The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-01-09


which the President of that body-has
requested me to lay before you. By
the resolutions the Board propose "a
establish military school at the Uni
versity, whenever the State will add te
che fund 100000, securing a perma
nent additional income Of 81 900 yearly
That such a department as the BOARD
proposes to establish, would be exceed
ingly advantageous to us as o State,
presume no one will doubt. The wal
in which we are now engaged ha.
proved that we cannot safely neglect
the military education Of our people
Whether the present is fitting occa
sion for the establishment of the pro
posed school all things considered,
must leave entirely to the better judy
ment of the Legislature.
BY the act of the extra session, ap.
proved May 10, 1861, the Governor was
authorized to muster into the service oil
the State the volunteer militia, i'm num-
Der not to exceed one hundred compa.
MES, the Coldwater Light Artillery,
and corps of sappers and miners, not
To exceed one hundred in number. AT
the time Of the passage OF the act ii
was supposed that this was as large q
force as Michigan would be called upon
to furnish, in any event. Such, how.
ever was not the case. The whole force
authorized by the law has been put into
the field, and the State has raised, and
is now raising. eleven regiments more,
the United States government paying
the expenses, making twenty lone IN all
besides six batteries of light artillery, a
squadron of cavalry, and number OF
organized companies of infantry, which
have joined regiments in other States,
making total of troops furnished by
the State of Michigan of about $4,000
men. For details in regard to these
forces, l refer you to the full and com.
plete report of the Adjutant General.
the aggregate cost to the State, Of or.
ganizing, uniforming, paying, trans
porting and snbsisting the troops an.
thorized by law, including the First
Regiment, which was mustered out at
the end of its three months term Of SER
vice, and was re-organizcd, has been
TINS far, as heretofore stated, $3.50, 42S.
OIL: and | am confident that when the
whole is closed, which will now be very
soon, the entire cost will not exceed
5000, 900. When it is taken into &C.
count that very large amount of the
contracts were necessarily made naya-
BILE in the war loan bonds at par, which
were regarded as worth but ninety
cents on the dollar, in the market, and
that very considerable portion of the
expenses have been incurred for re-
cruits to fill up regiments already in the
field, which had become reduced by
sickness or otherwise, / believe it will
be found that nowhere in the Union has
the like service been performed at a
less expense. / think it may also be
safely affirmed that no troops have
taken the field better provided in all
respects, with the single exception of
transportation trains,) than those from
Michigan. Of the troops themselves,
both officers and privates, can speak
in terms of unreserved commentator.
They have honored the State from
which they went forth. Never, since
Michigan became State Of the Union,
did she occupy so high a position
among her sister States, rs now. This
| attribute to her firm, consistent and
loyal course Throughout the whole con-
troversy. While it was a question of
politics the voice of Michigan was
never doubtful. Her principles were
plainly set forth and in all constitutions
al ways she maintained them firmly.
When it became question of war,
with alacrity her people focked to the
standard of the Union to defend their
constitutional liberties with their lives.
In these straight paths / believe they
will continue to the end.
Some differences of opinion have
arisen in regard to the proper constrnc-
ton of the law assigning the duties of
the Military Contract Board and the
State Military Board. 1t does not
seem entirely clear as to which of these
is the proper Auditing Board. rec
ommend that the doubt be removed BY
amendment.
/ recommend, also, careful revision
of the act 'for the relief Of the families
Of volunteers by counties" AS the
law now stands it seems to offer pre-
MUM TO the volunteer to retain the en-
tire amount of his wages received from
the United States, and leave the sup
port of his family entirely to the coun-
ty. The burden upon the counties is
becoming very heavy, and the relief
does not seem always TO be wisely xp-
piled. Perhaps the law might be SO
changed as to make the relief to the
families depend upon the volunteer first
securing to his family by allotment
some reasonable proportion of his
wages. Great favoritism, also, is said
to be used by some Supervisors, in the
dispensation of the fund. For the pur-
pose of correcting this, it is worth con-
sidering whether some system of proofs
to be submitted TO the Supervisor,
might not be adopted, which should be
uniform in all cases. 1t has also been
made a question whether troops raised
not under the State laws, hut by au-
thority from the War Department,
were entitled to the benefits of the law
at all. 1t would crafty the Indepen-