Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-10-13
TIFF. ADJUSTED WAR CLAIMS.


The history of the claim of the y S war
department against the State of Vermont |
which has at last been wiped off from the
books. dates back TO the St Adams raid
in October. 1864. Tha: incur.ion of a
party of Confederate gucrllaS; the plum
derng of the St Adams banks Of their
currency to The amount of $4,000 at
tennis to fire the village. and the shoot
ing of citizens on the streets. created
great alarm. not only in this quarter but
AT Washington. The revelation of the
fact that Canadian cities could be made
the base of attacks upon our northern
frontier and the unprotected condition or
the frontier called for measures of dc
fence not before supposed to be needed.
Governor John Gregory Smith was called
to Washington, where he was asked by
President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton
to orga nize the Vermont militia for ser
vice. The men were here. many of whom
had served in the Union army; but there
were no arms. This lack Secretary
stanton agreed to supply. division of
three brigadcs Of four regiments each, and
three light batteries were organized, and
the arms and munitions for them were
supplied by the general government un-
der its war powers and an old statute
dating back to 1905. authorizing the dis
tributon of arms to the militia of the
several states. The war ended. Mont
real ceased to be a nest Of southern reb-
els; the militia were reduced gradually
to single brigade and then to a single
regiment ana most of the arms lay stored
IN the state armory.
In tho course of time it was learned
that the arms had not been furnished by
the government as II issues arms to tho
United States army; but that the value
Of thcm. at the high prices prevailing
when they we're issued when gold was Al
a premium of 40 per cent, had been
charged to the State OF Vermont, the
amount so charged on the books OF the
United states ordnance department being
over half million dollars, H543, 800. The
general government did not attempt to
collect the amount OF this bill in money.
but the charge remained on the books
and was used as an offset to any future
credits OF Vermonts share of arms dis
| tributed to the militia OF the several
States. and to any claims of the State
against the government The State, how
ever did not acknowledge the justice Of
the charge. or the existence OF any
equitable offset. the arms were not re-
| ccived upon any understanding that they
were 70 be charged TO the State, nor was
there any reason to suppose that Presl-
dent Lincoln and Mr.. stanton intended
that they should be 50 charged, and the
arms were considered to be the property
of the State.
In 1870 muskots were in demand in the
markets, The Franco Prussian war was
beginning and might involve all Europe;
hostilties were on foot in Cuba and
South America, and the Fcnians were
arming for another invasion of Canada.
Breech -loading rifles were displacne tho
old rtlcd muskets in the United States
| army and in the National Guards of
some of the States and several States as
well as the general government had rined
muskets to sell, and did sell hundreds OF
thousands of them to the New York
dealers, who were supplying the foreign
and home demand. The question arose
whether Vermont ought not to improve
the opportunity to dispose of it's surplus
Its right to do was not doubted for
the government had never called for the
return of any OF the muskcts, and there
was no United States law under which tn ,
state could receive credit for them Il re-
turned They were deterorating i'll cen
diton and in value; and Governor Stewart
and QuarterMaster General Pitkin con-
sdered that they were doing a good thing
for the State when they accepted offers
from some New York dealers, ana sold to
them the surplus muskets and equip.
ments. for sl43 600, and turned the money
into the state treasury.
After the close OF the Civil war the
general government reimbursed the States
for the sums expended by them in en-,
listing, clothing and equipping troops for
the Inion army, and between four and
five million dollars were repaid 10 Yer
mont for such of her war expenses AS
were paid from the state treasury, though
the sums paid by the towns. to an equa
amount in enltsting troops, were never