New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-26
GOV. BINCHAMS MESSAGE.


The Constitutional Michigan limits the sessions Of the
Legislature TO period Of forty days once in two years
The regular session occurred last year. but 50 much Of
the time was devoted to disposng Of the grants Of
land made by Congress for the construction OF railroads
that scarcely any time left for other indispensable
legislation. Such is tie reason given by Governor
Bingham for having called the present extra session.
The bill for redstrictng the State for Circuit Courts
having failed at the last session. several unorganzed
counties have been left without any provision for the
&C Administration of Justice, civil criminal This SUBJ
;ect needs immediate attention, and would alone have
justified the call for the extra session.
Another subject needing attention is the swamp
lands. Under an act of February last, they were TO
have been offered for sale. That act, however, d.
rected that the Commissioner of the Land Office should
advertise those lands by their legal Subdivisions in
every county in the State in which newspaper was
published 1t was found that the cost of such adver-
Using would far exceed the cash receipts, and under
these circumstances the Commissioner took the respon-
sibty of not going on with the sale. The Governor
advises that in the present condition OF financial al
fairs the minimum price ofthose lands be reduced from
five dollars to dollar and quarter the acre, and that
the expense of advertising be reduced to the lowest
practicable point He is opposed to any project of
draining these lands at the public expense is favor
of Ales to actual settlers only, and renews his recon-
mendation that the proceeds be applied, first, to the
public debt and after that is exngu:shed, to the fund
for education, the Agricultural College being especially
pointed out as fitting beneficiary.
Another matter for the action Of the Legislature is
deficit in the State Treasury, which unless supplied
will disable the Treasurer from meeting in addition TO
current expenses s2l6000 of State bonds which fall
due in the course of the year. This deficit is partly
caused by the failure OF the expected sales OF swamp
lands but still more by failure to realize the expected
receipts from the State taxes. In 1856 the State levied
direct tax of SOS OOO and 10 1857 of $Sl 600. Thi
tax is collected at the same time with the county and
township tax, and it devoIves upon the County Trea-
surers to pay it over TO the State. But in most of the
counties the delinquent lands of non-residents is
more than equal in amount to the counties share OF
the State tax and the County Treasurers, instead OF
paying over any money make a return to the State
Auditor Of these delinquent taxes. But to realize the
money upon them is often tedious process. If not
paid they sent back to the counties, in order that
the lands may be sold, the owner, however, having a
year in which to redeem them from the purchaser or
if no purchaser is found they become forfeited to the
State which thus gets land instead OF money. The
amount of these orfeitures to the State has beer
greatly enhanced the present year by report indus
trously spread that the titles of lands sold for taxes
were invalid, and that, by means of some technca
audible the original owners would dspossess the pur
cbasers and get their lands back taI-free.
Notwithstanding this temporary deficiency, which i
deyolves on the Legislature to provide for, the tnan
cal condition of the State is good. The recognized
public debt amounts to only s2269, i67, and is more
than provided for far the interest on it is con
cerned, by the specific tax on railroads. The State
has besides FIX millions of acres of swamp lands, q
large portion of which is valuable. The State tax fol
the last three years has been exceedingly light not ex
ceedng half mill ON the dollar, during which y7"'
also $l47 600 of the State debt has been paid H.
the present depressed condition of industry, shou'
seem nexpedient to increase the tax, the dehcenc.
might be me-since there are none of the State inst
tutens that can be dispensed with-by loan o
$50 O0O the greatest amount which the existing Con
stitutien allows, to meet the deficit in the State tax
and If necessary the issue and sale of new stocks sui
fcient to meet those falling due.
OF the appropriation made by the last Legislature, @
80 OOO to be expended at the discretion Of the Gov
enor for the aid and relief of emgants to Kansas from
the State of Michigan, the Governor caused 81 600
be expended through the National Kansas Committee
exclusively IN the purchase OF SEEDS 10 oe ulsloute
among recesfitOus Michigan emigrants-an expend
turs which he is satisfied was judiciously made, an
with great benefit to the recipients.
A very serious breach occurred last Summer in tn
ship canal around the Sault Ste. Marie, which probably
was only saved from destruction by the timely aid an
intervention of party of United States officers an'
men who happened to be on the ground. The inerea'
ing commerce of the upper lakes makes this canal o
very great Importance andthe necessity of placing be
yond the hazard OF destruction will be strongly pressed
upon Congress.