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The Committee are under a deep sense of obligation for the kind assistance you have given them.
I am, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, S. DRAPER, . Chairman Ex-Com.
Of record : P. M. WETMORE, Secretary Er-Com.
272
PAYMENT OF VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS ENGAGED BY THE UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE
CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT
STATE OF NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, ALBANY, October 25, 1861.
SIMEON DRAPER,
Chairman of the Union Defence Committee of New York City.
SIR :- I am directed by Governor Morgan to submit herewith a letter received by him from Col. Riley of the (49th) Mozart Regi- ment. You will have observed that by a recent general order (77. from the War Department, the Paymaster General of the U. S. A has been ordered to arrange for the payment of volunteers, when organized and accepted by the Governors of the several States, without regard to the date of mustering into the service of the United States, provided payment has not been made by the respec- tive States, for which the Government will be eventually liable.
I am directed to ask you if anything was paid the Volunteer Company, the Mozart Regiment, by the Union Defence Committee, previous to their being mustered into the United States service, that you will inform the Governor of the amount.
It is presumed that the acceptance of Volunteer organizations by the Union Defence Committee will not be regarded by the War Department as an acceptance by the Governor; and whether the Governor can or ought now to accept of the date at which the Mozart Regiment was accepted by the Union Defence Committee is a point which it may be quite important to settle. Will you have the goodness, therefore, to advise the Governor from what date the Mozart Regiment should be paid.
I am, with much respect, yours, etc., L. L. DOTY, Private Secretary.
P. S .- Will you have the kindness to return the inclosed letter of Col. Riley after reading it ?
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK, OFFICE, 30 PINE STREET, NEW YORK, October 29, 1881.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
SIR :- I am instructed to acknowledge the letter of 25th ultimo, addressed to the Chairman of the Union Defence Committee by the Private Secretary of your Excellency, covering communication
273
from Col. Edward J. Riley, commanding 40th Regiment N. Y. S. Volunteers.
In reply to your inquiries, I have to state that no payment has ever been made by the Union Defence Committee to the individual volunteers comprising the Mozart Regiment. It was accepted by the Committee on the 25th of May, as one of the regiments author- ized to be raised by the order of the War Department, of the 15th of that month, and the advances made to it, amounting to about sixty-seven thousand dollars, were for its equipment and outfit.
The Committee have no means of determining what view will be taken by the War Department in regard to the acceptance as affect- ing the action of the State authorities. But justice to the volun- teers, mustered into the service of the United States, would seem to call for such action on the part of the Governor, not inconsistent with provisions of law, as would place all State regiments now in the field upon an equality of rights and privileges.
The pay to these volunteers must necessarily come from the United States, and as the Secretary of War was acquainted with the date of acceptance, the Governor is protected against any wrong. The approval of the Governor at the period of acceptance, so far as the Committee can judge, involves no responsibility on the part of the State, and is simply a precedent action necessary to obtain for the volunteers the pay which they have earned, and which the Government is ready and desirous to give.
The letter of Colonel Riley is returned, as requested.
Very respectfully, For the Union Defence Committee, SIMEON DRAPER, Chairman Executive Committee.
Of Record,
P. M. WETMORE, Secretary Executive Committee.
His Excellency,
E. D. MORGAN, Governor, etc.
NEW YORK, April 30, 1862.
CONDENSED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES BY UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE EX CITY FUND.
NATURE OF AID FURNISHED.
REGIMENTS, ETC., ASSISTED.
Arms, Ammunition, Tents, Wagons, etc.
Rations and Medical Stores.
Clothing, Outfit, and Equipments.
2d Militia-Col. Tompkins ..
$1,840 00
$574 56
$27,210 13
$29,634 19
5th
" Schwarzwaelder.
6th
-
Pinckney.
3,104 00
.
.
4,458 00
7th
Lefferts .
4,458 00
... ...
