The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-09-18


ime of the massacre, Minnesota was
yet without sufficient arms, and apph-
I'd to us for aid. / trust and hope that
no such disturbances will arise In our
State. but the surest mode Of avoid
inc danger is to prepare for it; we
should become familiar with the
rhorrbt in the u esent condition OF our
oann7rv that we must become warlike
noonIe: every community should be |
to defend itself
To be able then promptly to an
swer future calls Of the general gov
eminent for troops to be able to send
into the field men who know at least
the rudiments Of drill and how to use
a GUN; to be able to defend our own
fresides against attacks and invasion,
our State should have an effective or
ganizatiou of the militia, and suth-
cient supply of arms and ammunition,
and should have it now. Our present
laws are insufficient for this purpose
thew were not made for such times or
emergencies; our supply of arms Is too
small and for ammunition we have TO
rely on the Government at w ashlng>
ton.
Perhaps circumstances will not per
nit YOU to enact at the present tline'
an entirely new and well digested mil,
;Fa system, with all its details. L
I'D therefore recommend that by
some few and general enactments
amending the present militia law, pro
vision be made for the immediate or
oanizati0n, the necessary drill-and
the calling into active service in case
of necessity of the militia Of our State;
that provision be made for drafting
militia in case of need to serve out OF
the State, and for the purchase OF the
necessary arms and ammunition. This
would answer for our present emergen-
c;es until the next regular session of the
legislature. A military board, or Gems
mission might, however, be created
with instructions to prepare a complete
militia system to be laid before the
next legislature. For present organs
zation tho recent enrolment made by
the sherifs would probably be sufi.
cient, and it might be adopted as ba
sis.
Another subject to which | desire
to call your attention at the present
time is the enactment Of law which
shall give the soldiers from this State
now in the army the right to vote al
the next general election. After oul
quota shall have been filled, we shall
have about $4,000 men in the army Of
the Union. Among these, it is safe tC
presume there are at least 10000 vo-
ers, who certainly have as deep, if not
deeper interest in the welfare of the
State and Union, and in the policy that
shall guide their counsels in their rep.
preventative halls as those who have
remained at home. The views ofthese
brave and patriotic men should be
heard through the ballot box, and
should have proper weight in shaping
the destiny of our imperrilled country
Who votes must bear arms, was just
decision and rule of the secretary Of
war; who bears arms should not be
disfranchised, but be permitted to vote
should be the policy of the country
There is nothing, l believe, in our con.
stitution which would prohibit the en-.
actment of such a law. On the con.
trary, section four of article three pro.
vides that "No person shall be deem
ed to have lost his residence in this
State by reason of his absence on bust.
pess Of the United States, or of this
State" This at least indicates that
the spirit of our constitution is against
Acknowledgement of our soldiers ius>
tice seems to demand that they should
be rewarded in different manner fol-
their patriotism, than by loss Of one
Of the most important rights of citizen
ship, especially in the present crisis
and it rests therefore with you to sa,
whether our election laws shall be So
amended as to permit the taking the
soldiers vote. 1t is believed that {
law could without much difficulty be
framed for this purpose, so that the
soldiers may vote for the most impor>
tant public officers at least; for State
officers, and for their respective repre.
sentatives in Congress, and the State
legislature.
The three field officers, or in their
absence the three ranking officers OF
each regiment, and three highest com
missioncd officers, or those acting in
their places, of each battery of artllle~
rY or each company or squadron of in,
fantry or cavalry ON detached service
might be made the inspectors of the
election, with power to appoint the
proper person clerk of the election,
so that the vote may be taken on the
day fixed by the constitution.
| consider such a law a matter of
simple justice, as well as of great inn
poTtance,an trus, therefore, that it will
meet with your appreciation.
VOLUNTEER AID FUND.
Another subject that should receive your
attention, is the condition of our volunteer aid
| fund.
| This payments made from that fund
from Jan. LIST TO the present time are S2l2 $50 96
Averaging nearly $50, per month.
The payments will average at least two
months in arrear. Including arrear-
ages to meet the demands upon the
volunteer aid fund, say to the middle
of next February, will require money
enough for eight months payments,
which, at $50, OOO per month, will
., amount to; -$24O OOO 90
To meet this there is now in the fund
subject draft for this purpose about $50 900 90
Leaving deficiency of,.-..-..--.-$ I5O, 900 90
Should the aid be continued through
out the next year, it would require at
least $500, 100000, without extending
it to any of the regiments after the
goth.
This deficiency of $4,000 arises
mainly from the fact that since the ap
preparation was made by you for the
suppose last spring, the volunteer aid