Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-09-07
CIVIL WAR VOTE
OF OUR SOLDIERS
Over Five Thousand Cast Their Bal
lots While in Field.

It Is Of more than passing interest
to note that. according to the reports
Of the commissioners appointed by
Governor Buckingham to collect the
votes of Connecticut soldiers in the
field In the Civil war, there were 2,S97
taken for the nation election in 1864
and 2.208 for the state election of 1866,
a total of 5,105.
The records show that some Of the
soldiers were in hospitals when they
voted. Two of the commissioners,
James Fl. Turner of New London and
Oliver P. Wattles of Norwich, wrote
their report entirely by hand and did
not use the blanks furnished them. In
have directly nor indirectly Influenced
nor attempted to influence any soldier
and In the performance of our duties
under said appointment We have been
Impartial and faithful as we believe"
In the document given a commits
assigned him was described and his
activities limited TO it. The commits
sioners made out returns on blanks
and sWere to their accuracy before a
notary. All the returns from the
commissioners were afterwards bound
in one volume and given into the GUS
tody of the secretary of state.
In view Of what has been said about
the limitation, or the absence of lini-
tatfon, of the members of the general
dSSSi11D1y as 10 LIIG SCOAQS % IilGlE WOrk
at the coming special session, it is of
interest to read the journal Of each
legislative branch for the special ses-
sions held during the Civil war. 1t is
evident the legislators did not think
they were obliged to take the pur-
pose of the session as stated by Gov
ernor Buckingham as the limit on the
scope of their work.
In, his proclamation for the special
session held Nov: 8. 1861 Governor
Buckingham said it was 'for meeting
the cali of the president and for equal.
The senate journal of that session
shows that other business was attend
ed to besides that which was made
necessary by the Civil war. The first
bill introduced into the house referred
to Communities and corporations" a
phraseology. The first petition pre-
sented to the senate related to GENE
teries and it would require a very
vivid imagination to see anything bel
lease in bill having such a grave
title. Another bill authorized the
vide local school fund and any one
with a knowledge OF the character
Of the good people of these towns will
have no difficulty in believing that the
distribution was made without even
an angry word on either side. HOUSE
bill No. 8 related to banks and No. 4
had county jails as a subject for leg
islation. Neither could be construed
as being necessarily ger1nane to the
purpose of the special session as set
forth in the proclamation OF the gov
ernor. Senate bill No. 8 had the all
important subject of sheep culture
as the substance of its proposition a
fact which shows that even in those
days there was a. cry against the neg
lect of the state to take steps to raise
its own mutton and wool. The cry is
heard till so years after the war. There
was certainly nothing in the procla-
nation Of the governor to suggest to
the Phoenix Insurance company of
this city or to the New Haven Steam
boat company to apply to the legisla-
ture for authority to increase their
capital stock, but they did make the
application and in each instance it
was favorably acted on at the special
session. The town of Rocky Hill had
some proceedings to 1egalize and it
found the session an opportune time
for having them stamped with legal
ity.
In the rules adopted by the senate
there is the curious provision that
when senator introduces a petition
he shall make an oral statement in
regard to it. If every petition pre-
scented to the general assembly now
had to be explained by its introducer
the time for the introduction OF new
business would not be brought to an
end before the session would be ad-
journed by the constitutional limit,