The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-01-13

Congress, tits idle to SUPPOSE that the ca /
talists of our. State would be willing to engage
in the business Of banking under any, system
that you can adopt hence i recommend that
you simply give the several banking cofpora-
tionsa now existing under State authority all
reasonable facilities for closing the business oi
their institutions.
The Militia system adopted by the legisla-
ton of last winter has proved a profound
success. The Reports of Adjutant- General
Hill and Quartermaster- General Wright here
with submitted, will furnish youall the,sta-
tistics as to the militia of the State, deemed
necessary to advise you fully On the subject.
The amendments TO the law, suggested by
these officers, as also the appropriations asked
for 10 render the system fully efficient, are
commended to your favorable consideration.
These faithful officers and their several en-
ployees cannot be too highly commended 10
you.
" Bsnno SpeSer, Esq, Commissioner of I'M
migration, whose appointment was reported
to your predecessors, has proved himself to
be highly competent and, suitable person
for the position. His Reports herewith fully
demonstrate the importance to our State OF
the organizations of this Department, and it is
hoped that it will be maintained and fostered
by the Legislature. kaa5s8 1ssi1asf
The Board fer the examination of Claims
against the State, growing out of the war,
created BY the =" Act to provide Board Of
Commissioners to examine certain military
claims, and making an appropriation for their
payment" has, for want of time, but par
tally performed its work. BY the. Report Of
said Board herewith, it will be seen that
claims to the amodnt of S136,O14 Is were
presented, of which the Board passed upon
SS5, l61s T3, leaving S47, ,S52 40 undisposed
of. The aggregate sum allowed, being $685.
TAG 20 sheuld be provided by appropriation.
In addition to the several claims presented,
and not Investigated for want of time-claims
to a large amount, growing out OF the Nor
gan raid and other causes-are certain TO be
presented to you for liquidation, unless relief
in some other shape shall be provided for the
several claimants. For full particulars, in
rela6ohto this new class of claims, refer
you to documents herewith, marked number
4. 1t will be seen from these papers, that the
estimated amount of pay proper, for the mi
litia who responded to my proclamation, is
about $3.50, ,000-that the damages commit
ted by the enemy is estimated at $495, coo
and that the losses and damages occasioned by
our own troops are $152000.o The. pay
proper, to the militia. is provided for by ap
preparation made at the last session; and the
sum of about $780, ,OCO has already been au-
dited and paid. It will further be observed
by reference to document No. 4, that this
payment was made upon the recommends
ton of the Secretary of War; and is consid-
cred by him simply as an advance by the
State to the General Government. The sub.
sistence of our militia, called out in said ser
IL L - Il
Government, and much if not all of it, ha:
already been paid, The transportation of the
troops was also directly assumed by the Gen
eral Government. No provision, however
has been made for the adjustment and liqui
dation of the several claims for damages &c
casioned by the enemy, or incident to the
movement of our own troops. Prompt meas
ures were taken by me, through the severa
Military Committees. Of the counties interest
ed to ascertain and have reported to me
these several claims and q bureau was in
augurated, at the head of which l placed
/ Henry s. Babbitt, ESQ.,, a highly competen
person, for the purpose of arranging and pre-
serving the evidence of the same. To ad
just and determine, with any degree of accu
racy and safety to the State, the amount o
these several claims, it is necessary that
special commission be created for that pur
pose. therefore recommend that you adop
the necessary legislation to create and regulat
this commission; giving it full authority il
the Premises and directing to report to yoi
at a future session of the Legislature sTh,
reports of the several Military Committees
made to me, should be referred to this Com
mission. sas - gsas 7saa . ssss7iH'
must not omit to inform YOU how great
L. &l Al. L. i -
several county Military Committees appoint
ed by me. They have ever cheerfully re
sponded to the numerous calls made upol
them, with a degree of alacrity and generosi
ty unbounded without their efficient aid, tn
best interests of the State would at time
have materially suffered. / shall ever fee
grateful to these gentlemen. for their kind
ness to me personally, as well as officially.
ID That everything of interest, relating to th
gallant men who have been or may be engage
in the military service Of our country, ma
be collected and perpetuated. / recommen
for that purpose the establishment of a bu
reau, to be known as the Bureau of Militar
Statistics. These statistics should contai
the name, age and place of residence of eve
ryl officer aud private who was in any wa
engaged in the service; the date of his en-
listment: the Company and Regiment {
which he belonged ! the term of service; th
time and reason for his discharge j; whethe
killed or wounded in battle and the tim
and place ef-death and burial of those VII
may die in service ~ This duty can well b
performed bybthe Surgeon General Of tn
| State and, as much Of the Information wi
have to be gathered from the records of tn
several hospitals can, perhars, better be pei
formed by him than by any other officer
Should this duty be thrown upon him, how
ever, the salary attached to that Office shoul
be materially increased, as a faithful discharg
ofithe duty would command all of his tins
I submit, herewith, communications fror
Secretary Hoffman, giving in detail the item
ofiexpenditures from the Civil and Miiitar
| Contingent Funds, from the 18th day of De
cember, A. ID. 1862, date of last years repor
to the 18th day of December, a. ID. 1863 =
1t will be seen, that from the Civil Funs
there has been expended $92o,66, and frof
| the Military Fund SOS, ,981 SO. T ask for th
! appointments, at an early day, of a Commit
i tee of your body, to examine these expend
tures Large as the expenditure is, 1 dout
not it will meet your approval, and urgent
ly recommend that you place at the dispost
of my successor, like liberal continger
fund, that he may meet all contingencie
likely to arise. Our gallant boys in the iels
and in hospitals, and en- route for their respet
tive homes must have the fostering care {
/ the State Government. In this connection
allow me torecommend to that you keep upo
your statute book, the several laws now j
force providing for the appointment Of pa
agents; and the agencies for the care Of sol
diers. The amount received by the sewers
pay agents from soldiers in the field and de
posted in the State Treasury for distributio
to their families, for the past year, is $961,
S24 81, sat cost to the State of .$2;753 6s