Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-10-22
THE UNSETTLED BALANCE.
U. S AUDITOR WiLLlAMS'S CLAIM
AGAINST VERMONT.
a ull Statement of the Facts and Figures
Gen. Pitkins's Opinion-Itis not IA
Legal Claim The u. s. Government
Owes Vermont About $500, 900.


inent is being made throughout this State
/ by the statements made in the letter OF
third Auditor Williams of the Tnitod
St,t.o ,yrittor rburod.y 10 I,aa.,..',...
'e',I' ''o'i "io'''1 W ."e secretary
Oh the treasury report OF which was
gwen IN Washington despatch which
appeared in the FREE PRESS Friday
Audit0r Williams saws that instead of rho
b,lorco of scc SON ,ybi,t -.
"'"'OI VI F'''''O "nlcH inns state
no" ciaihIs as uue from the nlted
states under fle act OF Congress, APP
proved July ~, 1851. to indennifv
the STATES for evnou.ee i,o,,,,roI ~
81, -, a., .l,.c.,.,,,' -, a.. ~
','0'" =" ''e "o''!''1 vi '"' hited states,
there Is an Indebtedness against the state
on the books of the United states ordnance
office for supplies furnished tha St,to In
1874 oin,o,,ut inc, to s1tq-s ,,.,t,.,tt,ii
=. '"''oi W VI
l"i'''9 says ~ 'hI9 connection deem
1t proper 10 add that have Information
received from credible source, that the
greater portions OF these arms ana
equipments we're sold by the state,
out OF which she realized about
Hlio'ouu ana lhat was deposited IN her
treasury. me Legislature OF ermOut is
now III session ana nave therefore deem
IT proper 10 give you thlS Information at
thlN llmt, IN oluer that you may take such
steps 10 prlhS the subject 10 ne attention
Oh the proper authorltleS OF the Siate as
You may DE ADVISED ana as may be re-
CURED. In the meantime the claims OF
the state under the act OF July - 1861,
Will tie suspended IN TINS Office.
MS IeIier ol AUullor w llIlaills was
SHOWN 10 ben. J.. L. Pltkln, VINO was quar-
ttrlhaster' general or tnls STATE IRON the
year lon4 10 lo'@' ana VINO ProDapIy knows
more ABOUT the MILITARY AFFAIRS OF the
state during thAt period than anyone
else ana from ms statements together
with Il snort examination OF the quarter
master general lePol'S, lHe iolloWllU
FACTS III regard 10 Aldltor lillams
statements were oplaIueu ne spb,9oO
que lhlS Stile Is uspehueu paiahce OF
CLAIMS nlel oy Vermont uhuer the act OF
July -, lool, amounting IN tne aggregate
To S"+f,' 90, OF when $500 N41 mas been au-
dlttd ana pald. ntse cIalinS were Tor ut
ting out the mrs. SIN regiments that went
INTO the war. Inc state uniformed these
men ana furnished horses Tor the
mounted officers. she also uniformed
the ollcefS ana 1urhlshed them
with side arms ne rune was subse-
queutly established that officers furnish
their own uniform and side arms, and the
mteu states government palh BACK what
the state pald TO lllfnlHh equipments, etc,
to prlvates ana suspended ermont ;
claims as TO the rest rms balance the
state has been calling upon the govern
meut 10 pay Tor some time, and the re-
officials OF an indebtedness on the part OF
the state to the nlteu states OF over
hal1 hlilllon dollars was Il surprise TO
them All. ms alleged indebtedness Is
Tor arms ana equipments FURNISHED TO
Vermont by the war department III the
year lSd4, when an invasion OF the nlted
states was Threatened from the northern
frontier. ~ large number or cOhltder-
ates and confederate sympathiZers We're Ia
Canada ana were concerned IN the st.
Adams raid. Rumors of more formidable
INVASION We're llit. ana the state organized
Twelve hlllla regiments OF infantry, three
batteries ana !; companies OF cavalry;
lhe governor winch Office was then held
by D. GreIory smith, mad power by act OF
the l-tEl9lature 10 prliS the hillI'd INTO
camp lhele was no HulhoIItS nor
means Tor armnG TINS militia, ana they
We're needeIHt OF re ID protect the ifohllef.
Governor smith, III company with Gen
eru i1Jklh- Went 10 secretary OF war
stanton 10 see II the Onlltu states WOULD
not equip ne militia secretary stanton
was Wen aware OF the dahGer thfta'ent"
from ,alladt' ana hdd peeh ANXIOUS 10
nave the EQIcrHlheuJ sehu troops 10 the
frontier Inc necessary number. now
ever, could not be spared from the army,
and MIR. stanton wished To arm ana equip
the Vermont lnllltld luf the purpose.
Inc only law Whlch aulAotlHeu such ac-
ton was the oId law Oh INuN Nhlcn appro-
prlated an annual sum OF a@uQ,oop Tor arm
ing the entire mliIlla oil the hlttd states,
the arms so bought to be distributed 10
the several states IN proportion 10 the
number OF effective mllltia III tach. 10y
his construction ol TINS law secretary
stanton, on rtqusSltl0na approved nNHoN;
Smith, furnished to the State 1000 rtled
muekets, 1900 horse equipments, SIX gun
batteries of Napoleon guns complete, 400
pistols, 100000 cartridges aud numerous
other equipments OF the money value IN