14,200 00
14,200 63
8th
Lyons . ..
473 58
33,245 77
33,719 55
12th
Butterfield.
4.341 44
4.341 44
55th
Le Gal ...
.
...
25,518 83
25,518 83
69th
Corcoran
10,417 00
10,417 00
71st
Martin ..
2,265 00
410 00
25,665 71
28,340 71
1st Volunteers-Col. Allen .
4th
" Taylor.
16 00
3,987 16
4,003 16
5th
-
Duryee ..
9,469 55
180 88
1,053 42
1,234 30
6th
=
Wilson. .
606 00
5,652 00
6,258 00
8th
Blenker.
5,196 25
7,820 00
7,820 00
9th
"
McChesney ..
. .. ... .
11,726 00
16,096 98
11th
-
-
Ellsworth.
4,370 98
246 40
4,247 69
4,494 09
15th
Murphy . . .
·
17th
=
Lansing .. .
1,248 00
4,438 00
5,686 00
25th
" Kerrigan.
2,782 94
500 00
3,232 94
31st
Pratt ..
...
500 00
3,905 48
4,405 48
.
.
.
.
·
.
.
·
. .
.
.
.
·
..
.. .
·
7th
Bendix.
32,731 00
37,927 54
. ..
.
...
11,623 04
11,623 04
10th
2,851 58
20th
"
Weber ..
.
·
·
.
14,383 33
14.353 83
79th
Elliott ..
4,500 00
4,500 00
27,954 56
13,485 01
9,575 19
9,575 19
3,310 00
6,414 00
Stiles ..
274
.
TOTAL AMOUNTS.
2,851 58
Hawkins.
·
-
32d Volunteers-Col. Matheson
36th -
" Jonis ..
4,488 77 500 00
1,302 00 4,488 77 500 00
37th .
McC'unn. .
.
..
..
5,099 42
5,099 42
38th
Ward ..
. .
4,486 50
7,527 63
40,126 61
53,140 74
18,740 70
16,323 79
52,486 49
87,550 98
1,650 00
8,243 22
35,648 30
45,5-11 52.
7,850 71
7,452 40
41,099 84
56,402 95
42d
Kennedy.
2,544 90
2,544 90
4,290 20
5,952 30
10,242 50
70th
Sickles.
2,500 00
2,500 00
New York Legion-Col. Curtis ..
6,000 00
6,000 00
Eleventh Regiment-Maidhof.
4,000 00
4,000 00
Empire City Regiment-Shehan .
1,500 00
1,500 00
British Volunteers-Saunders .
500 00
500 00
Irish Cavalry Regiment -- Clark .
60 009
2,719 50
German Artillery-Lichtenstein
..
350 00
350 00
Second Artillery Brigade.
1,578 00
1,578 00
Polish Legion-Allen . ..
500 00
500 00
Second Regiment Advance Guard-Olmstead.
·
500 00
500 00
Second German Advance Guard-Metternich.
500 00
500 00
New York's Own-Ming ..
100 00
100 00
Imperial Zouaves-Merritt
403 00
. .
...
300 00
300 00
Military Supplies (Sundries)
· . . ..
$64.446 19
$52,473 10
8489,466 23
$006,405 52
Arms and Munitions of War not comprised above.
61 00
Sundry expenses of Comptroller ..
769,423 31
Aid to families of Volunteers.
230,350 00
Total expenditures ..
226 69
Balance in City Treasury ...
Total appropriation by the City of New York ..
.$1,000,000 00
..
. .
..
..
. .
·
...
.
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
. .
..... ...
.
..
·
..
..
..
.
...
.
..
...
....
. .
........
·
.
. ..
.
403 00
Lincoln Cavalry ..
.
1,303 00
...
39th
D'Utassy.
40th
Riley
41st
Von Gilsa.
62d
Riker. .
.
. .
162.956 79
Total in aid of Regiments of Militia and Volunteers.
