The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-02-07


can be derived from that source.
For the purpose of providing, in part,
for the deficiency of the present fiscal
year, your committee have prepared a
joint resolution, authorizing the State
Treasurer to enter into an arrangement
or agreement with some party or par
ties to purchase and hold the coupons
of the bonds of the State, falling due
in July and January next, until such
time as the finances of the State will
allow their payment, and to authorize
the Treasurer to draw from the treas
ury during the present year, sum not
exceeding $4,000 for the payment of
such interest as may be necessary on
the coupons so purchased and held,
and upon such other floating debt as it
may be necessary to pay and in like
manner in 1862, sum not exceeding
SIS, 900 for the same purpose.
Your Committee are of the opinion
that every legislature should provide
by taxation revenue sufficient to meet
all appropriations and contingencies.
This duty is doubly imperative, be-
cause of the constitutional prohibition
to borrow money or create a debt
When the Legislature exercises a wise
prudence in its appropriations, the peo-
pie will sustain its action by cheerfully
paying such tax as may be necessary
to meet them.
From the best information your Com
mittee have been enabled to procure,
the following is the rate of State tax in
the States named:
Ohio, in 1851, (which is the last year
your Committee have been able to find,
but tits believed to be equal to this at the
present time,) three and one, fifth mills.
Indiana, 1855 and 1856, too and too
and d-G-qudrter mills, and a poll tax of
seventy five cents.
Illinois, Jour-asad seven -teaaths mills,
since 1855.
Missouri, 1857, t,co mills and a poll
tax of thirty y-seven cents.
Iowa, three mills.
Your Committee are of the opinion
that the people of no other Western
State have been SO lightly taxed as the
people of Michigan.
For the purpose Of paying the expen-
ses of the government for the years
1862 and 1868, and to meet the deficit
of the present year, your committee
recommend State tax, for each OF
those years, of two mills on the dollar
valuation of the real and personal prop.
erty of the State.
Your committee also recommend
that sinking fund be commenced in
the year 1868, for the gradual lessenine
Of the State debt. They do not deem
it essential that this fund shall be suffi
cient to liquidate the entire indebted
ness OF the State in twenty years; bu
they deem it of much Importance thai
a. fund should be commenced, contin
ued and faithfully appropriated to this
purpose. They therefore recommend
that twenty-five thousand dollars &
year, commencing with the State ia,
of 1852, be annually raised, over ani
above the ordinary State tax, and ire
] voeably set apart for this purpose
This amount, in twenty years, with it
accumulations, will pay about two
thirds of the bonded debt Of the State
Respecting appropriations by thi
Legislature, your committee recommend
that they be limited to such sums al
are necessary to defray the current ex
penses of the State Institutions in th'
most economical manner, and to othe
inconsiderable appropriations as the in
terests of the State plainly demand.
The following items, included in tn,
estimated expenses for 1851 and 1852
will, if approved, need appropriation
! to meet them:
For 1861, Asylum for Deaf, Dumb and
Blind current expenses $1,000
Towards current expenses of Agrieultu-