CONNECTICUT. 



251 



lamation calling upon the patriotic citizens of 

 the State to volunteer their services in aid of 

 the General Government. The proportion of 

 the 75,000 men required from the State was 

 one regiment of 780 men ; and the banks of the 

 State promptly proffered the money necessary 

 for raising, equipping, and maintaining the 

 troops. 



The State Legislature met on the 1st of May, 

 and Gov. Buckingham, in his Message, an- 

 nounced that 41 volunteer companies had al- 

 ready been accepted, and that a fifth regiment 

 would be full in a few days. The regiments 

 would not leave the State till they were fully 

 equipped with camp and baggage trains, and 

 prepared to take care of themselves on all oc- 

 casions. He recommended also the organiza- 

 tion of an efficient State militia. The Legisla- 

 ture promptly responded to the Governor's 

 suggestions. "On the 3d of May, an act to pro- 

 vide for the organization and equipment of a 

 volunteer militia and for the public defence, 

 passed both Houses. 



This bill authorized and empowered the Gov- 

 ernor to cause to be enlisted, enrolled, and mus- 

 tered into the service of the State of Connecti- 

 cut, for such time as he might deem expedient, 

 volunteers, in his discretion as to numbers, not 

 to exceed ten thousand men, to be officered, 

 organized, armed, and equipped, in such man- 

 ner as the Governor should order and di- 

 rect, said force hereby authorized being in 

 addition to the present military organization, 

 and a part of the militia thereof. The officers 

 and men to receive the same pay and rations 

 while under the provisions of this act, until 

 mustered into the service of the United States, 

 as officers and men of the same rank and arm 

 of service in the army of the United States. 

 They were to be liable at all times to be turned 

 over by the Governor to the service of the na- 

 tion. They were to be paid by the State only 

 for the time actually spent in organization, 

 drilling, and instruction. All expenditures for 

 arms, supplies, equipments, and transportation 

 to be paid for by the Governor out of the State 

 Treasury. Each volunteer was to receive ten 

 dollars a month in addition to the regular pay 

 of the United States, which is eleven dollars a 

 month. Two millions of dollars were appro- 

 priated to pay the expenditures under the act. 



The first regiment, of 834 men, commanded 

 by Col. Alfred H. Terry, left the State on the 

 10th of May ; the second regiment, of 800 men, 

 commanded by Col. Daniel Tyler, on the 13th 

 or 14th of the same month ; the third, of over 

 800 men, under Col. J. Arnold, on the 22d ; 

 and the fourth, of over 1,000 men, commanded 

 by Col. Levi "Woodhouse, on the 10th of June. 



While the great body of the people of the 

 State were earnestly in favor of the war, there 

 were a number who believed that the Union 

 never could be restored by hostile measures, 

 and who boldly avowed this opinion. These 

 persons called what they termed " Peace Meet- 

 ings," and attempted to raise " peace Hags " in 



various parts of the State. These proceedings 

 roused the indignation of the citizens, who gen- 

 erally advocated a vigorous prosecution of the 

 war, and led in several instances to serious col- 

 lisions and acts of violence. Gov. Buckingham, 

 on the 15th August, issued a call for four regi- 

 ments of infantry to volunteer for three years 

 or the war ; and immediately on the publica- 

 tion of this summons, a " peace " meeting was 

 called at Saybrook, Conn., on the 16th August, 

 and an announcement was made that a peace 

 flag would be raised. Those of opposite views 

 rallied in much larger numbers than the u peace " 

 party, and raised the Stars and Stripes, and the 

 " peace " party attacked the Union party, but 

 were beaten off, some of them being seriously 

 wounded. Union speeches were then made 

 and a guard placed on the ground to prevent 

 the raising of a " peace " flag. 



On the 26th August, a "peace "flag was raised 

 at New Fairfield, Conn., and an attempt to puH 

 it down led to a vigorous fight, in which two 

 of the " peace " men were seriously, and it was 

 thought fatally, wounded. A similar meeting 

 was attempted the same day at Stepney, but 

 the peace flag was torn down, the Stars and 

 Stripes raised, and several Union speeches 

 made. Among those present at Stepney was a 

 considerable party of Union men from Bridge- 

 port, and on their return, as they passed the 

 office of the Bridgeport " Farmer," which had 

 been the leading organ of the " peace " party, 

 they were, or conceived that they were, hissed 

 and" insulted ; whereupon the volunteers, who 

 formed a considerable portion of the com- 

 pany, attacked and sacked the office of the 

 " Farmer." 



The recurrence of these disturbances in sev- 

 eral parts of the State led Gov. Buckingham to 

 issue the following proclamation : 



A PROCLAMATION. 



Eleven States of the Union are now armed and in 

 open rebellion against Federal authority ; they haTe 

 paralyzed the business of the nation, have involved us 

 in civil war, and are DOW exerting their combined 

 energies to rob us of the blessings of a free govern- 

 ment. The greatness of their crime has no parallel in 

 the history of human governments. At this critical 

 juncture, our liberties are still further imperilled br 

 the utterance of seditious language ; by a traitorous 

 press, which excuses or justifies the rebellion ; by 

 secret organizations, which propose to resist the exe- 

 cution of the laws of this State by force; by the public 

 exhibition of" peace flags," falsely so called ; and by 

 an effort to redress grievances regardless of the forms 

 and officers of the law. 



The very existence of our Government, the future 

 prosperity' of this entire nation, and the hopes of uni- 

 versal freedom demand that these outrages be sup- 

 pressed. 



The Constitution guarantees liberty of speech and 

 of the press, but holds the person and the press re- 

 sponsible for the evils which result from this liberty. 

 It guarantees the protection of property, but it regards 

 no property as sacred which is used to subvert govern- 

 mental authority. It guarantees the person from un- 

 reasonable seizure, but it protects no individual from 

 arrest and punishment who gives aid and comfort to 

 the enemies of our country. It provides by law for 

 the punishment of offences,'but allows no grievance to 

 be redressed by violence. 