999,773 31
. .
2,219 50
275
276
PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
STATED SESSION, JANUARY 17, 1866
PREAMBLES AND RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, ou the breaking out of the Rebellion, in 1861, the Com- mon Council, with the approval of our patriotic citizens, incurred liabilities to the extent of one million dollars, which were disbursed, through the Union Defence Committee, in moving forward troops from the city to the seat of war, supplying them with arms and am- munition, thus making them at once available to the United States Government ; and
WHEREAS, only a small portion of the said amount has been re- paid by the United States ; therefore be it
Resolved, That the members of Congress from this city be, and they are hereby, requested to urge the payment by the United States Government of the balance unpaid of the amount expended in the years 1861 and 1862 through the Union Defence Committee in fur- nishing United States troops with arms and ammunition, including all the expenditures connected therewith.
Adopted by the Board of Aldermen, January 17, 1866.
Adopted by the Board of Councilmen, January 18, 1866.
Approved by the Mayor, January 22, 1866.
-- Extract from the proceedings of the Board of Aldermen, page 146. 1866.
STATED SESSION, MARCH 14TH, 1867.
PREAMBLES AND RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, On the 22d of January, 1866, a resolution was ap- proved by his Honor the Mayor, requesting the members of Con- gress from this city to urge the payment by the United States Government of the balance due and unpaid of the amount expended in the years 1861 and 1862 by this city, through the Union Defence Committee, in furnishing the United States troops with arms and ammunition, etc .; and
WHEREAS, The representatives from this city in the Thirty-ninth Congress have failed to effect a settlement of the claim of the city upon the General Government, amounting to about eight hundred thousand dollars, as requested by the resolution above referred to, and
277
as it is desirable that steps should be immediately taken to cause the above amount so expended to be refunded to the city, be it therefore
Resolved, That a Special Committee of five members of this Board be appointed to proceed to the Capital, and to urge upon the proper officials of the United States Government the necessity and propriety of settling the claim of the City of New York, being for moneys vol- untarily tendered at a time when such pecuniary aid was of the first importance to the General Government, and upon the promise then given, or at least implied, that such money would be, at some future time, refunded to the City of New York, the expense attending the journey to and from Washington City, and all other incidental ex- penses, to be borne and paid by such Special Committee.
Which was adopted.
-Extract from Proceedings of the Board of Aldermen, page 361. 1867.
REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES
THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE appointed pursuant to the following preamble and resolution, adopted by your honorable body March 14, 1867, viz. :
" WHEREAS, On the 22d of January, 1866, a resolution was ap- proved by his honor the Mayor, requesting the members of Congress from the city to urge the payment by the United States Government of the balance due and unpaid of the amount expended in the years 1861 and 1862, by the city, through the Union Defence Committee, in furnishing the United States troops with arms, ammunition, etc .; and
"WHEREAS, The representatives from the city in the Thirty-ninth Congress have failed to effect a settlement of the claim of the city upon the General Government, amounting to about eight hundred thousand dollars, as requested by the resolution above referred to ; and as it is desirable that steps should be immediately taken to cause the above amount so expended. to be refunded to the city; be it therefore
" Resolved, That a Special Committee of five members of this Board be appointed to proceed to the Capital, and to urge upon the proper officials of the United States Government the necessity and propriety of settling the claim of the City of New York, being for moneys voluntarily tendered at a time when such pecuniary aid was of the first importance to the General Government, and upon the promise then given, or at least implied, that such moneys would be,
278
at some future time, refunded to the City of New York; the expense attending the journey to and from Washington City, and all other incidental expenses, to be borne and paid by such Special Commit- tee ;" respectfully
:
REPORT
That, in obedience to the directions contained in the above reso- lution, your Committee, having perfected all the preliminaries for their journey and having obtained from the Comptroller a statement showing the indebtedness of the General Government to this city for moneys expended through the " Union Defence Committee," in the years 1861 and 1862, in furnishing United States troops with arms and other equipments, took their departure for Washington City on the afternoon of Tuesday last, the 20th instant, and arrived at their destination the following day.
