New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-08
Governor Hunts Message.

We like this document Lie oVPi0
will agree with US. The Governor IS
little too anxious to please every body, and
thus sometimes pares away and smoothes
over, and qualities his best suggestions, I'M
til half their value is sacrificed. Yet, as
he always means the right thing he gene
rally succeeds in saying it, though not al
ways so clearly and crisPly as he might.
State FinanceS-The Governor is quite
right with regard to the Erie Canal En-
largement. 1t ought to be energetically
prosecuted and finished within three years.
1t is folly, it is madness, to go on in the
present terrapin fashion. If the Enlarge
ment is prosecuted as our existing laws
contemplate, it will huvv cost in in
terest on the unfinished portions than the
principal when completed In other words,
we shall have paid double for the work by
taking thirty years to complete it, and have
deprived ourselves of its use for the inter-
vening time. Can that be the State which
Clinton governed and guided which prose-
cutes improvements in this miserable fash
ionl Surely, one of two courses should be
adopted-either complete the Erie Enlarge
ment at once or abandon it-forever.-We
prefer direct appeal to the People for the
completion of the Canals under the Con-
stitution to any attempt to change the Con-
stitution, or to avoid the plain intent of its
Financial Restriction. We cannot see how
they can vote against completing the En-
largement at once. The New Y ork Canals
are noble, productive property they need
a further investment to render them still
more productive and beneficent. They are
worth to-day two dollars for every one the
State owes, and are yielding a correspond
ing income. Then why not 60 straight to
the People and ask them to borrow eight
millions wherewith to make fifteen millions
already expended productive in three years
instead of sixteen We decidedly prefer
that course.
charlottesville State has over Six
Millions of Dollars Of School Funds, and
last year over One Million and Quarter
of Dollars were paid out to Teachers in her
Common Schools, while Three Quarters of
Million Children were educated therein.
This is well, but not we'll enough. There
were still more than One Hundred Thou
sand Children between FIVE and sixteen
years of age who did rot receive months
schooling each in 1850. We must find
means to draw them into the Schools of
coming years, and, as a beginning, must
keep those Schools Free to All. On this
subject, the Governor is right at heart,
though. less clear and decided than we
could have wished.
We heartily second the Governors COM
mendations of the State Normal School
and his recommendation of State Agricul-
tural and Mechanical College. His sug-
gestiOn that more money should be given
to our present Colleges we as heartily dis
sent from. If they were worth giving
State money to, we should not need the
new College he proposes.
Public Lands, Manorial Estates, &c.
The general drift of the Governors views on
these subjects we heartily concur in. They
are sound, liberal, benefcent, progressive,
and yet in the best sense conservative
We trust they viii delight the souls of our
Silver Gray friends equal to anything
they have read since his letter to Francis
Granger which they approved so heartily.
Courts and Lal0S.-We wish the Gov
ernor had called on the Legislature little
more plainly and urgently to pass the resi-
due of the Reformed Code of Practice, and
finish up that job As with Free Schools,
so with Law Reform. So long as the
Hunker lawyers hope to defeat and battle
the demand for Law Reform, we shall
have no fair trial Of the improved practice.
They must be made to realize that we
take no backward steps, and then all will
move right. This Legislature should not
adjourn until the Law Reform is placed be-
yend contingency.
Bdnks.-The Governors suggestions of
distinct Bank Department, instead of
mere branch of the Controllers Office. and
OF an enlargement Of the stock basis of our