, 1840-12-05

Us tne legislature may proVlue.
| will cite these cases as instances Of the
great evil that may arise from the want OF
proper care in the final preparation of the
laws and as a forcible reason why the ap-
propriate committees should exercise the
~strictest scrutiny, that no error exists in
your enactments in the form in which they
become laws.
| regret to inform you that no distribution
of the three per cent, fund has been made
by the general government TO this State
since the year 1897 until very recently, that
upwards of sixty-seven thousand dollars has
been placed in the credit of the Treasurer
in the Bank of Missouri, and will be distribu-
ted to the several counties under the pres
ent law. unless the legislature should other
wise direct; perhaps it would be as well 10
postpone the distribution until after the or
ganiZation of such new counties rs the leg
stature may in their wisdom think proper TO
create.
The memorial to the Congress of the Uni
ted States passed at the last General Assem-
bly, in relation to the trade between this
country and Mexico, has produced the de-
sired effect, a bill to establish Il custom house
and port of entry at Independence was in
troduced and passed one branch of the ma
tional legislature and would have doubtless
become a law had not the great amount of
business which had accumulated in the other
branch have prevented ii. From the very
favorable reception which the subject has
met with so far in Congress, we may reaSona-
bly, entertain the hope that it will be accom-
p!ished during the ensuing session.
would suggest the proprIety of causing
the Governors house TO be supplied with
suitable furniture, there is very little belong
ing to ii. and what there is, is not OF that
kind suitable for the accommodation Of a
family. The old furniture might be disposed
of at auction and the proceeds applied in aid
of furnishing Il new supply.
The financial concerns of the State, will
at the proper time be submitted TO you by
Auditor of Public Accounts and State
Treasurer to which ! beg leave TO refer you,
and from which you discover that the amount
received into the treasury during the two
last fiscal years including the balance in the
treasury on the 3Oth September 1888, was
S2lO,I82 80 on account OF revenue. The
amount discussed out OF that sum for the
same time, was S2Oi,l3O So, being an ex
cess of receipts over the ordinary expenses
of the government OF SG,56l 81 remaining
in the treasury on the lst day OF October
1910. belonging 10 revenue to which add the
sum fifty eight thousand, eight hundred and
sixty two dollars and thirty one cents, re-
ceived from other sources, as appears by the
Auditors report will make the balance in the
treasury from all sources on the LIST day OF
October 1910, the sum of S65,224 IL. The
State debt on the LIST of October, 1910, a.
mounted to four hundred and four thousand,
six hundred and thirty one dollars and TWEEN
ty seven cents. and consists of the old deb,
due to the Seminary and saline funds, the
Capitol loan, internal Improvement loan, and
the loan for the payment OF volunteers and
militia. This amount is exclusive of the
bonds ISSUED for the payment of the State
subscription to the stock of the Bank Of the
State of Missouri, which bonds are balanced
bv an equal amount of stock held for the use
of the State and for the literary funds.
1t may be expected that some reference
should be made by me to the subject of The
bill, which was before the last General As
sembly, usually known as the Scurrency
BILL Ny opinion upon the subject is this
that restricting the natural rights of the citi
zen any farther than is necessary for thu
safety of the community. and making tina
an offence in the eye of the law, which i
not morally so, is exceeding in my opinion
the legitimate powers intended TO be confer
red upon the legislature. Our citizens il
nv Judgment will never sanction any law
which prevents them from taking in exchan
ge for their property whatever they please
restrict the banks and corporations general
ly, but the people should be left to manage
their own affairs pretty much in their owl
way. ! think such a law as that proposed
at the last session would be impolite and m
practicable. We already have n law on on
statute book, imposing heavy penalties 70
the circulation of bank notes under the de
nomination of five dollars. Notes of lowe
denominations have been circulated freel,
ever since its passage, and has any one bee
prosecuted under that law? Not ina singl
instance that | have heard. The law is
dead letter on your statute book, and you
courts either cannot or do not enforce It,
1t is true that in my last message to the leg
%islature, l proposed in substance, as an a