The Nevada journal., 1860-01-06
THE NEVADA JOURNAL.
GOVERNORS ANNUAL MESSAGE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
SACRAMENTO, January, 1s6O.


EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
SACRAMENTO, January, lo6O.
Gentlemen ofthe Senate and Assembly:
IL affords me pleasure TO have an opportunity
of again addressing those who have been IN
trusted by the people with the legislative de-
partment of the Government.
The Governor has, from time to time, recon-
mended to your predecessors measures calcu-
lated TO reform abuses and diminish expendi-
lures but they have generally failed to receive
either their sanction attention. Indeed, upon
reviewing NV annual message of last year, it is
found that only few OF the recommendations
of this character received any consideration
whatever Ii was no doubt supposed by those
who formed Il Constitution, which requires the
Executive " TO communicate, by message, TO the
Legislature, at every session, the condition of
the state, and recommend such matters as he
shall deem eXpedient, that from his position,
where he could overlook all the operations of
the Government, he would be able to point out
the evils which retarded our progress, and sug
gest appropriate remedies. The Legislature
seem to have acted upon different principle,
or 1t may be that that department had very lit
tie respect for the opinions of the present Execu
tive. They no doubt however, discharged what
they conceived to be their duty, and as both de
partments of the Government derive power dI
rectly from rhe people, so each, acting independ-
emily, and within its appropriate sphere must
be held responsible to the tribunal OF public
opinion.
FINANCES.
Although the expenses of our State Govern
ment, during the past year, have been much
more than they ought to have been, neverthe
less II affords me pleasure to inform you that
the Treasury is in a prosperous condition.
The amount Of money received III the Treas
uy from January lst, 1859, to Decem-
The expenditures during that period sl6,lS2 %
Exhibiting excess Of receipts
The interest upon our public debt was
promptly paid, during the past year, amounting,
IN the aggregate, TO two hundred and ninety-six
thousand one hundred aud eighteen dollars and
fifteen cents.
During that period the Treasurer of State
under the law of 1857, purchased outstanding
bonds to the amount of fifteen thousand dollars
The Board Of Examiners, in the meanwhile, un
der the Act Of 1895, purchased thirty thousand
dollars of said bonds, which have been properly
indor5ed and placed to the credit of the Semi
nary Fund. This reduces the actual amount of
outstanding bonds TO three millions eight hun
dred and ftty-f thousand dollars.
The old issue for the payment of which no
provision has vet been made amounts, with the
interest thereon 10 the fifteenth OF last month,
10 one hundred and seventeen thousand six
hundred and ninety dollars and thirty cents. In
addition TO this there are Controllers Warrants
which have never been paid nor bonded
amounting 10 five thousand one hundred and
two dollars and twenty y-five cents which, to-
gether with claims audited by the Legislatures
of 1s5,-S-9 fifteen thousand eight hundred
aud fifty dollars and fifty-one centsi, and the
certificates of balances twenty five thousand
one hundred and forty dollars and fifty eight
cents, make, in the aggregate one hundred and
sixty y-three thousand seven hundred and eighty
four dollars and twenty six cents. This will
make the whole amount Of our Indebtedness
both legal and equitable four million eighteen
thousand seven hundred and eighty four dollars
and twenty six cents This Is exclusive of the
Indian " ar Debt, which amounts in the aggre
gate to two hundred and sixty four thousand
four hundred and thirty-tve dollars, for which
bonds have been issued. This together with
nifty two thousand five hundred and twenty
seven dollars and eighty-sIx cents paid out of
the Treasury last year for the suppression of
Indian hostilites in the North, constitutes just
and equitable demand against the Federal Gov
ernment. Prompt provision ought to be made
Tor tbe payment of these just demands against
the State. Whether this can be done without
hrsi submitting the question TO the people is left
tor YOU to determine
The whole amount received into the Treasury,
from the 18th of December, 1858, to the 18th of
December, 1863, was one million one hundred
an3 uinety i've thousand four hundred and forty
dollars and seventy three cents. The amount
expended during that period was one million one
hundred and sixty thousand nine hundred and
twenty nine dollars and fourteen cents, leaving
an excess of receipts over expenditures of thirty
tour thousand five hundred and eleven dollars
aud hltynine cents. On the lst day of Janu-
ary Immediately preceding my entering upon
the duties Of this office, there were three hun
dred and fifty -sne thousand two hundred and
uty-tWo dollars and seventy -One cents in the
Treasury. The amount now in the Treasury is
six hundred and sixtytwo thousand eight hun
dred and seventv-six dollars and eighty nine
cents Notwithstanding the semi annual interest
has lust been paid This shows that there is on
hand three hundred and eleven thousand six
hundred and tifty-four dollars and eighteen
cents more than al the commencement of my ad
mustr8tiou.
show that while expenditures have been very
large that sum of nearly one hundred thou
sand dollars, incurred in suppressing Indian
hostiiites. and for other purposes, is not charge
able to the ordinary expenses of the Govern
ment STILL that economy which ought TO have
controlled the action of public officers intrused
with the peoples money has not been practiced.
The expenditure in the Legislative and judi
ciary departments can be easily reduced with
ont injury 10 the public service Ii has been
the practice heretofore TO employ a much larger
number Of persons in the Legislature than
necessary TO transact the public business Be
sides there is great deal more printing or
dered by the Legislature than the public inter
est IN nav Judgment, demands The cOmpensa-
ton of State Printer should be reduced. The
LEGISLATURE of 1855 directed certain laws to be
translated into the Spanish language and pub
hshed. This book, comprising two hundred and
sixteen pages cost the State fraction
t,c hsg-n1ne a0ihgrs per volume. As the Consti-
tutiou Of the State requires the laws to be pub,
iisheI in the Spanish language, this should be
done. bat, IN my opinion, al much less expense
10 the people.
The counties Of Alameda, FL Dorado. Hum
boidl Les Angeles, Marin, Merced, Monterey,
Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Diego Santa
Clara, santa Cruz Shasta, Soano, Stanislaus
Tulare, Tolo, Yuba, Colusa klamath and San
Beruardno NEARLY one-half the counties of the
State failed to report assessment rolls to the
Controller for The past year. The three last
named counties negsr did report Surely, there
must be some radical defects in II system which
produces such results
The Revenue Act declares that County Audi
tors a" shall make out and cause to be transmit
ted by iaail, otherwise, to the Controller of
State, on or before the first day of November of
each wear. q complete abstract of the property
listed in his county, the valuation thereof the
number of polls, the amount of each kind of tax
and the aggregate thereof, in the county; as
also the rate of each kind of tax assessed"
This provision OF the Act has not been complied
with. and in the absence of the assessment rolls
II is utterly impossible for the Legislature to fix
upOu the proper rate of taxation 1t is dis,
regarded probably because there is no
penalty imposed for doing so. The rem
edy for this evil, recommended 10 your pred
ecessors. was TO withhold all compensation from
the Auditors until they produced receipt from
the Controller of State, for the assessment roll