my office have also been, and will probably continue to be, largely increased in consequence of the new demands that have been and may be made upon the State. I, therefore, recommend to your favorable consideration such increase of the contingent fund for extraordinary expenses of this office as will be sufficient to enable me to do for the gallant men, who so nobly represent our State in the army of the Union, when suffering from wounds and disease, that which every loyal heart so anxiously desires should be done, and also enable me to carry on successfully the many and arduous labors imposed upon this office, in promptly responding to all the demands made upon the State for the support of the Government.

The labors of the office of Adjutant-General have been largely increased, and must continue to be very great as long as the war lasts, and for some time after its close. This State will soon have in the field nearly or quite 50,000 men, and the interest and welfare of our soldiers and their friends require that the records of that office should be fully and carefully kept. The Adjutant-General now discharges, in addition to the proper duties of that office, the duties of Quartermaster-General and Paymaster-General. It is, in my judgment, impossible for one officer properly to superintend the labors of these three departments. The amount of labor and attention required is more than one person can give, and the necessary work cannot be so promptly done or so well done as if there was a proper division of labor. I recommend that I should be authorized to appoint an assistant Adjutant-General, who shall act as Paymaster-General. A Quartermaster-General can

be appointed under existing law, and then the duties now imposed upon the Adjutant-General can be so divided and arranged as, in my judgment, to greatly benefit the public service.

In my judgment, the compensation of the Adjutant General is not adequate, either to the labor or responsibility of his position, and I recommend an addition thereto, either by allowing him a contingent for traveling expenses or by an increase of his salary.

Congress has provided by law an allotment system by which our soldiers can set aside a portion of their monthly pay and have the same paid at their homes to such persons as they may designate, without risk or expense. The benefits of this system are obvious and great. Commissioners have been appointed by the President, but under the law the compensation of these commissioners must be paid by the States, and as no appropriation has been made for that purpose, our soldiers and their friends have not, as yet, enjoyed the benefits of the system. One of the commissioners is now engaged in procuring the allotments of our regiments before they leave the State, and I earnestly recommend such an appropriation as will secure the benefits of this system to all our soldiers.

Since your adjournment Congress has passed a law donating public

lands to such of the several States and territories as may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts. Under this law, this State is entitled to a donation of 240,000 acres of land. It is a most munificent donation, and for a most worthy purpose. It is of great importance that immediate action be had by you touching this grant. By taking such action the State can secure the entire amount of the lands within her own limits, and consequently control their management and disposition. Should action in this matter be postponed till the next regular session, other States may select their lands within the limits of this State, and manage and dispose of them in a manner very undesirable to us. I recommend the subject to your careful consideration. * * *

It is of the highest importance that the numerical strength of the regiments from this State be maintained in the field. Many of our old regiments have been much reduced in numbers, and thus the expense of maintaining them in proportion to their numbers is much increased, while their efficiency is much diminished. Our new regiments will go out full, and the old ones will soon be filled, but in a short time their numbers will be again reduced. To remedy this evil, I recommend that with the approval of the proper Federal authorities a camp of instruction be established at some suitable point in this State sufficient to accommodate 1,000 men; that the several counties be required to furnish their equitable proportion of that number of men to place in camp under instruction; that when men are needed to fill the ranks of any of our regiments, requisitions be made for the proper number which shall be filled as nearly as may be from the men in camp from the counties in which the companies composing the regiment were organized, and their places in camp be immediately supplied by new men from the same counties. This is entirely just to all the counties; will send the men into companies composed of their neighbors and friends, and will keep up our regiments to their effective strength.

On the 17th day of August I issued a proclamation urging upon our people the strong necessity of filling up our old regiments, and as an inducement to enlistments for that purpose declared my intention of recommending to you the payment of bounties by the State to all who should enlist for the old regiments, between the date of proclamation and the first day of the present month. I have not yet learned the number of men who have thus enlisted between the dates named, but I recommend to you that an appropriation for the purpose of paying to each of them such bounty as you may deem advisable.

