The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-04

such advances, an1 Official assurances have
been given that the aggregate amounts shall be
deducted from the State tax Of 1866.
The proper administration of this law-except
the final adjudication in each case, which was
made by the Governor-was found indispensa-
bly, necessary to be devolved upon the Adju-
tant General, as upon his records alone depend
ed the admissibility of every application; and
upon that officer and his clerks has been inn
posed thereby a vast amount of labor. If this
law is continued, suitable appropriations
should be made for the prompt reimburse mcht
to municipalities OF the pensions advanced py
them, and for the requisite clerk hire in tne
Department charged with the necessary "DETAILS
and services for carrying into ehec1 the pfoVls-
ions of the act.
The total number of certificates for State
pensions under this act, issued up to the COM
mencement of the present year, is 1897, of
which to soldiers and seamen are 597, to wild
ows of soldiers and sealnen, 9o7, to orphan
children under bweiVe years OF age of soldiers
and seamen, 143.
The total amount allowed for the wear. end
ing February %, 1867, is
To soldiers and seamen, S33l1O7O
Towidows of soldiers and seamen, 59lO75 81
To'orphans of soldiers and seamen 8715 so
Total, S100,9Oz 81
This Pension Act expires by limitation Feb
%, 1867. 1t will be seen that under the judi
cIouS administration of my predecessor it has
not laid heavy burden on the State. / beg
leave to suggest that it be continued for anoth-
er period, and somewhat enlarged in favor OF
aged and destitute parents of deceased soldiers
and seamen.
1t had been my intention to suggest the pro-
priety of memorializing Congress in behalf OF
deceased soldiers families who cannot receive
the benefit of the United States pension laws
for want of positive proof of death in the case:
1t seems unfair to throw the burden OF proof
on the applicant in such cases are last re-
ported missing in action or SICK IN rebel
prison." The widow should not be obliged to
account to the government for her husband,
but the government to the widow. observe,
however, that q resolution has within a few
days been introduced into Congress to meet
the case, and refer to it to call the attention
of the Legislature to this important measure,
that you may, if necessary, lend it your CO.
operation.
While these things are done in recognition of
our obligations to the countrys defenders
there is another side of the picture which it
were well not wholly to overlook. There were
among the true men who served in the war
some l9J0 deserterS "a very small per centage,
but still too many. There were also some, OF
whom it is disagreeable to speak, who fled from
the call of duty and took refuge within foreign
borders to escape the draft. In our recent
State election large numbers of these two class
appeared at the polls and cast their votes
Whether it is just to the soldier who offel ed
his life for his imperilled country that his voice
should be sileneed by the equal vote of one
who denounced and defied his country, wheth-
of citizen to go unrebuked. and treason so
overt to escape odium, is for you and the peo-
pie to say. Doubtless we can out-vote such an
element, but 1t is still grave question wheth-
er the traitor and deserter deserve an equal
share with the loyal defender in the privileges
and protection Of the restored country.
MILITIA.
The duty and advantage Of an efficient Mill
tia organization is already recognized in this
State. What is desired is a system neither so
cumbersome and expensive in its operation as to
be an embarrassment and burden, nor so feeble
as to neither render service nor command re-
spect. The very elaborate and complete law
passed in 1865, with what is provided and what
isleft discretionary, allows, ifjudiciousy admin
istered, partial organization which may meet
our demands, with small force held ready for
instant duty, but capable of being filled up or
even expanded, upol an emergency, without
delay or embarrassment The tn I'd section of
that law, relating to lists of men liable to du-
ty to be furnished the Adjutant General by the
cierks OF cities, towns and plantations, has
been complied with. Up 10 the present period
no organization of the Militia as provided by
the law has been ordered, and in view of the
anticipated action OF Congress with res ard to
the adoption of uniform Militia system for all
the States, aud, what is ofno small importance.
at the expense of the General Government
wnony or Al part, it may BIO questionable wheth-
er the complete organization of our Militia at
the present time is advisable. If it be proceed
eI with, a liberal appropriation from the Treas
ury will be found necessary for its effective OPP
Grafton beg leave to suggest, however, that
IN view OF the importance of having a small
force OF well disciplined State troops at COM
mand, the volunteer companies provided for in
the ext stng law be encouraged, and that such
formations be effected in localities where it
may be convenient, or perhaps in manner to
renew the comprehensive and preserve the
proud memories of the old service.
