The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-01-06
The Governors Message,

The message OF Gov. MATTEsoN, which
will DC found in our columns to-day, will re.
ccvc, as it deserves, an attentive pcrusal
The cheerful account 1t gives Of the condi
ton and prospects Of our beloved prairie
state, is as gratifying as il speaks to the wis.
dom and administrative ability of those who
have had the chief direction of It's affairs.
The message is commercially short and to
the point. There is nothing omitted that
ought to have been said, while at the same
time it contains no superhuous sentence II
is a purely business documcnt-makes no
prctensions to the clegancies Of composition,
but is as plain and direct as a note of hand
or a table Of statistics.
The governor commences with a brief ref
crcncc to the severe drought with which a
portion ofour state was afflicted the past
season, and TO the monetary crisis through
which we are passing and while he finds in
the wonderful fertility of our soil and our
large surplus of productions abundant assu-
rance Of exemption from want, he also
finds in our vast trade ana remarkable COM
mcrcial facilities sure guarantee against Sc
rious distress from any ordinary financial
crisis
The rapid growth of our state is alluded
to, as evidenced by the fact that within the
last six years we have completed 1887 miles
of railroad, with SAT miles more in course
of construction and soon to be completed
while nearly our whole wide praries have
been brought into subsection, cities have
sprung up as by magic, and from condition
Of comparative rudcness we nave emerged
into a refined and cultivated state
A revision Of our banking law is suggest.
cd, with view to add to the security, and
thus TO the confidence of our people in our
banking institutions.
The encouraging fact is dwclt upon, that,
Notwithstanding the stringcncy in the money
market, none of the important lines of rail.
road in our state tn had made any con.
siderable progress, had been stopped.
This is particularly the case with reference
to the Illinois Central railroad, with which
the interests of the state arc more inmedi.
atcly identified. The completion of the
main trunk is announced, and the satislacto.
ry progress Of the branches exhibited.
The attention of the legislature is called to
the subject of improving our rivers and har.
bors, and emphatic instructions to our sena.
tors and representatives in congress are re-
commended.
The Governor confidently predicts that,
with watchful regard to our true interests,
our state will be the first in the Union in
point of wealth and population in 1870.
In this view the continued encouragement
of agriculture, the paramount interest OF
our state, is recommended, in the shape Of
an increased appropriation in aid of our an.
nual state fair.
The subject Of calling a convention to re.
wise our state constitution is commended TO
the serious consideration Of the legislature.
so the subject of our common schools,
which will be presented in practical form
by the report of the State Superintendent Of
public instruction: and the propricty Of pla.
cling in each of our common schools copy
of Wcbster's quartO dictionary at the OK.
pcnsc Of the state is suggested
Attention is called to the colonization so.
cictics of our state, in view Of the degraded
condition of our colored population.
The benevolent institutions of the state n;
Jacksonville are represented as in a flourish.
ing condition.
The message concludes with lucid review
of the financial condition and prosperity Of
our state during the last two years, which is
shownto be most healthy and satisfactory.
Our state debt is rapidly diminishing, and
instead of eleven years, the period named in
the last message, the governor is confident
that much shorter period. at the present
rate Of our growth and prosperity, will suf
flee to free our state entirely from debt
A thorough pcrusal of the message, and
particularly this latter portion of it. unos.
tentatious and purely business like as it is,
will be found the surcst way to lead to full
appreciation Of its excellence. Without
the slightest appearance of Boosting the
governor, yet unconscously, inditcs his own
praise in the mathematical and dcmonstrativc
illustration he gives of the consummatc skill
and ability with which the financial affairs Of
our state have been mancgcd