Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-27
VERMONT SOLDIERS HOME.
A Nee ting of the Trustees Called-An In
teresIing Statement.

ION nOtel III Montpelier, NONemDer%f, 1000,
at o'clock p. m. The trustees of the
home are; Redfeld Proctor, Frederick
Billings, G. C. Kinsman, a. b. Franklin,
Hugh Henry, p. p Pitkin, j. C. Stearns,
Franklin Fairbanks. Josiah Grout, George
T. Chlds, H. X. Idle, William Wells,
julius j. Estey, \. b. Valentine Warren
Gibbs Il. NJ Mansur, Frank Kentield and
A. 5. Tracy The report is as follows
The subject matters for the trustees of
the soldiers home to consider at this
meeting are
1st The election of officers and organizing
the ,odirrs' home i'm Vermont.
I'd. TO consider whether the trustees will
Immediately locate and Guild the soldiers
home.
Sd To consider what action, if any, should
be taken in reference to Nermout's war claim
against the United states.
1t is proper that some action be taken
by the trustees of the soldiers home,
before the assembling of Congress
You are aware of the Efforts that are
being made to return to the States the
amount of tax each State paid the gener-
al government in the early part of the
rebellion 1t is said that twenty-eight
States already have agents to advocate the
passage of such law by Congress. Such
II bill was introduced at the last session
and the committee that had it in charge
GepOlucu Ill ldNOE vi llS IuSSuBc, DuJ 100
late to ecelve consideration before Con
gress adjourned. 1t is liable to receive
early attention by the new Congress. Yer
mont paid over 5000 900 and will be ent-
tied to receive under the proposed law
about Sl65,OOO. Three are other old claims
amounting to nearly 100000 that have
been presented TO the general govern
ment and payment refused. 1t is believed
that a part of the rejected claims will be
paid on reconsideration in department or
by Il special act of Congress. AS what
ever sums received by the State on any
of the these claims will be turned over
to the trustees of the soldiers home, there
is the matter of an agents fees which
| requires your immediate consideration.
| The auditor of accounts Informed the com
mittee on military affairs, when investi-
| eating this matter at the last session of
the legislature, that the governor and
state auGitur had appointed claim agent
ut Wash ngton, with an agreement to pay
! him p per cent of the amount collected,
on Vermont war claims, for his services !:
| that he had held his appointment for sew
eral years that there were no vouchers
or documents in his office to show what
! the State war claim was that such evil
dence was in the hands of the agent at
| WASHINGTON.
The allowing of the original vouchers
! to leave the State without retaining even
Il copy of them was severely and thought
| justly, CllllClSttl ny ulltIelll llleilDtIS VI
| the committee, who proposed some legiS
lative action to revoke the power of at
torney held by the Washington agent.
| The state auditor thereupon informed the
committee that if they would take no ac-
! ton that he woTld see that the appoint
ment of the Washington agent was re
vOked and the vouchers and evidence of
the claim against the general government
returned to the State, which he has failed
to do.
The interest of the soldiers home and
/ the dignity and the honor of the State
alike demand from the governor OF this
State an immediate removal of the claim
agent at Washington and the return of
the documents and vouchers evidencng
the claim to the safes and vaults of the
State, never again to be removed without
Legislative action. With the interest that
the trustees of the soldiers home have in
this claim ltappears to me to be proper
Tor them to request the governor to act
in the premises. For the soldiers home
to allow Unc-tOurth OF the clam TO 80 fol
such Il purpose Is worse than folly. FOl
the State to remain Il party to such Il
bonus contract with Il claim agent Is dis
graceful! 1t has Il look as if the State was
trying, by some uuiarness known per
maps TO It's agent, to obtain from the gen
cral government what it could not obtain
in legislative way, and divide the plum
der Besides there is no more reason fol
SOlHS Dul vi tilt oldlt LOT an attorney llldl
there Is Tor seeking Il governor or State
auditor outside the State. Vermont law
yers practice successfully in all the court,
and departments of the government
| may be charged with being out of or
: der III calling meeting of the trustees
/ and naming the subjects to be considered
at the meeting | have hesitated, | have
been called the father of the soldiers
home, and | have been deluded with com
plants from all sections of the State fol
5 your delay III acting You have KEEP
silent for year without coming to tn,
4 public view sufficiently to receive even
fair share of the complaints of the seven
, ty-three homeless Veterans who are pau
pers on the towns Of the State a score o.
so more supported at soldiers homes il
; sister States, and other friends of tn,
home. If am responsible for the delay
all can DO Il to complain to you, and
: have endeavored to perform that duty il
q TINS communication. You have accepted
= the trust and have the power to act and
!, have been unable to understand why you
!, have delayed action. | might hav
: thought, had not known better. that tn
opposition to the soldiers home whic
did not appear openly before the legisla
ture had accomplished indirectly wha
, they coul not directly, by securing tn
, election OF trustees who were opposed to
! soldiers home in Vermont.
mentioned the subjects to be consid
NltN ~ tIO liWctIllS W SlloN lilc lltCtSNIl
e for calling it. | hope in the meantim
:, you Will give the soldiers home your be,
J. thought with the view of spying out tn
best mode of accomplishing the object o
the trust placed in your keeping by tn
- friends of the home and the State of Wei
II mont, and be prepared to- act or give som
= reason for not acting that will sati sly tn
o friends OF the home. Do not at the Outst
n build up in your mind the imaginal
{, barrier, "the want of funds" but rattle
q consider the best way to obtain fund
= without placing too much reliance on tn
= Old war claims.
No soldiers of any State are richer tina
the soldiers OF Vermont They are backe
by grateful community who will Civ
e more cheertully and more abundantly t
the calls of a Lerdy soldier than to almo'
i any other demand in the world The
bald soldiers monuments and decorat
= soldiers graves at an expense every yea
" sufficient to build a soldiers home. Til
= business men of the State would be onl
e too glad of an opportunity to supply an
=, needed funds 10 complete the solder
Il home IN Vermont