East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-08-22
Speech Of Governor Sprague, Of
Rhode Island.

Governor Sprague, in opening the eX-
ira session of the Rhode Island Legisla'
turc on Thursday, said:
The Senators are aware OF the OBJ ect
that has called them together, both from
the proclamation which has been made
and by events with which the whole
country rss become familiar. When the
motion of this body was first taken the
State aud the WHOLE country felt that
the war would from IT,. necessities oil the
case, be of short duration. since 'ha'
time events have transpired WHICH nave
opened the eyes of the whole oo,ui'ry :,
the magnitude Of the rebellion winch
they are called to crush out. The q
pulses which the army has recently suf-
fered have been owing to so many causes
that it is impossible to attribute them to
any one which we should regard as salts
factory, all of them pointing to the con-
dition of things which we now behold.----
The State and the country, however, may
feel assured, from the change in the pro-
gramme at Washington, and by the peo-
pie throughout the whole North, that the
errors of the past will not be repeated in
the future, and also that every movement
for the future will hardly fail to result in
success. The war will of necessity be a
long one. We have been in error as to
the strength of the enemy, and as to the
long and persistent course which has
been pursued by the South tending to.
ward this point; while we have been occu-
pied in our business they have been cre-
ating revelation. We were under the
impression that they were lacking in all
the resources which 90 to raise and main
tain armies. Whereas, in almost every
particular, we have found them superior
to ourselves; we have found that not only
the physique of theirs is equal to ours,
but their clothing, their arms, their sub
sistenoe, and their means Of transporta.
tion--everything that goes to make mill
tary neutrality-suspicious. to ours. And
when we have been obliged to be the at
lacking force, marching under southern
sun, exhausted, without provisions and
without shelter, they have been encamp.
ed and in fortified positions, in country
unfciendly to us aud friendly to them,
where they could receive information of
every movement of ours, and we could
learn nothing whatever of theirs. The
probabilities are, that in no case on the
record of the worlds history, has an army
been called into the field possessing so
little knowledge of the strength and po-
sition of the enemy; and such being the
case, it was impossible for any troops in
the position ours found themselves, to
have sustained themselves for any consid-
cradle length of time. 1t has opened the
eyes of the contry to the immensely of
this struggle, and in that view of the
subject the result may be bareable. The
troops of the North entering tho field
against those of the Sorth, have in every
case when occupying equal advantages,
been able to drive them from the
field; but protected by superior positions,
by batteries and superior force, it has of
course been impossible.~-utterly out of
the question, to attempt to drive them
from their strongholds. Such being the
case, and the country calling upon the
States for so much more than was at first
anticipated, taxation by the general gov
eminent, and next by the State increas.
ing, | am induced to call the Legislature
together to see whether they are willing
to continue the liberal course which was
inaug when this contest first be-
gan. To me it is the most satisfactory
thing that can be done to contribute in
any and every way to the advantage and
comfort Of the soldiers. 1t is hard
enough for them to leave their homes,
to suffer all the privations which none
know but those who follow them. Ev-
thing that a graceful State can do for
her sons who are willing to sacrifice them
selves in such cause should be done
but it is important that the State should
know its ability, and should have at its
disposal resources, to avenge the defeat
of those that they sent at first, for if You
nearly exhaust your resources at the out.
set, you will find yourself less able to con-
tinue to support those that you have al
ready placed in the field. Bills have been
drawn and will be presented to the SEN
ate tending to the furtherance of these
ideas, and tending to make the troops Of
this State not less efficient than they
have been; but having an eye to the fu-
ture with view of outstanding the re.
sources of tho State for whatever neccs-
saries they may be called upon to con-
tribute to the country to promote the
success of the goad cause, have arrang-
ed with the government Of the United
States for the payment of the expenses
growing out of the raising of the Second
Regiment and battery, and also for the
raising Of additional regiments, when the
bills arc presented.
Ir is significant fact that during the
civil war our army has time and again
L. men, ,.....I;.un ...uaa..,....