Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-01-14
The Governors Message

| We publish to-day the second annual mes.
asc Of Governor Morrill,. i,iswri,tsu in %
clear, rer.r.suous style. giving a CONDENSED
view OF State affair, with such rcc1mmln.
da,ious as commend themselves % thc sound
judgment and good sense Of the Governor.
Our financial affairs arc c1nci.,ly reviewed,
In a manner which shows that GOV. Morrill,
has devoted more than ordinary attention 6,
this part II our State policy ~ order 90
reduce our annual e1rcnii,grys. Dec r5c1m-
mend, such a change " the constitution as
will result in biennial instead Of annual .es-
.ion' Of the legislature. II, rioters % the
ooa' Of annual ,'oh0lI, aud urge, this as a
reason Why the present. system should De
changed. In ,hi. particular, Gov. Morrill,
will lind many who DO not exactly agree
with him. IL j. not considered "a hardship
by the great mass Of ihc people 20 come out
annually TO deposite their votes ior thc men
Of their chJic,. We have in Naino lu, 70
Few days OF relaxation from buNnrs. ior the
whole year, aud a single day spen, ia going
to the polls /, considered by the masses moro
pleasure than task Another thing, It
We have a good State Government, those
who constitute it can BE- rc.elecicJ--if it is
n Idi one, ono year j. lonscnoush iocnIurc
IL. The annual expense OF legislation is
about $4,000. OF this amount, about
onc.fiih Of the whole sum j. or printing.
Biennial sessions would undoubtedly lessen
the legislative czpsns,, but not TO such au
extent Us many imagine. In thos, States
where they hold biennial sessions, ciirl 80.
sions mr., frequent, and when they occur,
nothing is saved. ! better policy in che
opinion Of many, would b. 20 have a con.
sii,utioral limi, to the sessions OF the Legs
laturc, say fliy or sixty days. This would
insure the object desired.
Tho purchase Of ,hc Massachusetts, Lands
at the time they were fought, was a poor
investment fr Maine, and we fully ayr.
with the Governor that We should max,
them rs available to tie State q, possible
Al will eonucur in tho recommendation
Of the Governor. that som,iirg should b,
done to lessen tho annual drain uron tic
treasury FOR the support Of the States pri.
son. while The prisons in other States have
been selfsupporins, our own has been ruu-
ming US in debt 10 a largo amount every
year. There is evidently something oct Of
Joint in this matter. The Reform School
and Insane Hospital have both co'tthe state
large sums Of money. These institutions
cannot bo disrenscd with; humanity would
forbid il; yet there should boa strict. rigid
economy in the expenditures Of the appro-
prations made fur them.
The Governor calls attention 70 the fraud,
in the Aroosiook elections, and also fTcaks
in just terms OF the Interference Of Office.
holders under our general government, with
our State elections. Ills concluding para
graph respecting the great question Of Afri-
can slavery. now before the American leo-
pie, Is ono Of the most comprehensive truth I
FOL statements we have ever read. u is q
brief embodiment 81 the whole question.
Taken rs whole, the Message is one Of
the best that ever issued from a Maine Ex- I
ccu,iyc. We advise all to read 1t.
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