Year: 1865

~ OF every regiment as an organization
mustered into the service during the same
time. This report is the result Of great
labor and untiring energy on the part of
the officer whose work it is, and demon.
strates the ability and fitness which he
brings TO the discharge Of the duties of
his otice and his great devotion to the
interests of the brave soldiers who have
gone from this State to fight the battles
OF their country, many of them TO die
that our liberties might be preserved
and the nation saved 1t will be found
TO be OF the highest interest TO the living
soldiers and the families and friends Of
those who are dead In Justice TO the
heroic men in whose behalf this report
has been prepared / recommend that q
large number of copies be printed and O
proper number be deposited in the clerks
and recorders Offices of the several coun.
ties for the benefit of those interested in
the information il contains


endorse all that is So appropriately
and happily said III this report in com
mendation of West Virginia soldiers
They have evinced bravery and sol,
dierly bearing that is alike creditable to
them and honorable To the State. Led
on by our own noble officers in immediate
command, they have endured the hard
ships and privations of active service
without complaint, have eagerly sought
the enemy. and whenever found they
have assaulted him with an intelligence
determination and bold impetuosity that
have not been surpassed by any troops
in the history Of the war, and have re-
suited in their triumph in many hard
fought field


In passing from the consideration Of
the Adjutant Generals report, | feel it
my duty to call your attention 10 tho
small salary he receives under existing
law and recommend that for the next
term il be reasonably increased | do
moi hesitate To say that il barely pays
his expenses of living i'll tho exercise of
the most rigid economy 10 was fixed at
time when the cost of living Was not
one-half what il Is At present. The du-
ties of his office require capacity, indus
try, and at times arduous labor, such as
the State has no right Ia expect without
reasonable compensation. The salary OF
his clerk is also too small As il il AZ
present il is impossible foT him to retain
clerk who can render him any service
ut all What have said in regard To
the salaries of these officers might well
be said of the salaries of many other ot
the State officers but in tho latter
eases the provisions Of the constitution
will not allow of an increase.


AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION oF UNI


TED STATES.


There is proposition before Congress
to propose To the several States, AN
amendment Ia the Constitution of tho
United States, in the manner provided ia
that instrument SO AS 10 abolish slavery
throughout the Union. slavery has been
a subject of dispute and source Of irri.
tation from the foundation of the Gov.
ernment. Ii has AT last been made tho
preteXt for the most unjustitlablc and
wicked rebellion in the hist ory of the
world, for the purpose of dissolying tho
Union and destroying our liberties. Tho
civilized world is against it, The pres
ent affords an occasion as il does an OPP
portunity 10 effectually destroy il In u
constitutional mode. IL IL shall happen
that during the session of the present
Legislature any action Oh your part, is
needed to further the proposed amend
ment, or TO facilitate its ratification by
this State, trust you will not hesitate
| to take such action.


CONCLUSION.


The history of the past year is full Of
interest tO every patriot. The health
of the country has been unprecedented
The neccssarics, comforts and even luxu-
ries of life have abOundod. Prosperity
has attended every branch of business
and, were il not for this unfortunate re-
bcllion, we wonld be- the happiost people
OH the face of the earth. And while We
are compelled to mourn the loss of many
of the nOblest Of tho race, yet we
rejoice that the cause IN which
they died is worthy of tho sacrifico;
that they died that constitutional
liberty might be perpctuaied; that
| they have died not IN vain; that through
| the instrumentality Of heroes dead and
| brave men alive tho nation still survives;
| and that during the past year the gov.
eminent has made great progress toward
| the re-establishment of ITS authority
| throughout the entire land Its armies
| have been victorious IA every quarter
| They have defeated and put to rOut the
enemy OF every battlefield They have
penetrated his country, and proven that
the material of war is well nigh eX.
hausted. They have captured aud arc
now holding many of the strongholds
| and much of the territory heretofore
within the enemy's lines Their presence
has demonstrated that there has all
along been a latent Union feeling ready
10 manifest itself whenever the protect.
ing arm Of the government was extended
over them. In the meantime, the people
of the loyal States have endorsed the
prosecution Of the war ia the 10 election
Of the present chief magistrate by a ma
jority that carries with II a moral power
which has It's effect in silencing oppOsi-
tion in the loyal States aud in materially
weakening the rebellion within the rebel
lines The situation is cheering on every
hand; and the prospect il that during the
coming season the authority Of the gov.
ment will now hero longer be disputed,
and peace will return on the basis Of a
restored Union and the yindication Of
offended law God graft that IT may DO
so A J. BoREMAS.