Entertaining the belief that courtesy demanded that they should first communicate with the Representatives in Congress from this city, acquaint them with the object of their visit, and secure their co-operation in the effort to effect a settlement of the claim, they vis- ited the House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon, and were received in the most friendly and agreeable manner by the members from this city, who appeared to vie with each other in extending to your Committee every consideration.
After consultation, it was determined to wait upon the honorable Secretary of the Treasury first, and endeavor, if possible, to effect a settlement of the city's claim, or a recognition of its justness ; or, failing in that, then in the hope of receiving from the honorable gentleman at the head of that department such information as would be likely to lead to the desired adjustment. The Hon. Fernando Wood kindly offered his services to your Committee, and through his good offices an interview was obtained with Secretary McCulloch. The chairman of your Committee explained the nature of the business intrusted to the Committee, and that they were authorized, on be- half of the corporation of the City of New York to demand payment of the amount of $892,000, which was advanced to and expended by the " Union Defence Committee" of the City of New York, in equip- ping regiments of United States volunteers during the years 1861 and 1862.
The honorable Secretary, in reply, stated to your Committee that he believed the claim to be a just one, and regretted his inability, in the absence of any special act of Congress, to liquidate it, stating at the same time that all claims of a like character heretofore settled
279
were in accordance with special acts enabling him to do so. He had no discretion whatever in the case, but suggested that in all proba- bility the War Department would take cognizance of it and effect an equitable adjustment.
Your Committee, after returning their acknowledgments to the honorable Secretary for his kindness in according them an inter- view, and for the friendly interest he manifested in the case as pre- sented by them, withdrew, and sought an interview with Secretary Stanton, of the War Department, which was readily obtained, again through the kind offices of the Hon. Fernando Wood.
After patiently and attentively listening to the statements and explanations of your Committee, the honorable Secretary of War very candidly admitted the claim to be an equitable one against the United States Government; spoke in the highest terms of the ser- vices rendered and sacrifices made by the City of New York in assist- ing to suppress the late Rebellion ; and frankly admitted that the regiments forwarded from this city in times of the greatest peril had more than once, under Providence, been the means of saving the National Capital. He spoke in the most eulogistic terms of the im- portant services rendered by regiments from this city, and regretted his inability to do the city justice by immediately liquidating its claim for expenses thus incurred in behalf of the General Govern- ment, stating that in the absence of the necessary authority from Congress, it was not competent for any department of the Govern- ment to take cognizance of the claim. He furthermore advised your Committee to request one of the city's representatives to intro- duce a resolution for the appointment of a special commission by Congress to audit the claim, promising them that he would extend every facility in his power tending to a settlement of it by such com- mission.
Your Committee, after making their acknowledgments to the honorable Secretary for his kindness, and the apparent interest he manifested in furtherance of the object of their mission to the Cap- ital, withdrew.
It is evident that the only mode by which the city can be reim- bursed the amount claimed from the General Government is the one pointed out by the Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War; your Committee so informed the members of Congress from this city at a subsequent interview, and received from them a positive assurance that the interest of this city in this regard would be carefully attended to, and that the necessary steps would be immediately taken, solely with that object in view.
280
At an interview with the representatives of the city in Congress, on Friday last, and previous to the departure of your Committee for their homes, it was definitely settled that the advice of the Honora- ble Secretary Stanton should be implicitly followed, and the resolu- tion providing for the appointment of the special commission would be introduced into the House of Representatives by one of our city members at an early day.
