Year: 1864

measures as they may decide upon, as
being most likely to accomplished their
purpose. At the same time it will be
wise to fix some well defined limits, be-
yond which it shall not be lawful to 90,
to prevent inconsiderate rashness. In
fixing such limits, care should be taken
to avoid extremes. 1t is not only i'm.
portant that the object should be pur-
sued with great enthusiasm and pa,ri-
otic energy, but that it should at the
same time be continuous and not
transitory. The losses of the compa
nies and regiments in the field are con-
stantly and steadily occurring. The
men drop out of the ranks one by one
into the hospital. Large Numbers OF
them never return to active duty, dis
appearing in the Invalid Corps, or be-
ing finally discharged to return to civil
life. Their places in the ranks ought
to be supplied by steady influx ofnew
recruits. 1t is better every way that
the number required to keep up the
numbers of the Michigan regiments in
the field should be obtained by steady
and constant recruitment of new men,
than that all should have to be done i'm
a period limited to few days, and
consequently by spasmodic exhaust
ing effort which will soon need to be
repeated. Under the present system
of credits to the sub-districts, any sur
plus is always carried forward in fact
the enrolment law requires that, and
any town may, by steady system OF
recruiting, keep its quota const antly
filled, thus avoiding the extra expenses
and effort occasioned by haste and
strong competition on the eve of q
draft.


We owe great debt of gratitude te
the companies and regiments we have
put IN the field, and can repay it in nc
way SO well as keeping their way full
1t ought not to be considered fulfill
ment of our whole duty merely to raise
the quotas assigned us. 1t is a sacred
obligation resting upon the people to
sustain the troops in the field; and for
this purpose it is essential that the ac
tion be unremitting and steadily sus
tanned. When bountes are offered
the offer should be continued after the
Immediate exigency is past, thus pro
viding surplus to meet another call.


The State bounty which was provi
ded by the act approved March 9th
1868, was Withdrawn soon after the
late call was made. This action was
rendered property two considerations
First, the war loan fund was insufficient
in amount to pay it to 80 large a mum
Der OF men as the call embraced; and
secondly, because the United States
Government had so largely increased
its bOunties that it's payment was con
sidered unnecessary SO long as those
should continue to be paid.


It will be remembered that this State
bounty was recommended in the mes
sage of a year ago to supply the place,
to some extent, of the local bounties
which it was apprehended would cease
as soon as the draft then progressing
was over, which proved to be the ease.
And this was for the purpose of pre-
venting the entire abandonment of the
recruiting service, which it also has ac
complished. This is case which is
very likely to occur again, and wish
to reserve the amount still remaining in
the war loan fund TO be used when and
where other bounties are withheld, or
there is some especial reason for their
being paid, as in the case of the veter.
ans who re-enlist, having never re-
ceived any bounty from the State. The
payment of this bounty was also con-
fined by express words of the act. to
those who should .'enlist in any regi-
ment, battery or company heretofore
mustered from this State into the mill
tary service of the United States, OF
now then organizing in this State for
such service" The purpose of this
was to encourage enlistments in the
old regiments, and to discourage the
formation of new ones, policy which
has now been adopted by the General
Government. To prevent misconstruc
ton, this act will require some slight
amendment, more especially in regard
to the discretion which was vested in
the Executive. In its main object,
however, believe it to have been a
very beneficial law, and trust it may be
retained.


ENABLING SOLDIERS IN THE FIELD TO