Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-05-24
Governors Message.
Senator's and Representatives.


respond to Il e call of the President of the
United States, for ''aid in maintaining the
Union and the supremacy of the laws, or
10 suppress rebellion or instruction, or TO
rebel invasion within the United Stat es, 4"
and [ was authorized, and it was made
nv duty, to 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
rlzed to accept The services of volunteers
for active service, TO be enrolled in com
panes OF not less than seventy-fve men
| each, rank and file, and in regiments of ten
companies each. | was also authorized
to provide for unfprning and equpping
such companies as were not provided with
uniforms and equipments.
The first call of the President for i'm
mediate active seivice, was fer one Regi-
menl of men.
My proclamation, issued Immediately af-
ter the passage of tie act of the Legisla-
ture, was answered in less than ten days,
by companies enough, each containing the
| requisite number Of men, 10 make up at
least five regiments, instead of one. I
then issued another proclamation, announ-
cling the offers that had been made, and
advising that thereafter companies might
be enrolled TO stand AS minute men, ready
to answer further calls, as they nigh be
made, but without expense to the State,
except as they were were mustered into
service. In less than one month from
the date Of MY first proclamation, at least
| five thousand men, either as individuals or
in enrolled companies, have offered their
services for the war, and all appear anxious
| for active service in the field
In providing for the First Regiment
embarrasments have resulted from the
| fact that there has never been an efficient
military organization in this State-no sys-
tenn or discipline. The men who had
seen active field service where very few,
or were almost entirely unknown; and the
order and manner of equipping and uni
forming and arming soldiers and officers
for rugged war were mysteries, the solu-
ution of which could only be found by
actual experiment.
So the expenses incurred in preparing
The First Regiment have been greater to
some extent than they otherwise would
have been, or than they hereafter will
be.
The spirit evoked by the rebellion against
the government OF the United States is
such as has never before been manifested
since its organization. The people under
stand ii is their government that is assail-
ed, and everywhere through the North
they are rising up to rebuke the treason
SO. rife in some portions of TIE laud,
The deepening and widening dangere
that threaten our institutions, and tbs
ressure of public opinion from all parts
of the State. forced me to form another
camp, and to bring together another regi-
ment of men, and 10 authorize number
of isolated companies which had volunteer
ed, to remain toy, Their, and to learn so far
as possible without suitable arms. and dis
cipline and drilling necessary for men 60
ing 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 pc nit them to act for it they wiH act
for themselves.
1t is better that The State or Federal
Government should direct this current
than to suffer it to run wildly. There is
a moral element in the uprising that can
not be controlled in the ordinary manner
There is a conviction of great wrongs to
be redreSsod, and the Government, which
is in danger, to be preserved by the will
ng hearts and strong hands of those to
whom it belongs This current of pop
ular feeling must be directed and control
ed, or there will come of it something
more than a war to put down a rebellion,
it will become war between the Border
States; and those whose interests are con-
nected with the Border States, and in such
a war, for, tie time being, the Govern
ment should be lost sight of. If it was
absolutely certain that the seventy-three
thousand troops first called would wipe
out the rebellion in three weeks from to-
day, it would still be the policy of the
Government aud for its best interests, in
view Of what ought TO be the future of
this great Nation, to call into the field, as
fast as they could be armed, at least three
hundred hundred thousand men.
The majesty and power of this Gov
eminent, if it has either, should be man
ifested now, so that the world may see it,
and so that for all future time in its histo-
ry The idea of secession and rebellion
shall be an idea of the past. When the
people see that their uprising has put
down the rebellion, they will be satisfied,
and not before.
The difficulties of the present crisis are
growing greater and more extreme every
day. Broad and more extended fields are
constantly opening by the threatening att-
tude of new States, forced by treachery or
by armed mobs dignfed by the name of
rebels, into secession. One State after an
other, willing or unwilling, has been or
is now being placed in an attitude of hos
tility to Federal authority, until with one
more seceeding State, there will be fifteen
hundred miles of contiguous territory
standing in most wicked warlike antagon-
ism.
1t is most startling consideration that
he people of the United States shouds be
at war with each other, and that the Gov
eminent of the United States should be
i