£505 S?3 pH83 x-y- STA.TE ]>i:iLIT^^IiY^ Ali^FAIIiS. REPORT OF aOVEENOE TATES, — TO THE CONA^EaSTTIOISr, LINOIS, J rMENT, V 23, ISGi. S State of Illinois, Executive Departm: Springfield, Jan. 2; Eon. W. A, Uaiker, President of the Constitutional Convention : Sir : I am in receipt of the following resolu- tions passed by vour honorable body, January 13.1862: liesolution Ho, 4. And also thit he te requested to state whether the General fiovernment his Bent the Qn r- termasters ani other officers here to take charge of the sold- iers from our State. liesolution Ao. 5. And also that h? furnish this Con- vention with a copy of all correspondence rn this subject. To the above resolutions, I shall take the lib- erty of adding your resolution of January 17th, upon the same subject, with the view of an- sweiing all of these resolutions in this commu- nication, which resolution is as follows: Besolned, That the Governor of the State be requested to commtinicite to this Convention, if the United States Gov- ernmenthas notified him of its readiness to relieve the St-te of lUinoi of fun her expenditure in the organization, equio- ment and maintenmae of troops enlisted in this State for the military service of the United States. And if so whether any arrangements have been made by him in aciordance with such no ification. I have the honor to state that I have turned over to the United States the subsistence and maintenance of the troops of the State. Also, I have, in pursuance of an order from the War Department of the IGth December ult., made arrangement with the United States Quarter- master, at Springfield, for transferring the Quartermaster's stores, and that until this ar- rangement is completed the State Quarter- master, as the agent of the United States Quartermaster for that purpose, will deliver supplies to the troops. No officer has yet been sent to take charge of Ordnance Stores, including cavalry equipments. These are bfi- ing delivered to the troops as their necessities require, and will continue to be so delivered until the Government shall designate an agent to receive them. I have made written applica- tion for the appointment of such an agent but have no reply thereto. I submit herewith the correspondence be- tvCeen Capt. A. R. Eddy, the United States Quartermaster at this place and myself, and also the letter of official notification by the Sec- retary of War directing me to hand over sup- plies to said Capt. Eddy. Quartbrmastek's Office, | Springfield, III., Nov. 9th, 1861. C Bis Excellency, Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois: Dear Sir : As you "re aware, I was ordered to this station to take charge of the QuartermAster's Denartmeat and of all the expend tures incident to it. The depfirtment is still in the hand-iof the Statf, because it is supposed (as I nm led to b-lieve from several conversation? with the ftate author- ities) she can and will take better care of her troops than the Uniied States. 1 con ider myself on duty here for the espe- cial benefit of lUinoino s voUnteers, and if the Quartermas- ter's Dep irtment were in my hinds I s lould consider myself bound to answer al proper requisitions mide by you for tVeir comfort ; and in those cases where the United States could not give the assistance required, owins to want of nece-sary law or regulation, the State woull stdl have it in her power to give it, and the more easily if sh^ were relieved from the pecuniary obligations tliat her present position ne- ce-sitate-t. If the wants of the St.te, sa far as my department is concern'-d, are supplied by me, it does not prevent yuu from appointing as many agents as you may deem proper, to see that the I linois troops are properly cared t^or, no matter where they mav be sta'ioned; and these agents would be of great ass stance in fartherlnsj the objects of the Fe leral Qoverniient. I am willlog to taise the contra -ts th t have been made bp the State lor all Quar- termaster supplies, through Q. M General ,<*'oo I, presumiDg them to be reasonat>le, and in compliance with army regula- tions. This remark more particularly aiiplies to the clothing contriCt, as I have perfonally eximin^d the clothing, and find it up to the army ^tau'lard. I will also take the suppli g on hand, If good enough for the troops, pay ng for them what the State paid, and lam further willing, to send the supplies wherever you may desire, and would be pleas d if jou sent your own agents with tbem, to see that your wishes are com- plied with. . , , ,„ ^ . ThedutiP! of my dpartment are particularly specified in para?raphs l,0G4, C5 of the revised regulations. I beg your excellency to understand that I recommend the transfer of the Q. M. Department to my hands wholly from a sense of duty to the United S a>s, and a de^re to do a 1 in my power "to assist th« etate authorities." Kespeclfullv, Your Ob,t Servant, A. R. EDDY. A. Q. M. State of Illinois, Executive Department, | Springfield, Decerabei- 9, 1S61. ) Gapt. A . R. Eddy, V. S. Quartermaster, Springjield : Dear Sir : Yo r favor of Nov. 9, (received during the early stapre of protracted indi po-iticn, from which 1 am ju t now