The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-01-13

stitutiony ne mas the generai supervision
of public instruction, and the duties in
cumbent upon him to perform, at the
time this Office was created, were COM
paratively light Since that time they
have been increased, by Legislation, to
a very great extent. / submit to you
the propriety Of allowing him the APP
pointment of deputy, with reasona-
bic compensation, to. be paid by the
State for his services. su3s f4tsl8
There has been laid before me a
statement, signed by the county officers
of Gratiot county, in substance, and to
the effect that very great proportion
of the inhabitants of that and the ad-
joining county of Isabella, are in des-
titute condition, and that, unless they
get some legislative aid, their snfferings
before the next harvest must be very
great. The population of Gratiot is
not far from FIVE thousand, and the
most of them have gone there within
hepastthree years. The county is very
heavily timbered, and has rich, moist
soil, and, as yet, the inhabitants have
not been able to raise sufficient produce
for their own consumption. The past
season has been very unfavorable for
the putting in of crops. Owing to the
great amount of rain that fell in the
fore part of the season, the settlers
were prevented from planting their
crops until "seed time /" has passed,
and such crops as were raised were
nearly destroyed by the squirrels that
for the past year have infested that
portion of the country in innumerable
numbers. All there misfortunes COM
bined, have compelled the people of
that portion of the State, much against
their will, to seek temporary relief at
your hands. They are as industrious
and respectable class of people as we
have, and without some aid from you
their suferings must soon be great. 1t
| is your duty to watch over the welfare
of the people with parental care, aud
while the great mass of our citize MS are
blessed with an abundant of the pro-
ducts of the earth, it would be burn
ing shame to allow the harry pioneers
of Gratiot and Isabella to SUITE, for
the want of food. / ask you to en-
quire into the true state of the case as
respects the situation of the people of
these counties, and grant to them such
aid as their necessities may require.
The Legislature of 1857, by act No. n,
made provision for the establishing Of
State roadsthrough Gratiot, Midland,
and Isabella counties, and perhaps an
appropriation upon this road, towards
the opening and improvement thereof,
would give to the inhabitants of that
portion of the State, all the relief that
they might need. Such an appropriation
| t properly expended, would give en-
'ployment to those who might be des-
titute, and ut the same time benefit the
country, and relief in that form would
be less wounding to their feelings OIL
direct appropriation.
That portion Of the constitution that
makes the season of the Legislature
biennial should be amended. A new
State requires more legislation than an
old one. There is no economy in
hasty Legislation. 1t is impossible for
the Legislature, in forty days, biennial
ly. to do the ordinary business that
comes before it. An annual session of
sixty days would, in my opinion be far
better for the State than our present
biennial system. / would have the
members of the Legislature, elected as
they now are, for two years, but would
require them to meet annually, and
limit their sessions to sixty days each.
recommend to you the most rigid
economy in all your expenditures and
appropriations, but you should bear in
mind that parsimony is never economy
and that you can be liberal without be-
ing prodigal. Your public buildings
should be commensurate with the want
and dignity of the State, and whatever
appropriations you see fit i'll your wis
dom to make, ample provisions should
be made to meet the ample.
The Auditor General in his annual
report for the year 1853, and now on
file, has made an estimate of the reven-
ue and expenses of the State, to which
you are respectfully referred for the
items and details. From this estimate
making all due allowance for contin-
gencies and casualties, it is safe to cal
culate that the revenue of the State for
the next two years will be amply suffi.
cient to meet her liabilities during that
period of time, including the interest
upon our entire State debt, and the
payment of the forty thousand dollars
of principal that falls due in January
1850. This will leave such appropria-
tons as you may make upon our public
works for the next two years, to be pro-
vided for by direct taxation. The
sums necessary to be!appropriated up
on the works already commenced, in
GLIDING an appropriation of fifty thou
sand dollars towards the building of a
estate Capitol" would require a rate
of taxation of one mill and a quarter
upon the dollar of the valuation of the
property of the State. This rate of
taxation, however high it may appear
is far below the former rates of taxa
ton levied upon the property of our
State, although it is much higher than
that of the past year. 1t is undoubt-
edly your duty to make the burden of
taxation fall lightly upon the people /;
yet there is higher duty for you to
perform-that of looking well to the
interests of the State, even at the ex-