Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-01-22

%. 1864. .r5-s ss ..a.I N, nj q.
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ted, the Government intended to overthrow
our free institutions and establish in their
stead despotism! ig sy,., ID t+c5 q
1t is passing strange that intelligent men
could be found SO wicked as to make these
statements, and that other men could be
found SO ignorant and foolish as to believe
them. But SO it was. These statements
were through the press ard frnm the stump
in the most violent and exciting language
apparently with all the carnestness of convic.
ton, and thousands of honest but deluded
men, believed them, and in consequence en-.
tertained feeling of deep hostility to the Gov.
ernment In this excited state of the public
mind secret societies were organized in many
if not all of the loyal States, the members Of
which were, to some extent, secretly armed
for the avowed purpose of protecting them.
selves against what were called "Arbitrary
Arrests" but as am satisfied with the inten,
upon the part of The leaders to bring their
members into armed collision with the gener.
al Government, in case any attempt should be
made to enforce the draft. The natural re.
suit OF these teachings and this action, was
seen in the bloody riot that occurred in the
chief city of the Union, and in similar smaller
outbreaks in other places. ..., a o,s,.
Under these circumstances my duty seem.
ed to ine to be plain and clear. 1 was bound
to see to the enforcement of the laws and the
preservation of peace and good order; and
when organized action was being taken
throughout the State to prevent the one and
violate the other, did not think my duty
permitted Inc to wait until the evil was upon
US before took steps for its prevention.
accordingly called upon the loyal men of the
State, who were willing to aid in the enforce.
ment OF the law, to organize volunteer mill.
tary company in each county Of the State. =
Such companies were promptly organized, in
most of the counties, of loyal and substantial
citizens, and, as they were organized, placed
arms and ammunition in their hands to make
their organizations effective By these means
sufficient force was provided to preserve the
peace OF the State and insure the enforcement
OF the law of Congress, without weakening
our army facing the enemy by withdrawing
any portion of it for that purpose, and, in my
judgment, this stae of preparation to pre-
serve the peace, tended largely to prevent its
violation. s
There was but single occasion in which
1t was necessary to use the force thus organ
lied. About the first day Of August last, as
a number of persons, who had been attending
political meeting near the village of South
English, in Keokuk county, were returning
through that village, collision took place
between them and other persons in the vii
lage, in which Mr.. Talley, who had ad
dressed the meeting, was killed. The friend.
of Tally, instead of appealing to thu laws and
the officers of the law for redress, chose te
assume that the officers of the law would MOI
do their duty. They sent runners to variou.
points and in short time had gathered, neal
Sigourney, the county seat of the county, q
large body Of armed men, who undertook tt
dictate to the officers of the law for
what offence and in what manne,
the persons charged with killing
Talley should be tried and punished. -
Much alarm existed throughout the county
The county funds were sent off for safety
and arrangements were made to send away
the county records; and orderly and law.
abiding people were in great anxiety and ter
ror. AS soon as these facts were made known
to me, l at once ordered to Sigourney a suf
hclent number of volunteer companies, o.
INT ntry and artillery, to give protection te
the people and the officerso the law, and tc
show those assembled forunlawful purposes
not only the hopelessness.. but the danger o.
their attempt to overawe the authorities and
l am glad to be abls,Fo inform you that the
display of force was sufficient to effect thu
desired object As soon as it became knowr
that . force was being gathered to sustain tn,
law, the unlawful assernblage quietly dispers
ed, order and tranquility were restored, ant
the officers Of the law were left unmolested ir
the performance of their duty.
The Companies thus organized and armed
are still in existence, and, should any further
legislation be deemed necessary for thei
efficiency, recommend that such Legislation
be had
In closing this subject, would return my
thanks to the officers ani men ordered by m,
to Sigourney and South English, on the occa
sion referred to, for the promptness will
which they responded to the order and thei
soldierly conduct and bearing while on duty
At the commencement of the Session of tn,
Ninth General Assembly, the State had or
ganized and sent to the field fourteen regi
ments of infantry, three regiments Of cavalry
and three batteries of artillery and had il
process OF organization, two regiments of in
fantry and one Of cavalry. OF these regi
ments, the First Infantry was enlisted 70
three months, and had then been mustered
out of service. All the others were enlisted
for three years. Since the commencement o
! that Sessi n, the two regiments Of infantr,
and one of cavalry, then incomplete, hav
been organized, and in addition thereto
twenty-four regiments of infantry, five regi
ments Of cavalry, and one battery have beel
enlisted, and all for three years. Beside
these complete organizations, large mum
Der of men have been enlisted for regiment
in the field. have not been able, as yet, t
ascertain whether the quota Of this State, un
der the last call of the President for volun
teers to fill the ranks of our veteran regiments
has been filled. If it has not, the defcienc
cannot be large, if the proper credit has bee
given by the Provost Marshal General for ou
excess over all quotas previously called fol
and can be easily and promptly filed by draf
| Besides the troops thus furnished to tn
army of the Union, there were organized, q
required by the Acts OF the Extra Session G
1862, five companies of mounted men for tn
1 protection of our north western frontie
against Indians, and ten companies Of noun
ed men on our southern border, to protect th
persons and property of our people on ths
line, against the depredations of organize
bands of guerrillas from Missouri The IT
Iport Of the Adjutant Gederal will furnish 20
full information of the number of men thu
have been kept in active service on each
these lines, and of the number now in servic
The companies on the north western frontit
have all been disbanded, and their place SUI
piled by troops of the United States. Viii
these companies were in service, they wei
required to erect block houses and 9th,
buildings, at different points, for their ow
convenience, and to serve as rallying poin
for the people in case of attack. Thes
buildings are now occupied, in whole or
part. by the United States troops on th