, 1861-10-14
Missouri Convention III essase OF Gov,
11axQhte..6Hh1ufa4 RrQp0aeo.

LIE MEsourl CONVENTION, at 1T. Louis, got
faisly rnder headway laet Friday, when GOV.
Gamble ttanEmi itted the following message;
To the Generation Of The State Of 4fissouri:
In the exercise Of the po"er which you
have conferred upon me, I have called the
body to assemble ut this time, to consider and
adept such measures as the welfare Of the
State msy require.
Although there is no constitutional require
ment that should communicate to you my
views Of the condition Of the State, OF reco.1-
mend any measures for your adoption, yet
the reasons toT calling you together at this
tlMe.
You need not be informed by me that,
throughout the length and breadth Of the
State, there is ncT existing civil war that
threatens tho destruction Of all government,
and strikes at the very foundations ct society.
Iou are acquainted aiEeady With the situation
1f affairs in cnr State.
The obligations which rest upon the Chief
Executive to preserve order and peace in the
community, to enforce the laws, aud to sup
press, by force, all combinations against the
State, require that more efficient measures for
the organization Of the military power of the
State should be adopted than now exist. The
act Of 1859, which you revived at your last
session, and made the law for the organization
Of volunteer forces, is found, upon trial, to be
4 most inefficient Law in the present times,
It is therefore assigned, as one OF The prin-
cSpsl 1easoDs for calling the Convention, that
you should adopt q Military Law, mere simple
and mo1e efficient thnn that now existing.
Yon are aware IuEthar, tnat the treasury Of the
State is empty. The Treasurer reported to
ne on the 24:h Of September last that there
wss In the Treasury $21 ,422 73, which was
subject TO deduction for coupons paid BY the
Bark Ct the St<te On the old debt. the amount
CT which coupons he had adpotascertained. The
| whole Of the su1n thus reported in the Trea=-
ury is, in oil probability, already absorbed BY
| the payment OF the salaries Of civil officers.
| at tilis 1jnc the Sheritfs ia very many OF the
conntiee, are resigning their offices, in order to
avoid the duty Of collecting the taxes, which
! is supposed to be impracticable.
Under thtse circumstances, 1t Is app3ren1Y
| impossible to provide means made bY ex;st1ng
| laws, for the pigment Of the ordinary expen:
| see Of the government, and it is manifestly In
| possible to provide, by any system oftaxa.ton
1or the ext1aoroinsry expenses Of military
| force
That you might devise SOME scheme fo
raising money, which is ind;spenabIy neces
tsry to support troops, and to detray ordinar,
expenses, Was smother reason for calllog 80,
together.
believed by many, and the opinion has bee,
| exprefstd to me, that the election for State oi
fcers, ordered at your last session, to tax
| place On the first Monday Of November nex'
cannot be held, go as to obtain q fair eApressio
CT the public VIII. In the disturbed conditio
| Of the State, with many citizens absent 1roI
the State, with excitement existing thoughou
our whole limits, so that in some districts, eli
| izers entertaining one set Of opinions, Woul
not be permitted to vote, while II other SET
tions, those holding opposite opinions, woul
be denied the right Of suffrage; it is obVioasl
f | impossible to hare fair vote taken-
As concur in the opinions thus expressed
this question Of postponlng the election
submitted 10 Your consideration without an
: reasoning on my part, in favor OF the pos
Q | pouemGrt.
It is proper for ne, while calling your a
tention to this subject Of the election, to r
c mind you that when was chosen to fill n
e present position Of Provisional Governor,
, was choEeu to exercise the functions until Il
= | first Monday Of November; yet as the Wort
Of the ordinance are, q and until his succeset
shall be duly elected and qualified" !" the effe
l. Of q pcstponement Of the election will be
70 continue ne in cff1ce for longer period thE
;. was contemplated by the Convention when
Il was chosen, or by me, when I accepted Il
eMce- It is proper, therefore, that you shoal
e at this time, select O person to discharge t
- executive duties dgr'ug the prolonged peri
le In makjug such selection. you will rememb'
i that you have the whole State from which
make the choice, without confining yourself
to the members Of the Convention. It Is 4
necessary thAt remind you that the only D.
of safe choice is the good Of the peop
Hithont regard to personal predictions
Psrty relations. The motto on our St!
arms, Salus popa.fi s7tp7e1na ie1 esto, furnish
r. a safe guide IN all our public action
N There are ether matters, upon which ta'
*, Is desire among the people that you shol
~ set, but which, az they have no connect
- with the duties Of the Office which hold. &
Mt as they pa1take Of the character Of ordiu
at legislation, forbear to mention in this ce
- n,unjcasion. d. R. GAMBLE
~ The following standing Committees II
=, appointed:
y" Muitia-Mesers Tiadall, CAN'T, Sayrc, {
TO derson ard Hitchcock:
Mays qnd MseSsMssg5s NE Ta,, aow, Bi,fh 42T Tn,
na % and nP rW1 vas uga agPpontsa
| Girl lTcxrs-Messrs. McFerrdu, Phil
te- Wright, Orr and Broaohead:
lie Ei6ctioas- -Mesere. Hendricks, Marvin, Btee
IN Eertnuf--Mese1s. Hall Of Buchanan, ,McCo1m'
hu Grarelly, Rowland and Voolfolk.
to The resolution Of Mr.. Hitchcock Of
to Louis, which the Convention will prob.
ny sdopt in come form, though not Without o.
sition, is In the following words:
On | Resolved, That the Committee On Ways
his Mems be 1nslfuG1ea W. 70 consiaer ea9 sapeaa
IS corfecating the property Of persons, citizens
sidents Of lhis state, who shal1, after the esi
des aiding OK abetting the rebellion now on foot
tv, tu its borde1s and for the application Of the
~ perry 60 con1Ecatcd-dtet, to the reimbnrscl
m, Of loyal citizens Of the State for the losses
w oM have sustained in support Of the Goyern1n
ny and, second. to the uses Of the State; and
they repor: By ordinance OF otherwise.
Tor Ex-senator Cr1ttenden Stirring up
| RRn$MEkfAHm.