The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1849-12-11
GOV. WRIGHTS
INAUGURAL MESSAGE.

/ :
and through you. to our felloW-citizens gen.
orally, my grateful Acknowledgements, for the
confidence they have generously bestowed up
on me. While | do this desire in this pub
lie manner. to asseverate that my time and
ability shall be employed in endeavCring to
promote the happiness and welfare of all
| Custom sanctions and enjoins, that | shall
briefly declare to you, the views which are
entertained by me, upon some Of the topics
which engage the attention of the people at
the present period.
1t is gratifying that our State during the
the past year, by decisive vote, has shown
a desire to favor the constitutional reforms of
the age. Thirty-three years have passed
away since our fathers framed for US our pre-
sent excellent constitution. Under this con
shtution we have lived in the enjoyment Of
civil and religious liberty. Our prosperity
has been great-our growth rapid-and the
march of improvement onward. Time has
not only proved the correctness of the repub-
lican principles contained in the constitution.
but it has had tendency to show, that they
may be much further extended and more
generally applied. The Elective principle
was highly valued by our fathers, and it may
| be Justly sail, they were far in the advance
Of our sister States of that day; bat still
further advance is practicable. In order to
more efiectually guard against improper ap-
pointments to Office, and against such as may
be made with selfish motives, without refer
ence to the welfare Of the public in general
or the will OF the people, the elective power
may be safely substituted for the appointing
power. Another subject of primary impOr-
lance is that of Common Schools.
! Men OF intelligence can best and most safe
exercise the sovereign perogative OF the elect
i've franchise; and to secure general intelli
lgence among men, they must begin to learn
while they are children. 1t seems 10 me there
fore that we should concentrate every legiti-
mate effort TO accomplish this end, bestOwing
all the means a. our command to the promo
ton of this common good; in the most expan-
! sve lOTm,-that we should first endeayor TO
extend common schools to every neighbor-
hood, so far as may be done withoutthe infic-
| ton of burdensome taxes upon the people,
while We leave the County Seminaries and the
higher institutions of learning TO individual or
associated enterprise, by, which it is believed
they will be best sustained. Other measures
will doubtless receive the consideration Of the
convention, among which might be named the
necessary checks upon improvident legislation
suitable restraints against special and partial
| legislation; and positive requirement that
the title Of all bills shall fully describe the
subject matter of the same-biennial sessions
OF the legisa 'ure--the homestead exemption
"a prohibition against the borrowing of mon
ey for any purpose beyond given sum, unless
authorized by direct vote of the people.
We are now in the prosecution of a new
system of internal Improvements: much pref
cradle to the past, because it is founded upon
individual capital and enterprise; and will
consequently be conducted with economy and
prudence. 1t is to be feared however, that
there is too great disposition 10 carry on
works of this character by the subscriptions Of
cities and counties. The appropriation Of
their revenues to such purposes. Is foreign to
the primary objects for which municipal cor
porations are organized, and for which the
power of taxation is granted TO them; and be-
sides may lead not only 10 individual but local
Iembarrassments and difficulties simlarto those
in which the state became involved few
years since.
The policy is of doubtful expedercy which
demands the aid Of the State Treasury or
the revenues of cities and counties inits pros
ecution. 1t will be found that by leaving the
enterprise and capital of our people free to
seek investments, aided by liberal legisla-
ton in the grants Of characters. we shall be
able to commence and finish those public
works that will repay the capital invested
and will in their prosecution be characterized
with economy and in due time greatly increase
the resources of the State
The Legislature will no doubt thus aid the
companies which now are or may hereafter
be engaged in the prosecution of such works
exhibiting alike the enterprise and energy of
our people, while it will be also careful TO
impose all needful checks and restrictions.
Intimately connected with the prosecution
Of these works is the faithfully keeping. on
our part inviolate, past contracts and engage
ments with our creditors. 1t will require the
utmost economy and prudence to preserve
the credit and contracts OF the State unim-
paired.
take this occasion in the commencement
of my duties. to express to you this day, and
through you to our fellow citizens the assur-
ance, that no effort of mine shall be spared
to keep fair the credit of the State, and faith
fully to keep all our past contracts.
We should now mutually covenant and
agree with each other, rs the representatives
Of our people, that we will maintain at any
and every sacrifice. the credit of Indiana
upon our past engagements; and that we
will not hereafter pledge her faith for another
dollar Of public money. 1t is not only our
duty to take this position and keep it firmly,
but to 90 one step further By increased
property subject to taxation, as well as new
OBJECTS Of revenue, to be reached by iudicious
Ienactments, we may, so soon as the small
amount of6 per cent, treasury notes now out
standing is provided for, command means to
create Sinking Fund whereby the extin-
punishment of our State debt my be imme-
diately thereafter commenced. And It's 1t