Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-01-22

1GEt U05 6iSjG Ta3ff6HE5ft
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that, either wholly by the State, or, by means
of aid furnished by the State to those of our
people who may be disposed to enter upon this
work, ample provision be made for a home in
which the children of our deceased soldiers
may be cared for and educated, and in which
those of our soldiers who may be unable to
support themselves, may pleasantly live, the
honored guests of a grateful people. 4
renew recommendation made by me in
Special Messlks to the General Assembly
convened in Extra Session in 1862, as fol.
lows: a.
1.-The burthens of the war now being
waged by our people for the preservation Of
our Government, bear heavily on US, and
should be borne as equally as possible. These
burthens are of two kinds First, that Of
military duty in the field; and second, thu
of taxation at home 1t seems to me to be
unequal and unfair that those of US who bear
the first of these burthens should be com
pclled to share with those of us who remain
at home tie second; that the soldiers who
are fighting our battles in the field should be
also compelled to pay their share of taxes
equally with those who do not share their
perils and privations. .s,e's..-.- 81
'.The compensation paid to those of our
soldiers who hold commissions is sufficiently
liberal to enable them to pay their taxes
without inconvenience; but it is not so with
their no less worthy but less fortunate COM
rades. 1t would, think, be a Just recogni-
ton by us, of our appreciation of the patri-
otism and self-sacrifce of the latter if we
were to release them, during their Sc rvie
from all taxes levied under State laws, and it
would doubtless be newSof comfort and
cheer to them amid the dangers and trials by
which they are surrounded for our sakes,
that we had been careful that the houses
that sheltered their wives and their little
ones had been secured from danger of sale
for taxes by our voluntary assumption of
their share of the one hurthen, while they
are bravely bearing our share of the other.
l therefore recommend to you that you pass
law exemptlng from all taxation under the
laws of the State, the real and personal prop
erty of all non-commissioned officers and
priva' es in the regiments of this State in the
army of the United States, during their con-
tinuance in service, and that for the current
year there be added to the per centum of
taxation upon the valuation of the property
of all other taxpayers the sum of one-fourth
of one mill on each dollar of such valuation,
to cover the deficiency in revenue thereby
created. 3 t5 80
Much has been done by Sanitary Associa.
tlons, in this and other States, for the health
and comfort of our troops in the field and in
the hospital, and for the support of their
families at home. -t -"
The business of the General Sanitary As.
sociations and of the local Aid Societies, in
furnishing supplies to our soldiers in the
field, has now become we'll arranged and sys-
tematized, and, consequently much more ef
fectiye. This work can be done much bet
ter by those Societies than by the State, and
| recommend that the State leave the matter
in their hands, There should, however, bt
liberal appropriation for contingent fund
under the control of the Governor, from
which he can, upon emergency, furnish aid
to these Societies and to sick and disabled
soldiers, under special circumstances, and by
means of which, he can send to and keep in
the field, such agents of the State as may be
necessary for the comfort and well-being Of
our soldiers. ... ..-
| / very earnestly recommend, that some
systematic mode of furnishing aid to the
needy families of our soldiers be adopted
Whether this can be best done by moneys
furnished by the State, and distributed by
persons appointed by the State, or, through
thr instrumentality of local Aid Societies, is
question of doubt. 1t is very certain thu
work should be done in some way, and
have no doubt your wisdom will ascertain
and adopt the proper mode.
The Office of the Adjutant General has
since, the commencement of the war, been
and still is, a very important one. The Labor
and responsibility of the Adjutant Genera
have been very great. The labor has always
been well and promptly performed, and thu
responsibility cheerfully borne. The books
of the Office are we'll systematised and kept
in most excellent condition. They embody
mass Of information, in neat and accessi
ible form, that will, in the future, be highly
useful to our soldiers and their friends, and
to the State. 1t affords me great pleasure tt
say, that much of. whatever success has at
tended the raising and organization of troops
in this State, is due to the efficient services
of the present incumbent of that Office. Th'
compensation, now allowed by law, is, in my
judgment, wholly inadequate, and recon
mend the increase of salary to the sum o
two thousand dollars per annum, with an al
lowance for travelling and other extraordinary
expenses.
| NATIONAL AFFAIRS.
i I cannot close this communication AM
with it, my official connection with the peo
pie of our State, without adverting to tn
condition of national affairs in which we ar
all so deeply and so vitality interested.
The war for the destruction of the Uniol
on the one hand, and for its preservation OF
the other, still goes on. During the presen
year the successes of the Union armies hav
been SO numerous and so important that tn
public mind seems to have settled down int
the belief that our ultimate success is certain
and not far distant and is now, to some ex
tent occupied with the question of recon
struction, so called-the question as to tn
manner in which, and the terms and condi
} tions upon which, the people within the tel
ritory composing the rebel States can agai
take part with the people of the loyal State
; in administering the affairs of the genera
government. .it .Hzs
The President has recently issued proc
lamation to the people of the rebel States, i
which he proposes to them such terms an
conditions as, in his judgment are right an
|. proper. He proposes, ia substance, that a
soon as number of the voting population {
any one of those States, equal to one-tenth G
the entire voting population of the State, a
{ shown at the last Presidential election, sha
establish new government, republican i
: form, and consistent with the terms of tn
prescribed oath, such government shall be re
cognized as the true governmental of the State
and protected as such. -s.., s.... g
The terms of the prescribed oath are, tha
the party taking it "will henceforth faithful
ly support, protect and defend the Constitu
8 ton of the United States, and the Union {
g the States hereunder; and will, in like man
, ner, abide by and faithfully support, all act
T of Coneress nassed during the existing re