recovering) ha- been fully cnnsideied. I informed you verbally, shorfly o'ter the rect-ipt of your letter, that I w s awai ing < ertain informitioa upon the sub- ject of clothing our troops. That inform-tion I have re- ceived, nnd I ow notl y yon that the State wi 1 continue to sunply her trorps wi'h clothng and horse equpment-. The St:tc Quartermaster Gener ! has been ins' uc' d to pufhiise such sup]:lies, and has already made pure ats upon terms most advantageous to the troops and iavorabie to the Unittd States. I avail myself of the r ght conferred by act of Congress upon each State, to furnish such supplies, because I think this S'ate can better | rovide for her t:(ops. That you would do your duty in such a s' rvice I have no dou t ; yet cur State Quartern a'i'er, G-nerid John ^'ood, h?s become so th irough y acqnainted wiih the condition and wans of our scat'ered r. pirret ts, takos so deep interest in ihera, and has givfn such abundant sitisfaction to the a'lthor ties ar, Washington and of this State, in the clothing heretofire furn shed, both f s to quality and price, as to s tisfy me that he oueht to be continued in the performance of this du y. Very respectfully, KICHDrYATES, Governor. Quartermaster's Office. \ Springfield, Illinois, Dec. 11, 1S61. J To Jlis Excellency, Richard Yates, Qovexnor of IIU- no is: Dear Sir . I have tiie honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the9lhinst. It's coTtrary to tlie w's'es ot' the authorities at Wa^^hii'gton that his state s'louldcintinue to act lor tne United Stat s when the latter ha< her own ap- pointed agents. I cannot consent that the State autiorities should continue the control of my department, in it-t most important branch, leaMng to me dutie.'s of m nor impnrt- ance. If you desire to conduct the departmeat in one branch, you must do it in all. The course heretofore rilr- sued by me has the warm anproval of my superiors, t > whom your letter will be referred. Nj conrac's or purchases made by the State since you were l«'t informed of my leadi- ness to Hsume cintrol of he Qaartermasier'd lefartmeut wi:l be recognized by me. Respectfully, your cbedient servant, A. R. EDDY, A. Q. M. TTar Tepartkent, December 16, 1S61. Sir: I have theh-nor to make known to you that 'he Quart rmaster General ban been nst ucted to bring ihe ex- p-,,> 1 the State was a> ^"^56-0J7840 in her former adjustment wuu tuc 31^ i .c U. S. Quarter- master. The clothing is represented to me to be equal or superior quality, and at as low prices as Gen. AVood had heretofurj paid, and which had received the unquahded approval of the Assistant U. S. Quartermaster at the prices paid for them as per his letter of Dec. II th. The Quarter- master General, however, intimated to ine that he feared the State Qiiartennastor General had paid too much for the goods, of which fact I in- formed the agent of Gen. Wood, and he imme- diately telegraphed to Philadelphia for samples of the clothing, for the purpose of having them tested in the Quartermaster's General's Depart- ment ; but the Quartermaster General declined, saying that if they were better than the army clothing, he could not be warranted in buying better clothing for the Illmois troops than for others, though he would leave the question of a full reimbursement for future adjustment which he expressed the belief would be ultimately al- owed. I submit, herewith, the communication of the Quartermaster General, showmg the basis upon which I arranged for the transfer of the con- tract to the TJ. S. Assistant Quartermaster, sub- ject, however, to two important explanations. General Wood informs me that the goods are to be delivered to him at Springfield, free of charge and risk, whereas the Government would be required to pay transportation and insurance or take the risk a'* the case may be, and which will unquestionably be allowed by the United States. lie also advises me that in making the contract, he reserved the right to take fewer articles 06 a certain kind of clothing than that represented in the communication of General Meigs, which reduces the aggregf.te sum of the contract from $733,800 10 $595, ?20. The said communication is as follows : Quartermaster General's Office, ) Washington Oiiy.Dec. 31, 1861. ) Hon. Simon Cameron, t'ccretnry of War : Sir: — the Govtrnor of Illinois informs me that the State hns, s nee rlie 1st of December, entfved into contract lor tlie following artic.es of cl thing, at prices which are compared with the prices offered at iicinnati under an advertisement of Capt. I'ickerson of Decemberll, and with the price) paid at Philadelphia by Lieut. Col. Crosmaa, Deputy Quartermas- ter General, on December 2d, the date of the Illinois con- tracts, I have, where the Philadelphia and Cincinnati prce? dif- fered, taken the hieh r prices of these two places compared with ihj Illinois contracts. Amts. Amts. Phil. Ills. Phil. Gin. Ills. or Cin. 10,0C0 in'antry over- coats at $9 50 $7 75 $S 25 $95,000 $82,500 8,000 cavalry over- coatsat 1175 9 S7 .... 94.000 79.S00 4 000 cavalry and ar- tillery jackets 90 6 12 5 37 27,600 24,480 30,000 iniautrv frock coats at S 00 6 87 7 22 W 240,000 216,750 30,000 infantry rants lined .It 4 00 3 37 3 24 120.000 101,100 10,000 cavalry and artillery pants.... 