Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-12-02

Senator's and Representotirss:

vas maui ~ AhAH Etafc io4 aAuNAl NCn
, sions Of the Legislature, ont the mem
, bcrs Of the convention believed thai
= biennial sessions. after that period
would. in ordinary times, lie sufficient,
. They provided. however. that when in
the opinion of the Governor the public
welfare should demand it. he might
call special session OF the General
Assembly.
The ;hirty-nin;h session of the Gen
eral Assembly. which adjourned on the
9th day Of March. 1857. did not pass
any law for the purpose Of raising a
rcvenew for the years Of 1857 AMI 1858.
Until that time it was confidently
hoped by the people Of the State that
their Representatives would at al
times be willing TO provide the reces-
sary means to sustain every depart
Of the government established by their
Constitution. They also expected that
provisions would he made to support
every Bcnevolent Institution they had
approved. They felt tha, although
improvident legislation had in former
days impaired the credit Of their State.
as similar legislation had injured the
reputation Of others. yet. tha, for
many years. the credit of Indiana,
maintained in every particular. was to
them matter Of just pride and con-
gratulation. They felt that although
Indiana, in the days of her improvi-
dcnce. had been unable to maintain the
high character Of a sovereign State in
sponiing to all her peeuniary obli-
cations, vet SHE had now attained to
that position Of wealth and influence
among her sister States, that any fall
urc to re leem every undertaking would
be injurious to her credit and her hon
or.
Notwithstanding these and other
considerations, the members Of the last
Legislature. for reasons into which it
is not my duty to inquire. failed to en-
act the laws necessary to sustain the
various interests to which | have al
luded. Shortly after such adjourn
ment | informed the people Of the
State that there was necessity for leg
islation. and expressed a readiness.
whenever the laws could be passed.. to
call the members together. Believing
that there was such want of har-
mony among them that necessary leg
islation could not lie secured, | de- !
clincd to exercise the power entrusted
to the Govcrner to call special scss-
ion Of the General Assembly. But
new Legislature having been elected.
have. at the earliest practicable day
exercised the power to which l have
before alluded.
Although that Legislature failcl to
appropriate the means which were then
in tho treasury TO sustain the interests
for which they had been raised. the
Administration and Executive officers
of the State believed that such was the |
regard the people OF Indiana had for
the government they had established !
such their anxiety for the maintcn.
ancc OF their constitution. and the sup
port OF their laws, that it was their
imperative duty to apply the money |
in their possession to the purposes for
which it was collected. From that adj
iournment OF the Legislature. those OF |
ficers have endcavored to sustain every
interest OF Indiana. as provided for by
her constitution and her laws They
found that the laws of the State pro
vidcd that the Auditor. Treasurer and !
Govcnor. were authorized TO procure
money to pay the interest upon the
public debt. Believing that the WEI
fare of the State would be promoted
by paying such interest. loan was ne
gotiated on the 22nd Of June, 1858.
with the Board Of Commissioners OIL
the Sinking Fund. for one hundred and !
sixty five thousand dollars. which was
applied to the payment Of such inter-
est. After the State has undertaken |
to pay all the interest and principle OF
her debt. her sovereign integrity de-
manis that her obligations should be
redeemed. Sec. of art. Q of the con.
s;itution declares that 1T shsll be the |
duty to the General Assembly to pro-
vide by law Tor the support OF lnstitu-
tions for the education of the Deaf and |
Dumb and OF the Blind and also for
the treatment of the Insane" No ap-
preparation was made by the Legisla-
ture 10 sustain those Institutions. bu.
the money was in the treasury-the
clear provisions ofthe constitution that
those Institutions should be supported.
the officers Of the State thought should
be maintained and executed, and ac-
cordingly they applied the funds in
their possession to that purpose.
The officers of tho State have been
i IL