New-York tribune., 1874-03-07
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

BACK PAY FOX LIE NAIlo.sAb Ouh"D'
MONEY FOR WAR UNIFORMS TO BE PAID TO THOSE
WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN sRRyIcE-h TRANS
PARENT SCHEME.
The bills recently introduced into the AS
sembiy by Charles g. Spencer. providing for the pay
ment OF $40 each to certain regiments which served
in the war prOyoses much uniayorable comment on
the part OF those who understand the subject By the
provisions OF the bills the amount appropriated I"
each regiment IL TO be accepted as settle
mont, in full. OF money advanced FOR uniormS
and equipments out and lost Whhe
In he service the United States during the late war
The Adjuant General is required. after such payment
is made to present tho Treasury OF the United states
a statement OF the amount 80 paid and the money re-
ceiyed thereon s to be placed in the Treasury OF he
State II ia claimed by those capable OF Judging that'
While II is nomualy proposed to reimburse those nom
bers OF the National Guard who havo out or os
uniforms while tho service Of tile United States
1t is really intended TO benefit the present
members of the regiments named, ana
Is merely an ingenious method of drawing money from
the State Treasury 1t is now nearly nine years since
the war closed Very few Of the members OF the Sdond
Guard serve longer the term OF their enlistment
seven years. II is safe TO say that five men 10 e''h
company would be large estimate OF tho numpcr VI
present active members who during the war In
very many companies not single man remilus' iho
writer served In one OF the companies Of the 22 Reg
ment In s6} the last the regiment called IN
tho field by General Government, &C men
responded te the call and several OF these were NOT
members Of tho company aud did not remain with the
company when the regiment returned. All OF the re-
crus and OF the members chose to accept them
were provided with Uni,ed States Army fatigue uni
fnrms or the &C who then composed the company
inst one now remains active The probabii
ties are that In twenty or thOse entitled Co
share In the amount appropriated would demand MS
proportion and nearly the entiie amount would be
uDusty appropriated to tho uses o! th' r'biho"''
named.
In the case Of the 9Th Regiment the last time 1t was IN
the service Of the United States was in 1853; 50 that
more ten wears have now elapsed the mein
bers OF the regiment could have lost their uniforms or
equipments while serving tho c!i under tie call Of
the General Government. former oicer OF the Tegi'
meut declares that the amount asked
for ia absurd. During che session OF 1868
an e rt WAS made 10 hlv. the regiment reimbursed TO
HE amount of ABOUT $500 expenses incurred In the
purchase OF uniforms aud cGllpDenls ms lhcluueu
af1Id the desired relief. and the Board ot Olcers OF
the regiment subscribed the amount Or those VINO
Vcrs i'm ,Ir fparI Of Onirer5 at that time few
k M fbc ed olIirer, have resigned "A an indication
changes that have taken place IN the regiment IL
Is worthy Of mention that a reference 70 the re-
port OF the Adjutant General for 1878 showed that
the only officer connected with the regiment VINO
served with II as officer during the war IL Capt L.
g. T. Bruen. His commission bears date 1861. There II
10 other commission held by any OF the Olhcefs OI an
earlier dae than 1865. Some the officers may have
served m the ranks Wnlc the regiment the field
anu been since promoted; great majority have
Oined the regiment since tue war closed Tue former
officer declared that did not believe there were 20
| men now connected with the Regiments who served
IN the ed lie Thought mat wonld be good idea for
/ the Assembly 10 ask Tor ihe names ana dates ot
| service of those members OF tho regiment
| who NAV wish be reimbursed for uniforms ana
equpments service. He Thought IA 4 tho OBJECT
the bill simply 10 pay for the uniforms htciy
Drocurel by the regimen. Others who formerly
! connected with 5tl Regiment, were equally
emphatic in declaring that the amount asked Tor was
far beyond the value of the articles worn out or lost
Col Christian ScnwaIZWaeldcr. President of lhe Ger
! mania Bank, commanded the 5th Regiment in lo6l,
while ii was IN the field Toe Union Defense Commit
tee sent him 5000 after the regiment was In the iaid
From tlis fund he purchased uniforms ard equipments
Tor the recruits. The majority OF the members u the
regiment either naa their uniforms or else went Ou
| rs substitutes for those who provided them Win
uniforms. The called upon 10 pay Tor tIe
| paid for This fund The amount seht nun
| was more than was needed, ana ne returned
| TO Henry Gunther, brother or eA-hlJOf
! GuntheI, aud OF the Defense Committee. about
81 500 the amount LETT after necessary blllS
we're paid IC was not likely, therefore, mat the
| regiment could have been subjected TO any great
expense by loss OF uniforms and equipments lie
believe that more than ten OF those VINO served
in 1861 remained in the regiment. He only knew OF
Oue-Druu- Major Berchet He nad never heard OF any
complaint the part OF the Old members aoOut the
loss of uniforms. Ii the Legislative Committee to
whom this referred 10 wished To know the
feelings OF the old exempt members TINS subject,
meeting could called. He denied that the present
members OF the stu Regiment had claim tOr losses
Incurred during the late war. Su IN claim absurd.
III was opening the door "a great III regi
ment received hls aid ali would claim IT, ana InLon
OF dollars would lie taken out OF the state treasury
Col Meyer a some time comm intant OF the 5.h Regi-
mcnt. also characterized the claim as absurd.