Resolved, That there be printed in the German language 1,000 copies of the Governor's message, and accompanying documents, for the use of this House; Which was not adopted. Mr. Deare gave notice that on some future day he would ask leave to introduce A bill to authorize the board of supervisors of Waynecounty to make a temporary loan for bounty purposes; Also, A bill to provide for raising money, or issuing bonds, by townships, cities, or counties, to pay bounties to volunteers, Mr. Lockwood, previous notice having been given, and leave being granted, introduced A bill to amend an act entitled an act to revise the charter of the city of Detroit, approved February 5th, 1857. The bill was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the committee on banks and incorporations. Mr. H. Hayden, unanimous consent being given, introduced A bill to authorize the county of Bay to issue and loan its bonds to aid in the construction of a railroad from Bay City to East Saginaw. The bill was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the committee on banks and incorporations. Mr. Hemingway, previous notice having been given, and leave being granted, introduced A bill to enable the qualified electors of this State, in the military service, to vote at certain elections, and to amend sections 45 and 61, of chapter 6, of the compiled laws. The bill was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the committee on judiciary. Mr. Bliss, unanimous consent being given, introduced A bill to provide for paying or funding the bounty funds raised by the citizens of East Saginaw. The bill was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the committee on ways and means. Mr. Lockwood, previous notice having been given, and leave being granted, introduced A bill to amend an act entitled an act further to preserve the purity of elections and guard against the abuse of the elective franchise, by a registration of electors, approved February 14, 1859. The bill was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the committee on elections. Mr. Cobb, previous notice having been given, and leave being granted, introduced A bill to provide for refunding bounties paid by the citizens of Kalamazoo to secure the enlistment of volunteers in the military service of the United States. The bill was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the committee on ways and means. Mr. Sweezey, unanimous consent being given, introduced A bill to provide for refunding bounties paid by citizens of the township of Hastings, in the county of Barry, to secure the enlistment of volunteers in the military service of the United States, since the first day of August, 1863. The bill was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the committee on ways and means. Mr. Woodman gave notice that on some future day he would ask leave to introduce A bill to authorize certain towns in Van Buren county to aid in the construction of a certain railroad in said county. Mr. Erskine offered the following: Resolved, That the committee on militia be requested to report a bill granting to each veteran soldier that has enlisted, or that may hereafter enlist from this State into the service of the United States, the sum or bounty of two hundred dollars, to be paid out of the State treasury, and said soldier to be credited to the State at large; Which was not adopted. Mr. Winsor offered the following: Whereas, The Provost Marshal General of the United States has appointed B. H. Hill, who was a non-resident of the State at the time of his appointment, and not a citizen of the State, to the position of Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General of this State, and as though there was not a man in Michigan qualified for the position; And whereas, Michigan has established her loyalty and patriotism in the blood of her sons on every battle-field, and as her unwavering loyalty does not require that she should be tyrannized over by a stranger who exhibits no sympathy except by availing himself of every opportunity to insult her citizens; therefore, Resolved, (the Senate concurring,) That our Senators and Representatives in Congress be and they are hereby requested to use their influence to have the said B. H. Hill superseded by a Wilcox, a Terry, or some other Michigan man equally quali fied for the position. Resolved, That the Governor be and he is hereby requested to forward copies of these resolutions to our Senators and Representatives in Congress, and to Provost Marshal General Fry. Mr. Lockwood moved to refer the resolution to the committee on federal relations; Mr. Mason moved to lay the resolution on the table; The motion to refer the resolution to the committee on federal relations, prevailed. Mr. Hemingway moved to take from the table the various memorials and petitions in regard to paying bounties to soldiers by towns and counties; Which motion prevailed. On motion of Mr. Hemingway, The memorials and petitions were referred to the committee on ways and means. Mr. Rankin gave notice that on some future day he would ask leave to introduce A bill to secure the elective franchise to the qualified voters of the army and navy of the State of Michigan. Mr. Cobb offered the following: Resolved, That the message of the Governor, and the documents accompanying the same, be ordered printed in the daily journal of this House; Which was adopted. The following is the message of the Governor, and the documents accompanying the same: Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives: I welcome you again to the Capitol. By virtue of that provision of the Constitution which authorizes the Governor to convene the Legislature upon "extraordinary occasions," your present assembling has been required. The period is itself revolutionary and altogether extraordinary. The rebellion still refuses to give us either peace or rest; and no human forecast seems sufficient to provide for all the exigencies of a single year. At your last session, after having tried the hard experiences of war for nearly two years, and learned somewhat of the requirements of the occasion, it was hoped that all had been done which would be required during the term for which you had been elected, and for the fulfillment of the obligation owed by the people of Michigan to the National Government, in its great effort to protect the Union and save the nation entire. All the measures of that session were, I believe, wisely adapted to the purposes had in view; but some changes made by acts of Congress in the methods of recruitment of the National forces, and the failure of those acts to accomplish the object in the manner and to the extent anticipated, have rendered further legislation expedient and even necessary. The enrollment act was evidently intended to dispense with the system of volunteering, and to rely mainly, if not entirely, upon drafting, to reinforce the National armies. No further appeals were to be made directly to the State authorities, to furnish their quotas of volunteers, as had been previously done; but the Government would at once lay its hands upon the men required, by means of the Provost Marshals and the machinery of the draft. It resulted, of course, that local and State bounties would be no further required, nor would any further agitation by the local authorities be necessary, in any part of the country. This project has been tried, apparently with results not altogether satisfactory, whether for the reason that the law itself was crude and defective, or that the system was not in accordance with the habits and genius of our people, it is not necessary now to inquire. The President has, for whatever reason, in his proclamation of October last, "calling upon the Governors of the different States to raise and have enlisted into the United States service, for the various companies and regiments in the field from their respective States, their quotas of three hundred thousand men,” returned to the old system, which looks to recruiting as the chief reliance for strengthening the military forces. The demand that the enlistments should all be "for the various companies and regiments in the field," also indicates a determination to cease ornamenting ambitious civilians with the insignia of military command, and in its stead to reinforce the veteran corps' by enlistments into their well trained ranks, under officers of tried courage and skill; a policy so wise that it is only wonderful that it was not adopted long before. As soon as practicable after the issue of this call, the quotas of the several States were made known to them, that of Michigan being a little in excess of eleven thousand. It was the duty of the State to respond to this call for volunteers with the promptness and energy which has characterized our people since the war began, and has made Michigan soldiers a pride and a glory in every army in which they have served. To do this required that all our recruiting machinery which had been laid aside for the draft, should be again brought into full operation. Some little delay was unavoidably occasioned in consequence of the draft being at the time in actual progress; but all things considered, the success has been more than equal to the most sanguine expectations. Recruiting has been brought back to the standard of enthusiasm of the first year of the war, and the ability of the State still to fill its quotas by the process of voluntary enlistments, has been proved beyond doubt. |