The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-06-19
Governors Message.
Feiluc. Citizens of the Senate

and Houss Of Represeniativs.
Subjects intimately connected with the public
welfare, which ftqure legislative action also in.
portant matters which were left undi.posed OF at
the last adjournment Of the general assembly,
seem to demand, and it accordingly becomes my
duty 70 convene you in special session for their
consideration The constitution under which you
assemble provides that the governor may, on
extraordinary occasions, convene the general as
sembly by proclamation. and shall state in such
proclamation tho purpose for which they are to
convene &c. The purpose contemplated to be
made known by this provision Of the constitution
1t embraced IN the PROCLAMATION which has been
published. and a copy Of which is herewith laid
before you. The constitution likewise continues
the business Of tho session exclusively 10 such
matters as embraced in the proclamation Con
fined within narrow compass and limited to
few subjects only, and these clearly made known.
you will be enabled to adopt the readiest and
most juJicious method Of dioposing Of them. in
such manner rs to meet the washes of our com.
mon constituents. As the subjects to which your
attention is directed are Of plain, practical char
acter, a brief reference to some Of them in this
connection will he sufficient. or this humber one
Of the most important is the dstrictlDg the state
for members Of Congress under the census act Of
1850. According to the relative numerical popu.
ation VI the several States, the state Of Illinois
will be entitled TO two members in addition to
her present number. That this state shall have
the benefit ot full delegation TO which II is en-.
titled in the next Congress, it is necessary that
there be legislative action upon the subject pre-
vous to the meeting Of the next general Assem-.
bly,. Although no certificate Of npportioDment
such as is required by acts Of Congress hss been
received by me from which to furnish you with an
authoritative basis Of apporIionment upon which
you can proceed in dis,ricing the state ye. IL is
supposed there 10 sufficient evidence to be found
il the returned censns Of 1860, from the correct.
y ascertained population Of most Of the states,
and the relative fractional population Of each to
guide you IN determining with the nearest mp.
proach to certainty, the number Of districts into
which the state may be properly divided. Should
this not prove satisfactory The whole object may
be gained by postponing the congressional elec.
ton until November, 1903, as our members un
der present laws are elected more than one year
previous to taking their seats in the national leg
Islaiure to the next general assembly.
By an act Of the legislature the state lands, So
called, were reserved from sale b. the auditor
of state for an indiiUite length OF time. Prior
TO this net these lands offered for sale under
an appraised value Ia state Indebtedness, and thus
become the means o. tedeeming and gradually
reducing 10 inconsideraole portion of the state
debt Ii may well be considered whether the
financial interests of the state, viewed in rela.
ton to the public debt, may not be better pro-
NOTED by bringing these lands again into marLet,
and sutjectng them 10 sale as heretofore From
their location and other obvious con,idera,ohs it
Is believed that they can now be made to yield
the state greater positive advantage by an early
-s.l. ia. H.. l..
postponed TO future distant dag II 1t be thought
the better policy to adopt this course in regard to
them, it may be proper that they be re.apprised,
as 1t will probably be found that the former ap.
pralsal viii not te suited TO the changes which
have rcccntly taken place in the state, growing
out of the impulse given 10 the subject Of inter.
nal Improvements, as many OF these lands lie
along or near tue contemplated works. The up.
praI.al ough, 10 be made with reference TO two
objects viz. their cash value and also their value
III state Indebtedness. This will enable the audi.
tor to conduct the sales with uniformity, besides
atfordlng timely notice 10 purchasers Of their
value. by permitting an early sale the state will
derive certain benefit from the present market
value VI bonds AS IL is evident that our state Sc
curltes will continue gradually TO rise in value,
besides saving the reserve Of all interest due upon
such bonds as may be taken up by the state from
tho nm rclos.,. ofi,,Is 18th -, ,,rI;,L ,o,s;J.,,
,;",. ". -, o,,;o. " IO'" y, "n."
w., o " w 'i'."'.o" ~. "V"e Gss appea.s W w
las in x,ina hn n6I,m es sms 81 ,La s.ln
mi. viii ,.rd Ia, a,, ,ha',;t - ~, -. ,G'.
a,,h. ,,.,. ~ p'oa'.'t n ". u''''o" p'".,
,I., y! o'' w So
the productive element. Of taxation and incfea..
ing the aggregate revenue of the state The
quantity Of Land remaining unsold /, about one
| hundred and thirty thousand acres which ought
| hv iudicious management. TO redeem at leas, a
/ half million Of dollars Of the state debt.
/ There har. been submitted 10 The neople 10
be voted upop At the ne.t general election cor.
tain propositiors which II anproyed bv the popu
lar vote will, thereafter become mart of tb, I5th
article OF the constitution. The reasons for a
change in the article as il now stand. have beep
laid before fine general assembly in NV former
communication. and need mo-, be further referred
to. The amount raised by taxation under tbi-
article in the present form, is REQUIRED 10 be Al,
Piled at stated times, by way Of findorsemen, upon
a specific class OF state bonds allowed to be pre
scnted at the treasury for this purpose, unde,
this provision Of the constitution. Th. opera,;or
of the amendment, now before the people con
templates change to this extent, tha, instead a
applying the money in the form Of an endorse
ment upon such bond, in par, satisfaction, /. .ay
be used in purchasing state bonds generally a,
the n arket value. The effect which this change
may be made to produce upon the gradual reduc
ton Of our state debt i. too paip and obvious ,t
require further examination TO insure its saycrabl,
consideration.
! rrov;.;o,,i , r;ut, .., :,
tho sam. tina tho sra.sJr,.n, ~. % .n,,";,,a, " :,