MASSACHUSETTS. 



563 



ceeding day, May 26, 3,100 men reported to 

 him at his headquarters on Boston Common. 

 These were the regular militia of the State, and 

 did not embrace a regiment of volunteers de- 

 spatched on the same day to "Washington. It 

 was noted with gratification that this was 

 double the number which reported in April, 

 1861, immediately after the fall of Fort Sumter, 

 and claimed that Massachusetts was still among 

 the first of the States in devotion to the .Union 

 as well as in resources. 



Within a few days the retreat of Gen. Jack- 

 son relieved the General Government of fears 

 for the safety of the capital, and in accordance 

 with orders from the War Department the mili- 

 tia were released, and all future enlistments 

 were directed to be made for 3 years or during 

 the war. 



The calls of the Government in July and Au- 

 gust for additional three years' men and 300,000 

 nine months' men were responded to by Massa- 

 chusetts with her accustomed readiness, and by 

 the 18th of December out of the 75,294 men, 

 which constituted the quota of the State to that 

 period, all but 3,809 had been furnished. By 

 the report of the adjutant-general rendered at 

 the commencement of 1863, it appears that 

 subsequent to July, 1862, the State sent 15,012 

 men for the three years' service and 22 regi- 

 ments, comprising 19,806 men, for 9 months, 

 and that during 1862 6,628 men had been re- 

 cruited to fill up the ranks of the old regiments 

 in the field. If to these be added the men re- 

 cruited for the navy, a total of about 90,000 

 men enlisted since the commencement of the 

 war will be entered to the credit of the State. 

 These amount to about 64 per cent, of the total 

 number of non-exempts enrolled by the State 

 officers, and .073 of the whole population. The 

 aggregate number of soldiers in service at the 

 close of the year was estimated by Gov. Andrew 

 at 60,000. 



In connection with the subject of the equip- 

 ment of the Massachusetts regiments, in which 

 upward of $4,000,000 had been expended un- 

 der the direction of the executive, it may be 

 added that a legisTative committee, which had 

 been invested with absolute authority to in- 

 vestigate the matter, reported unanimously that 

 after a thorough examination, in which they 

 had even advertised in the public journals " that 

 they were holding meetings for the purpose of 

 receiving such complaints as any person might 

 be desirous of making concerning any con- 

 tracts," they had been " unable to fix a charge 

 of fraud or improper conduct upon any person 

 connected with the Government," that they 

 had no complaints before them which re- 

 mained unexamined, and that they had no rea- 

 son to suppose that any more would or could 

 be preferred. 



In the early part of September the political 

 , parties began to organize for the November 

 election of State officers and members of Con- 

 gress. A convention of the republicans nom- 

 inated Gov. Andrew and his colleagues in office 



for reelection, and adopted the following reso- 

 lutions : 



Resolved, That Massachusetts with all her heart and 

 strength will support the Government of the United 

 States in the prosecution of this war, by the employ- 

 ment of all the means sanctioned by the usages of 

 Christian civilized warfare. 



Resolved, That the most decisive measures for the 

 complete and permanent suppression of this rebellion 

 are the most prudent, and that, as the institution of 

 slavery is a principal support of it, that institution 

 shall be exterminated. 



Resolved, That we heartily applaud the gallantry and 

 endurance of our soldiers, and mourn the loss of those 

 who have fallen, and that we will cherish their mem- 

 ories in our hearts and preserve them by most endur- 

 ing monuments. 



Resolved, That we recognize and acknowledge the 

 preeminent merits and services of our Senators in the 

 Congress of the United States, the honorable Charles 

 Sumner and the honorable Henry Wilson. In the posts 

 of duty assigned them by the suffrages of their brother 

 Senators, one as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign 

 Relations and the other as Chairman of the Committee 

 on _ Military Affairs, they have cordially and unre- 

 servedly, and with masterly ability, supported all gov- 

 ernmental measures, and fitly represented the Com- 

 monwealth as among the most cheerful and enthu- 

 siastic defenders of the Government. And now that 

 the second term of our senior Senator is drawing to a 

 close we desire to express our warm approbation of 

 his course and appreciation of his services, and to 

 commend him to the suffrages of his fellow-citizens, 

 whom he has served so well, that the Commonwealth 

 may again honor itself by returning to duty at the cap- 

 ital a statesman, a scholar, a patriot, and a man of 

 whom any Republic in any age might be proud. 



Resolved, That the administration of the affairs of 

 the State during the past year, and the intelligent and 

 energetic manner in which its Chief Magistrate and 

 other officers have discharged their severe duties, mer- 

 it and receive our most hearty commendation. 



On the 13th of September, a call signed by 

 many eminent citizens of Massachusetts wns 

 issued for a convention of delegates from the 

 people to meet at Boston on Oct. 7. The pur- 

 pose of the call was thus stated : 



In order, therefore, that the loyal men in Massachu- 

 setts may in the most effectual manner sustain and 

 support the Government, the Constitution and the laws, 

 and aid the chosen and constituted head of the nation, 

 the President, in his patriotic and self-sacrificing labors 

 to save the country and put down rebellion, we ask the 

 people of this Commonwealth, irrespective of all party, 

 to meet at some future time to be agreed upon, to 

 nominate candidates for State officers at the coming 

 election, and take counsel together for the common weaL 



The convention assembled at the appointed 

 time at Faneuil Hall, which was filled with dele- 

 gates and friends of the movement. Linus 

 Childs was appointed president of the conven- 

 tion, and the following nominations were made : 

 for governor, Charles Devens, jr. ; lieut.-gov., 

 Thomas F. Plunkett; secretary, Oliver War- 

 ner; treasurer, Henry K. Oliver; attorney- 

 general, Henry W. Paine. 



The view s of the convention were expressed 

 by the following resolutions : 



Resolved, That our sentiments are clearly expressed 

 by adopting the language of the following resolution 

 passed by Congress at the extra session in 1861 : 



" That the present deplorable civil war has been forced 

 upon the country by the disunionists of the Southern 

 States, now in arms against the Constitutional Govern- 

 ment, and in arms around the capitol ; that in this great 



