Evening journal., 1889-04-19
GENERAL ksNNEYs REPLY

Morning News headed Money for Rifles"
is another step by the boodlers to force
money ont of the National Guard The
EXPOSURE in the EVENING JOURNAL of this
scheme few days ago discomftted these
gentlemen very much and they have
taken this mode of relieving themselves
by casting reflection upon the honesty
of General kenney's actions. Here in
Dover this falls with about the same
effect as drop of water in the ocean.
In order to obtain the generals position
in the matter, your correspondent called
upon him to-day and obtained the follow
ing interview:
General, what do you think Of the
article in the Morning News this morn
ing in relation to yourselfY"
u think the person who wrote it was
poorly advised and did not understand
the facts Of the governments appropria-
tion."
"The article is dated Dover. Do you
know anybody here who is opposed to
the militia and what are there reasons2"
They have no reasons, and their op-
position is based upon ignorance. Some
of the best friends the National Guard
has are some who fought it the most,
and when they learned the facts became
its friends. Most of the opposition is
prompted by jealousy
General, give the facts in relation to
the matter
LAS far back as 1908 Congress, finding
it necessary to maintain well organized
militia, made an appropriation Of
5000, 900 to be divided amongst the states
in proportion to their representation in
Congress, which law remained upon the
statute books until February /. 1887
Under that law Delaware received an
nually about 81 400. When the war
broke out there was to the credit Of the
state out of this appropriation a large
sum, which was used in arming and
equipping the volunteer soldier of this
state
after being mustered into the United
States Service and taking with them
these arms and equipments, they were
either mustered out at the expiration of
their turn of service or at the end Of the
war and these arms and equipments
turned into the general government,
where they remained. In 1877 the Leg
islature of Delaware being reminded Of
the fact that these arms and equipments
were properly the property of the state
and unlawfully turned into the general
thorizing and directing the then Attor-
ney- General Pennington to collect from
the War Department or general Govern
ment the monies due for these arms and
accoutrements and during that year he
turned into the Treasury of the
state $2S, ,961.76, which at simple
interest up to 1887 would make total
sum accruing from the fund of SAG 35l 81
The eneampments of 1887 and 1888 cost
of this fund a little less than SIG, 900,
which when deducted from the total
amount will leave yet at least $50, 900 in
the treasury Of this state of monies de-
rived from arms, ETC., furnished to the
state by the general government, every
dollar of which under the spirit and in
tent of the act of Congress belongs abso.
lutely and unquestionably to the militia.
Bet ween the close of the war and January
1887 there had accumulated to the credit
of state from this appropriation exclu
slve of the arms drawn in the meantime
little over $1S,0 600, and by an act Of the
General Assembly of 1885 the adiutant
general upon the approval of the gov
ernor, is authorized to sell either arms
condemned as useless or such as the sale
of which would be for the best interests
of the militia and the money derived
therefrom to be expended for the best in
terests of the National Guard. When
was appointed to Office the six com
panies then organized were found to be
without clothing, such as they had being
that which had been purchased by thu
men individually, having been worn an6
useless. Under the direction of the gov.
ernor / made contract with the state of
Pennsylvania for the sale of 1000 gun:
at $40 each, which were drawn from tn,
government on account Of Delaware, and
for which / received the checque of tn
treasurer of that state for $40, ,256. TIL
1856 being for arms chests Under tn
direction and by the approval of the gov
ernor this money saving about $500 ye
! in hand was expended for clothiRg an,
equipments, such as flags, etc, for the
thirteen companies of the National
, to the state still at Washington of about
So, 900 which was used up to within
So SO in armlng and equiping the thre
: new infantry companies organized il
: 1887. The arms drawn and sold t.
( Pennsylvania were charged to the &C
D count of the state at $12 so and not 81
as stated in the Morning News, thu
showing that there was loss to the ac
/ count of but 50. 20 per gun and not 81 al
{ the ignoramus in the Morning New
e would like to have it. There was in fac
{ no loss to the state for this fund wa
available in no other way.
by an act of February /, 1887, the ol
law appropriating 5000, 600 was repeale
t aud new act appropriating $500, ,0O
n passed in its stead. Under the new la
. no state could avail itself of this appr,
e priation unless such state kept regnlarl
q enlisted and uniformed at least 100 me
1 for each representative in the Congress
a of the United States The said law pr
"a vided that all stores issued to the reg
Q lar army might be issued to the state
but when so issued should still remai
II the property of the government and
!. accounted for annually by the adjutan
b general of the state in the same mann
and form as public property issued to Il
army is required to be accounted for
the time of passing said law Delawa
il would have failed to have received al
o portion of the $500, 900 for the reast
!, that she had less than 300 uniformed al
st enlisted men, but by the mastering
/" three new companies already referred
is and the troop at Wilmington. the for
s. was increased to a number above
r, which made the appropriation availab
M BY an executive order of the PresideI
L. Delaware's portion of the $400, 900 W
about 81, 700 annually, and that sum
1887 and 1883 was used in buyi
sr camp equipage as tents e.
which still kept the state short
such stores and the appropriation of Is
cleo mead l., ,,r,o5. ~.