[406] 19th of April, many of the young men of Framingham enrolled themselves in the active militia, and by the end of April a full company was nearly raised. The first legal town-meeting to act upon matters relating to the war was held on the 6th of May, at which the following preamble, resolution, and votes were passed:—
Whereas a grave and extraordinary emergency now exists, whereby the security of our beloved Government is threatened by a portion of the people who are bound and sworn to support, defend, and obey it; and, Whereas in the prosecution of its designs, the rebellious portion have resorted to the employment of armed force, have unlawfully and forcibly seized, and do now hold, much property belonging to the common Government, and do generally disown and set it at defiance; therefore— Resolved, That we, the citizens of Framingham are ready to maintain our loyalty to the Government made by the sacrifice of the blood and treasure of our fathers, and handed down to us as a sacred and inestimable gift, under which we have enjoyed all the blessings which make life happy; and we have assembled together this day to take such measures as lie in our power to assist in preserving and maintaining for ourselves and our children this goodly heritage.The town appropriated eight thousand dollars to provide suitable outfits for the soldiers belonging to Framingham, and to furnish proper aid to their families while absent in the military service, and a large committee was chosen to take charge of the expenditure of the money. 1862. July—, A meeting of citizens was held, at which a committee was chosen to raise by subscription a fund from which to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer who should enlist for three years to fill the quota of the town under the call of the President for three hundred thousand men. (Forty-seven citizens contributed forty-seven hundred dollars, and paid out the same in bounties.) In August, another call having been made by the President for three hundred thousand nine-months men, a legal town-meeting was held on the 1st of September, at which it was voted to raise eighteen thousand dollars for the payment of bounties to men enlisting to fill the
