, 1859-01-05

| Amount Of certificates. Interest stock and
o2aoce arrears Of ntest 81 not ret funded 4e.sSl 4
Anrunt of tie State debt, principal AZ II.
! TOO MUCH LEGISLATION.
Too much legislation, i tendency 10 which
is greatly increasing with u, is Il seriou:
cyil-one which every we]l-wishcr OF the
state must desire to See arrested. I feel con.
| fidcnt ii 1t need no apology for ulludng tu
this growing misfortune, and urging upon
you, with WON alone the power Of cor
| rection resides, 10 set an example Of nlodcr.:-
| tion on this subject which nay serve us !,
useful guide to future legislatures. 4 few
| general laWs, kuch is our constitution has
clearly contemplated, are all that the people
! usually need or desire ; and tue whole etltc t
vi biennial multitude OF trivial laws, strictly
lucal in their character, and, in the main,
worse tnan useless, is !lyishly to cxpend tue
| money Of tue people for printing aul l.inlin.
| volumes frighttul alike tor their bulk and
| general appearance. l earnestly, but re-
| spectfully. call your attention to this crying
evil.
AGElcVLTrnE.
The loca1ion of Illinois As tue great cen.
trail state oi tue Mississippi valley, stretching
| through three aud i hull degrees OF latitude.
ansl embracing probably the largest area Of
cxuberaatly fertile soil found in contiuuou.
tract III any part Of the world, indicates with
tlucrrjnS certainty that her leading interest
must b. agricultural
Hence 10 'lcvelope the agricultural wealth
oi our state should be paramount Object
with our people. The State Agricultural
Society las done and Is doing much to this
eu'i. The fairs Of that society. held within
the last two years ut Peoria and Ccnt1alis.
where were exhibited sp, cimens Of tic acri.
cultural wealth and mechanical genius OF lllf-
nois, and which drew together for their cy.
animation, large nunbers Of our people, have
had powerful Influence in giving an impetus
to agricultural Industry, which will be felt lu
state nincty-1wo legally organized county
agricultural societies, which are doing good
service in this work Of agricultural improve
mtnt.
Recently meeting of the State Horticul-
tuEal Society was held at Bloomington, coul-
posed ot Individuals devoted to tile prosecu-
1lon of that department OF agriculture, whose
lahors. ii is believed, will Ike Of great value
10 Illinois. In many respects our seasons are
peculiar. affecting, injurlouslv, the cultiva-
lion Of fruits, 50 essential To the comfort and
health Of our people; and regard it as the
mission Of this society TO ascertain the causes
Of injury, mud to point out remedies for tue
evil.
I recommend that the appropriation of
three thousand dollars year, for the p.cs-
ent and comiug year, be continued to the
state society, aud the continuance, also, OF
the yearly appropriation, for two years. uf
one hundred dollars to each legally organ
lzrd county agricultural society. And |
would also suggest all appropriation to fur.
f3,.,r fJ,,a rt, re f1., IT
Society.
ain impressed with the conviction that
ffXsSHFf fsH fFc,afaE a'f III thu axacns .rcutuf" il all
its branches, and thus contribute to tllc rap
id development Of the agricultural resources
OF the State,
CHARITABLE 1SsTrTrT1oxs.
Our various charitable institutions. s!tuat-
cd at Jacksonville. are prosperous iu high
d.gEce. Controlled by faithful and compe-
tent men, they have already taken very high
positions among the institutions Of the kind
IN this country; and no right minded man
who is aware Of the eminent success which
has thus lar attended their management can
regret for one moment the money expended
from the treasury upon them, nor hesitate to
desire the continuance OF reasonably liberal
appropriations for their future maintenance
and support. refer you to the reports Of
the heads Of these various institutions With
much satisfaction.
fEA1EN71ARy.
Tho Legislature, at its last session, appyo-
priatcd S75, 900 towards the establishment Of
new penilentiary-the rapid increase Of
criminals during the last few years having
quite outstripped the capacity OF the one al
ready IN existence for their comfortable &C.
commodation. The commissioners chosen by
the Legislature to superintend the location
aud construction Of the necessary buildings,
Immediately set about the work, and seem to
me to have prosecuted it With economy and
energy. After careful consideration Of the
relative advantages Of the varlons places
suggested as sites for the proposed ilstitu.
ton. the commissioners fixed upon Joliet. as,
under all the circumstances, the mos: suita-
Bic location. Adjoining that city they pur-
chased seventy-two acres Of land, ut the
price Of 81 ,217 aud take pleasure in ex-
pressing my entire satisfaction with the e.
lection Of the site, as veil as with the pur-
chase Of what may seem at first as rather
large piece Of ground for the object coa-
template1. It will soon be apparent, howcv~
er, indeed already is so, that the quansi ; is
none too large. Should it turn ont other
wise, and be found at any time desirable to
part With portion OF it, We shall ind no ltf-
fculty in selling it at great advnnce On the
orig giual Gust. But / appreherl that ne shall
never be willing to dispose OF any part Of it
so Obvious will its convenience. and aeo%s-
Ety become.