Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-04-03
Published by Request
The Weaver Bill.
From the Toledo Journal.

The attention OF soldiers every
where is called to the following
letter from General Weaver, in
response to a communicated from
a member of Forsyth Post, in
curing particularly as 10 his sol
der status. 1t has been repeat
edly denied that General Weaver
was soldier or had any interest
in soldiers. 1t has often been as
serted that the bill proposed was
purely Of political character; that
it was practicable. unprece-
dented, and warranted either in
justice or right. But we are sure
that no soldier can read the plain,
clear, patriotic letter before them
without the conviction that Gen
eral Weaver is actuated by the
purest example and the highest
patriotism in all that he has pro-
posed
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, !
WASHINGTON, ID. c.,
FEBRUARY %, 1880 J
Hon. ISAAC II. SHERWOOD,
Toledo, Ohio:
My DEAR SIR: Your letter of
the och inst. is received | am
truly glad to know that Forsyth
Post, g. A. r.. have voted to re-
consider their former action con-
corning the Soldiers Bill now
pending in the House of Repre-
sentatives, and | confidently an
ticipate favorable action at their
next meeting. / had the honor to
introduce the bill in question.
This action on my part was not
taken in haste, nor without due
consideration. enlisted as pri-
vate soldier in April, 1861, at the
first call of the President for
troops, and served my country for
more than three..years, and am
familiar with the privations and
patriotic devotion Of the soldiers
of the Union, and certainly feel in
sympathy with their rights and
wants. The Government should
keep faith with all its creditors,
whether they supported ii with
their means or upon the battle
field. The fathers of our Govern
ment, shortly after the Revolu-
ton, recognized this principle,
when they, upon the petition of
General Knox and many Of his
comrades who served in the strug-
gle for our independence, passed
law, making up to the soldiers of
the Revolution the difference be-
tween the currency In which they
were paid and standard coin. At
that date in our history it was
neither held to be unwise to adj
vocate such measure, nor unpa-
triotic for the soldier to receive
such compensation at the hands
of the Government which he had
aided.
AT the commencement of the
late rebellion the dollar contem-
plated by the laws of our country
was coin dollar, and when Con-
gress in August, 1861, provided
that the pay of the private soldier
should be $l3 per month, thirteen
coin dollars were plainly contem-
plated, according to all precedent
and authority. 1t was early as
certained, however, that the gold
and silver coin of the country. as
is usually the case under such cir
cumstances, could not be obtained
to meet the exigencies of the hour,
and gradually the Government
was forced to fall back upon its
sovereign authority in order to
furnish the means necessary to
equip, feed and pay this army in
the field. Accordingly paper
money was issued, representing
the credit of the Government.
About this time the following Or
der was published for the informa-
ton Of the army and the people
who might thereafter become en-
listed in the service of the Gov
eminent:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 1861.
General Order No. Is
The General-in-Chief is happy
to announce that the Treasury
Department, to meet the future
payments of the troops, is about to
supply, besides coin as heretofore,
Treasury notes in 5's, 10 and 20's,
as good as gold at all banks and
Government offices, and under
authority of the United States,
and most convenient for trans
mission by mail for officers and
men to their families at home.
Good husbands, fathers sons and
brothers, serving under the stars
and stripes, will thus soon have a
ready and safe method of reliev-
ing an immense amount of suffer
ing, which could not be reached
by coin. In making up such
packages every officer may be re-
lied upon no doubt for such assist