New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-03
GOV. CLARK's nEssAGE.

! GOV. CLAnIt n6sSt 1Fs
We have read II any Messages more elegant in
dic,ion end brilliant in rhetoric than our new
| Governors, but hardly one whose suggestions and
Recommendations commanded our more hearty
atseDt. And this approval is not secured BY de1-
ferrous avoidance or ambiguous treatment of crlti-
cal aud con'royerted topics: for the suggestions
Of reform ia our laws an institution, contained
in this Message are as nu nerous aud as radical as
those embodied in aLy Executive manifesto since
| Gov. Stewards retirement Gov. Clark. so far as
we can perceive, bias Intentionally eluted no diff
| fcuiy and sbrunk from no responsibility; and
while there are some minor points on which We
decidedly dissett from his conclusions, We be.
lieve that their adoption in the main by our new
Legislature would signally promote the moral
AID social welfare of our People.
Our State finances, as here laid open, are
not in a hstteting condition. The re ,eipts ioto
the Treasury are too small or the disbursements
therefrom quite collage. But it must be cons.d-
cred that the year just closed has been disastrous,
aud that our CaI al Tolls lave largely fallen OF,
partly in consequence Of the eager rivalry OF con-
petiDg railroads, but even more from the eifects OF
defcitn: hsIvests and the stsgnaton induced
by commercial distress. Had the State Of Ohio
alone secured average crops of wheat and corn
in ls5i, the sggrega,e OF our Canal Revenues for
both the old and the new year would ha 'e been
sensby increased. For it is to be noted that
the filling OF in transportation as yet has been
mainly If not entirely confined to those bulky and
weighty staples which are usuaily carried on
Canals, while the relatively lighter and more cost
" fabrics which are mainly conveyed by railroads
Lave Il us far been distributed as freely as ever.
Then our Canals are a,yet unfinished, and mil
lions Of dollars have been expended on works
which must remain unavailable until the entire
Eulsrl ement is completed. Hence much freight
is nov drawn away to Railroad. which must come
bsck to the Canals heneyer they snail De flushed,
so tlbt boat, Of the largest size may pas, from
New.York or Albany to Buffalo. We cannot be
leye that the removal of Canal Tolls from the
freight carried over the Central ROsd in sumner
was just or wise, bat We are confident thai,
wherever the Enlargement shall have been com
pleted, our Canal Tolls Will rise TO point far
above any yet attained b. them. But it is in
every view essentisl TO the welfare and financial
prosperity Of cur State that the Enlargement be
yifoIou,y pressed TO speedy completion.
The Governors suggestion that Bonds and Mort
gsges sre net proper basis for Bank Issues
might have been more positlye withOu: ceasing to
be timely and proper. THIS Legislature should
not adjourn without providing against the issue of
another dol ar on such securities and for The grad
ual rel lscentns Of ali those now held as Bank
pledges by uLdoubtsd State Stocks.
The astounding aggregate (oyer S2li COY Of
alleged Indebtedness Of our Safe Prisons re-
vesled by Gov Clark, clearly indicates thu. persons
admirably flied 20 tenant the cells of those dis
ciPiilsry Institutions have BY some unexplained
blupder been permitted TO acquire positions on
the wrong side Of the Indoors, aud even to in.
fu,nce materially their financial management
How Gov. Seymour can have allowed this volume
OF illegal debt to be rolled up to such magnitude
without diminishing its authors from the public SER
vice, We DO not compI ehend; bat is is cerfsialy
high time that stop were puttoiis accu mutation.
We believe neither of eur State Prisons has fallen
short of psy ing its way for ten years past except
through incspacisy or rascality in hs manage
ment.
The iEprison msnt OF witnesses in order ID have
them on hand when wanted, is an outrage which
n, savage tribe would endure. We trust some
practical substitute for it will be promptly de-
vised and enacted.
The various Benevolent Institutions supported
by cur State, appear to be doing their proper
work respectively with efficiency ard success.
The number Of Immigrants arriving at our
ports during tie year Just closed was 3l3,7i7-an
increase of 80. AIS over the arrivals Of 1853.
We thank Gov. CLARK for his hearty, thorough,
well-eIpressed affirmation of tie great truth that
Common School Education shsuld be absolutely
Free-that all the children should equally enjoy it
.. the public t1peuse-and that TIE edgest0n Of