The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-25
I,24I 1886

I23l 1886
&a- Majority IN favor of the soldiers faml-
lies. ................-..-.... .......... 905
1t is proper to say, here, that Sup'r Boyer
presided at the election in Black Hawk and,
while in the chair and receiving the votes of
the people, he spoke of the soldiers families
as "Rif Rats and used all his influence and
efforts 10 discourage the people from voting
for the tax. But the result showed that the
people were determined to provide for the
''Rif Rats" as this republican leader stigma
tied the soldiers families.
Thus 1t will be seen that the republican
board of supervisors In relation TO the SOL
dIers' families was most emphatically repu-
dated By the people, and a vote of three to
one cast in favor of furnishing the aid which
was promised them when they enlisted.
This vote was taken on the 18th of June.
1862, and on the 16Jh of August following
the boord met, and adopted the following re-
solutions
Resolved, That we, the board of supervisors of
Rock Island comfy, do hereby appropriate fifteen
thousand dollars for the support OF all soldiers
families needing help, who have may enlist,
land been mustered into companies IN said coun-
ty) and that further pledge ourselves TO continue
such appropriation to the full extent of the idT
til The close of the rebellion, and that several
members OF this board their successor IN office,
he and are hereby authorized (on proper evidence
3F t@e.: Ga!.s.ic- above -eIured - pay - io.
lows -Four dollars per month TO the head of each
family, and one dollar to each additional member,
and at each OF this board render !nl and
complete account of the names and numbers of
families IN their several towns as also the amount
paid.
Resolved That M -esoIutious and orders here
toiore passed conflicting wltn the above be res
ended.
Under this rule. relief was furnished untl
June OF the next year 1868 when the board
met, transacted the usual county business and,
under the lead and management OF Nat.
Bscher, ). W Wheeock and other repub-
lican members purposely Ind desiguedly ad
journed without making any further appro-
priations for soldiers families.
We at once exp sed this attempt to evade
tue instructions of the people shown by
tine vote OF the June previous, and appealed
u the people in behalf OF the families of our
absent soldiers.
The soldiers wives, residing IN this city,
also got up petition 60 the supervisors. and
it was pu blished in the ARGUS of June Goth,
as follows:
Petition of the soldiers Wives to the Sup
eryisOrs.
To the Hon. BoIrd If Supervisors Of the couHty Of
Rack Island:
GErLEmEN-We, your petitioners, would re-
specially call your attention the and
necessities of the families of the soldiers now IN
the service of our country, fighting your battles
and the battles of the country, and to whom the
nil t,,rt nF hair
families. We at presenl receiving assist
whatever, and being In want for the neces-
of life, our natural providers and protectors
being absent, we would pray your honorable body
to convene and MAKE such provisions may be
necessary for our support.
Anna Anderson, Sarah Ann foues,
Mary Violin, Hanna r. Wright,
Nancie Carlton, Sarah Padgett
Laura Anderson, Martha Teal,
Martha Miner, Ann Watts,
Emene Hickman, Rachel Banks,
Elizabeth Huntiey, Celia Stanley,
Mary Miner, Caroline DIzney,
Mary Jane Perkins, Julia Solomon
Sarah Jane Lawson, Mary Hickman,
Mrs O'Neal, Mary kuppier,
Caroline Fitzgerald, Mrs Bates,
Eliza Frishas, Mary Luddais,
Eva Lgndanall,
Rock Island, June 25, 1868.
w. Union and Monitor please copy.
The board paid no attention to this petit
IlOB, DuL mt again III uuOer
the pressure of indignation at their former
attempts to evade furnishing the promised
relief TO the soldiers families, they again re-
newed the appropriations, and since then the
promised relief has beat regularly furnished.
We thus see that, In this county, it was
republicans who attempted to deprive the
soldiers fanilies of the relief promised them
while their husbands. and fathers. and broth
ers were at the front, exposing their lives for
the very men who were staying at home,
making money, and trying to cheat their
families out of the support which was their
due.
Nor have the soldier families in this city
forgotten the facts connected with their
Thanksgiving dinner, in November 1868, nor
why it was that they had any dinner at ALL
But for the purpose of refreshing the memo
~ of those of our readers who may have dors
so, we will make few extracts from the AR.
Gus Of that month:
From the Argus OF Nov. IA. 1868.
s"rhe Soldiers Aid Society meets on Thursday
afternoon, OF IN waeI, at Mrs Backourns. A
all