The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-05-16
Special session of the Legislature The
E1Igeneies which demand Is.

at Madison yesterday. The object in cOnvenint
| the Legislature in extra session is to put tn,
State on war footing, such as is demanded by
the .exigencies of the times and such as shall
be equal to the position assumed by our sister
States. The amount placed at the disposal o
our State Government for war purposes, at the
late session Of the Legislature, is insignificant
compared with that Of many of the Northern
States. States of less population than ours have
appropriated $2,0O0,000 while Wisconsin has
appropriated only $1,000 The surrender Of
Fort Sumpter had barely reached the capital
OF our State before the adjournment ofthe Leg.
islature; the extent Of the rebellion; the for
mdableness of the treason,a and the force neces
sary to maintain the supremacy Of the Govern.
ment had not fully appeared before the Legis.
lature separated. Nor was the spirit and deter.
mination of the people yet apparent during
the past four weeks there has been such an up
rising of the people ofthe North-s such union
of sentiment, and such strong demonstrations
to maintain the integrity of the Union against
all enemies, as was never before witnessed in
! Wisconsin must not be behind the other North
err States, in proportion to its resources and
ability, in furnishing the siaews OF war This
State has done noblyin offering m en- for the SER
vice Of the country there has been no lack of
patriotism among the strong and able bodied
men of the State, and thousands have respond
ed TO the call for volunteers. The people have
also evinced noble liberality III their subscrip-
tions in aid of such families as may be in want
IN consequences of enlistments in the army.
But there are immediate necessities-neces.
sites which admit of no delay, and which can
not be met efficiently and effectively without
legislative interposition While we have men
enough who are ready and willing to enter into
immediate service, We need a system Of organi-
cation which will secure the proper aiming and
disciplning OF men for the service War is an
art; it has been properly styled a profession ;
men to engage in war to advantage, must have
military instruction and discipline. Besides it
is Of little consequence to send volunteers 10
deal with armed traitors and rebels unless they
have arms, equipments and munitions of war
One OF the iet reasons why the volunteer
companies have not been ordered from this
State is that only a small portion OF them have
yet suitable arms. The General Government
has not thus far been in condition to furnish
them, for the reason that large portion of the
arms in our national armoiies were stolen by
Government officials and sent off to the southr
ern rebels, before the present administration
came into power. Wisconsin needs to be i'm
mediately supplied with at least one hundred
thousand stand of arms
1t is useless to speculate that the war is likely
to be an expensive one; war is always expen-
sive. No patriot, no man who rightly estimates
the liberties of his country willstop to calculate
the cost Of maintaining the Union lie who es-
Inmates the cost of preserving the rights and lib
critics of the people in the present crisis and
and falters or hesitates because itmay perchance
create a considerable State or National indebt-
edness, is unworthy to enjoy the privilege of
freedom. Money is quite insignificant when
placed in the scale against the rights Of man.
1t is not material what amount the Leg. stature
shall place at the disposal Of the State autholi-
ties, provided it is sufficient TO meet any posi-
BILE contingency which may arise The money
may not be used unless it is absolutely wanted
and the people should have confidence in our
State administration, that no unnecessary ex-
penditures will be authorized. One Of the most
effectual means for bringing the war to Il sue
eessful and speedy termination will be the ex-
tent Of the preparation and the formidable force
which the free States shall muster for the com
bat. Let the eanestness and determination of
the North be evinced by the mastering of over
whelming armies and the equipment Of Gormida-
ble fleets, and the traitors will see their doom
toreshadowed, and shrink back appalled, The
smaller the force the North brings into the field
the more sangunary and the more protracte d
will be the fight. 1t will prove, saving of
blood and treasure to the North, and be 4 mer-
cy to the South, to prosecute the war with all
the energy and expedition of which the Govern
ment is capable.
Where and how this war is 10 terminate; what
shall be the terms of settlement when peace.
is again restored to the Union, il is hardly pos
sibe to determine with certainty. There is
now deep and pcrvading feeling throughout
the free States that the causes which have for
Years past distracted the country and which
have been a constant source Of discord, should
be removed forever or placed in such an atti-
tude as to be no longer the sources Of disquiet
to the nation. Two great autag REPRESENTATIVES.
dom and slavery, have endeavorcd 10 dwell to.
gether under the Constitution S.av,ry has not
been content with the mere ecogn on of fright
! i'll the States where it has been planted it has
struck for supremacy and demanded the right
to be acknowledged aud tolerated wherever il
| pleased; it has, in b old Defiance attempted to
subvert the Government by treason and rebel
lion it is now mastering its forces to strike
down Freedom and establish in its stead one Of
the greatest wrongs of the nineteeuth century
Never was an issue between Freedom and Sla
very more clearly defined. Il is hardly sup
| possible case that orr present national Difficult
ties will be adjusted so as TO leave the question
of Slavery an open one, to distract the country
ment of the North demands that the result o.
the war shall put that exciting question at rest
1t must not be left to trouble and harass a com
ing generation; it must be settled now lie
the Legislature Of Wisconsin,, representing ;
freedom-loying people, do its duty; let every
reasonable aid be afforded for carrying on tn,
war with vigor, and crushing out rebellion a
the earlit st day possible.
Over estimated.--It has been ascertaineC
that the rebel force in Virginia is not as large
as has been represented. The 150,O00 men thai
jeff. Davis was going to raise, to attack and
capture Washington and then invade the whole
north, seems to lack considerable of being rails
ed. On Monday last it was positively ascer-
tanned that the aggregate rebel forces concentra-