Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-05-25
$3.50 4 YEAR.

The border and Northwestern States
cannot wait to see their towns and Cit
les upon navigable streams sacked and
burned, and the contiguous country
wasted, and then content themselves
simply with retaliation. They must be
supplied with the means of preventing
disasters of the kind.
These States cannot be satisfied with
small call after small call of ra,c troops
to be put into the field as mustered.
without discipline or drilling, or a
knowledge Of the use of arms. They
would not be soldiers, but simply
marks for an enemy to shoot at Men
must understand the use of arms to be
efficient soldiers either in defending
our states or in aid of the government.
They cannot well learn the use of them
until they get them.
There should be an authority to put
more men in the field, and there must
be arms furnished for the men. Sol
diers ought to 50 into camp and learn
the use Of weapons and the duties of
soldiers. If the government cannot
at once furnish arms, the States must
do it, aud wait upon the Government.
The States should be preparing their
aid both in furnishing men and provid-
ing arms, SO that when mustered into
service the army may be efficient.
Illinois has but a tritie over double
the population Of Wisconsin, and the
call for six regiments from Illinois, and
only one from Wisconsin, is SO dispro-
portlonate as to excite extreme dissat-
isfaction. Companies enough for five
regiments, almost are enrolled and
drilling without arms, and two regi-
ments, partially armed with Indifferent
weapons, are III camp. We need, for
the protection and use, and benefit of
our citizen soldiery, arms aa0,o, war or
no war. 1t is as yet impossible to as
certain to what extent the States, par
ticularIy this State, will be called upon
to furnish forces, or to what extent tbs
forces called for must be armed, equip.
ped and uniformed for service. The
people of the State, and Of all the
States are anxious to know what and
how much is expected of them, and are
ready to respond. While the details
Of the policy of the administration
should not : be made public, informs-
ton of the general purposes Of the
Government should be lodged some
where in each loyal State, SO that there
can be all authoritative assurance of
what is intended and expected. I'm
the absence of such information, the
Judgment of this Legislature must de-
termine for Wisconsin,, what aid she
can afford to extend to the Federal
Government in the way of regiments :
Of men, and in the way of arming,
equipping and uniforming her own oit-
izens, for military purposes, and how
far she will make her military forces
useful and efficient by putting them in
the shape of regiments into camp to
be drilled, Injured to the hardships of
the soldiers life, and made skillful in
the use of arms, before being called
upon to face experienced armies in bat
tie
In my judgment, at least six Regi-
ments of soldiers ought to be put into
camp to learn soldiers duties, in ad-
dition to the one called for. They
should be armed and uniformed and
equipped By the State now, and when
mustered into the service Of the Uni
ted States their arms and uniforms and
equipments accounted for to the
State by the National Government
The men sent to war should be soldiers
when they 90, or there will be few of
them living soldiers when it is time for
them to return.
An appropriation of at least one mil
lion Of dollars, will, in my judgments,
be necessary for the purpose Of putting
into the field reserved force, and for
providing to meet the demands Of the
government as they are made. An
authority ought to be given to pur-
chase, for the use of the State, in 2ad
dition to such arms as are required for
the use of regiments going into the
field, six riied cannon.
And now, to the judgment of the
Legislature l commit the subjects sug-
gested, invoking calm, firm, deliber-
ate, unimpassioned, yet bold consider
alton and action.
In revolutionary days, the men who
fought our battles, the men who delib-
Grated and who made or laid the foun-
dation for making our institutions, put
at hazard life and fortune and honor,
counting all of these Of little value by
the side of that great end and OBJECT
to be attained-ci7il and religious I'D
erty. Money is small price to pay Tor
these, and he who will not to-day AID
in maintaining this government by ev-
cry possible means, is no patriot, and
has no right, either for his person or
property, to claim the protection OF tho
laws.
The value Of the property Of Wis