6 25 4 50 4 60 62,500 46,060 40,000 flannel shirls at 146 96 .... 58,400 88,400 30,000 flannel draw- ers at 121 50 .... 30,300 15,000 Total amounts §733,800 f 603,100 DilTerence 130,610 $788,8j0 The total amount of the Illinois contracts will exceed lli.i United states prices there ore, by |13ii,610. 'i\\i f'tate iiow d sires to turn thcs' goods, as received from I the contract' rs. over to the United Slates Quartermaster iit I Spria^ eld, for issue to the Ulino.- troops, aud to be paid as the quarlermi^s er's d partment m ly be supplied with funds for the purpose, ai the rates spec tied as the United Stat s prices — the .-tale, for the present, set lin/ with the contrac- tors and leaving the qu< stioii ot reimbursement lor her e.v- pcndi'ure^ to be decided hereafter. Uniler ihe present cir- cumstances, I think this cours- the bes'. thai can be adopted, i.nd I respectfully recummend thit Ihi proposition of the Governor be ccepted. Very resp^'ctfully, Yoar o edient servant, M. 0. MEIGS, Q. M. General, (In;lorsed.)— Approved : Simon Cameron, Seu'y War. War Department, Jan. 2, 1862. The reason, why I thus insisted upon the right to furnish our troops with clothing, grew out of information of the most reliable charac- ter, which I was from day to day receiving-, that there was the utmost destitution and suf- fering among many of the troops furnished by the United States, not only in the inferior qual- ity, but also in dellcient quantity of clothing. In fact, some of our own regiments, which had been sufF>-'red to leave the State with the promise of uniforms from the United States, after months of delay and severe exposure, and most discreditable appearance, were compelled to make application to our State Quartermaster and obtain supplies frorr him. These state- ments are not made in disparagement of the United States Quartermaster General and his assistants. On the other hand, it is a matter of surprise that they have been able to supply as well as they have, the immense army of near six hundred thousand newly raised recruits. From the necessity of the case much inferior clothing had to be used and many regiments had to go for months, without clothing, except such as they had when they left their homes. The appeals from many of our regiments were such as would have excited the sympathies of the members of this Convention, if addressed to them, and it required the ut.most vigilance and energy to sup{ ly them. The only regrets which I now have are, not that too much money has been expended with a view to promote their comfort, but far too little for the men who have so nobly undertaken to do and dare for their country. I am free to confess, what seems to be implied in a resolu- tion before your honorable body, that the troops have not had their wants supplied as they deserved, and that motives of economy, and des"re to keep within appropriations, have arevented such expenditures as were necessary p their full and complete comfort. I ought to say, in justification of General Wood, that I have from the beginning encour- aged him in the purchase of the best clothing for our troops, even though it might exceed the army prices. I considered it the best economy. I also was willing to take the risk, and if the United States would not pay the difference, 1 relied confidently upon the patriotism of the people of our great and noble State most cheer- fully to pay that difference. The consequence has been that Illinois troops, so far as furnished by the State, are undeniably the best clothed of" any in the service, and benedictions are poured out from the ranks of our noble soldiery upon the State, which has cared for them in their distant canps and marches. It is also a matter susceptible of proof that tne regiments thus properly clothed have Buffered far less from disease and in loss of life, than those which have been supplitd with inferior clothi' g. While disease and death have sadly thinned the lanks of the poorly clad regiments, and filled the hospitals and peopled the grave yards of the camps, the Illinois regi- ments are comparatively free from disease and in the enjoyment of health and vigor. In all this, I have no cause to regret the policy th^ State has pursued, and no truly loyal citizen will regret it. I have only to add in this connection, that in rehnquifhing to the United f* tales the charge of the troops, I feel that the State authorities are relieved from arduous and responsible duties, but I fear the consequences to the troops, not from distrust of the United States authorities, but from the immense numbers to he supplied. I deem it due to the Conven;ion, however, to say that these gallant sons of Illinois, our neighbors and kindred, the flower of the State, the chival- ry of the land, have left their business, their homes, their wives and their childrei., to peril all for the country and the institutions we love, and whenever they shall be found in suffering and destitution, so long as I am Governor, and can find the means, I shall take the responsibil- ity of furnishing