The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-09-28
How the Hub" Filled its Quota---Boston
Sued for 81, 900, 900 for Human Beings
that were Food for Gunpowders

The people of Massachusetts are in the
habit OF building monuments to their OWL
: services IN the war, las in all wars and
j make eloquent orations in praise of services
| and sacrifices. But occasionally ugly things
come to light, which we quote upon this song
of selfprase.
In the year 1864, when the terrors of the
consumption looked the selfish fanaticism O!
Massachusetts full in the face, and the price
of substitutes rose to $500 and $500 apiece
there arrived in the harbor of Boston the
steamer Bellona and the barks Garland and
Peter Godefroy. They were freighted with
human beings, mostly men, anfmostly Prus-
| slams. They had been visited at their homes
in Germany by the agent of certain Boston
! firms. His errand was to procure German
| immigrant laborers. The rebellion, he said,
| had thinned the labor of the north, and there
was great opening for the skilled industry
of Europe. He promised them employment
| for three years, 500 cash down, and ST. a
month.
Contracts of very misty phraseology were
signed, and the poor Prussians babe farewell
to the Fatherland. Beside the contract
which they signed, they were induced to re-
lease any claim they might have on arrival
to compensation beyond the 500 and $l2 a
month.
There are two small Islands, called Deer
Island and Galloupe's Island, in Boston har-
Dor. On these wretched spots, cut off from
all intercourse with the land, these poor Ger
man immigrants were landed, and by force
kept there. All these immigrants had been
landed at Deer Island, surrounded and kept
in terror by the armed police of the city of
Boston-inspected by military surgeon
Al, 81
and turned adrift, and not dollar paid to
them, and the well forcibly transferred to
Galloupe Island, military post, and there
by threats and persuasion enlisted in the
United States army, and sent instantly to
the front and credited to the quota of Massa-
chusetts-and the substitute money which
was realized by the operation received, and
to this day kept, by commercial firms with
which it orr ginated
The Prussian Charge d Affairs made some
faint effort at investigation and remonstrance
The German societies in Boston proposed an
investigation, but were driven from it. What
became of these German coolies no one
knew, and soon no one cared. Massachu-
sets had filed her quota Let them fill the
military cemeteries
But Massachusetts had not quite filled her
quota. A suit is pending in the Massachu-
sets courts which enlists the highest talent
of the bar. The plaintiff in the case is
Charles Burrill, who claims of the city the
sum of 100000 for recruits furnished to
supply BOstous quota, and thereby enable
the city to avoid the last draft. The then
mayor Of the city, Frederick w. Lincoln,
made a written contract with Burrill, in
these words:
In consideration that Charles BurrilI,o Brook
iine Mass, shall obtain credits upon the quota
of the city of Boston, hereby agree to pay to
the said Charles Burrill the sum of SIPS per
man for each and every full man so credited up
on said quota the money TO be pa id to the said
Burritl whenever he presents to the official
certificates from the proper authority, showing
that the said credits have been given.
F. W. LINCOLN, Jr., Mayor.
Boston, May 81, 1864.
Subsequently congress passed an act plac-
ing to the credit of cities and towns all men
who enlisted and were then in the naval or
marine service. Mayor Lincoln then ar
ranged with Burrill to hunt up the names of
Bostonians who had so enlisted, allowing
him the same as for new recruits Mr.. Bur
rill in this manner had $3.50 men placed to
the credit of Boston, his papers being duly
certified by the officials at Washington, and
also by Mr.. Lincoln. The names were ac-
cordingly allowed just the day before the
draft took place. If the city had been OBJ
iged to furnish the men by buying them at
The prices then paid, it would have cost sew
eral millions. The city, however, refused to
allow the claim, on the ground that the may
or had no right to make such a contract.
The object of the statute passed in 1864,
Judge Gray held, on former trial, was the
PROCURING of soldiers, not the protection of
tie towns against draft. The statute auth
orized money to be paid for men, not to avoid
draft.
Who believes that the men shipped from
Boston should have been credited to that
city? They were from all parts of New Eng
land and Of the Union. It was an evasion
of the object of the draft thus to charge all
the dead or alive whalers, all the sailors re.
shipped under different names, to the credit
OF the capital of Massachusetts or to the
state. The evil example was followed else.