Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-12-16
TIE FAMILIES or SOLDIERS


...E. PES Moines, November Both, 1864.
To tie People Of Lo,ca r...
The approach Of winter should remind us
OF our obligations to the families of the bray Q
men who are absent in the public service, and
stimulate us to n general and united effort in
making all nccdful provision for their com.
Tort This subject addresses itself with pc
cuar force te the gratitude of a people Justly
proud of their martial record, and who have
never yet laltered in the laithEal discharge Of
patriotic duty. ~.,u...,
There arc many families among US, who
have no means of support beyond the money
! saved from the monthly wages of their has
bands AID fathers in the puhlc service in
sufficient, In most cases, 10 furnish them with
fuel, clothing and food during the winter
months. In addition to this should be con
sdered the unavoidable delays which fire.
quenily occur in paying troops, and the diff
iicultleS they often experience in transmitting
money to their families from distant places
occupied by our armies. To supply the wants
which these circumstances produce, We must
appcalFo the patriotism aud invoke the am
pie generosity Of our people. .. ...... .... .
The last General Assembly passed an Act
for the relief Of the families of soldiers and
marines in the service of the United States,
which requires that levy be made for this
purpose, Of not less than two mills on the
dollar for the years 1864 and 1865, on all
the taxable property in each county The
funds so raised are placed under the control
Of the Boards Of Supervisors Of the several
counties, respectively, who are required to
distribute them as they may deem proper for
the relief of the families therein designated
! am not aware that any county has falled to
levy this tax, and many of them, as ! am ad
vised, hare lc7ied more than the minimum
rate. sr. XIX. ~. n
In some counties il may be found that the
amount realized from the first levy, is made
quate to meet all the demands made upon
the treasury. Shouid tiiis occur, the sixth
Section Of the Act confers ample authority
upon tho Treasurer to meet the deficiency by
a temporary transfer of other finds, (cxcept
the School FUND.- thus anticipating receipts
from the levy Of 1865, which should be made
sufficient to cover the deficit and all proba-
BILE applications for relief during that fiscal
year. This course would be highly com.
mendable, and earnestly recommend that
il be pursued in those counties " here deficits
in the relief fund may exist.
1t is the dety Of assessors in the soYeraI
wards end townships, as provided by law, to
make an enumeration, by name, Company,
Regiment, &C., or all the soldiers and ma
rines having families, who are in the service
Of the United States, and Of the families Of
those who have been in such service aud are
dead or disabled, and make accurate returns
to the Boards Of Supervisors Of their respect
i've counties, designating such as are, in their
opinion, entitled to aid. These returns are
to be revised by the Board, and such names
inserted as may have been omitted.
Great accuracy Was expected in making
these returns, that no family entitled to aid
might be overlooked, and | would eninin.
upon the several Boards the duty Of careful.
ly revising them.
Notwithstanding the plain and ample pro-
visions Of the law, | am constrained to he
licye that, in some localities, it has been i'm
perfectly executed, and that many families
fail to obtain the aid to which they are ent.
tied. Complaints are made to me of unjust
discrimination between families in the distri-
button Of the fund. 1t is alleged that while
somo families are amply supplied, others,
equally deserving and needy, are turncd
away with only meagre allowance, and in
some cases without any relief,
While the Legislature evidently did not
intend this fund should be absorbed By those