The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-10
aovERsoR,s MESSAGE,

GOvERNOR,s ME ssAGE.
Gentlemen Of tie Senate o~d House Of Rep
resentotsecs; ID. X. - &. 2. $
As the chosen representatives ofthe people,
you are convened in obedience to thsfequirs-
ments of the Constitution, 70 dischaxse the
important duties which devolve upon the Leg
islative branch Of the State Government and
/ heratily oo.gratalate you upon the encoer,
aging auspices under which We meet. From z
condition Of disastrous and protracted MAR,
existing at the close OF your last segBi0n, thu
country has triumphanty passed 70 I period
Of repose which, through wise counseh and
the continued blessings of Prosidsnce, We
fondly hope may become perpetual.
In communicating TO you the condition OF
the State ~ required by the Constitution, l
deem it expedient for your information to
present, in connection with the financial state
ment, an exhibit OF our military expenditures
from the beginning of the war 70 the present
time. And may be allowed to anticipate
this exhibit With the remark that considering
the sparseness of our settlements, the absence
of steamboat and railroad facilities, largely
supplied by wagon transportation, and that,
in proportion to our population, We have fur
nished larger number of troops than any
other State, promptly filling our quotas, our
record presents through the entire period IN
economy of expediture equaled By no other
State in the Cnion. - R- 4 80
There was expended for military purposes
May, 1861, to Nov. 4, 1851 ......... $2S3, ,56S AZ
Nov 4, 1861, to Nov. Q, i8eS...... 6ae, 1853 s5
Nov. 2, 1868, to Nov. 4, 1865 ..... l69, ,231 90
Nov. 4. 1865, to Jan. 1, 1666... 4,047 II
These dates express the periods within which
the above sums were paid, but not when they
were actually incurred. The amount incurred
from Jan. IA, 1854, TO Jan. i, 1866, S44, ,93l-
80. Total military expenditures for all pur-
poses up to January l 1866, are 81 ,046, 1856.
90.
1t will be observed that most of these ex-
penditures were incurred during the period
beginning with the war and closing with the
fiscal year 1868. This was caused by our be.
ing compelled, in order to facilitate the mill
tary operations Of the General Government,
to defray large portion of the expenses in.
CURED in enlisting, transporting, subsisting,
quartering and paying the volunteer forces or
ganiled in this State. The sums thus ex-
pended were regarded merely as money ad-
vanced to the United States, for which, under
the Acts Of Congress approved respectively
July 18th and 9Th 1861, We are entitled to
reimbursement.
Although We have filed four several reaui-
sitions of the President for troops. and organ.
lied four regiments and one battalion, during
the last two years, yet the entire cost TO the
State will not exceed one thousand dollars.
While vas anxious that our State should
promptly discharge its entire duty in contrib
uting to the national defense in the way of
furnishing men, refused to deffay the ex-
peuse involved in recruiting and forwarding
our quotas from the State Treasury; and ac-
cordingly the expenditures thus made, were
paid by disbursing officers assigned BY the
War Department. The residue of the expen-
diture of these two years was incurred in or
gaining the State Militia, under an Act of
Of the General Assembly approved March 26,
1854, Transporting arms and ammunition. ex-
pense of the Adjntant Generals Office, detail
of men for protecting Southern border coun-
ties from threatened raids in the fall Of 1864
and the winter of 1905, and for all other mil.
itary purposes except the Sanitary Depart
inert.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
desire in this connection, as briefly as
can, to present the condition of our claims
against the United States for Reimbursement
The sums embraced in these claims were
mostly expended during the 6rst and second
years of the war from the War and Defense
Fund appropriated by Act of the Special Ses-
sion, May, 1851. The history Of our military
transactions during this period is too we'll
known to the members your honorable body
TO require explanation here. The evidence is
perfectly clear that these claims are for money
unsvoidably expended for legitimate military
purposes; and also that they were allowed,
audited and paid by the accounting and dis
bursing officers of the State, in strict confor-
nifty with the laws of the General Assembly.
Upon this point there has never been any room
for controversy. as the accounting officers OF
the United States Treasury freely concede.
But the real difficulty between us arises from
the fact, that, after large share of these
claims had been paid by the State in the ut.
most good faith. the Secretary of the United
States Treasury adopted set of regulations
exceedingly technical and unreasonable in
their character. by which the accounting ofh
GERS of that department were required to be
governed in examining the military claims o
of the several States. In the biennial mes
sage of my predecessor. under whose admins
tration these transactions occurred. this con.
fct is fully explained as follows:
There is due this State, from the United
States for expenses incurred by the State in
raising and equipping troops, and sending
them to the field. and for other purpose,
growing out of the rebellion. the estimated
amount of $3O0,0OO. There is much Difficult
ty in procuring an adjustment Of this claim al
Washington. When these moneys we're ex
pended by the State, there WAS no Law of Con
gress or regulation of the Federal Government
prescribing the form in which proof of ths
H.. 1ol1 - .l~,. Nko En,.n
al Assembly of this State provided, by law
for such proofs and vouchers as we're deemed
sufficient, both for the protection Of the STATE
and the United States. Upon presentation o.
these proofs and vouchers to the proper De
partment at Washington, they are found no
TO comply, in form, with regulations sincs
adopted by that Department., and it is doubt
ful whether they will be allowed without some
legislation by Congress, Seine portions O
these expenditures. thus made, are also oh
jected to as not coming within the letter o
existing laws of the United States. Among
these are the sums paid by the State for the
subsistence and pay Of the troops that wen
from this State to Missouri. at the request o.
the United States officers, under the command
Of Colonels Edwards and Morledge. s,s -y.f Il
"There is, also, an unsettled claim agains
the United States, for expenditures by ths
State, for the protection Of our people during
the two winters following the massacre on on
north western frontier, Ink pa du- tah and BIZ
band. The United States are also, in my
judgement, Justly liable for the amounts ex
pended by this State in protecting our people
on the northwestern and southern border
since the commencement Of the rebellion.
recommend the appointment Of an agent o
the State to proceed to Washington to pres
the adjustment of these claims, and to secure
fpecessarv additional eyislation hv Conrra4I