C. Goudy to Richard Yates

Taylorville, Ill. Dec 30, 1864

His Excelly

Gov Yates -

Dear Sir

In one of your

Chicago speeches last summer you

uttered the noble sentiment "that it was

the private soldier that commanded

your special care and notice and

not the officers who are blazoned forth

on every page" -

I write to make a sug

gestion if it has not already received

your attention - It is that - every private

as well as commifsioned officer shall ap

pear in the Adj Genls Report and be

printed and bound in Book form to

go down to posterity - Let Every soldier

from Illinois, no matter what his po

sition in rank together with the County

from which he enlisted - whether he

died, was wounded, honorably discharged or

deserted. It is due to those who so nobly

rallied around the flag - that they have

a line in the Adj Genls Report - Let the

deserter go on record as such -

that he may get his reward from posterity.

The Board of Education met in

Bloomington 14th inst - probed things to their

bottom - got a clear title to Lands of the

University - paid off (by this time) all claims

against the Institution Except three. These,

it is true, are somewhat large, yet the

thing is simplified and looks tangible -

I hope you will give it the influence

of your fostering care and recommend

the Legislature to pay the remaining claims

and thereby serve a noble Institution

that is the head and front of our Com

mon School system - and accomplish

ing so much good - I know you

to be personally a warm friend

and supporter of it -

The $65,000

appropriation was all substantially paid

out for the benefit of the Institution -

I was on the investigating committee - The

Debt of the Institution was greater than was

supposed at that time - I believe all is

now known - and only three claims re

main unpaid as above stated -

Truly Your friend

C. Goudy

Goudy C

Taylorville Dec. 30th 64

Suggests that Privates names

be recorded in the next

report of Adjt Gen'l

The Board of Education

met at Bloomington

and got a clear title to

Lands of University and

paid off all claims

against it except three.

Hopes you will give it your

fostering care & get the

Legislature to appropriate

for its indebtedness. -

Have the Registry law

adopted - & the law requiring

Tickets to be numbered repealed -