The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-01-27
GOV. LOVES INAUGURAL.


written Essay on the excellence of Iowa Soil,
Tic b"auty Of Christianity, the Importance of
having good government, &C., &c. We would
be pleased to give cur readers something more
spicy than the platitudes of even 50 great man
as Gov. Lowe, bit it is Orr duty TO lay before
officer of the State, AMI we therefore begin its
publication at tie point where the Governor
begins the business of the message, and we
leave of exactly where the Message goes into
Kansas and bred Sco.t--the arguments on these
questions arc just such as the N. Y. Tribune
abounds in. weakly:
Cordially approving AMI adopting the views
and suggestions contained in tie message deliv-
cred by my worthy predecessor upon all the or
binary topics of legislation. it is only necessary
for me to rcrur in general terms to some Of
those things which impress my own mind with
their importance.
The uncxampled increase of our population
the last two or three years, has had the effect to
exhaust all the copies of the Code, as well as
the pamphlet laws subsequently enacted. leaving
a large body of orr citizens destitute of the
means of knowing the law under which they
are living.
This evil should be rcmcdicd at as carly
period as practicable. Six years practice under
the Code has brought to light many defects,
especially in the charters regulating our civil
procedure which ought now to be reformed-
This done, the publication of new edition of
the Code and pamphlet laws, including the
yidual enterprise, as it is known there are per-
sons now preparing and taking the niatory steps
for such publication.
rejoice to know that the people Of Iowa
have been sincular!y fortunate in the selection
Of competent and intelligent body of men for
the transaction of their business No occasion
las arisen in the State, in my judgment, de-
handing the exercise OF more wisdom, sound
discretion, and craftsmanship thalrthe one on
which yOn are now convened.
But in view of the great amount of other
business which will occupy your attention du-
ring the session, beg to recommend the ap-
pointmcnt of two or three competant legal
gentlemen to act at once in conjunction with
special committees constituted f. that pu, pose,
in revising, amending and getting up a more
efficient and perfect practice act, to the end
that The same may 60 out with the publication
of the other laws in the spring-and the psorle
OF this State be blessed with system Of civil
| end criminal procedure, under witch the great
principles of justice and right can be admins
tered-all wrong sur pressed-.oodness and
virtue protected-ani evil docrs punished
| In this connection | cannot for ear making
allrson to the great inadcquacy of the State
| Pententlary to tffectuate the objects proposed.
1t is under the management of highly conn G.
| tent inspectors, who can, W til the generous aid
| of your body, make it what it should be, a first
class, selfsustainlng institution. The absolute
demands of criminal justice in this direction.
admit of no denial or delay The report of the
Inspectors will tell its own story. and command.
doubt not, your very considerable and prompt
attention.
The practical exr erience of the whole ccun-
try a'tests the indispensable utility of railroads
Although iifusive in the benefits they hestow,
| extending themselves to every class in commu.
nifty. yet the country is INDEBTED for tie nost
part, tondividu"l capital and entelpr Sc for their
construction. This t;act should bear down It'll
| great urgency rpon the mind both Of the State
and National government, TO hold IN the hands
and encourage the hearts of tie noble and self.
sacrificing few, who manifest a willingness 10
| reril much OF their fortunes, to push forward a
desc'ip tion or improvement that ks one of
the great features of the are.
The new Constitution contemplate important
legislation upon our judiciary and militia sys-
TEN, upon the school lands and funds and a
| radical change in our educational department,
| as well rs other Subjects, upon all which it will
afford me pleasure 10 communicate freely with
| you during your deliberations.
The questions of currency and agriculture are
new subjects of legislation in this State, author
| lied and enjoincd by the Constitution, and LOS
sess no ordinary significance.
| In the absence of national paper currency,
and with an established policy of seventy years
standing in the use of mixed currency of pa
Per and metal by the States, each for itself TO-
vidIng and regulating its own circulating medi-
UNI. it would seem to be the very climax of
human folly fer single State, possessing equal
powers, to lean wholly upon other States and
| foreign corporations for its currency. Yet Iowa,
from the beginning, has been guilty of this great
| folly, the effect of which has been to keep ont
| that amount OF fair proportion Of gold and sill
Yer, which wise and well regulated banking
| system would have necessarily supplied and
subjected us TO the necessity. as well as all the
hazard, OF employing the paper of thousand
banking institutions in other States, at an i'm
mense annual cost, in the shape of interest
failures, and countcricits and now, when the
whole country is overtaken Ivy money crisis,
in which many of these banks have gone into
liquidation, and others withdrawn their issues
we find ourselves entirely destitute Of u circu-
lating medium.
1t is needless to disguise the fact, that like
the balance of the civilized world, we are great
ly in debt--with no disposition. however, TO
break faith with our creditors. Possessing
millions of produce and other good property,
still We have no money or available credit to
meet our liabilities.
sudden enforcement OF these liabilities
under the circumstances, would be rs disastrous
as it would be c.uel towards the people of this
State. and the question may be seriously pre-
pounded. whether any principle in ethics would
be violated in atiording reasonable time and that
relief which shall be fair 10 all parties, for the
liquidation of these liabilities.
AS the State in its sovereign capacity has
clearly been at fault in not providing the way
Tor supplying safe, sound and reliable curren-
cy OF her own, that cur people might he placed
on an equal footing, and with like advantages
and privileges enjoyed by tie Ieoplc of other
States, she is bound by every consideration of
fairness. to repair and uphold the falling for
tunes OF the people, so far as they are affected
by the want of home circulating medium.
Accordlng to The statistics of the Federal
treasury, there is nov in tie country Sl60, &c.,
OC0et dollars of specie /; $50 600 900 of this
form the basis OF bank issues in other States-
Had we ten years ago established wise State
Banking system, endowing it with the at ributes
and powers OF similar institutions. the proba-
billty is, that to-day We would have had our
| fair proportion of this specie, both in the crcu-
la'ion of the State and the vaults of our banks,
lustitying the issue of an amount OF paper which
by ils pliabili'y to sudden emergencies, wonld
greatly relieve our people in these days of evil
orient, or at least keep them from falling into
worse condition than our fellow coantry men
in other States
! Forgetting however the errors of the past
| let us make haste to ie.race our steps; do now
what should have been done years ugo-male
provision for sound and an adequate cu:ren-y
| Of our own.
| tits competent for you 70 frame general
law, under which either or both Of the banking
| systems contemplated by the Constitution may
be established. 1t is perhaps unnecessary for
me to indicate nay opinion in regard to the rela-
tive merits of the one or the other. or to ven
ture any suggestions as to the provisions which
Inl,x Il init Al,