Message of the Governor of Georgia.
The Georgia Legislature assembled at
Milledgeville on Friday last, and the message of the
Governor was read.
With reference to army matters, he recommends the repeal by Congress of the substitute law, and the employment of negroes as teamsters and in similar capacities in the army.
He thinks results have demonstrated the wisdom of retaining the state officers.
It had enabled him to organize 18,000 troops, in response to a call for 8,000, while
Alabama, who had turned over her State officers, had, for want of an organizing force, not raised her quota, and the
Governor was obliged to convene the Legislature to reorganize the militia.
He recommends that the pay of officers be increased 25 per cent., and that they receive rations, and that the pay of privates be increased to 22 per month.
He also recommends an increase in the salaries of all the
State officers.
He recommends that cotton planting be restricted to one-fourth of an acre to the hand, and that every energy be directed to the production of food.
By doing this, and exercising the strictest economy, he thinks the supply of food will be ample.
He proposes that $500,000 be appropriated to support soldiers' families, and that aid be extended to the counties along the
Tennessee border, recently overrun.
He recommends that $3,000,000 be appropriated as a military fund, and $2,000,000 as a clothing fund.
All these sums he thinks should be raised by taxation, rather than by the further issue of bonds or treasury notes, as it is a bad policy to create a debt under the present inflated currency to be paid in
gold or
silver.
He opposes loaning the credit of the
State to the Confederate Government, or the endorsement of its bonds, as damaging to State credit, and an improper assumption of the duties of the
General Government.
He alludes to the improper conduct of impressing agents, and urges the passage of laws making a violation of the impressment law penal, and subject to ten years imprisonment, and impressing without authority punishable with 39 lashes and 10 years imprisonment.
He recommends that the militia he reorganized, so as to include all between 18 and 60, and that the troops now organized for State defence be permitted to attend to their home affairs, according to the terms of enlistment, when not immediately needed to repel invasion.
He closes by recommending that the 10th day of December next be observed throughout the nation as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer.
