The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-01-21

saved from their scanty pay, and sent
home by our soldiers, though large in
the aggregate, is very small in its dis.
tribution among those for whom it is
designed. When this revenue and the
proceeds Of the tax are added together,
there is still large amount dependent
upon private bounty, to meet the actu-
al wants of this class of people, aud
ward off positive suffering. l have no
been able to collect the statistics as ex-
tensively as desired; bat in many
counties Of the State the private collec.
tons for soldiers families have cOnsid.
erably exceeded, and in some cases
doubled the amount of the tax. Even
in these cases the object has not been
fully accomplished. It is argued that
it is better to continue thus to divide,
between State and people, this eontri-
button; so that in what one the fails,
the other will make good. The true
and just response is:
l.. That it the State acknowledges
this obligation to the family of the alb.
sent soldier, she should meet it as a
compensation for his services, and in a
manner fully equal to the necessities
of the case.
2. Private contribution is not equit.
able in its character, and cannot be ad &.
justed to the property and interests
that are protected by our armies. The
generous will give beyond their actual
abilities, while tho parsimonious, or the
opponent of thewar, will withhold, from
pecuniary or unpatriotic considerations
Taxation alone will equalize this bur
then, and impose it where it should
rest, upon the property protected by
the services that the revenue is in.
tended to compensate. IF the addition
al levy increases the taxation of gener-
GUS contributors, it relieves them of a
larger amount of private bounty, anG
imposes it on the non. contributors
where il should fall. Even when tht
State assumes the full support of soldi
ers' families, there will be scope enough
for private contributions to alleviate
the privations and suffcrings ofsick, dis
abled and wounded men, in hospital,
and at home.
3. The form of private charity is no
always acceptable to its recipients, ant
especially the class whom this is ap.
plicable. Much suffering will be en-
dured before pride will suffer appliea
ton to private charity, where there is
consciousness that meritorious services
of the absent provider should promptly
call the State to the protection and sup
p port Of his dependent family. We
: should divest this fund of the applica
tion Of charity. 1t is not such in am
application of the term. Itisau hon.
est debt, and an imperative duty tha
= we owe the men who are serving us il
positions of labor and danger. They
save us from invasion-fEom the des.
tructive ravages of war within our Dor,
ders. While they press the conquest
of our arms for the restoration of ou
: Government, they protect our propert,
and our lives; they are the couservator
r Of all tho prosperity that surround
/ us. They do not perform this servic
E for the small compens alton allowet
, them by the Government, They ar
actuatcd by higher and a nobler mo
c tive, and while they incur priVatiOns
= danger and death for the common cause
t the State should not only protect thei
families from want, but make the &C
f one of right and justful compensation
s instead of burthening it with the often
0 sive appellation of charity. Neitho
d should it be governed by the rigi
economy of mere subsistence. 1t shoul
: be at least such plenty and comfort q
: the stalwart arm ofthe natu raj provide
}, would furnish them if he were at hom
to do it, instead of laboring in our sci
: vice to ward calamity from our hearth
stones.
}, In my judgment, three mills on tn
e dollar is the least sum at which thi
j tax should be fixed, and 1 would prefe
, to see it four miils. The patriotic pee
# pie of the State will cheerfully pay i
Q and justify you in imposing it. TIL
e act should also require County Com
! missionerS to collect reports of disburse
+ ments from township and ward trustee
d and communicate their aggregates an
y nually to the Auditor of State.
n Our State has heretofore filed he
o quota in the armies by volunteering
r In addition to this, we have sewers
= thousand in the service of West Vii
Q ginia, Kentucky apd IndiapO, for whic
70 We cannot have credit in our allo
.cI IL