Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-30
THE CALL FOR THK NATIONAL
GUARD.
who are 70 go---AbOut getting Substitutes
---Imporfant Speech Of Col. l.. Harris

doubt and enquiry. Members Of the 29th
are required to assemble at their company
headquarters, prepared to take the field, on
Monday at 10 o'clock An. Suitable substi-
tutes may be received in extreme cases. Vol
unteers may be received in companies reduc-
ed below the maximum strength, Applics-
tons for exemption must be made in writ
ing and must receive the endorsement of
company and regimental officers. No ex-
amining surgeon has been appointed, but the
certificate of any surgeon in good standing
will be received.
The destination of the 29th is as yet IN
known. All preparations are being made to
fill companies to the maximum snd to leave
at the appointed time.
Railroad compsnies viii be furnished with
blank certificates, which commanding Off
GERS must sign to secure transportation for
their commands. Any person presenting a
company of volunteers for enc hundred days
will be received or accepted. Any one who
has signed the temporary roll of volunteer
militia company, no matter whether he has
attended drill, received clothing or been
sworn into the service or not, is compelled to
do duty under the call.
The following speech, delivered a day or
two since, to the 10th (Gsrmsn) regiment, by
Mayor Harris of Cincinnati, who is Colonel
ef the 18th N. G. and senior officer of the
National Guard in Cincinnati, contains i'm
portant information upon the subject Of the
recent Order:
have no desire to make a speech, but at
this time, when every man who is member
of the National Guard feels an interest in
knowing what the law requires of him, feel
it my duty to tell you tonight what you, as
law abiding citizens, have to do. I do not
propose to make any appeal to your patriot
ism for the purpose of exciting you to tho
discharge of your duty to your oouRtry. I
desire to talk toyou as one soldier to another,
and if I say any thing that isnot very agree
able, I cannot help it.
Under the present law of the State, there
is but one class of military forces, the Ma
tional Gusrd-formerIy the Independent Vol
unteer Militia. The object Of doing away
with the enrolled militia was, that the Vol
unteer Militia might be moro thoroughly
equipped, armed and disciplined, and ready
to render valuable service. A large force
without experience. as your Colonel well
knows, ia like a mob, the more of them the
less useful. 1t isnot necessary for me to say
to you that you have your families to protect,
and the country Of your adoption to defend /;
it is not necessary for me to say that your
honor is involved in this matter and there
fore, without appealing to your passions, ali
that is necessary for me to do is to state yoEr
duty.
You have voluntarily sgreed to become
members of your several military companies,
and to be under the control Of the Governor
Of the State of Ohio, who is the Commander
in-Chisf Of these forces. It will not do for
any man to say now, that be signed the roll
of ais company under the impression that he
would not be required to do this or that
Every one of you agreed to become a mem
Der of the volunteer militia Of the State,
subject to do duty in the field Whenever
called upon by the Governor Of the State
and under the law the Governor has a right
to call you out "to prevent or repel invs-
sion." do not know, any more than you,
the necessity Of this call; but whenever a
man becomes q soldier, whether as private
or officer, the first duty he learnsis obedience
to orders Therefore, having taken these
obligations, we are, under the law, required
to discharge them.
The present militia law has mustered out
for service the enrolled militia, and they are
required either to attach themselves to the
National Guard, or to commute for that ser
vice by the payment of a certain sum Of
money. This money is to be used to uniform
and equip the National Guard. The new
law contains this saving clause, that "every
man enrolled for duty under the old law, is
bound to discharge that duty under the new
law" II any man thinks be is not bound
under the new law he is mistaken.
The Commsnder-in-ch chief has the right to
call you into active service, and you are
bound to obey or be treated as deserter.
And when thus called out, you will be in the
service of the General Government, and can
be taken any place the Commander in chief
says you shall be taken. This you might ss
we'll understand frat as last.
1t would be an inducement to some men to
go into this service, if they thought they
would not have any fighting to do; but
know others, and many others, who would
not like to 90 if there was no useful service
to be done or noble bearing to be endured.
Under the call, every man of you who fails
to muster on the I'd OF May, will be, under
the law, "deserter in time Of war" Every
man in the 10th Regiment, and in the 7th
Regiment, and in all others, who fails TO
muster on that day, will be treated as q de-
serter, and you know the penalty of desert
ing. 1t is death. 1t is true the penalty is
not always inflicted, and may not be in this
case, but none of you, I am sure, wish to be
subject to such penalty.
It is true the law says you may procure q
substitute. In no country, believe, except
in the Southern Confederacy, is s man denied
=
they take all. But the law specifies fan se-
,sptable substitute" He must be qualified,
and socially, to fill his place in the
,ompany. No man should be accepted as n
substitute by your captains, who would not
be acceptable to a majority of your company.
Hence no difficulty should be allowed to arise
1nder this head.
If any man in my regiment-for have
not been laying down any law for you that
Am not going to enforce in my own command
fails, on the I'd Of May, next Monday, to
report for duty, intend to send guard sf-
.er him, with guns, and with bayonsts on
hem. For any man, having assumed certain
if he fails to discharge them vol
lntarily, should be compelled to discharge
hem. The duty you can not avoid, and I
10 not believe you will attempt it.
Some men, after having signed your rolls,
refused to take the OATH and now think they
srs not members but this is great mistake
Every man who signed your rolls is firmly
held and bound to discharge the duties Of a
soldier. The oath makes not particle of
Inference. There seemed to be some doubt
1nder the old law, and it was provided in the
new law that, "sfter the organization Of q
recruits shall sign their names in a
book Of enlistment kept by the company for
hat purpose, which signing shall be legal
As to the duty We shall be called upon to
perform, think the object of the Government
Is to place us on the line of communications
between the army and the base of operations.
It is the belief of some that their duties
will be nice frolio, that they will only have
10 stand guard, have no fighting to do or
danger to meet, and that they will come
home honored veterans. What may say