Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-06-11

Thomas James Mcmahon to Thomas James
Kelley.
No. 424, a., to incorporate the North
western Wool anu Flax Growing and Man
ufacturing Company.
No. AS, A., to incorporate the Wau-
pun Social Turn Society.
No. 451, a., to amend section Oh of
chapter 8 Of the Revised Statutes, enti-
tied "of counties and county officers"
No. AIS, A., to change the names of
AdeIburt Percy Borden, and Albert VIII
liam Borden.
No. SO, A., to provide for tie issuing
of bonds by Douglas county in order to
call in outstanding orders.
No. $50, A., to change the name Of
Matilda Weiske to Matilda Neal
Section 10, of Article v Of the Consti-
tuition, provides that ''if any bill shall not
be returned by the Governor within three
days Sunday excepted) after it shall have
been presented to him, the same shall be a
law unless the Legislature shall, by their
adjournment, prevent its return in which
case it shall not be q law"
After mature reflection, [ have come to
/ the conclusion that, under tbis provision,
the bills above mentioned have failed to
become laws, and that have no power to
act upon them. "Three days" must mean
three natural days, as the exception Of Sun
DAYS negatives any other construction, and
/ the spirit of the section would seem clearly
to cover every adjournment for more than
three days. This construction also seems
| to be the reason for rule No. p of the
Joint rules, which prohibit an adjournment
of cit. or House for more than three days
without the consent of the other. fit had
not been that, in one or two instances in
the history Of cur State, different con-
struction appears to Lave been placed upon
the clause Of the Constitution, should not
have had any serious doubt about its true
meaning. But it seems to me that the
construction have adopted is the only safe
one, as no legislative precedent would be
Of mrch weight if the question should
arise before a judicial tribunal, and since an
opportunity exists tore-enact the laws thus
defeated.
Among the bills above mentioned, is
one in relation 10 the salary and pay of mil
itary officers, and the consolidation and
winding up of the military departments
| deem it proper therefore to lay before
you the present condition Of those offices,
and the changes recently made therein:
The Commissary General has been re-
Iieyed from active duty, and his salary has
ceased. The books and papers of his Office
have been transferred to the Office of the
Quartermaster General, and the duties yet
remaining have been devoifed upon that
officer.
The salary Of the Adjutant General has
beed fixed at 1000 per annum, Gncluding
the statutory salary), to take effect from
january 9th, 1862, according to verbal
understanding between Gov. Harvey and
that officer. He is allowed to employ one
clerk, and the State Armorer continues to
be employ under his direction.
The salary Of the Qaartermaster General
has been reduced to l 200 per annum, and
lis force Of empIoyees has been reduced to
two clerks, whom he is permitted to en-
ploy until his accounts shall have been
placed in proper condition Tor settlement
with the General Government, which, as |
am assured by that officer, will occupy but
short time, and by the first Of July it is
hoped that one clerk viii be sufficient for
that department.
The salary Of the Military Secretary has
been reduced to $500 per annum, since the
9th Of February last.
1t being difficult to determine in adj
vance to what extent the services Of the
Surgeon General would be needed, an or
der has been nade that bis compensation
shall be fixed by future order, and to
cover the time since tie 9th day Of Janu-
airy last.
The salary of The Paymaster General
has been reduced to 1900 per annum; be
has no clerk or assistant.
The Office Of Adiutant General and that
81 the military Secretary, will continue to
involve considerable labor, owing to the
large military force in the field from our
State, and the recruiting service. The
services Of a Qaarternaster General Will
also, probably, have to be retained, but
hose Of the Paymaster General can soon
be dispensed with, if proper provisions
are made by law for the winding up Of
his Department. | would recommend
that law be passed authorizing the dis
continuance, at a proper time,of the active
duties Of the Paymaster General, Quarter
masteg General and Commissary General
4 and that their duties 50 FIR as they are
auditing duties, be devolyed upon the Sec
rotary Of State, and so far as they are dis
bursting duties, upon the State Treasurer.
4 The books, papers and records of those Of
fees should then be deposited ia the office
OF the Secretary Of State.
It has been Il source Of very great en-
barrassment to the Executive Department
that no provisions had been made for the
contingencies which have arisen since your
adjournment, concerning the sick and
wounded soldiers from our State. Wis
consin has sent into the field $4,000 men,
and a new regimeat is now being organ
4 lied. AS our army has advanced, great
many Of our brave soldiers have become
sick, and many have been wounded upon