The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-25
THE DEMOC Ratio RECORD In RE-
GARD TO SOLDIERS AND SOL
DIERS' FAMILIES.
The Democrats have been their true
Friends from First to Last.
READ THE RECORD.

a favorite mode of attack upon the demo
cratic party, by the aegro-suFrage rewspa
pers, and especially the organ of the negro
suffrage ticket, in this county, is bycharglng
that the democrats were untriendly to the
soldiers and their families, and the negro
worshippers have exhibited a good deal OF
energy and industry in trying to impress
these ideas upon the soldiers. Atth same time
thew assert that present democratic express
sions of sympathy with the soldiers are hypO-
critical and only made for the purpose OF OBJ
tanning their friendship and their votes.
For the purpose of testing that matter we
propose to show the position of the democra-
cy of this county, state, and nation upon the
subject.
First-As to our county:
Ga the 3OLh of April, 1861, m; board Of
supervisors, in this county, unanimously
made an appropriation of 50 900, for the sup
port of the needy families of those who had
enlisted in the army, and those who Nigh t
enlist. Out of this fund, and under the
rules adopted. relief continued TO be furn :
ished to soldiers families, until Feb'y 3,
1862 when Thos. +. Robinson, S. ". Whee-
lock and Joseph ". Lloyd, TALL republicans
a special committee appointed to draft RESP
lutions in regard 10 the war fund, offes ID the
following, to-wit:
WHEREAS the fund appropriated by the county
for ne re let of the families of volunteers, am
ountIng to some 81 900, has been nearly exhaust
ed and,
WHEaEAs the county mas no means of extend
Ing further aud to said tamiuss without Issuing Its
orders prom. ses 10 pay, which al the present
time could not be thrown upon the market with
out subjectlng the county TO heavy, II not ru-
NOUS dIscout- Therefore,
Res0tUea That the supervisors notify the ON GERS
and soldiers from their several towns tnat owing
to present embarrassed condition OF the hnaI-
OF th- county, will De Impossible to reno er
AID III to supply the deficiency after
they the soIdiers) have sent to ther families at
least eight dollars per month OF Ihetr earnings )
and fa their part to respond to the wants
of their families will forfeit the part of their
families their snare in the appropriation made by
the county.
This report was adopted By the board.
Thus the republican board of supervisors
.'cut of the supplies" from the soldiers fam
lilies, aud it was done, too, by men who had
publicly pledged "their bottom dollar" to
support the families of all who would volun-
teer
On the 8th OF May following, there was
another meeting of the board and Z. FL.
Johnston, (republican) supervisor from Port
Byron, chairman of the special war fund
committee, offered the following resolution,
viz:
RESOLVED, That in consideration OF the present
financial condition and embarrassment of this
county, that the county at this time make fur
ther appropriations to the war fund, except such
amounts may he necessary to pay the orders
heretofore and at the present term OF this board
allowed, such orders may have heretofore
been contracted by authority of this board, and
this board recommends that each township IN this
county be requested to make such appropriations,
to be raised by township tax; and such orders and
regulations concerning the appropriation of taxes,
when collected, as they may think proper.
This resolution was also adopted, and it
created great indignation among the friends
of the soldiers, all over the county. 1t was
most ridiculous and unjust position to as
sumo, 1st, bebause there was no law of the
state authorizing townships to levy such
tax, and 81, because it would enable towns
which had sent but few soldiers to the war,
to avoid their share of the burdens of the
war-it let them of without furnishing either
men or money told them, in effect: you
need not fight or pay.
The ARGUS Immediately commenced war
upon this action of the board, and so great
was the Indignation of the people that the
supervisors were compelled to convene and
did convene on the Attn OF June, and proceed
ed to resoind their former unjust action, and
apologize and back down from their former
position on the subject of relief for soldiers
iamliies' and provide that the wife of each
soldier should, thereafter, receive, from the
county, S4 per month, and 81 per month for
each child
0at portion of the republicans were still