The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1853-01-18

| Iaft ccUts tVccie'
But to OIrn from these tlloughts,
which refer rather to the fdiere than
the past or present, the q md most
important subject Of your htioh IL
the condition of our State lnces. -
II Is to be regretted, while We are sur
rounded with 80 many evidences Of
prosperity, our State treasury Is not
in n like favorable condition. During
the past year the treaaurer has been
unable to meet promptly many Of the
most common and pressing demands
on bis department. Many citizens
have visited tho Seat Of Government
with demands against The Slate, and
af1r mourning considerable expense,
have been compelled 10 return TO their
homes. without having their elams
adjusted and liqt,i1alc1. Even the
saaries Of the public officers, upon
which many oftbcm are dependent for
the supper, Of their fnmilies, have not
boon paid till many months after they
were due.
This state Of things has resulted
from two ca,sest The Legislature has
made appropriations without providing
fully the means TO meet them, and the
collectors Of The public ,ncney are, in
msny in.tanQH slow in making their
returns to tlm 1rcasurr The first
evil can be easily guarded against for
The future, BY greater care on the pnrt
Of the Legislature. IF the representa-
lives Of the people arc not willing TO
tax their constituents to meet IN APP
preparation. il Is clear the hrpropria.
ton should not be made. Appropri-
'ions md taxation must always 20
hand IN hand.
The Governor suggests soMannnal,
instead Of annual returns from the
Collectors Of Public Monies.
Under nh net ii the last Legsla-
ture. | was authorized 10 borrow Ger.
taiu amounts of~1noney which ! OBJ
tanned at tho nulnl rate Of interest
Rom the State Bank. ut one time S75,-
900, and ut ansahel time s25, 900,
making slOOoOD. Thee amounts
could only be borrowed, according to
the usagcs Of the Bank, for ninety
days The time Of payment has long
since past, mily the interest ha, ing
been pnid II is necessary to provide
for the payment Of this money ut "a
early u day ms practicable.
The various public works ordered in
J@erent parts Of tie State, have been
prosecuted with IA much success as
could reasonably be expected from the
limited means and forcc Of tho En-.
g'necr's department.
kwould again urge upon your at
tension the Necessity Of IA prompt nc
ton rs possible, IN reference to the Inn
portant subject Of diyising and putting
n}fsgress some plan for preventing
The fearful aud destructive overf'ows oi
the Mississippi river and other i'nror-
tant streams. This ! am aware - q
diIIisut task, ilcrculcan labor u
work about which there are various and
conflicting views, still it is difficulty
which, sooner or Inter must be cncouI-
tered and overcome. or the most seri-
ous. and alarming eyil5 will be the in.
evitable result let us moi loose aight
of this subject till The painful and ruin
oiis scenes Of 1850 and 1851 shall
again awaken Ms to its Importance.
The internal improvement fund, M
will be seen from the Treasurer IT.
port, will in short time be- entirely
exhausted, and it viii be necessary for
the present Legislature TO make pro-
vision tor the future support of the IN
ternal improvement service.
The faithful and intelligent officer
who bas until recently had charge Of
this branch Of the public sor'iec, will |
render ~ account Of his stewardship, |
up to the time OF tho transfer Of the
responsible and afduo,Is duties Of the
Engineers department to his worthy
and capable successor.
Our system Of common school odu-
cation las been again commended 10
your care by the new Constitution,