Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-12-04

amount of additional expense, and what is probably
of more Importance, necessarily deferring action
upon the subject for another year.
| am happy to state that Notwithstanding much
delay occasotd by the prevalent sickness of the past
season, the different examiners have finished their
labors. Complete returns OF their work have been
ceIved, and suitable persons engaged In this
place, in making the final selections from them.
1t has already been stated that the mode of select
ing the States moiety within the strip each side
Of the canal differs from that of selecting her portion
without the strip Hence, before the selections could
be completed, either within without it was neces
sary that the precise location OF the canal should be
known. This, account Of the loss of the notes of
the former survey, the obliteratlOn of marks, and
other causes, it was found impossible to ascertain
without nelc surrey. Accordingly three experienced
engineers r. III. Fauntleroy of Posey aided by w. j.
Ball of Vigo, and Saml. c. Bradford of Warrck, were
appointed to ascertain and fix the location of the
nal in time for the selection of the lands This duty
has been performed and chart of the route Of the
canal and Of the lands selected for the State within
the strip, is in Of preparation. The chart
when finished will be Immediately forwarded to the
General Land Ofce because, until that is done, the
lands, by the terms of the grant, not vested in
the State
This munifcent donation in connection with the dis
position which 1t is understood IS manifested by
bond holders, may have an important bearing upon the
credit Of the State. And it is hoped that it has been
rendered apparent, that pains have been spared
my part to gain to it, the utmost value for that pur
pose.
The opinion has hitherto been nearly if not quite
universal, among citizens, well others
acquainted with condition and resources, that it
is beyond the power of the State at present to tuy
meet its Obligations Even the plan submitted at the
last session, in the Senate virtually, made this
ccSsion, by proposing to convert our bonds mostly
bearing five per cent int. into stock paying only three
per cent. No plan that has been mooed for resunp
ton Of payment even the most stringent has contem-
plated full and immediate payment. The most rigid
proposition has looked to long indulgence on paying
but small parto the current interest and funding the
residue, together with that which is in arrears.
The completion of this canal, however advantageous
it may be TO the interests Of those within Its vicinity,
it is manifest claims your favorable regard, the
Representatives of the State at large chiefly as a
rerenue measure. And in that light it is believed TO
possess claims of high character. The work, when
finished, passes through country Of almost unrvaied
fertility, and rapidly increasing population. Reach
ing In its full length, from Lake Erie to the Ohio river
it will be the longest work of the kind in the United
States twill be second in Importance only that which
connects Lake Erie and Hudson river, and Will make
one of the links in the great chain of internal navi
CATION from the North Eastern to the South Western
exremities of our growing confederacy.
1t was stated in quarter entitled to respect and
confidence, at a meeting held at Terre Haute in May
last, that if the Satewere to pay TO her bondhoders
II
debt, it thought that they would be prepared to
take the profits of the canal for The balance. The
gentleman who expressed this opinion, Is now in
attendance the representative of foreign bond
holders and has verbally advised me that he Will
shortly prepare a communication offering a liberal
arrangement to be laid before the General Assembly
In my last annual message, the opinion was eX-
pressed that the great mass of our fellow citizens
were willing and anxious to meet all our just obi
cations; that with them it question not Of in
cnation but of ability, and that had great conf
dence if plan for extinguisbDg the debt should be
matured and agreed upUn-one which in terms would
be feasible and clearly brought within the ability othe
State to meet that appeal to the moral sense fthe
citizens for their approval at the ballot box would not
be made in vain. While nothing has since taken
place to change much has occurred to strengthen this
opinion More than two-thirds of the State tax now
paid by the people Of Indiana, is devoted to the pay
ment of the public debt This tax has been steadily
borne through years of Encouragement and in the
midst of unjust reproaches. When the domestic
debt existing in the form of treasury notes. and used
currency is absorbed in this manner, or is dis
posed of by different or satisfactory arrangement,
all of State revenue, beyond the current expenses
be applied to the payment of our foreign debt.
BY similar application of the amount saved by the
needed reform in our county expenditures and by
strict economy In every branch Of the public service,
the amount of the annual interest due foreign
debt would be still further reduced Should the pro-
position be made again On the part Of our bondhod-
to take the profits of the canal for such portion
of our public debt as will enable the State with the
aid of the means above referred to, to pay the bal
ance, doubt not that the people will cheerfuly sub
NIT to the necessary burthen, which, while it saves
the honor, and resuscitates the credit of the State
will, by increased immigration, the enhanced value
of property, the restoration of confidence, and the
Improvement of the credit of our citizens individual
ly, more than compensate them for their outlay.
:
satisfactory to our creditors and will restore the tar
nshed escutcheon of Indiana its original brightness
will not permit myself TO doubt. A searching and
thorough reform in every branch of county eXpen
dtures, of which have given solitary instance, the
growing determination among tax payers to wipe
off rcproach, with liberal spirit and disposition
manifested by creditors to facilitate their doing
so,-will secure the consummation Of that much de-
sired result.
The early completion of the canal from Lafayette
to Terre Haute, would, by the increased revenue to
be thence derived exercise most favorable infiu-
upon this question. There yet some thirty
six thousand acres of land granted for that work,
which have not yet been selected Ihavc hitherto alb
stained from causing the selection to be made, in the
hope that permission may be obtained from Congress
to make it, in the Miami Reservation. Such mea-
sure would have a most important bearing upon the
completion of the work. 1t is hoped that thorough
examination into the causes which have delayed Its
progress will be made, with the view if possible, of
applying the necessary corrective.
As in the expected communication from the agent
of our creditors some propositions may be sub
mtted in relation to the disposition of the lands,
and the construction of the canal, with the pre-
else nature of which, am not sufficiently acqualnt
ed, any expression of opinion upon those subjects IS
for the present. deferred. | recommend, however,
that provision be made TO secure TO existing settlers
upon the lands granted to the State. suitable indem
IL Il. 81, IL 49,,