The marked attention with which the representations of your Committee were received, as well by the members of Congress as by the heads of the Treasury and War Departments, and the manifest desire of all to acknowledge the invaluable services rendered by this city to the General Government, at a time in the history of the late struggle when such assistance was of peculiar value, was re- ceived as an earnest of the desire to do New York simple justice by refunding, without any further unnecessary delay, the moneys then advanced in aid of the defenders of the Union, who were sent from this city for the protection of the then imperilled Capital of the Na- tion.
Your Committee cannot close this report of the journey to the National Capital without testifying the deep sense they entertain of the many obligations they are under to the representatives from this city in Congress for the many acts of kindness and courtesy ex- tended to them, the deep solicitude expressed for the success of their application on behalf of the city, and for the unbounded hos- pitality of which they were the recipients during their sojourn at Washington. The reception accorded to your Committee by the honorable the Secretary of the Treasury and the War Departments was in the highest degree cordial and friendly ; and our only regret proceeds from a consciousness of our total inability to reciprocate the many acts of kindness extended to your Committee by all parties with whom they have been brought into official relations while en- dearoring to perform the duty intrusted to them by this Board. The civilities and attentions extended to them, they feel, were evi- dences of consideration intended to mark their character as repre- sentatives of the people of the city of New York, and were none the less gratifying on that account. On behalf of the people of the city, therefore, they hereby take occasion to acknowledge them, and to return their thanks for the many favors received ; particular men- tion, in this connection, being made of the Hon. Hugh McCulloch, Secretary of the Treasury, the Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, and the Representatives in Congress from this city, individ- nally and collectively.
281
Inasmuch as Congress will, in all probability, adjourn at an early day, and before final action can be taken on the resolution for the appointment of the commission to andit the claim of this city upon the General Government, your Committee are of opinion that it would be advisable to continue the Committee until the reassembling of Congress, when their presence may be necessary in Washington, while the Commission shall have the aforesaid claim under consid- eration, and preparatory to its adjustment. Accordingly, they respectfully ask to submit the report of the progress they have made in furtherance of the object for which they were appointed, and to be continued in existence until it can be ascertained, at the reassem- bling of Congress, if they cannot be of further and greater service in assisting to arrange finally an equitable adjustment of the claim of the city for the reimbursement of moneys advanced to the General Government as indicated to the preamble and resolution under which they were appointed.
CHARLES E. LOEW, JOHN HARDY, THOMAS COMAN, ROBERT MCGINNIS, JAMES E. COULTER, J
Special Committec.
Alderman McQuade moved that the report be accepted and the recommendation adopted.
Alderman Norton moved to add to the motion the words "and that the Committee be continued as a committee of five of each branch of the Common Council," which amendment was accepted. The motion of Alderman McQuade, as amended, was then adopted. And the same was directed to be sent to the Board of Councilmen for concurrence,
-Extract from the Proceedings of the Board of Aldermen, page. 401. 1867.
STATED SESSION, FEBRUARY 1, 1869 PREAMBLES AND RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, On the twenty-second of January, 1866, a resolution was approved by his Honor the Mayor, requesting the members of Congress from this city to urge the payment by the United States Government of the balance due and unpaid of the amount expended in the years 1861 and 1862 by this city, through the Union Defence Committee, in furnishing the United States troops with arms, ammunition, etc. ; and,
232
WHEREAS, the representatives from this city in Congress have failed to effect a settlement of the claim of this city upon the gen- cral government, amounting to about eight hundred thousand dollars, as requested by the resolution above referred to; and as it is desirable that steps should be immediately taken to cause the above amount so expended to be refunded to the city ; be it, there- fore,
Resolved, That a special committee of five members of each branch of the Common Council be appointed to proceed to the Capital, and to urge upon the proper officials of the United States Government the necessity and propriety of settling the claim of the City of New York, being for moneys voluntarily tendered at a time when such pecuniary aid was of the first importance to the General Government, and upon the promise then given, or at least implied, that such money would be at some future time refunded to the City of New York, the expense attending the journey to and from Washington City, and all other incidental expenses, to be paid by the Comptroller, on presentation of the proper vouchers, signed by a majority of the special committee
Adopted by the Board of Aldermen, February 1, 1869, and Aldermen Coulter, Miller, Hardy, McGrath and McQuade appointed such special committee on the part of this Board.
