Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-01-06

officers have all been prompt and faithful in tI.
discharge of their duties. They have.coliected
and returned very large amouut Of money
without any defalcsiion "r loss. The system
works we'll, aud ~ of great advantage % our sol
dleTs and people ln addition to their labcrs
in the field, the pay agents have rendered .
large amount of valuable service ~ hospitals
among sick and wounded men. Their time has
been fully employed, and with good results.
EXTRAORDINARY CONTINGENT FUND.
A report Of the receipts and expenditures OF
the Extraordinary Contingent Fund will be
found In the appendix. You will please appoint
a committee 20 examine aud pass upon the
vouchers. The expenditures during the fiscal
year amountto $6T,228 %; Of which SIS, $50
WIS expended by my predecessor between the
/ 18th q NovembeF and lth Of January, and eW-
bTaced in mis- report; and $46,2 ,266 81 has been
/ expended by me since the T1th Of january and
l up 10 the 18th Of November, 1864 There re-
mains ~ uoezpended balance Of $le6 3l2 le.&
This fund having been relieved, by special
appropriation last winter, of a number Of the
burthens before imposed upon it, the expeDd-
lures since that time have been mainly for the
benefit aud relief Of our sick and wounded sol
diers in hospital aud field. 0urregiments have
been visited by special agents as frequently as
it was practicable TO do so; our corps Of militia
ry agents has been kept full, and supplied as
freely as possible with sanitary stores; and our
pay agents. when not required in the field have
been distributed among hospitals to aid in the
| care of sick and wounded men. The services
of every man connected with this work deserve
honorable mention. The military agents are
especially worthy of cOmmendation They
have been attentive. faithful laborious and self
sacrificing 70 remarkable extent. They have
devoted themselves, with a wonderful energy,
TO the onerous duties imposed on them Our
soldiers do not require TO be told Of their useful
ness, but il is proper the people Of the State
should know the obligations are under to
them. In this connection, also, / desire to ac-
knowledge the services of the Ohio Relief Asso-
citation of Washington City. In all the battles
of Virginia, some Of its members have constant
ly been in the field, and laboriDg, in conjunction
with the Ohio agency, for the care aud reliefof
our men. The association is composed of citi-
zens of Ohio connected with the public depart
ments. II has been of greatservice aud our peO-
pie owe it large debt of gratitude.
The detail of procuring, receiving and for
warding to the agencies the sanitary stores con
tributed by our people, well as those pur-
chased from the contingent fund, was commit
ted TO the Quartermaster General who has la
bored with great earnestness and zealin the dis
charge of this duty. He presents you a state
ment of his operations in a special report.
In connection with the report Of the fund, /
have caused to be prepared and present you
condensed account of the operations of the agen-.
cies in the way Of supplies to the men, and the
reports TO pe of the agents who have visited
them. The distribution of supplies by the
agents has been very prompt and satisfactory.
No single package, | believe, has been lost or
miscarried; while in all eases of immediate and
pressing need Ohio agents have been prompt at
the place of suffering; and, in many cases, the
first 10 arrive. Our people, through the aid So
cieties, have contributed very literally of sup
plies, and they have all been advantageously
appropriated.
While desire to be fairly understood as not
impeachiBg, or desiring to impair the value of
either of the associations lsboriDg for the relief
Of our soldiers l still adhere to the opinion ex-
pressed to you last winter, that more real good
can be accomplished, at less expense, through
the State agencies and our aid societies. than
in any other way. While extending our own
operations, ] have carefully watched those of
our sister State of Indiana; and l have found
that her system merits the strongest commend
alton. 1t is simple in its character. A central
society at the Capital. under the Immediate care
of the Governor, receives all the contributions
from the various aid societies within the State
These are classified and delivered to..the several
State agents according to the wants in their re-
spective departments, who in turn distributed
them among the men, The State provides
fund that aids in the purchase of articles not
contributed and pays the transportation. There
is no expensive machinery about it-no waste
aud no extravaganee 1t has been objected TO,
as being local and selfish in its character; but
this is not the fact. While the first care of the
agents is for Indiana men, no Ohio soldier in
want or distress has ever, to my knowledge, ap-
pealed TO an Indiana agency without having
Ia iha T,.ls Io,r
frequently divided their stores with fhe agents
of Ohio; and We have always tried to recipro-
cate the kindness. er
+. There are many benefits attending this system,
which should not be disIegarded.
LIST. 1t is decidedly the most economical way
of aggregating and distributing the coDtribu-
tiOus of our people, aud expending the means
appropriated by the State for this purpose.
I'd. IL renders certain the distribution of all
supplies to the objects and purposes for which
they are intended. There is hardly apossibili-
ty for misapproPriatiOn. There is no machine
ry about it TO be kept fabricated, and no class
of middle men to levy toll upon it.
Sd. BY proper care and management it is
made more prompt and energetic than any 9TH
er mode; and, by being more systematic, win
be more general and appropriate in its relief.
4th. 1t fosters and gratifies the State pride of
our soldiers. 1t comes nearly to the feeling of
HoME. An Ohio soldier regards an Ohio Agen-
cy as a. place be has right to enter, and except
a welcome. Ifhe is in want, there is no system
of orders or acquisitions for him to go through
BO paying and unpleasant catechism for him to
submit to- The supplies furnished by this
State and its people are there and he feels that
he is no object of charity when he partakes of
them. His rememberances of home are freshen-
ed-his attachment TO his State is quickened
and increased-and be goes away feeling that
he is not neglected or forgotten-that the cause
Of the country is still worth uphOlding and the
dear old State still worth defending from the en-
croachments of the rebel adversary And this
is doubly the case when the agent passes almost
daily through his bospital-bends over the bed |
on which he is stretched with sickness or wounds
kindly unto his wants, and ministers
unto them from the benefactions of his people, |
and the liberality of his State Surely this |
spirit is worth cherishing and preserving
While L do not seek to limit the contributions
Of our people through other channels, / invoke |
their attention to their own agencies, and their
active cooperation in the labors of the opening
year. If earnest, benevolent citizens will or /
ganize central association here, l will be glad
10 work with them. flour aid sOcities are sat
sfied with the present system of working /
through the Quartermaster's Department. we
will continue it, in the hope it will be much en-
our supplies viii be increased-and |
,ur soldiers comforted and strengthened under |
he perils and suferiugs they are called TO en-
lure.
Like all other of your public servants, your /
military agents are not adequately cOmpensa- |
ed. At Washington, Louisville, Nashville |
Memphis and New Orleans, their
BAY is not equal to their actual subsistence at /
he present time. Their service is very labor |
Ous and, to some extent, dangerous especially 4
n the hospital visitatiens.
The Military Agency at Columbus has grown /
nto such proportions as to require special mem
ion. The pressure upon it of claims for back
,ay, pensions, de-, is very large, and overtaxes
he limited capacity of the Department. If II |
8 the settled policy of the State that this class
# claims shall be attended to. and collected by
State officer (Of which | cordially approve
hen this agency should be remodeled and its
;apacity enlarged. The business will continue
o increase during the war, and require atten-
ion for year or two after its close l recon-
mend that bureau be established under the
control of an officer 10 be styled the Auditor of
Il .rf,H l. L