The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-01-11


CITY to secure the use of rooms that are safe
against accident or crime If many of the
counties are willing to make large expendi-
lures in the erection of buildings for the
preservation of their records, ] am satisfied
that the State can, with far greater propri-
etv. provide a building for a similar pur-
pose. The destruction of the records of the
State would entail upon her citizens lasting
conflicts concerning the rights of property.
The expense of the litigation which would
arise from their destruction would far ex-
eeed any expense in the erection of a build
ing suitable to accommodate all the officers
of State. | suggest to you, therefore, the
propriety of erecting, at an early day, upon
some of the public grounds a building
wherein the Judges of the Supreme Court
and the officers of State may be enabled to
preserve the public records.
The Trustees of the Wabash and Erie Ca
nal reported to me, in December, 1857, the
condition of that work The report for the
year 1853 will be laid before you at an early
day, which will inform you as to its pres
ent condition. l regretted to see, in their
report for 1857, that its revenues were
greatly diminished; and am informed that
during the past year there has been no inn
provement. 1t is, indeed, feared that the
revenue will prove wholly inadequate to
keep the canal in repair, and that by them
alone it cannot be maintained. | am further
informed that the bondholders are unwill-
ing to sustain the work by any other means
than those derived from its revenues, hav-
ing already invested one-half of the entire
debt of the State in the work itself, besides
advancing $4,000 for its completion
They have informed the Board of Trustees,
in the most formal manner, their determina-
ton to close the canal, and abandon the
work whenever its tolls and revenues shall
prove inadequate to its support Reports
of 1858 will disclose the extent and nature
of the action of the bondholders.
The abandonment of the work would
seriously enIbarrass those who reside in the
vicinity of the canal. IF the work should
be abandoned by the Trustees, there is no
law under which it could be maintained.
Frequently the attention of the Legisla-
ture has been called to the necessity of in
| creasins the salaries of the judicial admin
istrative and executive officers of the State.
Section 2 of Art. l of our Constitution de-
| cares that "iustice shall be administered
freely and without purchase, completely and
without denial, speedily and without de
| lay" Upon examination l find there are
more than nine hundred undecided cases in
| the Supreme Court.
The law requires the Judges of the Su-
preme Court to be present at the Capitol but
sixty days in each year. That is as much
time as they can spend here upon their
present salary. If they receive a compen-
sation sufficient to enable them to devote
more of their time at the Capitol the con-
sideration of the judgments they are re-
quired to revise, the number of undecided
| cases would be much diminished. The cit
liens of the State must be greatly embar-
raised for the want of decisions concerning
their personal liberty and rights property.
Believing that the most ready mode of Sc
curing early decisions would be to enable
the Judges Of the Supreme Court to remain
longer in consultation, | recommend to you
such an increase in their salaries aswill sup
port them in the discharge of their duties,
and afford them reasonable compensation
for their expense and labor. They would
be greatly aided if they were supplied with
a sufficient library. They should be au-
thorized to purchase, for the use of the
Court, library over which they shall have
the entire control.
While have thus urged the necessity OF
the increase of the salaries of the Judges
of the Supreme Court, | do not regard it as
less your duty to provide for the Judges of
the Circuit Courts. Many able and accom-
plished lawyers have accepted positions as
Circuit Judges, entertaining the hope that
the Legislature would be willing to pay
them reasonable compensation for their
services. 1t would be difficult to select
many among them who would not receive
in the practice of their profession more than
twice that which they receive for their Off
cal services. The State has no right to re-
quire of one of her citizens that he should
toll to see that crime is punished and justice
administered, without giving that citizen q
reasonable compensation.
No increase or dimnution of the salary
of the Governor of the State can be made
after his term of service commences. Be-
fore the next regular session of the General
Assembly the people of the State will have
elected a Governor. Inasmuch as there is
but q short time intervening between the
commencement of said session and the in
auguration of the Governor elect. | regard
it your duty to take into consideration the
subject of his salary. | have no hesitation
in recommending to you that you provide
for him such compensation as is worthy o.
the State of Indiana.
The laws Of the State in regard to the
qualification of voters and the election OF
officers are inadequate to protect the suffra-
ges of honest men against fraud On sew.
eral occasions within the last few year;
men have left the county of their residence
gone to others, where they had no perma
nent homes, where they did not intend t.
remain longer than the day of election, hav,
there cast their votes, and thus determined
, who should be the officers and representa-
tives Of the counties they visited. The in
= spectors of elections, in some of the town
; ships, have denied to legal voters the RICH
| of expressing their choice of officers.
= A government which depends entireI,
: upon the action of majority of her peop
cannot be maintained for any length of tim,
: unless that people are permitted to deter
, mine, without violation or fraud, who shall
5 be their officers and representatives. Ever,
citizen who is DESTROYS Of maintaining peace
= every citizen who is attached to- and will
f ling to sustain our form of government
e should be anxious that no Illegal vote shoul
/ ever be cast, and that no legal voter shout
: be deprived of the right to cast his vote !