WISCONSIN. 



Legislature. The Legislature convened at 

 Madison on the 10th of January, and Gov. 

 Ramsey undoubtedly expressed the sentiments 

 of the majority of the people of the State in 

 saying, as he did in his Message, that "the 

 election of Mr. Lincoln was legal, and there was 

 no just cause of complaint from any quarter." 

 In reference to the secession movement which 

 had already attained formidable proportions, he 

 said : " This is not a league of States, but a gov- 

 ernment of the people. The General Govern- 

 ment cannot change the character of the State 

 governments, or usurp any power not delegat- 

 ed ; nor can any State change its character or 

 increase its rights. The signs of the times in- 

 dicate in my opinion that there may arise a 

 contingency in the condition of the Govern- 

 ment, under which it may become necessary to 

 respond to the call of the National Government 

 for men and means to sustain the integrity of 

 the Union, and thwart the designs of men en- 

 gaged in an organized treason." 



The response of the Legislature to this Message 

 was such as to show their loyalty and willingness 

 to participate in any measures which the emer- 

 gency might demand ; but as, during the winter, 

 there seemed to be a strong probability of a paci- 

 fication of the difficulty, no measures of defence 

 were adopted. The Legislature adjourned April 

 17. On the receipt of the President's proclama- 

 tion of April 15, the Governor's guard at once 

 volunteered, and volunteer companies were 

 formed in all parts of the State. Gov. Eamsey 

 called an extra session of the Legislature, which 

 convened in May. In his Message, the Gov- 

 ernor reviewed the causes of the difficulties, 

 and recommended that immediate measures 

 should be taken to prosecute the war with ener- 

 gy. He urged the immediate equipment of six 

 regiments of volunteers, the purchase of a num- 

 ber of rifled cannon, and the appropriation of a 

 million of dollars for the purposes of the war. 

 He also suggested the necessity of a more effi- 

 cient military organization, and insisted on the 

 vital importance to "Wisconsin of the free navi- 

 gation of the Mississippi. 



" The vast lumber and mineral interests of 

 "Wisconsin, independent of her commanding 

 produce and stock trade, bind her fast to the 

 north border and Northwestern States, and 

 demand, like them, the free navigation of the 

 Mississippi and all its tributaries, from their 

 highest navigable waters to their mouths." 



The Legislature responded folly and heartily 

 to the recommendations of the Governor. Dur- 

 ing their session, which closed on the 27th of 

 May, they passed a " war bill," providing for 

 the raising of five additional regiments, besides 

 the three already called for by the Government ; 

 and, in case these should also be needed by the 

 United States, the raising a reserve of two 

 more still, and, in case of farther call from the 

 General Government, they authorized the Gov- 

 ernor to keep constantly a reserve of two regi- 

 ments beyond what were required for the na- 

 tional defence. For the organization and equip- 



WOOL AND FLAX. 



757 



tnent of this force they made specific provision. 

 An act " to provide for borrowing money to re- 

 pel invasion and suppress insurrection," was also 

 passed, which appointed the Governor, Secre- 

 tary of State, and State Treasurer Commission- 

 ers to negotiate a loan upon State bonds, bear- 

 ing six per cent, interest, of one million of dol- 

 lars. Sixty per cent, of this loan was to be ne- 

 gotiated for specie, and the remainder for fully 

 secured bank paper. 



Two acts were passed in regard to the main- 

 tenance of families of volunteers : one appropri- 

 ating from the war fund five dollars per month 

 to each family, and the other authorizing coun- 

 ties, towns, cities, and villages to levy special 

 taxes for the same purpose. The sum of $50,000 

 was appropriated to buy arms, and an act passed 

 to prevent rendering aid to enemies, containing 

 stringent provisions for the prompt punishment 

 of offences coming within that category. 



Under the stimulating influence of excite- 

 ment, and provided by their enactments with 

 the necessary means of effective service, the 

 citizens of Wisconsin promptly enlisted in the 

 service of the Government. 



The whole number sent into the field by the 

 State at the commencement of 1862, according 

 to Gov. Salomons, was 24,000, a number con- 

 siderably in excess of the quota of the State ; 

 and it is only justice to say that no troops 

 proved themselves more efficient in all soldierly 

 duties than those from "Wisconsin. From the 

 difficulty of procuring arms, they were unable 

 to enter upon the service so early as the sol- 

 diers of some of the other States, but once 

 armed and equipped, their courage and endur- 

 ance rendered them most valuable soldiers. 



WOOL AND FLAX FABRICS, AND CANE 

 FIBRE. A process has been introduced for 

 disintegrating wool, flax, and cane, by charging 

 it in a cannon with steam, and then suddenly 

 discharging it with explosion. Flax and hemp 

 thus reduced to fine short fibre is well adapted 

 for mixing with wool in various cloths. Short 

 flax fibre is capable of being most intimately 

 mixed with wool in the fulling operation. The 

 disintegration of cane is performed by charging 

 cylinders of boiler iron, which are about 18 feet 

 in length and 1 to 2 feet in diameter, with 

 cane to about two-thirds full. A head of steam 

 is then let on, which moistens and softens the 

 cane, until it has sufficient force to blow open a 

 door at one end, when the whole mass is ex- 

 ploded with a noise like that of a cannon. The 

 cane falls to the ground, presenting the appear- 

 ance of coarse oakum. It is then, by another 

 process, reduced to pulp and manufactured into 

 paper of all qualities, from the cheapest to the 

 finest. The cane is the common fishing rods, 

 which grow in great abundance in North Caro- 

 lina. 



One establishment for the disintegration of 

 cane has been in operation at Elizabeth, N. J., 

 for some years. The work is now suspended in 

 consequence of the impossibility of obtaining the 

 raw material in North Carolina during the war. 