The theory of our government is that the people rule. This theory can be carried into practical effect only through the ballot box. Thereby the people mould and direct the operations of the government and settle all questions affecting the public welfare. The right of suffrage is therefore highly prized by all good citizens, and should

be exercised by them at all times, and especially at times when questions of grave importance are presented for solution. There never has been, perhaps there never will again be a time when questions so important, interests so vital as those now demanding action at the hands of our people were, or will be submitted to them. The very life of the nation is at stake, and may be as fatally lost at the ballot box as on the battlefield. Under such circumstances it is not only the right but the duty of all good citizens to exercise the right of suffrage, and to see to it that the principles for the preservation of which our people are so freely offering their treasure and life, are not jeopardized, are not lost in the halls of legislation-State or National. A very large number of the electors of the State are in the army. We say but little when we say that these men are as good citizens, as intelligent, as patriotic, as devoted to their country, as those who remain at home. Under existing laws these citizens cannot vote, and unless these laws can be changed it may be that the same cause they are periling life in the field to maintain, may be lost at home through supineness or treachery. I therefore recommend that the laws be so modified that all members of Iowa regiments, who would be entitled to vote if at home on the day of election, be allowed to vote wherever they may be stationed in the United States, and that provision be made for receiving and canvassing their votes.

There are in this State some religious bodies who entertain peculiar views on the subject of bearing arms, and whose religious opinions conscientiously entertained preclude their doing so. Their members are generally among our most quiet, orderly and industrious and peaceful citizens, and their sympathies are wholly with the government in this struggle now going on for its preservation, yet they cannot conscientiously bear arms in its support. It appears to me it would be unjust and wholly useless to force such men into the army as sold ers, and yet it would not be just to the government or to other citizens that they should be wholly relieved from the burdens that others have to bear. I suggest therefore that these persons who cannot conscientiously render military duty be exempted therefrom in case of draft upon payment of a fixed sum of money to be paid to the State.

Startling rumors have recently reached me of danger to our people on the northwestern frontier from hostile Indians 1 immediately despatched Schuyler R. Ingham of Des Moines to the scene of danger with arms and ammunition and full authority to act as circumstances might require. I have not yet had a report from him, but will immediately upon receipt of such report communicate with you by special message should the emergency require your attention.

The condition of the country is such as justly to cause anxiety and distrust, but not despondency to the patriot. It is true the rebellion

against the government has assumed a magnitude and shown a strength we did not anticipate, but it is also true that the government has exhibited a degree of power for its suppression that the most sanguine did not dream of. Our rulers and our people have at last realized the extent of the task before them, and have girded themselves to the work like men. We have all, rulers and people, at last learned, on a page all blotted with tears and blood, that in this war conciliation and kindness are more than useless, and that the enemy, whose social fabric is based upon force, respects only force, and can be subdued by force alone. We are learning, if we have not yet learned, that it is wise to strike the enemy where he is weakest, and to strike him there continually and with all our power, that God's blessing upon our cause will surely bring its triumph, and that we cannot with confidence claim that blessing until our cause by being made in all things like Him-pure and holy, fully deserves it. If we have fully learned these lessons, and shall fairly act upon them, we will soon triumph. If we have not learned them we will yet do so and we will then triumph. SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.

Such was his anxiety to have all done for the soldiers that could be, that on the 10th of September the Governor sent in the following special message:

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

The burthens of the war now being waged by our people for the preservation of our government bear heavily on us, and should be borne as equally as possible. These burthens are of two kinds: First, that of military duty in the field, and second, that of taxation at home. It seems to me to be unequal and unfair that those of us who bear the first of these burthens should be compelled to share with those of us who remain at home the second; that the soldiers who are fighting our battles in the field should also be compelled to pay their share of taxes equally with those who do not share their perils and privations.

The compensation paid to those of our soldiers who hold commissions is sufficiently liberal to enable them to pay their taxes without inconvenience, but it is not so with their no less worthy, but less fortunate comrades. It would be a just recognition by us of our appreciation of the patriotism and self-sacrifice of the latter, if we were to release them during their services from all taxes levied under State laws and it doubtless would be news of comfort and cheer to them amid the dangers and trials by which they are surrounded for our sakes, that we be careful that the houses that sheltered their wives and little ones had been secured from danger of sale for taxes, by our voluntary assumption of their share of the one burthen, while they are bravely bearing our share of the other. I there

fore recommend to you that you pass a law exempting from all taxation under the laws of the State the real and personal property of all non-commissioned officers and privates in the regiments of this State in the army of the United States during their continuance in service, and that for the current year there be added to the per centum of taxation upon the valuation of the property of all the other tax payers the sum of one-fourth of one mill on each dollar of such valuation to cover the deficiency in revenue created thereby.

SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.

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