FINANCES.
fl,a emil; e
Will not expect from me an elaborate exhibi-
ton. L am, however, happy TO inform you
that the credit of Maine, Always high, has new
er more completely nor deservedly enjoyed the
confidence or capitalists than now. This is due
to the judicious manner in which previous
Legislatures have met and provided t5r the f.
nancial necessities of the State. In 1855 three
important measures were adopted; the policy
OF taxation to meet the current expenses, the
check to further increase OF the funded debt
and the Institution of sinking fund for its IL
nal extnguishment. These measures have
been followed by The best results.
The debt incurred during the war was very
heavy. No less than $l5,000000, probably, We're
contributed IN one way and another to the ma
tlonal cause. For this we still owe taking the
State and the several towns together nearly
$lZ,OOO,OOO But while the public debt was
never 80 great, the amount of private debts
was probably never SO small The high nav
which various services have commanded has
enabled large number of our citizens to clear
their estates of mortgages and cancel their
Outstanding obligations The permanent loans
represented by State bonds at the commence
menu OF the present year amount to So 127 500,
they having been reduced the past year by the
payment of S37 600 which had matured. The
temporary loan OF 1865, made under the au-
tnority OF law IN anticipation of the collection
OF the State tax for that year, to enable the
treasurer to reimburse cities, towns and plan
tations Tor aid furnished in previous years to
families of soldiers, amounting to the sum of
$944 l4l.50, has been paid during tho past year.
Added 20 this, in the same period, there have
been invested in the bonds OF the State $123-
700 for the sinking fund.- which now amounts
TO $z46OO0. The amount OF scrip Tor soldiers
Dountes, issued under resolve of February IS,
1868, amounting to $355,0OO is payable at the
Ireasurer's office, with interest, February LIST
OF the current year. Provision has been made
for this by the State tax of the past year. This
is creditable exhibit for the State.
To this account, moreover, there is to be add
ed our claim against the United States for our
expenses IN raising troops for the national de-
fence in the early part OF the war. These adj
vanees we cheerfuily made at q time when the
General Government found itself in fearful
emergency without preparation and almost
without credit, and 1t is but reasonable to ex-
pect that they will be literally met. The who.e
amount OF this claim was 81 I443lg9O OF
this there has been already allowed SAL 470.O8
leaving at present disallowed and suspended,
$702,64902 Meantime, the direct tax laid ON
NY Iio 0OFernment amounted to
$42lOOO, OF which about $221 900 has been paid
leaving balance against us in that item OF
about $300,00O The general balance in our IA
vor OF upwards of Ss40O000 We have a right to
insist on as justly our due. The administra-
tion of the State pension law made such de-
mands upon the time of the Executive during
the past year that he was not able to give this
claim the attention it deserved. The matter is
now, however, in a fair way of adjustment.
and every effort Will be made to ensure a
speedy settlement
1t is needless tor me to commend to Won the
policy OF continuing the annual tax OF three
tOurtns OF a mill on the dollar of the valuation
of 1860 as means of gradually paving off the
public debt This small tax yields 81 Z3 600 dol
lars year, and we may thereby without a Sc
rious burden upon any year maintain a sink
ing fund which will nearly extinguish our debt
at maturity. Unfortunately our chief resource
for the treasury is taxation of the people 9th
er sources OF revenue to the State have been
cut OH, or turned into the channels of the Ma
tiOnal Treasury. The means of meeting our
liabilities are therefore much diminished. But
the burden of taxation has been cheerfllly
borne because OF its manifest necessity and be-
cause of the well-grounded belief that AT no
distant day it viii be materially leSsened / am
happy to state tina accore lg to the Treasur-
ers estimate for the coming year, our tax NAV
be considerably reduced as compared with last
year. There Is also reason to hope that the
war debt OF the States including that of the
several towns, incurred as it was to preserve
the national existence at time when its own
means were insufficient, will be assumed by the
Government of the United States.
Upon this important subject of the Finances
do not undertake to advise. You the chosen
representatives of the people, fully understand
wants and fhair ahi tnrd lie Of