St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1865-01-12
present pertains to o suspended ac-
count which enbraces similar delin-

] P'ooSU Po.euo " o"oPS'S" ~
count which embraces similar dclin-
quencies in all ihc loyal Statesof the
1 Union. Whilethis basesand covardly
l conduct on the#part 81 small portion
I pf our people ias;deeply hun,iliatins to
i every loyal citizen, Il is=quite ,mproba-
BILE that substitutes will be !cxacted un-
less general draft be ordered for the
purpose of making good the cores
pondiog deficiency throughous the
country. j:
->..,. II this connection ! suggest an
amendment, to the. Constitution of the
State, attaching the high penalties of
| disfrancllisemcntt and coniscution to
the crime OF desertion. The enlisted
man or conscript, who will not yield
obedience to the law oftt,e land and
render due support to the Government
Of the country, should forfeit the pro:
lection of the former and be deprived
OF any participation in the litter. j..
l also suggest revision Of the In
surance laws at present existing. -
Such laws as relate to foreign compa.
nies arc difficult of Interpretation, and
those relating to home companies are
altogether too lax, and afford opportu-
mites for designing persons to pcrpe-
trate fraud. y ''''.... 3. <.:,.t
+ In compliance with an act Of the last
Legislature for tho relief OF the sick
and disabled soldiers, l have at brief
Intervals dispatched seven Commission.
crs, six Of whom were physicians, to
the aid Of our enlisted men who we're
languishlng and suffering, away from
their homes. have also appointed
permanent agents to minister to the
wants Of our inva!ids in III" hospitals
at Washington, St. Louis, Louisville
and Memphis. The agents at Wash.
ington and Memphis are citizens ii
Minnesota, aud with devotion worth,
of all praise are discharsins the duties
Of the position without fee or reward
Hundreds Of our enlisted men have
been relieved or restored to their friends
through the instrumentali,y Of tn,
special act referred to and recon-
mend the appropriation of $1,000 fo1
the support Of a like agency during tho
present year.
The sum Of $500 of State funds en-
trusted to DR.. +. B. Etheridgc, to bt
expended for the benefit Of our so
diers in Arkansas having been stoler
from Duvall's Bluff, I recommend that
the amount be replaced. .
| Persistent efforts have been made te
procure thu: location Of a general hos
pital within the State. but the uncer
ta'nty Of transportation for our dcccas
ed and wonndc! soldiers has decided tho
point against US; the Department has
however, provided commodious b lid.
,ug, with a special view to the accom-
moda;ion Of the invaliis Of Minnesota
at Prairie du Chen, Wisconsin.
A bounty and pension agency Tia:
been established through tho Adjutan,
General of the State, and the Sanitary
CommissioRa at Washington, by which
all the business Of our soldiers Or thei,
heirs may te transacted with the Wa,
Department without expense.
In view of the great additional 'abo,
and responsibility thereby devolved
upon that bureau, I recommend that q
reasonable addition be made to the sal.
airy of the Adjutant General and his
subordinates.
l took the precaution to dispatch the
Commissioners to receive the soldiers
votes fifty-three days previous to the
late election, and as early as the local
nominations could be communicated to
, the Secretary of State. But the isola.
ton of the army in Georgia, and the
rapid movements of the command of
Gen. Smith, through the interior of
Arkansas and Missouri, resulted in the
disfranchisement Of FIVE Minnesota reg
iments, and Of many officers and men
who were upon detached duty.
! To secure our soldiers against so
great wrong in the future I recon-
mend that provision be made for the
appointment Of four reserve Commits
sioners, who, upon extraordinary coca
sions, may be promptly placed upon
duty by the Executive. And l also
recommend the passage Of an act which
shall enable such men in the army and
navy Of the United States, as may be
upon detached service, to send their
| .oe~ooA:s> Ill