them with the supplies neces sary to their comfort. Upon the subject of the appropriations of the last Legislature, you will indulge me in saying that the Legislature looked forward to no such war as that we now have on our hands. It was then supposed that ten regiments of infantry and one regiment of cavalry, with one battallion of artillery, would be the maximum number which would in any event be required from this State, and these were to be supplied by the State only for thirty days, and one million Of dollars was appropriated therefor. Instearl of that, we now have in the field and ready for service, fifty-six regiments of infantry, fourteen of cavalry, and two of artillery ; and it may be added that Illinois stands proudly and pre-emi- nently above all her sister States in having sent more troops in proportion to popu'ation into the field than any State in the Union. If, therefore, the appropriations of the Legislature had been exceeded, I should feel fully justified in having furnished our troops supplies in cases of ac!ual necessity, under the act of Congress passed since the session of the Legislature, to wit, July 27, 1861, which is as follows: "An Act to indemnifv the Staters for expenses incurred by them in defense of the United States," '•Be it enacted by the Senate and Howe of Represen- lives of the United States in Congress aMemhled, That" the Secretary of the Tieasury be and he is hereby directed out of any money lathe Treasury, not otherwise arprcpriat- ed, to pay to the Governor of any State or tohisduly au hor- ized agents the co'-ts, charges and exp^nse^i properly incurred by 8uc!i State for enr(.l i g, »ubs sting, c o'hing, supplying, arm ng, equi])ping, paying and transporting its troops tra- pldjed In a'dingto I U; jiri s the pres nt nturrectou against the Un ted Stites, to be settled upon pioper vtuehers to be fi ed and pa!S»-d upon by t: e ) roper a:coun*ing othcers of ihe Treasuiy." In justification of such a course, I also have had the encouragement of the Legislature it- self, as is evident from the following resolution, passed by both Houses of the General Assem- bly, at its la>-t session : Eexolvedhy the Senate, the Ilonfie of R^xtreaenV'tives concwring h^^ein. That, the faih, credit and resources of the ^tatr of 11 iaois, both in men and mcney, are pledg> d, to a' y amount, and to ever. ex'eMi, which tl\e Fed lal Oov- ernment may demanil to sub me rebellon, to enforce the laws, to protect the lives and property of tlje people and to maintan, inviolat , ihe consti ution and sovereignty of the State. And such, to-day, I have no doubt, is the sentiment of every loyal man in the State. I know well that under our Constitution, ex- penditures cannot be made except upon appro- priations by law, yet the call ol the General Government in an emergency involving the life of the nation, and its law for reimbursement to the State of all advances, would present a case demanding the gravest consideration. And while New York, Pennsylvania and other States, were spending millions upon their troops, as I am informed in excess of appropriations, to be reimbursed by the Federal Treasury, I could not consent that the troops of Illinois should remain unprovided, and not receive their share from the common Treasury. And in this connection, that there may be no doubt that the Federal authori- ties fully rtcognized the right \ of the States to supply their troops after they had left the State, and gone into the United States service in other States, I submit herewith a copy of an order from the War Department, and of date October 11, 1861, which not only recognizes the light of the states to provide their troops, and be reimbursed for such ex- penses from the Federal Treasury, but also to prevent the supplies thus furnished from being diverted from them. Difficulties had been in- terposed, and in some cases the agents of States had been prevented from delivering their sup- plies to their own troops, and such supplies had been taken possession of by United States Quartermasters, and delivered to other troops than those for whom the purchases were made : War Department, 1 iNT GisNBKAL's OfFFCE, \ ashington, Oclobtr 11, ISGl. ) War Department, ADJDTA^ Washii [Gener.l CrJer No. S9.] " Supplies forwarded by particular States for their volun- teers in the service of the United Stutes, will be turned over to tfe proper ftatl Department of the a' my, and issued • c- CTrding to law and regulations to the troo, s of the Siate for which they were specially intended. But as such suj plies will eieatua'ly be charged to the United txATES, any that may remain in exce s of regulation allowances, may, when so directed by the General commandii g, be is.ued to any other troops in the service of the United States standing in need of them." Upon the question of the excess of appropri- ations, I think much trouble grows out of the diflSculty of giving a proper construction to the Acts of the last legislature. If the most literal construction is given to the Ac creating the War Fund, then it may be doubted whether any of the two niilHon bonds authorized by that act, could have been sold for the