Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-02-08
NUMBER 81.

me to take them on behalf of the State, and
for the defence of the State, the United
States paying all the expenses of their
clothing, equipment, subsistence, &c. 1t
was, however, alleged that there was no
appropriation for their pay. To remove this
difficulty the General Government applied
to banks and other moneyed corporations
in Philadelphia to advance the amount of
the pay, on a pledge that, when Congress
met, the passage of bill to reimburse them
should be recommended. These institutions
declined this proposition, but expressed their
| Willingness to make the advances if | would
pledge myself to recommend to the Lngis-
lature the passage of such an act in case
Congress should not provide for reimbursing
them. Under these circumstances, receiv-
ed 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 advanc-
I'd the required funds according The fol-
lowing telegram from the Secretary of War
will show in part the ground on which
acted
WASHINGTON, July %, 1868
To his EUcenency, Gov. A. G. CURIN
Your kilograms, respecting the pay of
militia called ont under your proclamation
of the 9th of June, have been referred to
the President for instructions, and have
been under his consideration. He directs
me to say that while no law or appropria-
ton authorizes the payment by the General
Government for troops that have not been
mustered into the service of the United
States he will recommend to Congress to
make an appropriation for the payment of
Id Il,
an actual invasion, including those of the
State Of Pennsylvania. If, in the mean-
time, you can raise the necessary amount,
as has been done in other States, the appro-
priation will be applied to refund the ad-
vance to tho.e that made it,
Measures have been taken for the pay
ment OF troops Mustered into the United
States service, as soon as the muster and
pay rolls are made out. The answer of this
Department to you, as Governor of the
State, will be given directly to yourself
whenever the Department is prepared to
make answer
(SignedD EDWIN NJ STANTON,
Secretary Of Var.
When Congress met, the Executive Of the
United States did not recommend the pass
age of the necessary act. | have under
stood that the subject was cal ed t. the at
tentIon OF the proper committee, by the Sec
retary of War, but, as the President did
not send a message explaining the circum-
stances OF the case, the appropriation fail
ed, and the members of Congress had thus
no means OF explaining to their constituents
the difference between the case (which was
in substance loan to the United States.
upon the pledge Of the Executive for its re-
payment). and the case of the voluntary
expenditure of money for military purposes
IF Pennsylvania 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 AZ
soon as, in my Judgment, the emergency
should have ceased. The emergency ceas-
ed Immediately after the battle of Gettvs-
burg, which com renced on the lSt of july,
1865 yet the men, against my urgent and
repeated remonStranccS, were kept III the
service long afterward and used by the
United States for various pu poses The |
last of them were not discharged till in Sen /
trmber.
recommend that the Legislature adnpt
measures to bring the subject again before !
Congress, and obtain repayment of this sum, /
amounting to S67l,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 terms of that act. The following let |
ter which | addressed to the Secretary of
War, sufficiently explains the position of
this affair:
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER
HARRISBURG, Pa, June 3, 1865
SIR There are Two subjects connected .
with the discharge of volunteers which are
of so much Importance that feel justified .
in calling your attention to them.
First The men are being paid only TO
the day of their arrival at the place they
are to be discharged. This will cause them
to lose few days pay, depending princ-
paily upon the promptness and disposition
of the officers Of the United States having .
the matter in charge. 1t is a matter of lit /
tie moment to the Government, but the .
men feel it to be an injustice, and if, under !
the acts of Congress, they can be paid until /