Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-01-17


capital in order to take the first steps in these en-
terprises; and no better evidences could be given
of the rapid and healthy growth of the State
than that of greatly increased ability TO for
ward such means of communication, and the GER
tainty of their yielding profitable return for the
investments which may be made in them side
from the generou, ward obtained by every branch
of industry and enterprise, and from the increase
produced by superabundant harvests. greatly be>
ycnd the demand for home eonsump,io and tho
added by the wants of an unpaIa lleed emigration
much of that emigration has, of itself, been of
character calculated to augment materially, the
available capital of the State. Those laws OF
trade which gradually and steadily regulate the
supply in accordance with the demand, have in
sensbly, but with certainty, furnished citizens
with great proportion of such means, their
necessities required, and their situation enabled
them to secure and render profitable. Those le
gitimate works of internal improvement, the
struction of which the onward march OF our
State made necessary, have felt the effect Of the
general impulse. Such already in progress,
are being urged forward, with all the OF
the companies having them In chargs and IL is
now confidently believed, that their completion
within reasonable time, Is placed beyond the
possibility Of a doubt. 1t should be the care of
the Legislature 10 foster by liberal enactments,
these important interests and protect them by all
such laws as are calculated 10 secure their rapid
| construction and the permanency of all those in
vesments which may be devoted to their advance
! men' or continuance. AS one Of the means nec-
essary to effect this end, | would strongly recon
( mend the passage of such laws, as would tend TO
prevent the commission of any fraud, by the over
issue of stock otherwise by the officers of in
corporated companies, and which could affect the
I interests Of those entTustlng them with the
| aeement of their affairs, that of the commun-
ty at large. The occurrences which during the
past few months have been brought 10 light, in
-.
cessity of such enactmenIs; and until there has
been some action of this kind taken the construc
ton OF our roads necessarily be retarded BY
considerations which the Legislature can do much
towards removing, by the imposition Of severe
penalties for offences of the character referred 10,
and such other checks they, in their wisdom
may see fit to establish. Such course will have
the tendency TO increase greatly the value OF our
securities abroad by giving capitalists confidence
/ in their permanent value. This subject | consid-
er to be one of the highest importance, and trust
your earnest attention may be directed to the
adjustment OF some law, which will have the eff
| feet desired. The opinions expressed by me, in
my former message, relative to the importance of
a speedy completion of our railroads, aud the
means which seem 10 me proper to be used for
their construction still adhere TO and would re-
terate, did not simple reference to that document
obviate the necessity of so doing. In this
! ton deem it proper to recommend, that the
| Legislature pass such law as will enable Rail
and Plank Road Com panies to secure the right of
way all lands owned by the State, or held in
trust for any fund.
In my former message, l took occasion TO urge
upon the Legislature the propriety of memorali
Ziug Congress upon the subject of the Improve
uent of our Rivers and Harbors through the as
sistsnce of the General Government. Since that
time Congress has acted upon the matter and
passed more liberal appropriations than had pre-
viously been set apart for these objects From
this bill, the President saw fit to withhold his
sanction. and il is TO be regretted that he deemed
ii his duty to take such a course, in view OF the
deep Government we have in the making of AIDE
qnate appropriations by Congress for these objects
Such have been demanded by the West for many
years n right to which they entitled as
fully that portion OF our common country sit
uated on or near the sea board and no satisiacto
~ reason has yet been adduced why we should
not have the full benefit of a system which has
proved so highly advantageous TO others. Thus
far, we can with proprIety say that all the bene
fits reaped through the assistance of the General
! Government, have scarcely been worth the labor
| il has obtain them Considering, l do
that the right so long claimed by US is one to
which entitled 10 the clearest principles of
Justice and national expedency feel it proper to
reiterate all of the opinions | have formerly ex-
pressed upon the subject, and TO urge upon the |
Legislature the memorialIzing of Congress, TO Ell
Their make these Improvements by appropriations
from the Federal Treasury, or remove the obsta-
Giles in the way of making them ourselves.
The subject of the Revision of our Laws is one
of consequence sufficient, in my judgment, to au-
thorize the Legislature, at the present session. to
take those preliminary steps, necessary the at
tainment of this object. So great is the mass OF
our laws now, and so crude, conflicting and un.
certain in their character that it is very difficult
/ for those even whose profession gives them the
/ best opportunities of knowing what the existing
laws are TO distinguish the binding enactment
from the repealed altered law and this evil in
! connection with the of publishing our
Statutes. leaves the people of our State nearly as
much in the dark, To the action OF their Lesis
latures as if they resided in some other The
certainty of q law is of the chief benefits TO
be derived from it. and II is rot clear bat that il
would be better for community to suffer the exis
tence of bad laws, than 10 live under system
which is subjected to continual alterations Our
excessive Legislation has a tendency to produce
an entirely different result from the one intended
and IS perhaps as much calculated 10 create evils
as to prevent or redress them trust that your
attention will be devoted TO this matter, and will
result in the establishment of a system of laws
which can be understood and a reform in the
manner of their publication.
| The proposition submitted by the Legislature
10 the people at the last general election TO so
amend the Constitution provide for biennial
I sessions OF the Legislature was negatived by a
/ very decided vote That this instrument is in
ton. be better adapted to condition, | am
/ thoroughly convinced; but the policy of adopting
any amendment of it until thorough revision is
had by a convention, may well be questioned -
Propositions to amend either the Constitution or
Laws should be thoroughly considered, and the
consequences attendant canvassed with great care
and mature deliberations
| The law fixing the time for the annual meeting
| of the Legislature the second Wednesday OF
January, should in my judgment be so amended
as 10 allow the various officers who required |
| to report annually through the Governor to the |
Legislature time after the close of the fiscal I
year to prepare their reports. The fiscal year as
il Is v isely provided, closes the 3Ist day of I
December For those departments connected /
with the financial affairs of the State an INSULT
cent space of time is allowed after the clos |
ing OF their accounts the last day of the year l
TO prepare in due form the reports required of /
them by law. In order therefore to provide /
remedy for the evil stated and to afford the Cover
nor reasonable time for obtaining such nforrna /