund the money thus ad-
vanced. Copies of two telegraphic des-
patches from the Secretary of War are
herewith submitted-one address to me,
dated July %, 1868, and the other ad-
dressed to member of committee of
the Union League of Philadelphia, dated
July 2lst, 1868, and which was immedi-
ately communicated to me. On the
faith of these assurances, | proposed that
the moneyed institutions of the State
should advance the money, there being
no State appropriation for the purpose
[ pledged myself that if the money should
be so advanced I would recommand an
appropriation by the Legislature to re-
fund it, in case Congress should fail to do
SO "A copy of my letter ON this subject,
dated July I'D, 1868, is herewith sub
mitted. These being not entirely salts
factory to the gentlemen composing the
Committee of Banks, they had an inter-
view with me here, and [ finally handed
to them the paper dated 24th July, 1868,
copy of which is also herewith submit
ted. Several of the banks and other cor
porations in the State, acting with their
accustomed spirit and patriotism, prompt
ly came forward, and agreed to advance
the necessary funds, and the troops were
accordingly paid The disbursements
were made, and the pay accounts were so
faithfully as we'll as formally kept by
gentlemen who acted entirely without
compensation, that they were settled by
the Adjuatant General of the State, with
the accounting officers at Washington,
without any objections arising.
The sums thus advanced amount, with
interest, at the present time. to about sew
en- hundred thousand dollars. 1t ought
to be added that little more than one-half
of this sum was required to pay the troops
during the existence of the emergency.
The remainder was expended in paying
such of them as against my remonstrance
were detained afterwards by the United
States for the purpose of enforcement of
the draft.
The answer given by the Secretary of
War was, of course, sanctioned by the
President. The pay of these troops was,
in fact, debt of the United States, and
the faith of the Government was pledged
to do all in its power to procure the prop
er appropriation by Congress to refund
the money. | regret to say that the
4 President has not considered it to be his
duty to lay the matter openly before Con-
gress in message A bill, it is true has
been introduced, and is now pending in
Congress, providing the necessary appro-
priation, but it has met with opposition,
and in the absence of some public decla;
ration by the Executive, OF the pledges
made by the Government, it may proba-
| bly, be defeated.
/ Meanwhile, as your session is drawing to
a close, feel bound to redeem the faith
of the Executive Department of Pennsyl-
van:a, and do therefore earnestly recon-.
mend the passage of a law providing fol
the repayment of the sums advanced, as
hereinbefoie stated, if Congress should
fail to provide therefor at its present ses
sion.
Our own good faith will be thus pre-
served, and it can be in no other manne-
A. G. CURTIN.