New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-09-19
$ p e G [ Al M T. 5 s a gle
BY .Tt4se r~l
GOVERNOR KIRK WOOD. -
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Iowa,
Sept. Sd. 1862. !

Gentlemen of the Senate end Housc of Repre-
sentatiues: .T
You have been convened in extraordinary
session to consider some questions vitality af
fecting the pablo welfare, which in my .ia1ig
ment, require your immediate a,tion
When you closed your last regular session
the belief prevailed very generlly that the
strength of the rebellion against the General
Government had been broken, and your legis.
latcn upon some questions of great public in
terest was controlled by the belief The lapse
Of time has shown that belief to be erroneous
and a change Of legislation on those questions
has therefore become necessary.
The provisions made for our sick and
wounded soldiers, and for their return to
their homes on fllrIough, will, under existing
circumstances, prove wholly inadequate
The largely increased number Of our soldiers
that Will be shortly in the field, and the
great length oftime they will be exposed to
the danger Of disease and the causatics of
battle, viii render absolutely necessary a
large increase Of the fund provided for their
care and comfort. The extraordinary cx-
traordinary expenses Of my Office have also
been and will probably continue to be large
ly incI Ieased, in consequences oftho new de-
mands that have been and may be made up
on the State. therefore recommend to
you ! favorable consideration such increases
of the contingent fund for extraordinary
expenses of this Office, as will be
sufficient to enable me to do for the gallant
men who so nobly represent our State in the
army of the Union, when suffering from
wounds and disease, that which every loyal
heart so anxiously desires should be done,
and also to enable me to carry On success ,ul-
ly the many new and arduous labors imposod
upon this Office, in my promptly responding
to all the demands made upon the State IOr
the support Of the Government.
'1I1e i;sb6Ts ot tfre, oi1co IRE ;,ttfit
General have been largely increased, and
must continue to be very great as long as the
war lasts and for some time after its cIose.--
This State will soon have in the field nearly
or quite fifty thousand men, and the interest
and welfare of our soldiers and their friend
require that the records of that Office should
be fully and carefully kept. The Adjutant
General now discharges ia addition to the
proper duties of his Office, the duties of Omar
tcrnlastcr General and Paymaster General.
1t is IN my Judgment impossible for an officer
properly to supcrintend the labors Of these
three Departments. The amount Of labor
and attention required is more than one per-
son can give, and the necessary work cannot
be so promptly done, or so well done, as it
there was proper division of labor. rec
ommcnd that 1 should be authorized to ap-
point an Assistant Adjutant General who
shall act as Paymaster General. A Quarter
master General can oe appointed under the
existing law and then the duties now i'm.
posed upon the Adjutant General can be SO
divided and arranged as in my Judgment
greatly to benefit the public service
In my judgment the compensation of the
Adjutant General is not adequate either to
the labor or responsibility Of his position, and
Irecom.ncnd an addition thereto, either by
allowing him a contingent fund for his trave-
ling expenses, or by an increase of his salary
Congress has provided by law an allotment
system by which our soldiers can set aside a
portion Of their monthly pay, and have the
samo paid at their homes to such persons as
they may designate without risk or expense.
The benefits of this system is obvious and
great. Commissioners have been appointed
by the President under the law, bat the COM
missioners must be paid by the State and as
no appropriation has been made for that pur-
pose, our soldiers and their friends have not
as yet enjoyed the benefits of the system, One
of the commissioners is now engaged in pro-
curing the allotments of our new regiments
before they leave the State and earnestly
recommend such appropriation as will secure
TIE advantages of this system to our soldiers.
Since your adjournment Congress has pas
sed law donating public lands to the SOW
eral States and Territories which may pro-
vide Colleges for the benefit. of Agriculture
nd Mechanical Arts.-UnIer this law this
State is entitled to donation Of two hundred
and forty thousand [240,00ol acres Of land.
1t is most munifcent donation, and for a
most worthy purpose. 1t is of great impor-
tanco that immediate action be had by you
touching this grant. By taking such action
the State can secure the entire amount OF The
lands within her own limits, and consequent
ly control their management and disposition.
Should action in this matter be postponed IN
tai the next regular session other States may
select their lands within the limits Of this
State, and manage md dispose Of them in a
manner very undesirable to US. ! recommend