Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20

MONTPELIER. November i6ih ls7s}
To tie President ofute Sendte--Sh IL have the
honor to return to the Senate, in which it origi-
mated, Senate bill number one hundred and
twenty-one, entitled " An act relative to arrears
of pay due the soldiers of the late war without
the executive approval The bill reads as follows:
SECTION l. All claims against the state of Yer
mont for arrears of state pay or allotted pay due
to the soldiers OF the late war shall be presented
with the proper proof to the State Treasurer ON or
before June lst 1879 or the same shall be forever
barred.
SECTION 2. The State Treasurer is hereby di-
rected prior to the first day Of February, A. d.
1879 to give notice Of the provisions OF this act
by publication three weeks successfully in one
weekly newspaper in each county in the state"
The amount now due to seventeen hundred and
thirty-two soldiers is So 800 49, Eighteen claims
have been paid since August LIST, amounting to
s2OS,76 Twenty-eght claims were paid during
the fiscal year ending July 31st.
The granting of the state pay was an act of
great liberllty on the part of the state, and was
fully merited by the soldiers. But the payment
of the balances now due is no question of gift or
bounty, not matter for the exercise of liberality
or discretion, but merely one OF fulfilling a con-
tract.
This state pay was offered rs an additional in
ducement to the soldiers to enlist, and they
entered the service under the plighted faith OF
the state to make this payment The soldiers
have performed their part OF the contract, and we
have no more rlght TO this money than to any
other which happens to fall into our hands for
safe keeping. The money, in each case, has be-
louged to the soldier ever since he performed the
service, and Is Just as much debt owed by the
state as II 1t were evidenced by bond or a note.
VIII not discuss the question oil our moral right
to make such II law mere statement OF the
case seems TO be sufficient
The only argument adduced in favor OF the bill
is one OF mere convenience and expedleney, and
even on this narrow ground the arguments against
1t seem to be overwhelming.
IL Is true that' In most cases, the amounts are
small, one thousand OF them not exceeding three
dollars each; but many are larger, some running
up to one and nearly two hundred dollars each.
But. however small the amount, am sure it was
not the intention OF the Legislature to withhold
payment or delay or embarrass the soldier or
his heirs IN collecting their dues Quite part OF
TINS money was due To soldiers VINO were killed or
died in the service, and whose heirs, through
ignorance oil the facts or the smallness OF the
amounts, have not called for it. Much of it prob
ably VIII never be called for but the state is not
paying interest ON it, 1t is not set aside to pay
these debts and lying idle, but Is In the Treasury,
In use as II belonging to the state, When
soldier or his heirs prove their identity and title
,ha r,ono,, d,o ,hon, ia naid t,on, on, ia A.
""' '""'' -
the Treasurers hands | trust the time may
never come when statute of limitation, passed
after the debt is contracted shall he Thrust In tho
80 80 a. 49, "a, ,a,,t,,T =, -.
lace Vi soiuier UT us i''iii'y W oar an honest
claim, however small
Such a claim should be outlawed only when the
oomor,, -, Tho sorvices NJ onr soid,o.. has a.,
~ ,'e sSui' nae %"
ureiy naueu rom the MINUS Oh the people; ana
that time has not come in Vermont believe the
sense of iustiee in our people il 40 strong that II
~. IN, 49,, -, = -. -, -
'his VII nhouiu peo"ine i""i "'i JUST ela'hs