The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-12
Shall Our State Aid in Supporting
the FamilieS Of her Soldiers Sent
to the War;

Auo WI lullOuuCeO III tne Legislature TO
to appropriate $4,000 for the purpose of
paying sanitary agents or commissioners,
and for the relief of the sick and wounded
soldiers of Minnesota, involves question
of duty which is at this time of vital i'm
portance to the State. That question is
simply, is it not the solemn, bounden duty
of the State to do something that will be
really generous and servicable to our SOL
diers who are now in the field and will be
called there under the operations of future
enlistments and the draft?
AS to the appropriation alluded to, past
experience has shown that such an amount
would effect little else than to enable some
political parasites to make a pleasure ex-
cursion to the seat of war. where, as here
totore, they can and would do little more
than dine and dissipate with the officers
and report home list of the sick and
wounded soldiers, with occasional news
paper accounts of their unalleviated suffer-
ings The paltry appropriation would
scarcely pay the mileage and per diem pay
of the agents, and the soldier will be left
only the balm of consolation that it may
be reported home that his death has al
ready occurred or is hourly expected in
some hospital. And this is the only relief
the State has yet proposed for her SOL
diers.
Now, if there is any patriotism left in
Minnesota-ifth there is anything like states
manship to be found in the heads of the
members OF our Legislature, we implore
them to rise to the necessities of the hour
and to discharge their duty towards the
defenders of their country, like men and
true patriots. Les it be remembered that
this is the trying hour in our country's
perils and affections that the national
treasury is besiegad by It's enormous de-
mandS and the thousand diShOness eXt0r-
tons incident to this calamitous warr-that
the thinned ranks of our armies standing
unreplenished by volunteer patriotism,
HIS IItf Eli tIlS ~ IcSClb ~ It's
last expedient, draft, and that now is
the time and this the occasion for Mime
sofa, as she loves our common country
and expects to claim a place of equal
honor and glory with her sister States, to
come forward, and with her money, as
heretofore with her men, generously and
substantially aid and support the Govern
ment TIL: ough this crisis Of its struggles,
by rendering liberal and efficient contri-
button to the support Of the wives and
families OF our own Minnesotians who
may be called to the field.
The memorable demand is made upon
us to furnish at least three thousand more
soldiers to the cause of our national eX-
istence. These must be furnished by vol
unteer enlstments, or must be raised by
the unequal operations of CONSUMPTION
| Come as they may, there must be left be-
hind the departure for the war Of three
thousand of our Minnesota men, an
amount OF desolation, deprivation and
want that makes melancholy the heart of
sympathy; but how far more intense may
often be the infiction when the draft,
aided by poverty, shall drag some unhappy
conscript forth to serve his country, while
he feels that the hardships and misery of
war to him are not half so poignant as
the misery and sutferings of his desolate
wife and hungry little ones at home! The
calamity may fall on the abode of poverty
in town or city, or it may reach the log
hut of the poor country farmer who finds
himself given to his country, while his lit
tie farm is left behind to be sacrificed to
membranes, and his poor sick wife and
unclad children turned out to the cold
charity of the county poor house
These are not fancy pictures; but they
are stern truths-yea, dreadful arguments
why our State should, for the cause Of
mercy, justice and patriotism, guarantee
to the family of every soldier in the SER
vice from Minnesota, the liberal aid which
other States have extended to their soldiers
in similar circumstances. In some OF oul
larger cities and towns, and more wealthy
counties, some, though perhaps inadequate
provisions have been made for this rur'
pose; but these appropriations are rather
executions than any system Of general &C
+;on. SO that the State cannot fall back
mon these or any similar provisions for al
excuse for its inaction without being mig
card. and actually disgracing itself in the
company of its sister-commonwealths.
In every other State the most liberia
appropriations for the soldier and his fam
;,v have been made. In Massachusetts
the bounty of the State has swelled the