Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-01-17

| justify another; precedent will establish
precedent, until ultimately precedent be-
comes the law of the land.
=, The officer at the head Of your financial
department will submit to you detailed
exposition of the condition of the finances
Of the state. The receipts into the treasu.
rs, for the year ending the thirtieth of No.
vember, from taxation, amounted to forty.
eight thousand nine hundred and sixty nine
dollars eighty seven cents. The expen1i.
lures, during the same period, for the ordi-
nary purposes of The government, exhibit
balance against the treasury of thrteen
thousand three hundred and fifty.,hree
dollars sixty.cight cents. This condition
of the treasury, although greatly to be re.
GREETED, has been brought about by circum.
stances unavoidable, and beyond the con.
troll of the Executive. But this deficiency
in the revenue, may, in some measure be
accounted for from The fact, that the delay
or the neglect of county officers in their
payments into the treasury, exhibit, on the
| first day of December, balance due the
state, from different counties, of not less than
eighteen thousand dollars. If this delay a.
rises from defect in the law, it becomes
the Legislature to remedy it; for, unless the
correction is made, some portions Of the
state will contribute to the support of the
government while others are exempt from
this burthen. The expenditures also EN-.
brace the interest on the state loan, which
must hereafter be specifically provided for;
and have been otherwise greatly increased
by repeatedly protrac,ed but unavoidable
sessions Of the legislature. II cannot be-
expected, that a like charge will again fall
upon the treasury, SO that the existing pro.
visions for the assessment Of a revenue, to.
gether with temporary arrangement with
the fiscal agent Of the state, it is hoped will
enable the treasury TO meet the current ex.
pendtures of the government for the present
year.
But, fellow citizens, whilst to others i,
intrusted the duty of collecting the public
revenue, its safe keeping and its appropra.
ton to the public wants, is confded to us.
1t behooves us then, 10 exercise the most
rigid economy in our expenditures. fla.
ny deficiency in the revenue has arisen
from wanion expenditure Of the public
money during the past year, we have the
opportunity, and it is our duty, to make up
that deficiency by the economy Of our pres.
ent term. Recoect, however, that while G.
economy is the marked and striking virtue oil
a republic, it is as distingushabe from par.
simony as profusion. Neither Isl by profes
sion or defamation, that we are TO satisfy
the people. A denunciation Of salaries ant
salared officers, that last resort Of little mind:
cannot alone give us favor with an cnlight
ened public. The people are willing to aware
10 public services a Just compensation, bu
require that our deliberations here, shall
not be unnecessarily protracted. They
demand from us prompt attention TO thei
affairs, short sessions and economical ex
penditures; for we are not to forget, tina
1t is the Legislative department of the gov
eminent, of all others, that necessarily
draws most heavily on the tire asury.
1t is with peculiar satisfaction, that re-
fer TO the progress of our works of nterna
, improvement. The board of public work.
will submit to you detailed report of their
Iabors, and a statement of tn, amount anC
character Of their expenditures. The Who'll,
sum as yet placed to the credit of the inter
, nal improvement fund, amounts 10 fou
hundred and thirty eight thousand, fiv'
hundred and fifty one dollars, forty min,
cents. The expenditures, as stated on tn,
first day Of December last. were thre,
, hundred and twenty two thousand, three
hundred and twenty one dollars, forty TIVE
cents, leaving balance 10 the credit of tn
funi, on that day Of one hundred and six
teen thousand, two hundred and thirty dol
lars, seven cents. In the amour, of expen
ditures, is embraced, the complete surve,
Of the northern, southern and central rail
roads, the survey ofthe Havre branch road
} the reconnaissance of the ST. Joseph, Gran,
and Kalamazoo rivers, the survey of tn,
Clinton, saginaw and Sault de ST. Marie
] canals, the construction of the road, pur
chase OF materials anu machinery on tn
{ route from Detroit 10 Ypsilanti, and tn
sum of one hundred and thirty nine thous
t and eight hundred and two dollars sevent,
} nine cents, paid on account Of the Detroi
and St. Joseph railroad company.
The routes ofthe different railroads hav,
been located under the direction the boar,
, of internal improvements but how advanta
geously is left for the Legislature to deter
I mine. That dissatisfaction will exist, ari
, sing from conflicting interests, is 10 be ex
pccted but should no different direction
, be given by the legislature, these work
] will be placed under contract with as llnl
, delay as practicable. These roads whe
] completed, will open market for the ric
and abundant resources Of the interior Q
the state, and will form an important pal
/, of the great chain Of internal improvement
which are to connect the Atlantic seaboar
, with the valley Of the Mississippi. TIL
: reports Of the engineers engaged in tn
( survey of the three northern canals, sta.
I the contemplated works to be practicable
f and from their important bearing upon tn
b permanent prosperity of the country, ] re
D commend them TO the favorable considera
lion Of The legislature. The canal aroun
/, the falls of the St. Marie river, il is ascer
/ tanned, can be constructed for a sum nc
!, exceeding one hundred and fourteen thou
3 sand dollars. And as it is desirable TO @
' pen at an early day, through this commu
nication, an outlet for the extensive and a
1 bundant resources Of the country on tn
d borders Of Lake Superior, ! would res
{ peclfally suggest such an appropriation. a
I will authorize the completion Of the wor