OHIO. 



557 



Fort Smith, Arkansas, and re-shipped at Cin- 

 cinnati, attracted the notice of the people. A 

 crowd assembled, and insisted on preventing 

 their shipment. For the safety of the arms the 

 Mayor took possession of them. They were 

 not" seized, but were held to prevent seizure, 

 and perhaps destruction. 



On April 12, an act to enroll the militia of 

 the State became a law. The following is a 

 synopsis : 



1st. Assessors to prepare lists of all persons subject 

 to military duty, and tile the lists with the auditor, 

 who shall furnish a copy to the adjutant-general, and an 

 abstract shall by him "be forwarded annually to the 

 War Department at Washington before Jan. 1 in each 

 year. There shall also be a militia of the reserve ; 

 when 40 or more persons enroll themselves, the ad- 

 jutant may issue commissions. When public service 

 requires more force than " the active militia," this 

 " militia of the reserve" shall be called into service. 



On the same day was passed an act to secure 

 the safe keeping of aruis in the hands of vol- 

 unteer companies. 



SEC. 1. Provides that each man shall receive $5. 



SEC. 2. The commanders to report lists of members. 



SEC. 3. The commanders to report all delinquencies 

 in the company. 



SEC. 4. The "delinquents to be marked off by the ad- 

 jutant-general, and the delinquents not to receive 

 the $5. 



SEC. 5. The aggregate not to exceed 6,000 men. 



On the 13th the following law was passed to 

 amend the militia law of 1859. It provided 

 for carrying into effect the new military di- 

 vision of the State. 



SECT. 5. That the commander-in-chief may, if he 

 shall deem the same advisable, order a camp of in- 

 struction to be held, once a year, for four days, during 

 the period of legal encampments, at which time the 

 officers of the volunteer militia, or the officers and all 

 other members of said militia, shall be drilled in the 

 school of the soldier and the details of their respective 

 duties, and section 3 of the act entitled " an act for the 

 further discipline of the militia and volunteer militia," 

 passed March 23, 1S59, and providing a camp of in- 

 struction for officers only, is hereby repealed. 



On the 15th of April the requisition of the 

 President had been received for 75,000 men. 

 The Governor issued the following proclama- 

 tion : 



To the People of Ohio : 



You are called upon to meet the gravest responsi- 

 bilities, and it may be sacrifices, to preserve your free 

 institutions and your national independence. 



The attempt of your Government to supply a be- 

 leaguered garrison with provisions, has been met by 

 open war, and the reduction of the garrison by force 

 of arms. Your national flag has been insulted, and 

 the constitutional authorities of the Union treasonably 

 defied. 



At such an hour, rising above all party names and 

 party bias, resolute to maintain the freedom so dearly 

 purchased by our fathers, and to transmit it unimpair- 

 ed to our posterity, let the people assert their power. 



Your voice will be heard; your actions, giving hope 

 to the overawed and oppressed in the rebellious dis- 

 tricts, will strengthen the hands and animate the hearts 

 of the loyal thousands in the Border States, and will 

 bring back peace and order to the nation, with a new 

 assurance of the perpetuity of its priceless blessings. 

 The General Assembly, by acts just passed, opens to 

 you the method of testifying your devotion to our be- 

 loved State, to the Union as "it is, and those free in- 



stitutions which have been alike the foundation and 

 pledge of our national and individual prosperity. 



The general orders issued through the proper de- 

 partment assert that method, and invite your response. 

 Let us all be thankful to Almighty God for past mercies, 

 imploring His pardon for our many shortcomings, and 

 trusting with Him the destinies of pur country, forget 

 all but the pressing duty to cast aside the distinctions 

 that have been the basis of transient differences, and 

 demonstrate to the world that we are worthy sons of 

 great ancestors, fit to be intrusted with the liberties 

 we inherit. W. DENNISUN. 



The Legislature on the same day passed a law- 

 regulating the troops to be mustered into the 

 service of the United States; the companies 

 were not to number less than 70 men, cavalry 60 

 men, artillery 100 men each. The Governor 

 was to organize and officer the brigades. 



On the 18th was passed a law to provide for 

 the defence of the State, and for the support of 

 the Federal Government : 



SECTION 1. Appropriates $450,000 to arm and equip 

 the militia. 



SEC. 2. Appropriates $500,000 to carry into effect any 

 requisition of the President. 



SEC. 3. Places a contingent of $50,000 at the control 

 of the Governor. 



SEC. 4. Authorizes a loan of $750,000. 



SEC. 5. Authorizes the issue of certificates at 6 per 

 cent., five years to run, not subject to any tax. 



SEC. 6. L'evies a tax of 7-20 of a mill on the dollar 

 of taxable valuation, to meet the interest of the loan. 



On May 7th an act was passed, by which a 

 tax of half a mill on the dollar of taxable prop- 

 erty was levied, to be applied to the relief of 

 families of volunteers in each county. The re- 

 lief was to be continued one year after the death 

 of the volunteer, if he died in service. 



The Legislature also passed a bill for leasing 

 the public works of the State : 



In compliance with the provisions of this " act to 

 provide for leasing the Public Works of the State," 

 passed May 8th, 1861, and after due advertisement, as 

 required by the act, the works, " consisting of the 

 Miami and Erie Canal, Ohio Canal, Walhonding Canal, 

 Hocking Canal," so much of the " Sandy and Beaver 

 Canal," as is owned by the State, "Muskingum Im- 

 provement, and Western Reserve and Maumee Road, 

 and all appertaining thereto, and owned by the State, 

 for the purpose of being used in connection therewith, 

 with the right to have additional surplus water," were, 

 by the Governor, Auditor and Treasurer of State, at 

 public auction, in the rotunda of the State House, in 

 the city of Columbus, on the 29th of May, 1S61, offered 

 for a term of ten years, to the person or persons, who, 

 in consideration of the tolls, fines, water-rents and 

 revenues to be derived therefrom, should bid to pay 

 the highest annual rent therefor, to be paid in semi- 

 annual payments in advance, in each year during the 

 term of s'aid lease ; and were let, to Kent Jarvis, 

 Joseph Cooper, Arnold Medway, Mr. Brown, Thomas 

 Moore, and W. J. Jackson, for the annnal rent of 

 $20,075, and they came into possession June, 1861. 

 In 1861, the expenses were $64,362 more than the 

 revenue. 



The joint resolution passed by Congress, pro- 

 posing an amendment to the Constitution of 

 the United States, guaranteeing slavery in the 

 States where it now exists, was taken up and 

 passed by the constitutional majority. 



A bill defining and punishing treason also 

 became a law. 



On the 26th of April was passed " an act to 



