Washington telegraph., 1850-11-13
Va ESs AGE
OF the Governor of the State of Arkansas.
To the Senate and

u
House Of Representatives;
In obedience to the will Of your con-
stituents, you have assembled to take
counsel together, and deliberate upon
measures conducive to their common
welfare.
It is made my duty, by the constitu-
ton, upon such an occasion, 10 present
to you, and through you to the people,
nv views and opinions upon such qnes-
tions of public policy. as may be deemed
of sufficient Importance to engage your
attentive consideration
enter upon the discharge OF this I'M
portant duty with the sincerest pleasure
wnen | reflect that to your charge are
committed the deepest interests OF 'he
State; that, upon you, the chosen repre-
sentatives of the people, 1t alone &c,
wolves to reconsider past Legislation, ana
make those alterations and amendments
in existing laws, which experience aud
reflection may point out as pfomotlve OF
the public good, as well as to enact SUCH
other laws as, in yonr wisdom, you may
deem necessary to secure the creates,
amount of happiness aud prosperity for
The future.
1t is proper that my communications
to you, as Chief Magistrate OF the State,
should be characterized by frankness, and
plain deductions from facts; and that
YOUR deliberations should be controlled
alone by the organic law of the land.
and your actions prompted by a sincere
devotion to the interests Of those whom
you serve.
While the coordinate departments of
government should be maintained lnde-
pendent of each other, it is most desra-
BILE that spirit of harmony and good
feeling should pervade and characterize
everv official relation, since upon this de-
pends the accomplishment of much OF
that public good, which it is our sincere
desire to effect. We should bear III
mind, that, though charged with the per-
formance of separate duties, we are the
servants Of the same constituents, have
the same responsibilities. and accoupta-
ble TO the same tribunal, for the proper
discharge of the trust contided TO us.
Since your adjournment, our country
has felt heavily the chastenng OF Divine
Providence. Pestilence has swept over
our land, marking its pathway with SUIT
fering and death. The hearts OF the peo-
pie have been filed with sorrow; famles,
neighborhoods, aud cities, have been
bowed down with grief and shronded III
mourning. There have been befeave-
ments, too, which called forth the tears of
a nation. We have been called upon TO
mourn for the fallen great IN the highest
stations. Soldiers, statesmen and patrl-
OTIS, whose fame had gone forth TO the
world. are grouped thickly upon the re-
cord of death. Aud mighty minds
which were called upon to guide the des-
tiny of the nation, have ceased to shed
upon her councils the light Of wisdom
and experience.
Yet, amid all these viSitations Of suffer
ing and death, our own State has been
spared. When we reflect that, by the in
terposition Of nerclfnl Providence, this
dreadful scourge has been made TO pass
lightly over us, our hearts should be filed
with gratitude and lhankfu!ness.
The usual degree of prosperity has
crowned the labor of the husbandman.
The enterprize of our citizens has been at
tended with success III every pursuit Of
life; aud an active market and increased
prices, have proved an adequate remuner-
alton for partial failures in any branch of
industry.
1 have to congratulate you upon the
prospect, under the present revenue laws
of our soon being relieved from that un-
fortunate system, forced upon US by ne
cessity, Of issuing Treasury warrants; a
system but little less unfortunate than the
repudiated doctrine, that banks were es-
sential to the collection and safe-keeping
of the public revenue Of the country.
Should the revenue laws, now in force
be continued, we have the hope before us
Of once more seeing The revenue collected
equal to all demands upon the Treasury,
and our debts, except those contracted on
account of onr banks, eXtinguished. la
view of this desirable result, deem it my
duty strongly to demonstrate against any
material change in these laws.
The aggregate total value Of property,
in the State subject to taxation on the l..
Oct 1913, was $28, 90l 696; IN 1850 il
was valued at $34 .955, $50. And the
revenue paid into the Treasury. in 1913,
was $S5,174 II; and, in 1850, it was
$93,54O 2l; thus exhibiting an increase,
both of wealth in the State and revenue
in the Treasury. For the two years com
mencing with 1st Oct, 1913. and ending
with the goth Sept, 1850, the amount O:
revenue paid Into the Treasury, was
$163, $50 Al; aud the expenses of the
State, for the same period, was $780, 761
6,leaving balance of ss27,34S 65, which
was expended in redeeming outstanding
Treasury warrants, OF which there still
remains unredeemed $l6,259 3S5; but
which will be redeemed during the next
two years.