musket, four with the Springfield rifled musket, and five with the Springfield smooth bored musket. The smooth bored with which the 15th and 21st regiments were at first provided were afterwards replaced by rifled arms. Of the Massachusetts companies at Fortress Monroe, about to be reinforced by three companies already organized, and now recruited into a regiment (the 29th, making our three years infantry regiments twenty-four in number,) one company received the Springfield and one the Harper's Ferry rifle, and the other companies, the Springfield smooth bore, which were exchanged for Springfield rifled arms, taken from our third and fourth Militia, on leaving the Fortress at the expiration of their three months' service. Our five companies composing the battalion on guard duty at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, are armed with the Springfield smooth bore. Our two companies of sharpshooters carry rifles, mostly with telescopic sights, specially selected under direction. of a committee of the Council.

With the assent of the Executive Council, I assumed the responsibility of making, at a critical moment, a loan of two thousand Springfield smooth bores to the loyal authorities of Western Virginia, concerning which there is an interesting correspondence on the files of the Executive Department.

There is some loss of muskets and more expense for repair occasioned by the want of proper handling by inexperienced volunteers; drill clubs and militia.

Of

And the absence of proper accounts in the ordnance
office during a portion of the year, renders it as yet
impossible to trace them. There are now in the
arsenal, (or out for cleansing or repair,) including all
descriptions of arm, 5,883 muskets and rifles.
these 1,509 are Enfield rifles, and 2,078 Windsor
rifles. In addition to our original contract for
Enfield rifles, reported to the Legislature in May;
under the advice of experienced persons, and in view
of the difficulty in commanding suitable weapons, I
caused, with the consent of the Council, new contracts
to be made for 5,000 more Enfield rifles, of which 320
have arrived, and are included in the above enumera-
tion. It is hoped that recent events may remove the
British interdict against the export of arms and muni-
tions of war, and enable us to receive our weapons.
But, whether this takes place or not, I have earnestly
to recommend the employment of our own domestic
industry, and skill, in the production of rifles, by
immediate contracts for not less than fifteen thousand
stand of arms. And I trust Massachusetts will never
again see the day, while aggression and wars are
possible misfortunes, when she will be unprepared
to put into the field, whenever the country calls, at
least 25,000 well trained militia, full-armed for duty.

The "Two Years Amendment."

I respectfully but urgently renew the recommendation, that the initiative measures be taken for the

repeal of the recent constitutional discrimination between citizens of alien and those of American birth, familiarly known as "The Two Years Amendment."

Engaged shoulder to shoulder in one of the most tremendous strifes of history, for the maintenance and defence of the country, to which some of us were born, and which others adopted, there is no distinction of duties, there has been none of patriotism and loyalty, and there should be none of rights between those two classes of citizens, whose hearts, torn by a common sorrow, beat responsive to the grand appeal of a common duty, and who gladly share a common danger, and strive in heroic competition for the garlands of glory, due not to the blood they inherit, but to the blood they shed and imperil.

If for any reason, any persons have ever doubted the loyalty or distrusted the patriotism of this class of our citizens, let the events of the past year admonish them that such doubts and such distrust were not merited, and prompt them to concur, cordially and unasked, in the restoration of an equal franchise.

Relief to Families of Volunteers.

I respectfully recommend that the 222d chapter of the Acts of 1861 be so amended as to include in its provisions for the aid of the families of "the Volunteer Militia of this State," those companies which at an early period in the war, impatient of delay, and anxious

for service, marched from the Commonwealth, and became attached to the regiments of New York, with whose volunteers they are consequently enumerated. Eamest, but unsuccessful efforts have been made to transfer them to Massachusetts corps. And I cannot doubt that the Legislature will gladly restore to these companies, composed of good soldiers, whose behavior has done credit to the State, the benefits of a statute whose equity reaches their case.

I am apprised of certain other bodies of volunteer soldiers, who were recruited by irregular means in this State, and a part of them assembled at a camp in Lowell, and others at a camp in Pittsfield, whose condition, in a similar way, appeals to the General Court for consideration. Although they were needlessly enlisted and brought together, contrary to the orders and directions of the Department of War and the authority communicated to the Governor of this State, and to general orders promulgated from the Commonwealth head-quarters, issued at a time when we were straining the enlistment by raising eight infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment, and four artillery batteries at once, besides furnishing recruits to older regiments in the field; I am of opinion that the majority of these soldiers were misled into the belief that they were enlisting into regular regiments of Massachusetts Volunteers. They have marched, or will march, I believe, into actual service, when their conduct will doubtless entitle them to the

honorable and sympathetic remembrances accorded by the State to citizens in other corps. I respectfully suggest an inquiry into the condition of these bodies; and if no objections shall be found to exist, that the provisions of the Act be extended to their families, also, without delay.

I am informed by the State Auditor that he cannot state the amount of aid given to families of volunteers, which the State is liable to refund, any further than the sum thus expended by the city of Boston, which he reports to be $60,000, and he estimates that sum as not likely to be less than one-fourth of the total similar disbursement of all the cities and towns. It will be necessary for you to make special legislative provision for means to refund these disbursements.

Service of Process on Volunteers.

I beg to call to your attention the present condition of the laws with regard to the service of process in civil suits, in its relation to our volunteer forces. Each of the soldiers and sailors whom we have contributed to the armies and navies of the United States, is liable to be prosecuted to final judgment in a suit, the only notice of which to the defendant may have been by leaving a summons at his last and usual place of abode. It is, in my opinion, a legislative duty to provide further safeguards of notice to these men; and I respectfully present the subject for the consideration of the General Court, with the suggestion