Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1862-10-02
What the Legislature left Undone.

It has come to pass that the extra session
/ of the Legislature has closed without max
ing any arrangement for the families Of vol
unteers. The following is the version of
the matter as given by the Madison Journal
of the Both alt:
Among the first bills passed at the recent
session, was one extending the aid to the
families Of the new regiments. 1t was
found, however, that this increased the
monthly draft on the fund to 100000, and
that there was only money enough IN the
treasury to pay the families up to the lst OF
November next A tax could not be levied
and collected SO as to afford relief early than
by February next During thetrying months
Of November December and January, when
such aid will be most needed, there would
be no money. But one mode of obVlating
the difficulty remained. This was the issue
and sale Of State bonds A bill was &C
cordingly introduced providing for the issue
of $250,000 in bonds, and levying tax OF
$780, 900 to keep up the fund hereafter 1t
passed the Senate About this time sale
Of Wisconsin bonds took place in New York
| city; they brought two per cent. above par.
! The State Treasurer was confident he could
| dispose Of the proposed new issue, or at
least Of enough to meet the exigency, at
fpar. The bill came up in the Assembly
I It provided the bonds should not be sold
at less than par Yet it was deliberately
rejected by vote of 40 to 81 Every vote
against the bill was from the Democratic
side of the House. This was late on Wed
nesday afternoon.
In the meantime the Senate, not antici-
pating the possibility of a partizln resist
anca to m 4asure Of this character, or that
the tory Democrats, with all their secret or
avowed hostility to the Administered N and
the war, would carry their hatred so far as
to seek to punish our patriot soldiers by IN
flicting privation on their families, had
adopted Joint resolution to adjourn at u
o'clock the following Friday This resolu-
ton was greedily adopted by the Democra-
tic Assembly, and from that moment their
sole object seemed to be to stave off every
pending measure designed to aid in carry
ing on the war or to encourage cnlistments,
and cheer the soldiers in the ranks with a
knowledge that all was well at home, until
the hour for the final adjournment arrived.
They fought off and killed the Senate bill
providing for enrolling the militia Of the
State narrowing the exemption from draft !;
one Of the most, if not the most important
measure of the session, after the one in re-
lation to the family aid.
On Friday morning, acting Gov. Lewis
sent in a message to both Houses, urging
them not to adjourn until some provision
had been made for the volunteers families
to whom the State had pledged its faith
The message was referred to a joint commit
tee, three from the Assembly and two from
the Senate.
Immediately thereupon Mr. Upham, Of
Racine, (Rep.) asked leave to introduce a
bill to loUy q tao to repenish the war fund.
Objection was made and the Democratic
members refused to suspend the rules for
the purpose A call Of the House was had
which could not be suspended by less than
81 affirmative votes, thus cutting off all bust
ness. Finally the report Of the committee
to whom acting Gov. Lewis message was re-
ferred, was received. The Republican mem
Der Of the committee, with Mr. Baardsley
(Union Dem, reported in favor of issuing
bonds for the cxigency, and to levy an ad-
ditional tax to prevent a recurrence Of such
deficiency. The Democratic members rec
commended levying a tax only. Mr.. Boards
ley then offered a joint resolution to extend
the session until o'clock in the afternoon,
in order to take action of some kind. 70
defeat this, enough Democrats &tampeded. from
the HaIt to lea0o the House ojtsout a qu0ru'm
Thus the adjournment took place at II
O'clock NJ, leaving no provision for the fam
lilies Of volunteers except from tax of $275,-
000 to be levied and collected, and which
cannot become available before February at
the nearest.