The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-01-19
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Fell0ao Ctttzeits Of tie Se0ote, and

comes my duty, under the constitution, tC
communicate to the General Assembly, the
condition Of the affairs Of the State, as adj
ministered in its several departments, aud tc
recommend such measures, as 10 me shal
seem eypedient for your action.
The pe,iod that has elapsed since your las
biennial session, has been one Of great dis
turbing causes and anxious soicitude to al
classes of our citizens.
The first year of this period was visited
with heavy and continuous rains, which re
duced the measure of our field crops below
one half the usual products, whist the finan
cial revulSion which commenced upon th,
Atlantic, in the fall of 81, did not reach 1t,
climax for evil in our borders, until The yea,
just past.
You need not be informed Of the disastrou.
effects produced bv these two causes. upor
the ropes and condition of our people. Over
taken suddenly and unexnectedlv in thi.
misfortune, with heavy individual liabilities
with no facilities for obtaining money, thci
property reduced to nominal value. and nc
demand for it at any price, thousands there
are who feel that their homes and their for
tunes are in great peril and that this is so
would be worse than idle to disguise In Ibis
aspect Of affairs, you may reasonably expec
that strong appeals will b, made to you 70,
remedial legislation; and I doubt not tina
their expostulations will receive your vers
considerate attention, and prompt YOU 10 M
forth, in your sovereign capacity such pow
ers as you possess, to secure to them indem
nifty against unreasonable and unjust sacri
fees, yet in manner that shall guard anc
protect the rights of parties interested.
II would not, however. suppress the i'm
p0tfaft fhct ssxt the eondi ion. and affairs o
bur -peeple are taking favorable stara. sins,
IL 6e&5aE EA6esaenf ~ the late mon fasg 81
SIS; atfgc ssnocnt of ind1vri.sal iaisE,tai
ness has been liqsss3ated --a yisid svsz4ss4 ,
retrenchment has been obs-rvesl Id tls< sf<fsl
and domestic relations and expendftuFes d
our people-but few new liabilities have been
created-no malignant epidemic has prevail
ed-tbe industry of the panple. the last year
has been ve,v well rewarded with fair har.
vest-emigration is again flowing in--the
social condition of our p,ople is improving
and we have abundant reason for devout and
grateful acknowledgements to Him, whose
goodness knows no bounds, that we are once
more being placed in condition Of advance.
ment and prosperity.
CENSUS OF 1S59.-You will have berors
you neat print of the census Of the past
year, taken in the mode prescribed by the
act that authorized the same, Mt an expense
only of about S6lS71. Tt fixed TIE nopn-
lation Of the State at 642, 2,532. bcing 123, ! 6s
more than the population. when the census
was taken in the year 1856, and will in a'l
reach 100000 bv the time the
Federal census is taken during the present
year. The ag,icult lral statistics contained
in the present census, refer to the year 1853
and do the field culture OF the State very
great injustice On account OF the heavy and
protracted rains of that year. it is conceded
that our crops fell below hale their usual
amount. Yet, as result Of our industry,
we had in cultivation over three millions OF
acres. And unfavorable as was the season,
we cut over 800, 900 tons OF hav-h harvesto ed
over 100000 bushels Of wheat-cribbetl
over % million bushels OF corn 500, 600
bushels of potatoes--manufartnrc near a
half million gallons of mols ISeS from sorghum
sold beef cattle and hog; to an amount cx-
ceeding five millions of dollars. and exported
wool and lead, to the value of a mi lion and a
quarter, &c.
But it Is believed by the hest Judges. that
the year Just past, woul | exhibit very diff
ferent table of statistics; that the beef NJ X,
and wool crops have given an exrasS Of % or
% per cent over the census wear Of 1853.
whilst the corn crop cannot fall short of iftv
millions of bushels, and the value Of the
sorghum molaSses would reach the figure OF
100000
One or two more such crops, accomnan'ed
in other respects with the smiles of pro,
pitious Heaven, and adhcring to our present
system of domestic economy, will not only
re-assure but restore our people to their
wonted prosperity, and place them in con-
dition to grant rather than to ask favorS oi
those Atlantic States and cities, which have
been heaping obloquv unon us because of
our embarrassments, which had It's origin as
much with them as with u.s.
HAsTY LEGISLATION TO BE AvoIDFp -Sev-
entv-one of the laws, covering 263 pages,
We're passed the day and night preceding the
of the last General Assembly
Tt would he strange, indeed, fthe engrossinc
and enrolling clerks could copy and com
pare all these enactments, for the signature
of the president of the Senate and the speak
er of the House, without committing grave
errors. tits known, important omission and
did occur, while some very import
ant bills had been matured at the cost OF
much time, labor, and expense, failed of their
for the want of few hours time
The mischief growing out of rash and incon-
sidcrate legislation of this description cannot
fail to address itself to the mind of prudent
legislator, and I feel myself shut up to the
duty Of respectfully but earnestly urging up
on you the correction of this great evil. |
need not say that, as the supreme law-riving
power Of the State, you are charged with an
important ust, which the nuilic welfare de-
mands shall be executed with wise caution,
and faithfulness that shall comport with
the solemnity ofyour commission.
STATE INDEBTEDNESS, REVENUE. ANp Ex.
pENDrTUREs.-Yourat attention is invited to the
reports Of the Treasurer and An litor of the
State. From the report of the latter, it will
appear that the liabilities of the State amount
to 1852, 1927 This sum is made IN o
three amounts quite diss'nilar in their char
acter, and all Of which, with some confusion
of ideas, have been DESIGNATED State in
debtedness. The first consists of 5000. 600
borrowed by the State in the winter of 1858
upon her bonds, running ten years at seven
per cent. The second outstanding war
rants, amounting to $50, 96.62 payable upor
presentation. The aggre-nte Of these two
sums,-S230. 1876. .52-constitute the entire
present Indebtedness of the State The third
sum Of 1922, 2,295.75, is part of the schoo
fund, which belongs to the State. is held b,
the State in trust for educational purposes.
1t is true, the State pays interest on this
amount, not to creditor,--for the relation
of debtor and creditor does not exist-but t.
the school fund itself, as upon debt: own
ership is not Indebtedness This money is
part of the proceeds of lands granted to tn,