Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-05-25
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
Senators and Representatives:

ioE Of the Legislature, to meet a sudder
emergency, an act was passed author
izing me to respond to the call of the
President of the United States, fol
''aid in maintaining the Union and the
supremacy of the laws, or to suppress
rebellion or insurrection, Or repel inva
sion within the United States,' and I
was authorized, and it was my duty, tc
take such measures as in my judgment
should provide in the speediest and
most efficient manner, for responding
to such call and to this end was author.
lied to accept the services of volun
teers for active service, to be enrolled
in companies not less than seventy-five
men each. [ was also authorized to
provide for uniforming and equipping
such companies as were not provided
with uniforms and equipments.
The first call of the President for i'm
mediate active service, was for one
Regiment of men.
My proclamation, issued immediate
ly after the passage Of the act Of the
Legislature, was answered within less
than ten days, by companies enough,
each containing the requisite number
of men, to make up at least five regi-
ments instead of one. | tEon issued
another proclamation, announcing the
offers that had been made, and advis-
ing hereafter companies might be en-
rolled to stand as minute men, ready to
answer further calls, as they might be
made, but without expense to the State,
except as they were mustered into ser
vice. In less than one month from the
date of my first proclamation, at least
five thousand men, either as individu-
ais or in enrolled companies, have off
cred their services for the war, and all
appear anxious for active service in the
field.
In providing for the regiment, embar-
rassments have resulted from the fact
there has never been an efficient mill
tary organization in this State-no sys-
tenn or dicipline. The men who have
had active field service were very few,
or were almost entirely unknown; and
the order and manner of equipping and
uniforming and arming officers and sol
diers for rugged war were mysterious,
the solution of which could onl y be
found by actual experiment.
So the expenses incurred III prepar-
inc the first regiment have been great
er to some extent than they otherwise
would have been, or than they will
hereafter will be.
The spirit evoked by rebellion
against the government of the United
States is such as has never before been
manifested since its organization. The
people understand that it is their gov
ernment that is assailed and every
where throughout the North they are
rising UP to rebuke the treason so rife
in some portions of the land.
The deepening and widening dan
gers that threaten our institutions, and
the pressure Of public opinion from all
parts of the state, with the growing
certainty that further calls would be
made upon this state, forced me 10 form
another camp, and to bring together
another regiment of men, and to author
ize a number of isolated companies
which had volunteered, to remain to-
gether, and to learn SO far as was pos
sible without suitable arms, the dlscl-
pline and drilling necessary for men
going into actual war.
1t is matter of public necessity and
safety not only for the State but for the
Government that an outlet be found
for the spirit that is abroad among the
liberty loving people of the land -
That spirit is driving them to action,
and if the Government does not or Will
not permit them to act for it, they will
act for themselves. 1t is better that
the State of Federal Government
should direct this current than to sui
fer it to run widely. There is NOR
al element and reasoning element IN
this uprising than cannot be controlled
in the ordinary manner. There is a
conviction of great wrongs to be re-
dressed, and that the Government,
which is in danger, is to be preserved
by the willing hearts and strong hands
of those to whom it belongs.
This current of popular feeling must
be directed and controlled, or there
will come of it something more than q
war to put down rebellion it will be-
come war between Border States
and in such war, for the time be
ing, the Government might be LOST
sight Of If it was absolutely certain
that the seventy three thousand troops
first called, would wipe out the rebel
ion in three weeks from today, it would
still be the policy of the Government
and for its best interests, in view O
what ought to be the future of this
great Nation, to call into thl d, a: