Daily Republican., 1879-01-13
r State w ar Debt.

pay th6 Claim, ana even III 'hV "i'N'
referred to II strongly took the ground
that the Government should pay it,
and as the Gazette is the real Simon
pure organ Of the Democracy in this
State. and Governor Cochran being of
that party, We thought he should be
congratulated for not making any al
fusion to the subject in his message.
A matter of nearly a million of dol.
lars is no small affair for little State
like Delaware, and if the claim was
Just and patriotic one we think the
Governor would have been justitiable
in recommending the appointment of
commission to settle with the General
Government and have the State reim-
bursed. 1t is no doubt humiliating to
the average Democrat of Delaware,
when he looks at the unpaid debt of
the State, while all the war debts Of
other States have been reimbursed
years ago. There is not an instance
where money had been appropriated by
the States to equip regiments and to aid
the Government in raising troops,
and to carry on the war fo- the suppress
sion of the rebellion that has not been
promptly paid, and yet Delaware's war
budget IS the only one that remains un
paid. Why this difference Because
it was raised for a far different purpose.
Search back in the annals of legisls-
ton since the reb-lio broke out to its
close and not a solitary instance can be
found where Delaware appropriated a
single dollar for the -quipping Of regi-
m-nts, the payment OF bounties to in
duca men to enlist, and not single dol
lar was ever appropriated to feed the
suffering wives and children of those
who without bounty had enlisted
While other States loyal to the Union
were pouring out money without stint
TO suspress the rebellion, the Delaware
Leg stature was hobnobbing with com
mi.sion-rs sent on from the seceding
state of Alabama, 10 try TO induce Della
ware to join the Cenfederacy. Those
who lived through these troublous
times will recollect the feeling of relief
experienced, when it became known
that the Legislature from motives of rx-
pedienry, not from motives of patriot
ism, declined the oyertures of the rebel
emissaries, and Delaware was allowed
to remain in the Union, simply because
like Maryland, from her geographical
position, i. was her interest to do so.-
| Delaware at this time was about clear
Of debt, Tut COON the Legislature mani
tested a disposition to do something for
| the uThltt'l lucll WIN Wtlt tdlicu
to shoulder arms and march to the front
and it was then that this debt that has
been resting like a huge incubus upon
the State was contracted.
The General Government at that tin
wanted money as well az men, and
lieu of the military services of a Dr.
man, it was satisfied with the ~. #!
of communication fee of $500 from each
drafted man. 1t was then that the
Legislature of the State of Delaware
stepped boldly to the front and said to
the drafted men, the most of whom
were Democrats and hearty sympath-
izers with the rebellion, 1--WE will help
You out Of this,' and they did 50 by
making an app opriation of $500, 900,
for which the credit of the State was
pledged, and each drafted man was Civ
en- 5000 from the State. and all the con-
script had to do was to raise an addi-
tional 800, and keep out of the army.
Had the State given that $500, 900 in
bountes to induce men to volunteer,
the quota Of the State would have been
made up in men, but this would have
been aiding too much in putting down
the rebellion, and Delaware, through
her Legislature, chose to give her boun.
ties to men to stay at home from the
war. But another exigency arose, the
Government wanted men and had to
have them, and no Communication fees
would be received any more. Here,
again, the State came in to the aid Of
the stay -at-homes, and appropriated
$500, 0C0 more, to pay each drafted man
$500 to enable him to purchase a sub,
, stitute, 80 that he might not go to the
front himself, but it never once entered
into the mind Of the Legislature that j
that amount Of bounty was offered t.
men who would enlist, the quota of thu
! State would have been made up with
D out second draft. This $500, 900, with
o the interest accrued, makes the wa
budget Of the State of Delaware, which
the Gazetc has been clamoring for tn,
General Government to pay, and which
the Government has persistently re
. fused to pay, simply because it wa