Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-02-07
VOL. 12.--NO. %.

during the emergency The men came for
ward promptly, to the number of 36. 5SS. of
whom upwards of %, 900 refused to be mus
tered INTO the service of the United States,
III consequence of circumstances of prior oc-
currence not necessary to be here stated.
In this embarrassment, the emergency be-
ing very pressing, after consultation with
the President he authorized and requested
me to call them on behalf of the State, and
tor the defence of the State, the United
States paying all the expenses of their cloth
ing, equipment, subsistence, dc. 1t was,
however, alleged that there was no appro-
priatlon for their pay. To remove this diff
heulty the General Government applied to
banks and other moneyed corporations In
Philadelphia to advance the amount of the
pay. on pledge that, when Congress met,
the passage OF bill to reimburse them
should be recommended. These institu-
tons declined this proposition, but express
ed their willingness to make the advances if
l would pledge myself to recommend to the
Legislature the passage of such an act in
case Congress should not provide for reim-
bursting them. Under these circumstances
l received from the Executive of the United
States the pledge which he had proposed to
give to the banks, &c., and upon that |
gave the necessary pledge to them, and they
advanced the required funds accordingly.
They following telegram from the Secretary
OF War Will show in part the ground on
which | acted;
Gov. a Il Curtin: Your kilograms, respecting the
pay of militia called out under your proclamat alton
of the 9th of June have been referred to the Pres
ident for instructions and have been under his
consideration. He directs me to say that while
no law or appropriation authorizes the payment
by the General Government of troops that have
not been mustered into the service "f the United
states he Will recommend to congress to make
appropriation for the payment of troops called in
| to the State service TO repel actual invasion
| including those of the State of Pennsylvania If,
| IN the meantime, you can raise tho necessary a
mount. as has been done in other States, the ap-
preparation will be applied to refund the advance
TO those who made il. Measures have been taken
for the pa yment of troops mustered into the Uni
ted States service. the muster and pay
rolls made cut. The answer of this Depart
ment to you, Governor of the State, will be giv-
en- directly to yourself whenever the Department.
is prepared to make answer lSigned
EDWIN NJ. STANTON. Secretary of War.
| When Congress met, the Executive of
| the United States did not recommend the
! pa sage OF the necessary act. | have un-
| derstood that the subject was called to the
attention OF the proper committee, by the
| Secretary OF War, but, as the President did
not send message explaining the circum-
| stances o. the case, the appropriation failed,
as the members of Congress had thus no
| means of explaining to their constituents
the difference between the case (which was
in substance a loan to the United States,
upon the pledge of the Executive for its re-
payment, and the case OF the voluntary ex-
peBditure of money fer military purposes
otPennsylvania and most of the other States.
| will add that the men came into the ser
vice for the emergency only, and on the
faith that they should be discharged as soon
as in my Judgment, the emergency should
have ceased. The emergency ceased imme-
diately after the battle of Gettysburg,
which commenced on the lst of July 1868
yet the men, against my urgent and repeat
ed remonstrances, were kept In the service
long afterward and used by the United
States for various purposes. The last of
them were not discharged till in September.
l recommend that the Legislature adopt
measures to bring the subject again before
Congress, and obtain repayment OF this sum,
amounting to $67l,476 43, with interest on
the same, which the General Government
has thus far so unwarrantably withheld.
Great injustice has been done to private
soldiers, ,who went into service under the
provisions of the act OF Congress, by refus-
ing to pay them the full bounties offered by
the the terms of that act. The following
letter. which I addressed to the Secretary
OF War; sufficiently explains the position OF
this affair.
| EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, HARRISBURG. Pa, JUNE 5,
1865 DEAR SIR: There two subjects connec-
ted with the discharge of volunteers which are Of
SO much importance that feel justified in cal
ling your attention to them
FIRST. The men are being paid only to the day
of their arrival at the place they are to be dis
charged This viii cause them TO lose few days
pay depending principally upon the pronptness
and disposition of the officers of the United States
having the matter in charge. 1t is matter OF
little moment to Government. but the men feel it
an injustice, and if. under the acts of congress,
they can be paid until discharged, think you
SEcoSD. In circular No % from Provost Mar
shall Generals Office, dated July 10, 1854, 'nnder
which the volunteers now to be discharged were
raised' it is stated. that the bounty provided by
law is as follows: .For recruits including repro
sentative recruits. white colored, S100." And
it is furthe. added that the FIRST instslme mt of the
bounty will he paid when the recruit is mustered
in, follows; "T0 a recruit who enlisted In tho
army for one year. S33 30 u
On these terms the men enlisted, and they are
of opinion that they are entitled to the remainder
of their bounty when discharged from service
1t is proposed however, to pay them but part
Of this remainder, because the Government does
not require their servicesfor the full term of their
enlistment, and appears to be breach of the con-
tract between the Government and the men. The
bounty was held out by the Governmen as an IN
ducement to ENLIST, not as an additionai pay ior
services rendered. The men became ent1tIed to
it by the fact of Enlistment and could Forfeit
what remained unpaid by some misconduct, oil
which such forfeiture should be legal penalty
These m alters are creating much unpleasant feel
ing am ong the men l need not say to yoz. they
have behaved gaiiaagffy; ana tns country ores
ed they ought to be sent home under the feel
that the Government, when their services are no
longer required, taxes the first opportunity TO
treat them unjustly and violate its contract with
them | assure you that unless these difficulties
relieved there viii be created general dIs-