The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-01-14

" y ~ ~A'O ~ f'N~Nrr-~
plishing the restoration of our govern
ment and our Union, we mustalleviate,
as far as practicable, the sufferings and
bear with fortitude the burthens i'm
posed upon us.
In one particular dol desire, upon
this occasion, to add to the rccommcn-
datiOns of my predecessor and that
is in regard TO the act Of March 2lst
1868, imposing u tax for the aid Of
the families Of soldiers and marines in
the service. | have carefully watched
the operations of this law. 1t is not
sufficient for It's purposes. | cordially
approve the recommendation Of Gov,
Tod for the increase Of the tax; but
in my judgement that increase should
be even greater than he proposes, in
order to do Justice alike to our soldiers
and our people. The advance in the
price ofliving has reached the ncccs-
saries Of life as heavily as the luXurics.
The increase of wages does not reach
the labor of dependent women, with
children to clothe, feed, and educate.
The amount saved from their scanty
pay, and sent home by our soldiers,
though large in the aggregate, is very
small in its distribution among those
for whom it is designed. When this
revenue, and the proceeds Of the tax,
are added together, there is still a
large amount dependent upon private
bounty, to meet the actual wants OF
this class ofpcople, and ward off posi-
tive suffering. have not been able
to collect the statistics as extensively
as ! desired, but in many counties OF
the State, the private collections for
soldiers families have considerably OK
ceeded, and in some cases doubled the
amount Of the tax. Even in these
cases the object has not been fully nc
complished. 1t is argued that it is
better to continue thus to divide, be-
tween State and people, this contIihu,
ton; so that in what the one fails the
other will make good. The true and
just responce is;
1st. That if the State acknowledge
this obligation to the family Of the alb
sent soldier, she should meet it as Il
;! compensation for his services, and in
a manner fully equal to the Hecesstics
of the case.
I'd. Private contribution is not cqui
table in its character, and cannot be
adjusted to the property and interest,
that are protcc ed by our armies Tho
generous will give beyond thciractua
abilities, while the parsimonious, OF
the opponent Of the war, will withhold
from pccuniary or unpatrotic consid
crations. Taxation alone will equal
ize this burden, and impose it, where
it should rest, upon the property pro
tected by the services that the revc
nue. is intended to compensate. If The
additional levy increases the taxation
Of generous contributors, it relieve
them from larger amount Of private
bounty, and imposes it upon the non
contributors, where it should fall
Even when the State assumes the en-
tire support Of soldiers families, ther
will be scope enough for private con
tributions to alleviate the priyation
and sufIerings Of sick, disabled ant
wounded men, in hospitals and Il
home.
3D.. Tho form ofprivatc charity j
not always acceptable to its recipients
! and especially the class to who this
I applicable Much suffering and priva
! ton will be endured before pride wi
| suffer application TO private charity
a where there is consciousness tina
| mcritorious services Of the absent pre-
c wider should promptly call the State t
$ the protection and support Of his dc
pendent family. We should dives
this fund of the appellation of Chart!
, 1t is not such, IN any application
y, the tenn, 1t is an honest debt, and Il
., imperative duty, that we owe the me
. who are serving us in position ofIabo
and danger They save us from inva
sion-lrom the destructive rayagcs {
,, war within our borders. While the
press the conqucsts Of our arms for Il
= restoration of our Government, the
y, protect our property and our lives; the
I are the conscrvators Of all the prospc
ity that surround us, They do n,
-. perform this service for the small con
V pcnsaton allowed them by tho Go
>, crnment. They are actuatcd by
- - higher and nobler motive; and whi
~ they incur priyations, danger M
- death for the common cause, the Sta
y " should not only protect their tamili
~ from want, but mako the act one
!, right and juStful compensation, instc;
~ of burthening itwith the offensive II
= peliation OF charity. Neither shGu
;. The governed by the rigid economy
y, ~ mere subsistence. 1t tshould be at lca
'o su1h plenty and comfort as the stalwo
~ ~ arm of the natural providcr won
- furnish them, If he were at homo to
nms - it, instead of laboring in our service,
,c ward calamity from our hcarthston
sc In my judgement three mills on t
n, dollar is the least sum nj which Il
u tax should be fixed, and | would p
If fer to SEQ it four mills, The patrio
We people of the State will chccriully p
", it, and justify you for imposing it
re The act should also require Com
,rt Commissioners to collect reports OF d