The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-09-23

to me we should at least try To do so, for NY
experience in public business has fully coh-
WINGED me, that all claims of hisNnature are
more fully understood, and tieir adjustment
morep properly appreciated, Mt promptly settled,
than if suffered to drag their slow length
along for series of years, finally TO be set
tied with more Inconvenience than ifprompt-
ly met at the time and disposed of.
Now, if we intend to do what we can to
euualize these bounties. it seems to me that
now is the time at Leaf to commence. If we
are unable to procure the cash in hand to
adjust them now. we can at least give then,
our obligations 10 pay then. at some future
time Or Just tell them that we do not intend
to pay them. Let us be frank with them, for
then our position win 10 fully understood,
and the question disposed Of .
Now, as regards procuring list of the
men who SCI sed in the war from this county,
and the length of time they have been IN the
service, understand there is no difficulty in
procuring such list now as well as at any
any other time, as the Adjutant General Of
the state has made full report on that sub
ject, and, by sending to that office, no doubt
BY return mail we could get correct list, with
every mans name, wiihou, the least delay.
/ And In addition to this, the men themselves
are now a. home, and able to supply any in
| formation tie case may require, il any omis-
sions have been made in making out the lists.
| Now no length of time need be required to
| do that which seems to me can be so cheaply
and readily done. In regard to our ability
to pay the amount reouirGd for the tounties Of
| the soldiers from this county, as prayed for
by the memorial, we are sufficiently we'll
acquainted now with our financial condition,
to enable us to begin to perform our duty
towards these soldiers. Ii has been urged
that we need additional legislation before we
can issue bonds and raise the funds necessa-
| ry for the payment of these claims That we
have no authority for so doing that the
! amount of bonds we are authorized TO Issue
has already been exhausted.
appretend that, by reference to the Act
entitled. d" An Act to lesa..2e tie acfs of the
La Sale county Bo,rl Of Supervisors pass
| ed ut the last session of the Legislature, page
l3l. section =. it will be found that We have
| ample authority The section reads fol
! lows :. Sec 2 Said Board Of Supervisors of
| the county OF La Sale. are hereby authorized
and empowered to grant such bou1tes or
relief as said Board NAV deem advisable,
! to any or al volunteers or drafted men who
have beel or NAV hereafter be mustered or
drafted into the service OF the \ nited States,
and accredited to said county of La Sale !;
Of drafted men who hare furnished, or may
hereafter furnish. substitutes, who have been,
or NAV hereafter be. mustered into the service
of the United States and credited 70 the said
county of La Sale"
Here 1t will be seen, we have ample power
to do all that the memorial Asks at our hands.
Now it will be seen, by reference 10 the re-
port OF thu Treasurer OF this county, that We
can still issue bords to the amount OF seventy
five thousand dollars before the amount Is
I l. hi |
n lined to the opinion that this amour,
will bo nearly If not quite sufficient TO meet
the requirements of the memorial; but
should it not lie, !. ou-h', in my opinion, to
be applied as far a. it viii go, before We can
Justly say We haze no po~er Is ray any.
rfe balance lif ary) could be lett for future
payment. \ partial payment at this
! time may perhaps prove more accept
bic to the soldiers than 4 larger aniodnt al
some distant dav. As the memorial SAYS,
some OF he soldiers have retCrn To u des-
ttute, or where they started. with regard to
their owi debts many out OF employment,
and IN = measure commencing life anew !:
and independent of this consideration, It will
doubles, he gratifying ever 10 those not IN
destitute circumstances, 10 know that their
services and sacrifices have been appreciated
and their claims promptly and speedily
adjusted.
| am unwilling. member of this
board, TO stand in the attitude OF protesting
one thing and meaning sJ,re.hlhg else.
confess, with feelings OF modification ard
regret that the record of this Board is not
such as | WISH it WAS | need only mention
one case in point, among others, to show
| that am correct On the 3lst OF Decem
| Der lS03, the Board passed a resolu ION
! promising a bounty OF 500 to 400 men who
/ should enlist and be mustered IN, aad 20 l.,
| fill up the quota Of the county, under tic
| then pending call, previous 10 Jan ), 1864.
/ Under this promise. many veterans claim
! that bounty. Then, in February, you de-
/ cl.ired YOU did not mean 40 pay veterans, bnt
YOU would extend the time TO March. and
| cgniine the bounty To new recruits. Under
| these promises MANY veterans had enlisted IL
good faith, who, up TO this day, never have
received one cent of this bounty. This is an
act oil bad faith, t. my mind, and, on the
part of the bpa+d, one ungr .tefully dcpriyi Z
them of their rights; for. up to this time,
there has been no effort for their payment.
| This action must condemn, as wanting in
good faith. unbecoming county that stands
perhaps second in wealth aud patriotism in
the great state of Illinois.
| must again STATE. that ! am unwilling, as
a citizen, 10 shy nothing of my position as
a member Of this board to have it go to the
world that we deal in IDLE declama,ions, or
that, when asked for bread, We give stcues
have seen enough Of this, rot only here, but
among the protested friends of these same
soldiers, who so respectfully ask US To do
! them that con mJn Istice which the report
of the ma jority Processes 10 acknowledge.
| When orr arfries were ia the field, we were
| loud in their praise, and promised much
but what ingrhtItude! How have We fulfilled
our promises? look where YOU will, are not
almost all places of trust and pr1:i, as yet
closed against them? Bat do not desire to
pursue the subject any longer Bat think
I have pointed ont way III which we can
Dot only grant the prayer Of the memorial.
but render the substantial relief their case
seems to demand. G. ". ARMSTRONG.
Of .Ssiect Committec, dc.
On the motion to substitute the minority
for the ma jority report, the yeas aud ma!
were demanded, and were as follows:
Yeas--G. W. Armstrong, j. w. Arm
strong. Bourkc, Chapman, Cosgrove, D,nt
Galloway, Green, Hise, Pool-l0.
Niys-Ashlcy, Browr, Clark, Dickson,
Fleming. Harris, jacobson, kis'ler, Mat
tocks, Price, Spicer, Stanford, Stevens
Trowbrdge, Weeks. Washblrn, Wilkins
Vale, anl the chairman (Baldwin)-l9.
; the question ih"n recurring on the ndop
ton of the majority report, 1t was carried
yeas II, noes
The til of the State Insane Asylum ~a'
!, allowed Sll.50.)
Sup. fleming was, on motion, continued
rs swamp land agent.
Sup Clark, from the bounty committee
> reporlcd that 2yS veterans claimed bounty.
Sup Soule, from the committee on eaua''
zaiion, II ade report, but as the matter
; therein werd too important and numerous t.
be passed upon today, The Board aSreea u