The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-01-21
Old SERIES, VOL. 9, NO. ~
TERMS, 81 so I'm Advance.

present there Is no provision for the admission
of patients, and it will be necessary to declare
upon what conditions they can be received,
and who shall have the general supervision of
the interests Of the institution.
In compliance with the instruction of the
General Assembly, have caused the report
ofthe Geological Survey Of the State to be
printed at Albany, New York, under the i'm
mediate supervision of Prof. Hall. The work
has been issued from the press, and is now in
transit for this place. lam pleased to be able
to say, that it is regarded bv men Of science,
who have bad access to the proof-sheets, as
one of the noblest contributions that has ever
been made to the scientific history of the coun-
| try, and is spoken of by all as an honor to our
State.
MY successor will submit to you, during the
| session, the estimates of Messrs. Hall and
Whitney for carrying forward the work TO
completion.
! There are now several independent military
companies in the State, to whom State arms
have been distributed. Many Of the companies
are uniformed, fully equipped, and we'll dis
cipiined. Yet there is no law Of the state un-
| der which they are organized, or that would
| strictly authorize the Exec've authority to call
them into the field, in cases requiring their ser
vices.
| The experience Of the past year demonstr,
ted the necessity Of some military organization
in the State, al therefore commend the sub,
ject to to your consideration.
Accompanying this communication vou
will receive the report Of the Treasurer OF
State.
The amount in the Treasury on
the 2lst Oct. 1s46, was, ........ Sl1.254 81
There was paid into Treasury
during the fiscal year, .......... 231. .234 AZ
Making total of $500. ...... $242 4S9 33
There was paid during the year, 22S,So6 %
Leaving balance m the Treas s
Jury at the end Of the year Of, ....s 1853 10
There is in arrears from the sew
eral county rreasurers. ......... 62,4o1 81
There Is due from the several
counties upon the assessment Of
1857, ....... ................... 4ls,7oe 50
The Auditor Of State estimates
the taxes the year 1888 at, $500. 100000 90
The estimpte for 1859 is, ...... 575. 600 90
l
Total resources Of the State to
January, 1860, when the next
General Assembly conveLes -. 81, 500 1914 g.
The Auditor estimates the ex-
penses Of the state during the
same period at, 1883. ..,... S523, 4l2 90
There are of outstanding Audi
tors warrants, $4,000, ns
i 67s, ,4l6 as
Leaving an excess of resources
over the present and probable IL
abb tiles of, .......... 1891 .379 II
The expenses Of the State during the two
past years have been greatly increased by the
extra session of the General Assembly in
July, 1855, rendered necessary by the grant Of
, land to the State for railroad purposes, by the
recent constitutional convention, and by the
erection of a hospital for the insane at Mount
!, Pleasant. The amount expended for these
three purposes exceeds the sum Of two hundred
Thousand dollars.
1t will be observed that the estimate Of re-
surces for the years 1858 and 1859, is based
d upon the supposition that the present rate of
State taxation shall be continued 1t viii be
for the General Assembly to determine wheth-.
er or not this rate Of taxation shall be adhered
to. 1t is believed that owing to the present
, scarcity Of money and the stagnation in busi-
. ness, a small amount only Of the State reve-
rue now due, win be promptly paid. There
E fore submit to the General Assembly the pro.
1 priety Of borrowing upon the bonds cf the
+ State, the amount allowed BY the Constitution.
5 have reason to believe that six per cent.
bonds can be negotiated at par. Should this
course be adopted, the present liabilities Of the
e State can be Immediately discharged, the char
g liable institutions can be carried forward to
: completion, and the rate Of taxation for the
4 years 1888 and 1859 can be reduced at least
one-third.
The act Of January %, 1857, in relation to-
the Des Moines River Improvement, author
fixed the making of new contract for the
prosecution of that work. This action Of the
Q General Assembl, was founded upon the con-
clusion that the contract Of June 9, 1854, with
: the Des Moines Navigation and Railroad Com
e paRy, was invalid and nugatory, from never
having been approved by the Governor. The
I Supreme Court has, however, since decided
I that as this contract was subsequently recog-
, nizad and acted upon by the State authorities,
the original defect has been cured, and cannot
E row be made ground of objection.
But from the report OF the joint committee
OF the two houses at the last session OF the
General Assembly, it would seem that the
. terms Of this contract bad never been COM
. piled with BY the Company, but that it has
been disregarded in It's most essential particu-
lars, whereby the purposes for which it was
entered into have not been and wlll not be 1t.
tanned. II this Be true. yon may feel it to be-
your duty to rescind that contract, for the rea-
; sons stated Ia the report, and make other ar
ras.gements in relation tn that magni6cent
grant, now in danger OF being frittered away
, without any useful result.
The report above referred to also indicates
that the nAa Moines NzvivafiOn and Railroad