The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-01-18
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Two
wears have passed since the Representatives
nj the ueople last assembled To deliberate
and legislate upon the important inter-
ests of their constituents Ill tins STATE
During the time the people have Deen
Favored with usual health, and the Scoulpe
az disease. which has so afflicted portions
of orr land, has been providenlaily stayed
and arrested in his fatal career at our very
border. The harveSls have been 6tuhl J.
ful. especially for The year just CLOSED.
The trade aud industry OF the STATE are
reyiving, and the spirit anu courage Oh
the people take II W life from 'he evil
denCes on every hand that there are pros
porous days for this state ana nation III
The immediate future. The resumption
If surcie payments by the United states
Government after Il suspension ut seven
Teen wears is one of the grandeSt iac's
and achievements in the financial history
of nations. It's accomplishment Is EVIL
deuce alike OF the wise cOunSeS when
have governed our policy, ANA OF the
enormous resources and surplus produc-
ton which have made IL possible. we
have abundant reason TO give thanks 10
the Giyer of all good for the favor when
has been shown us DIS Il people. con-
graduate yop upon your assembling To-
gether at The opening of new year I'M
der 50 favorable circumstances.
The chief duty Of the governor, under
the constitution, is expressed II. me oD-
legation which ii imposes upon MN 10
take care that the laws be faithfully eh-
sculed." In "a sense, lie Is DONG llilS III
the performance OF every proper olllciai
act but the obligation seems grdVer. ana
the people have more vital interest IN
- - Cob
public peace and the lives and property
of law.abiding citizens are IN jeopardy ny
reason of organized attacks, or exposed
to the menaces of mob. a government
which tails to protect the life aud proper
ty of its cilIZelS comes short OF tulillllnn
the frs, object of its creation ana maln-
tenance.
after the area of prosperity which FOL
lowed the war there naturally came a
period of depression. Hard times set IN,
and many labUrlng men connected with
railroads, manufacturing ana INNING tS-
Establishments were thrown out OF Work,
and the wages of those employed were
from time to limt reduced. AS the re-
suit of this condition OF things lhey be-
came restless and dissatisfied; Disagree
ments occurred, and frequent strikes lol-
lowed. Finally, IN July, 1871, the quiet
of the people was suddenly broken, ana
the business OF almost the Whole country
was stopped Dv asseniblages oil men VINO,
in violation and defiance OF law ana OF
the civil authorities. TOOK possession OF
railroads, manufacturing establishments,
and mines. and forced The owners, ana
those willing and eager to work, to stop
work and submit to the dlctallOn OF lhc
rioters. 80 unlocked for were these 0c-
hal tt4V
made any preparation for them. AT
SOME places thrre was great loss OF HE
and properly; but in our own state, with
the exception OF the sad occurrences ot
one day III the streets Of Chicago, the
whole record of suffering and loss Is tod
when the statement Is made that FOR a
week many OF the railroads, mines, ana
manufacturing establishments were I'M
der the rule of lawless men, and the
commerce of the state was almost ut
standslill. The act passed by the last
general assembly, in 1877, providing for
the organizing OF the militia, had been
in force but ii few days, and nothing had
been done under it 10 organize the mill
tary force Of the state. There was no
adequate preparation for the troubles
which SO suddenly came upon us. Every
military company in the state, however,
armed and equipped or not,-nOne Of
hem being fully equipped Tor active duty
responded To the call upon them and
held themselves in readiness to 20 wter-
ever ordered, and tOperfOrin any duty, as
soldiers, which the eXlgencleS OF the Time
demanded. Ammunition was procured
With all possible dispatch, ana IT'S soon III
the National Guard could reach the dit
ferent points in the state where the
rioters were interfering with labor, and
in possession of railroad trains and man
ntacturing and mining establishments,
all unlawful asSembldgeS were dispersed
and business resumed. While the strike
and riOtOuS laWltssneSs resulted IN the
destruction OF property III this state, 1t
cost the state Il considerable sum OF
money, besides the loss sustained by cit
izenS in the interference with their DuSl
ness.
The officers and men of the Illinois
National Guard are entitled to the heart
lest thanks of the people of the state for
their prompt and efficient service. AS
already stated, every military organiza-
ton III the state was called To duty, and
was either III active service or 1T its ar
mOry, waiting orders for about fifteen
days. The railway trains and machine
shops and factories In Chicago, Peoria
Galesburg, Decatur, and East st. Louis
were IN the hands of the mob, us well as
the mines at BraidwOOd, La Sale, and
some other places; and all these places
were urgently demanding u military
force to aid the civil authorities in their
efforts to preserve the peace and enforce
the law. A military force was placed on
duty at all the places named above, with
strict orders to act subordinate To and in
assistance of the civil authorities. Their
behavior throughout was uneXception-
able.
The members of the Illinois National
Guard include representatives in every
honorable OccupatlOn-sOme are men
who have charge Of large business inter
ests, Others are working for daily wages
Tor support. The time and attention
which these men gave, III response To my
call upon them, Involved 10 mtny Il
serious sacrifice. They gave their service
freely. The law of the state likes the rate
OF payment Tor such service, but no ap-
Appropriation had been made to meet the
unlO0ked-tor contingency, and no ade-
quate luhd was al the disposal of the
governor to detray the expenses of such
al emergency. the consequence Is. The
National Guard have not been paid "A