The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-01-10
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR BRIGGS.

! Gentlemen Of the Senate,
and Of the House Of Representatives:
! The state of the finances the Commonwealth Is
always subject of interest to the Legislature and to
the people. An annual exhibit of their condition in
vltes the scrutiny of the public into the conduct Of
those who appropriate and those who expend them.
From the Auditor, learn that the receipts and ex-
penditures forthe last year were follows:
The receipts amounted to S54o,65s IS
The expenditures to 60l,604 20
Excess ofexpendures over receipts sGo,945 IS
The above amount of receipts includes cash on
hand, January, l. ls49, $Il,354 ca
Railroad stock sold l3,4O0 90
State Reform School scrip sold, $4,000 90
This sum s49,754 Ga
deducted from the whole receipts S540,65s IS,
leaves S49o9O3 II the ordinary receipts for the year
The amount of expenditures includes the
paid the State Reform School under the Act
of 1849 $4,000 90
Railroad Loans 5000 90
Temporary loans of ls47, repaid $4,000 90
Temporary loans of 94S 10000 90
Balance paid for weights and measures 1885 90
This sum ssa,895 co
deducted from the whole expenditure, S6ol
ga %, leaves as the ordinary expenditure of
the year, $5l3,2U9 49,
The receipts for the year lS49 are less than the
estimate of the Treasurer made early in the year,
From the Auction tax about 1000 90
And from alien passengers $4,000 90
Making s88,ooo 90
cison of the supreme Court of the United States
which pronounced the law of the State by which it
was imposed unconstitutional But for that decision
the revenues of the year, from that source, would
probably have been increased than thirty thou
sand dollars.
In making an official communication of the deter
mlnaton of that Court, which declared the law of
this Commonwealth, and that of neighboring State
| upon the same subject, invalid and void which laws
had been sustained by the unanimous opinions of the
highest Judicial tribunals in the two States suggest
ed the propriety ofimmediae legislative action con-
forming to the principles of the decision of the United
States Court, being necessary to protect the Com
monwealth from the consequences to the treasury.
the morals, and the health of her people by the over
throw OF one OF her public laws, important to her
rights and interests. The Senate promptly passed
bill which they deemed proper and competent for
such purpose, but, unfortunately, from some cause
it failed in the House. / now commend the subject
to your early consideration.
The people of Massachusetts, cherish and love their
institutions, and will always Justify the expenditure
of their money, whether derived from direct taxation
or from other sources, when it is demanded by any
of the worthy and legitimate objects to be accom-
pllshed by the agency of wise, liberal, and lust
government. Their faithful and vgilan representa-
tves should to it, that the public money is never
appropriated in large or small sums, for any other
than such objects.
Ihe draught upon the treasury the past year for
the support of State paupers exceeds 800, OOO II
the Legislature should fit to repeal or so to mod
lily the existing laws, wholly to save or essential
ly to diminish this large and increasing item of ex-
pense, and should promptly pass law by which the
amount heretofore receixed from alien passengers can
be realized, it believed the present deficit in our
receipts would be met in reasonable time without
resorting to State tax.
am sure that every member of this Legislature
wconcur with me in the hope that the state of the
public business will enable them to save to the Com
monwealth the expense of at least one month of the
time which their predecessors for the last two years,
found necessary to devote to subjects presented for
| their consideration.
The property of the Commonwealth consists of
| Western Railroad stock 81 600 600 -00
| Western Railroad stock sinking fund 593OO0 90
Commemorative part of Western Railroad loan
sinking fund 123,5OO 90
! Notes for lands in Maine 758 90
| Casn on hand 1900 90
! m s1,72225s 90
I The debt of the Commonwealth:
| Western Railroad scrip due in l857is 1895 900 90
state reform school scrip 25 600 90
Temporary loans $4,000 90