Adopted by the Board of Assistant Aldermen, February 11, 1869, and Assistant Aldermen Gibney, Pettit, Cregier, Culkin, and Hill appointed such special committee on the part of this Board.
Approved by the Mayor, February 12, 1869.
STATED SESSION, FEBRUARY 5, 1876 PREAMBLES AND RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, It is universally conceded that, next to the improve- ments of navigation at Hell Gate, in the East River, the most im- portant work in the interest not only of this city but of the entire country, is the opening of the Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek to the commerce of the country-it may be said of the world -and as General Newton, the government engineer now in charge of the former work, has recently presented an elaborate and exhaust- ive report on the latter, in which he estimates the cost of the work to be about $1,000,000, and strongly recommended the Congress of the United States to appropriate that amount, and authorize this great facility to be added to the great natural advantages vouchsafed to
283
this city in the formation of this island, it is the imperative duty of the corporate authorities to second the effort of General Newton, in behalf of this great enterprise, which is, when completed, certain to add materially to the commercial facilities of the port, both domestic and foreign ; and
WHEREAS, The general government is indebted to this city in the sum of one million of dollars, with interest thereon from May, 1861, advanced by the Corporation and expended through the agency of the Union Defence Committee of our citizens in organizing, arming, equipping, and transmitting one or more regiments of its citizen soldiers, who volunteered to assist in saving the then im- perilled capital of the nation. No part of this money has ever been refunded, and although other cities and States have been reim- bursed for moneys similarly expended, New York City has never yet received that measure of justice at the hands of the general govern- ment. This money could be advantageously used in the prosecu- tion of the works in question, and the city should relinquish all claim for its payment if applied to the purposes indicated ; be it therefore
Resolved, That the representatives in Congress from this city be and they are hereby respectfully requested to take such measures as they may consider best calculated to prevail upon the general government to undertake and complete the work of improving the navigation of Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek, so as to admit of the passage of vessels of heavy tonnage; and that the representatives in Congress from all the other parts of this State be and they are hereby respectfully and earnestly requested to co-oper- ate in the effort to secure to the commerce of the country this great and much needed facility of communication between the North and East Rivers and Long Island Sound; it being understood that this city will, in the event of the success of the measure, relinquish all claims against the government for the moneys advanced at the ont- break of the late war, and now amounting to nearly two millions of dollars ; and be it further
Resolved, That a certified copy of the foregoing preamble and resolution be addressed by the Clerk of the Common Council to each of the representatives in Congress from the State of New York.
Adopted by the Board of Aldermen, February 3, 1876. Approved by the Mayor, February 5, 1876.
These resolutions were introduced into the House of Represent- atives by the Hon. Mr. Lapham, M. C., from New York, on March 30, 1876, and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
19
284
RENEWAL OF THE CITY CLAIM
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MAYOR AND COMPTROLLER
MAYOR'S OFFICE, February 18, 1885. JOHN AUSTIN STEVENS, EsQ.
DEAR SIR :- Mr. F. J. Twomey, Clerk of the Board of Aldermen, has handed me a postal card from you asking for the correspondence between Mayor Grace and Comptroller Loew upon the subject of the moneys advanced by the City of New York in 1861 to the Union Defence Committee.
In accordance with your request to Mr. Twomey I send you a copy of the correspondence.
Mayor Grace desires me to inquire when your book will be pub- lished, and, if it is not to be ready soon, whether you will not be good enough to give him such information upon the subject as you may have at hand conveniently.
Yours respectfully, RICHARD J. MORRISSON, Secretary.
MAYOR'S OFFICE, NEW YORK, February 12, 1835.
HON. EDWARD V. LOEW, Comptroller.
