The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-01-22


have found graves in nearly ever,
Southern State. The shouts of vic
tory from cnsanguined battle fields
r have be Ell two-fold messengers, bring
ing alike JOY and sorrow to our peo.
pie; and with the exultation Of Tn {
one has been mingled the lamenta
tons Of the other. Our men have
given freely OF their substance, and
our noble women OF their enduring
patience and labor to alleviate the
privations and sufferings Of our sons
in the field. The parental hand OF
the State Government has been con
stantlv and literally extended, to aid
and protect her gallant men living.
and honor her dead heroes. Yet all
these burthens have been freely and
even checrf'nlly borne, for the reason
that tho cause was that of nation
, struggling for It's eXistencc-of free
dom gasping for it's vitalty-of a
good and benilicent government la
boring to assert its supremacy over a
rebellious and misguided portion Of
its people. The lesson Of the past is
ever the guide OF the future. While
this struggle continues, privations
and sacrifices will continue with
it; and while we adhere to the pur-
pose Of accomplishing the restoration
OF our government and our Union, we
must alleviate, rs far as practicable.
the suilerings, and bear with fortitude
the burthens imposed upon us.
In one particular only do / desire,
upon this occasion, to add to the re
commendations Of my predecessors
and that is in regard to tue act of
March DIST, 1868, imposing n tax for
the aid Of the families of soldiers and
mariners in the service have care
fully watched the operations OF this
law IT. il NOT aoai..:--4 -.
poses. | cordially approve the re-
commcndatlon of Gov. Tod for the
increase of the tax; but in my judg-
ment 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 cost
of living has reached the necessaries
Of life as heavily rs the luXuries.-
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 Il
large amount dependent upon private
bounty, to meet the actual wants of
this class ofpeople, and ward of pos
tive suffering. L have not been able
to collect the statistics as extensively
as | desired--butin many counties of
the State the private collections for
soldiers families have considerable
exceeded, and in some cases doubled
the amount Of the tax. Even in these
cases the object has not been fully
accomplished. 1t is argued that it is
better to continue thus to divide. be-
tween State and people, this coAtri-
button; so that in what the one fails
the other will make good. The true
and just response is:
1st. That if the State acknowledge
es this obligation to the family Of the
absent soldier, she should meet it as
compensation for his services, and
in n manner fully equal to tle neces-
sites of the case.
2nd. Private contribution is not
equitable in its character, and cannot
be adjusted to Improperly aud inter
ests that are protected by our armies.
The generous will give beyond their
actual abilities, while the parsimo-
nious, or the opponent of the war,
will withhold, from pecuniary or un-
patriotic considerations. Taxation
alone will equali2e this burthen, and
impose it, where it should rest, upon
the property protected by the services
that the revenue is intended to com
pensate. If the additional levy in
creases the taxation Of generous con
tributOrs, it relieves them from larg-
er amount of private bounty, and i'm
poses it upon the non contributors,
where it should fall Even when the
State assumes the entire support Of
soldiers 'smilies, there will be scope
enough for private contributions to
alleviate the privations and suflcrings
of sick, disabled and wounded men,
in hospitals and nj home.
3D.. The form of private charity is
not always acceptable to its recipients,
and especially the class to whom this
is applicable. Much suffering and
privation will he endured before pride
will suffer application to private char
ity, where there is n consciousness
that meritorioas services ofthe absent
proyider should. promptly call the
State to the protection and support
Of his dependent family. We should
divcst this fund Of the appcllation of
charity 1t is not such, in any ap-
plication Of the term. 1t is an hon
est debt, and nm imperitve duty, that
we owe the men who are serving us
in positions Of labor and danger -
They save us from imvasion--from
the destructive ravages of war with
in our borders. While they press
the conquests of our arms for the res
toration of ohr Government, they pro.
tect our property and our lives; they
are the conseryators Of all the pros
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