The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-05-16
MESSAGE OF GOV. BLAIR,
Delivered to the Legislature, at Lansing
Tuesday, May r.

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Delivered to the Legislature, at Lansing
Tuesday, May Z.
Felloao- Citizens of the Senate and
House Of Representatives Under the
authority vested in the Executive by
the Constitution of the State, l have
summoned You together in extra session
upon the most extraordinary occasion
which has had existence since the for
nation of the Federal Government.
African slavery, the great and only
disturbing element in our institutions,
after having ruled the country for six
ty years, and during that time driven
the free States from one humiliating
concession to another, until they had
fairly reached the wall, and from the
mere instinct Of selfpreservation re-
fused to go farther, has dropped the
mask and taken up arms. Grown
overbearing from its former successes,
and insolent through its long cherished
pride and disregard of the rights of
men, it now seeks to make its power
predominant over the whole country
by force. Having been beaten in an
election, it deliberately nullifes the
Constitution, defies the laws, confede-
rates in pretended form of govern
ment, raises armies, besieges, and takes
a fortress, marches boldly upon the
National Capitol to unseat the lawfully
elected President of the Republic, and
makes its final appeal to the arbitra-
t. 1.,ft
choice but to surrender our free gov
| ernment or fight for its preservation.
In that choice brave and loyal people
could not hesitate. The President oi
the United States, occupying the chair
tOf Washington, by the same right and
under the same solemn forms by which
the Father of his Country held it, has
accepted the issue. He has unfurled
!, the flag under which all our history has
been made, and summons the loyal sons
r of the heroic founders of the Govern
ment in order to defend it. He will
fight to maintain the Constitution and
r the Union, and the whole people of the
{ loyal States, with one voice have
affirmed the wisdom, the justice, an6
the patriotism of that determination.
In this sacred war, for it is nothing
less, the people of Michigan desire te
e do their whole duty, and it is for us
q their chosen representatives, to provide
i the means and lead the way.
e On the evening of the 18th Of Apri
last, / received a telegram from the
a War Department at Washington, tina
call was made upon me, as Com
mander-in-Chief, for one regiment O
: the militia of the State for immediat.
\ service. On the next day, however,
d was informed from the same source
e that if the quota of Michigan should
= = be ready by the goth of May, tha
would suffice. Immediately upon re
ceiving these dispatches, l issued my
proclamation to the people of the State
: for volunteers to form two regiments o
+ infantry, in pursuance of the law o
# your late session, authorizing the or
ganization of two regiments to NEE
such a call. That law had this strang'
omission, that while it provided fo
raising the regiments and paying th'
volunteers and officers at certain fxet
prices, it did not appropriate SO mucl
as one dollar to meet the expenses tt
be incurred by virtue of its provisions
1t, therefore, became necessary to seek
outside of the statutes, means to de
h fray the expenses of recruiting, arming
: equipping and uniforming the regiments
d This was done by an appeal to the pat
, riotic people of the State to advance
: the money as a temporary loan, trust
$ ing to the justice of the Legislature fo
! ! its prompt repayment. That resourc,
e was found amply sufficient, and / de
sire now, on behalf of the whole peopl,
: of the State, in this public manner t.
thank those public-spirtited gentlemen
who came forward with such prompt
: ness to aid me with their money ant
n their advice in that emergency. You
r gentleman of the two Houses, will tak'
care that no man suffers in the smalles
t degree in consequence of his generos
t ity in that respect. .e,-
q The people answered the call for vol
; untees with such enthusiasm and alac
; ; rity as will forever be an honor both t,
9 them and the government under which
d we live. In just nine days from th'
time when the call of the Presiden
e was received, the ten companies, com
) posing the first regiment, were full, ant
the officers commissioned, and in on,
day more the second regiment was il