purpose of supplying our troops. The eighth section of the Act which authorizes the issue of the bonds expressly declares that t&ey shall be sold "f"r the purpose of organizing the militia, re- pelling invasion, and defending the State in war." Under a literal construction of this phraseolo- gy of this law, it may even be doubted whether provision was made fur sending troops out of the State at all, and yet it is not denied by those who allege excess of expenditures over appropriation?, that it was legitimate under the exigencies of the case, and in view of the vast and formidable proportions which the rebellion had assumed, and under the call of the Presi- dent, to issue the two millions to aid in suppress- ing the rebellion in other States. The last Legislature made appropriations as follows : Under the act (o raise the ten regiments of Infantry, etc ,$1,000,000 Under aoi to purchase at ms 500,000 Undr act for contingent expenditures in Execu- tive Depaitment 50,000 Under act creatii.g War Fuod 2,000,0011 Total $3,550,000 Thus it appears that the Legislature made ap- propriations for $3,550 000, but only authoriz- ed the sale of $2,000,005 of bonds, in which case the reasonable construction would be that, if necessary, the whole amount could be ex pended although provision for payment by the sale of bonds was only made to the extent of two million dollars, leaving the other appropria- tions to be paid out of any unappropriated mon- ey in the Treasury. And although section second of the act creating the war fund, de- clares that all monies raised or appropriated by the Legislature shall be kept separate and apart and denominated the war fund, yet it is not absolutely ceriiiin that the war fund was to consist only of the $2,000,000 bonds, but to give consistency to the various acts it seems necessary that the other appropriations should • Iso be denominated by that name. Whatever ii.ay be the construction, there can be but little doubt of the intention of the Legis- lature, and my view of it has been that the ob- ject of the Legislature was to appropriate $500,- 000 to the purchase of arms, and $1,000,000 by the ten regiment act, which million, ac- cording to section 8, of said act, was to be "paid by the Treasurer upon warrants drawn by the the Auditor, upon the written order of the Governor. " And the $2,000,000 bonds were designed by the Legislatue as either a donation or an advance to the United States to aid in crushing out the rebellion, and to be reimbursed, if at all, at the pleasure of the General Govern- ment. But, however this may be, it is proper here to say, that it never has been the desire of the Stale authorities to exceed the appropriations. Only $1,020,400 of bonds have been sold un- der the act creatii g the war fund. The State authorities have desired tolescape the sale of bonds at a sacrifice, with the confident expec- tation that the Federal Government would reim- burse to the State the whole amount contracted for by her. And I have not the least doubt that when Congress passes the bill for issuing one hundred million of Treasury notes, which bill, cr some other equally effective one, it will probably pass before this convention adjourns, the whole or a larger portion of the liabilities of this State vrill be paid by the General Government, The Govern- ment has already reimbursed the State to the amount of $1,398, .373, It is true, that under the direction of the Secretary of War to extend to Gen, McCler- nand's brigade every facility, I at the request of Gen. McClernand, advanced lo his Brigade Quartermaster $25,000, which said Quarter- master informs me he fully accounted for in a recent sattl'^ment with the United States, and which is, therefore, in the Treasury to our credit. Gen. McClernand's brigade had been ordered to Cairo, as it was supposed in an emer- gency, and under this emergency and the di- rection of the War Department, I felt fully jm- tifiedin making the advance. If we add to the above sum of $1,398 373, the goods on hand and contracted tor, which I am informed will amount to about $1,300 000, we have the sum of $2,098,373, which deducted from the expen- ditures will reduce them below $2,500,000, which seems admitted to be within the appro- I priations. At all events, these liabilities have been con- tracted in a time of unusual and extraordinary peril to the country, and deemed essential to the preser-'ation of our free institutions in re- sponse to the call of the Federal Government: and the expenditures have been made with a sincere desire most effectually to promote the public service and strengthen the arm of the Ad- ministratioa in putting down the formidable re- bellion which threatens the overthrow of the Government ; and 1 believe that when all the perplexitiesof the new and dilBcult position in which we were placed, are duly considered our action will meet with the full indorsement of the people of the State. I baza the honor to be Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, RICHARD YATES, Governor. / y^°\ \ "■ \. / '/ ;„7.Z,. ^ °^ CONGRESS 015 910 377 "J \*) LIBRARY OF CONGRESS llllllllllllllllllllilili 015 910 377 8 #