Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-01-20
MESSAGE OF GOV. LOWE.
FelloD- Citizens Of The Sc late, and


Representing the Executive Chair it be.
comes my duty, under the Constitution, t,
communicate to the General Assembly, the
condition of the affairs of the STATE, as al.
minisel ed in its several departments, an(
to rec, mneId such MEASURES Us to me shsI
seem expedient for your action.
The period that ha. elapsed since your
last biennial session, has been one of great
disturbing causes and ANXIOUS solici tude t.
II classes of our citizens.
The first year of this period was visited
with heavy and continuous rains, Which
re,luc, d the measure of oui field crops be
low one-half the usual products, Whist the
financial -evulsion which commenced upon
the Atlantic in the fail of 81, did not reac
its climax for evil on our borders, until the
year just passed.
You need not he informed of the disas
trous effects produced by these two causes
upon the hopes and conditions OF our peo.
pie. Overtaken sud cnly and unexpectedly
in this misfortune, with heavy and inGivid
ual Liabilities, "ith no fac liiies for obi
eating money, their property reduced to II
nominal value, and no demand tor it at any
price, thousands there are who feel tia,
their homes and their tprluHes are in grea,
peril and that this is 81, would be worse
Than idle to di.guise. In this aspect OF af
fairs, you may reasonably expect that strong
appeals will e made /" you for remedial
legislation and doubt moi that their ex-
pos,ula,i,ns viii! receive your very conside-
rate attention, and prompt you TO put forth
in your sovereign capacity, such powers as
You po sess, tv secure to them indemnity
again t areas enable and unjust sacr, ices
\ ct in a manner that shall gu ,rd an.l pro
tect the rights OF all parties il teres,ed.
Iwouid not, however, suppress the ims
purtant fact that the C ,rdilun and afflirs ol
our people are taking Il favorable turn;
Since the commencement of the late none
tary crisis, large am,un. of individual in
debtedness has been lquidated "a rigid
,ys,e,n of retrenchment has been observed IL
tie social and domestic relations and expen
dit iii es OF our people but few new Iiabili
ties have been .created-no malignant epi
demic has prevail led the industry of the
people of tile last year, has been very vel
rewarded with f .ir harvest--emigration j.
| flowing in--tlie social con'ition of our peo
pie is improving, and we have abundant
reason for devont and grateful ackno wledy
ment> to Him, whose gtmdness knows n.
bounds, that we are once III, re FACED in !,
coHdi,ion Of advancement and prosperity.
| ,---. a-7f oEN>Us oF 1859.
You will have before you Il neat print o
the census Of the past year, taken in inotl'
prescribed by the act that authorized The
same, at an expense only of about $6l8.7l
It fixed the population of the State at 642,
523, brirg l25. l6S l1ore than ,hepopulati"I
when the census was taken in the Year 1856
and will in all probability, reach 7O0,00l
by tie time the Federal census, is tnke,
durii the present year. The agrlcultura
statistics contained in, the present Census
refer to tie year 1858, and do the field cui
! ture of the State very great injustice. o.
account OF the heavy and prMr raced rain
| OF that year, it is conceded that cur crop
1 fell below half their naua amount. Yet, ii
the result of our industry, we had in Gu j
vation over three millions of acres AM
untavorable as was tile season We cut owe
500. 900 tons of ilayn- harvested cove
3.Oa0, 900 bushels of wheat cribbed owe
/ 90. .O0U, 900 bushels of corii-;I 50O 600 bush
Ia of potatoes -mau ufnchul ed near ohalfd
miliioa -galIons Of molaases from sorghum
,old beet cattle ard hugs too ntsaiboun
i exceetling five midi, ms OF .dullars,s an.
j exported wool and lead, to the vshe s,f
f Bat it is believed by the best judges tim
the year just passed wsu6 exhibit a YER
different table of statistics !; that the beel
Fpnrk and wool crops lave given IN exces
of 20 or 25 per cvnt.ov ,hecensnsJ of '5e
whilst the eorp crep. cannpt, itall short q
fifty millions Sf bushels cnd the value Of til