Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/118

required to fill the quota under the order for a draft of 300,000 issued on the 4th of August. Such was the situation at this critical period of the war. To meet the exigencies confronting the State and the Nation with promptness, the Governor issued a call for a special session of the General Assembly. It convened at the Capitol on the 3d of September, 1862, and, in the message, the Governor gave his reasons for calling the General Assembly together. He said:

“When you closed your regular session the belief prevailed very generally that the strength of the Rebellion against the General Government had been broken, and your legislation upon some questions of great public interest was controlled by that belief. The lapse of time has shown that belief to be erroneous and a change of legislation on those questions has therefore become necessary.”

He continued:

“Owing to the largely increased number of soldiers that will soon be in the field and the great length of time they will be exposed to the danger of disease and the casualties of battle, it is rendered absolutely necessary that a large increase of the fund be provided for their care and comfort. The magnitude of the war has greatly increased the work of the Executive and the Adjutant-General, and additional funds and assistance are required.”

He recommended camps of instruction for the drilling of men who volunteered to fill the ranks of the old regiments. He strongly urged the enactment of a law providing for elections outside of the State, at which all Iowa soldiers absent from home in military service at the time of any general election, might have their votes received and canvassed. He urged the immediate action in the acceptance of the Agricultural College land grant recently made by Congress, amounting to 240,000 acres for Iowa, so that these lands might be secured within the limits of our own State. He called attention to the alarming reports of Indian massacres in Minnesota, and the danger threatening our people on the northwestern frontier.