DEAR SIR :- On the 22d of April, 1861, the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York, in Common Council con- vened, adopted an ordinance appropriating one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the purpose of procuring the necessary equipments and outfits of the soldiers who enlisted in the service of the State under a requisition of the President of the United States, and for the aid and support of their families.
This sum was disbursed by the " Union Defence Committee of the City of New York," which consisted of the Mayor and other officials and a number of prominent citizens.
The General Government, of this sum, repaid:
On October 19, 1861 $66,793 25
On May 12, 1862. 40,215 50
Leaving a balance due $892,991 25 which with accumulations of interest will make a large sum which should be restored to the City Treasury.
285
I am informed that the Board of Aldermen in 1866 and again in 1869 memorialized Congress with a view to legislation on the subject .*
I desire to be put in possession of all the facts in possession of your department, to the end that I may recommend to the Board of Alder- men such appropriate action as may be advisable to secure repayment of the balance due to the city.
The Government has reimbursed all advances, I believe, to the several State governments, and may do so in this instance with a municipal government.
Yours respectfully, (Signed, )
W. R. GRACE, Mayor.
CITY OF NEW YORK, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, February 13, 1885.
HON. WILLIAM R. GRACE, Mayor.
DEAR SIR :
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communi- cation of the 12th instant, relative to the sum of $1,000,000 (one million dollars), raised by the Corporation of the City of New York under an Ordinance of the Common Council, passed on the 22d day of April, 1861, for the purpose of securing the necessary equipment and outfit for soldiers who enlisted in the service of the State, under a Requisition of the President of the United States, and for the aid and support of their families, which sum of money was disbursed by the Union Defence Committee of the City of New York, which con- sisted of the following officials :
The Mayor of the City of New York, The Comptroller of the City of New York, The President of the Board of Aldermen, The President of the Board of Councilmen,
and many prominent citizens.
You ask me to furnish you with all the facts in possession of the Finance Department, in order that you may recommend to the Board of Aldermen such appropriate action as may be advisable to secure repayment from the General Government of the amount due the City for disbursements by the said Union Defence Committee.
The books of this Department show that "Union Defence Bonds of the City of New York" were issued for the sum of
* The Proceedings of the Board of Aldermen and the Report of the Com- mittee precede this Correspondence.
.
286
$1,000,000 (one million dollars), from April 30 to October 26, 1861, which was paid as required in various amounts to the Treasurer of the Union Defence Committee.
The account between the City and the Union Defence Commit- tee also shows that the City was reimbursed the sum of $104, 429.79 by the United States as follows :
Amount of warrant No. 3,596 on the Treasurer of the United States, received from F. E. Spinner, Treasurer, for Bill of Arms furnished to the Government through the Union Defence Committee as per letter of E. B. French, Second Auditor ... Amount received from the United States Government
$66,793 25
for goods sold to John C. Fremont by the Union Defence Committee ... 840,215 58
Less Commissions and Expenses. 2,578 96
37,636 54
$104,429 79
Leaving a balance of $895,570.21 advanced by the City to the Union Defence Committee.
These accounts comprise all the official records relating to the subject in possession of the Finance Department.
For further information I respectfully refer you to Document No. 18, Board of Aldermen, September 9th, 1861, containing Reports and Documents of the Union Defence Committee of the Citizens of New York, in which will be found copies of the Ordinance of the Common Council appropriating the sum of $1,000,000 (one million dollars) for the purpose above-named, the names of the Union De- fence Committee and its officers, their proceedings and detailed statements of the amounts and objects of their expenditures.
I am informed that the Committee intended making another final report, but have no knowledge of any subsequent action.
I am also informed that John Austin Stevens, Esq., has recently collected all the papers of the Committee he could find, and has compiled them in a volume now in press, to be published shortly. Yours very respectfully,
(Signed,)
EDWARD V. LOEW, Comptroller.
201.601
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