The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-01-15

condition of tho people, concluded to pur.
chase provisions and distribute among them,
receiving their obligations for tho full value
thereof, including the expense attending
the distribution. These people did not ask
for gratuitous aid from the Legislature
Their crops had been cut off by an overruing
Providence, and they merely asked for tenn
porary relief until another harvest should
come around, and l preferred selling them
the provisions as less wounding to their
feelings.
have drawn from the Trc sury, under the
above appropriation, in all, eleven thousand
thrco hundred aud eighty-six dollars and
twenty one cents. Fifteen hundred dollars
of this sum was, by me, passed over
to the proper authorities of Gratiot county,
on interest, and five hundred dollars Of the
above sum was passed over to the authorities
of Isabella county for the relief Of her citz ms,
l receiving in exchange five hundred dollars
Of her county orders on interest. also caus-
ed to be distributed among tho inhabitants Of
Gratiot, Isabella and Mountcalm counties,
nine thousand three hundred and thirty.eight
dollars and eight cents, (including the expense
Of distribution,) principally in provisions, and
receiving in exchange therefor tho promisary
notes Of the recipients of the provisions, on
interest. These NOES and county orders, to-
gether with the surplus money unexpended,
have all been deposited with the State Treas
urer. l have also deposited with that officer
detailed statement of the manner in which
every dollar of this money has been expend.
ed, together with my vouchers for the expen
diture. The county orders received by me
can be made available, the same as cash, in
the annual settlement with Graitoit and lsa-
bella counties, most of the notes received,
! Numbering in all two thousand and eighty
three.) are, as / am advised, collectable, and
would be paid in cash if the State should re-.
quirc it, but would not advise demanding
their payment in money. recommend that
you pass a law authorizing the payment of
these notes in labor on the highways, under
! the direction of the Commissioners Of High
wnye of each township. whore the drawers
live. These notes coul i'd be thus paid without
inconvenience to the drawers, and the country
would be improved thereby.
As an act Of justice to tho Detroit and Mil
waukec Railway Company, | wish to state
that it gratuitously carried over its road all
the provisions purchased under the foregoing
act, aud thereby saved for the fund from six
to ten hundred dollars, and for this act Of
generosity the Company arc entitled to the
concentrations of all.
The amendment to the Constitution on the
subject Of corporations, proposed by joint res
ollton Of the Legislature Of 1850, was sub
mitted to the people at the last general cleo
ton, and was b. them adopted, and is now
an organic law. There is now no Constitu
tonal difficulty in passing such banking law
as will be acceptable to those wishing to en-
gage in the business and at the same time
protect our citizens.
For years our State has been cursed with a
currency ruinous aiike to the commercial and
agricultural interests Of the country. | re.
commend that YOU pas liberal banking law,
at the same time so thoroughly guard.
ed rs TO secure the bill-holdcrs from loss
Whatever law you see fit to pass upon this
suli"ct, whether it be an original act or an
amendment to the present law, will have to
be submitted to vote Of the electors Of the
State for their approval. Such is the Con-
stitutonal requirement.
STATE CAPITOL.
/ cannot, in justice to the State and to my
own convictions of public policy, pass by in
silence the subject of a new Capitol. Tho
present public buildings were built for n tenn
porary purpose, and are no longer suitable to
the wants of our growing State. The public
offices are small inconvenicnt and unsafe, and
their destruction would be most disastrous to
the interests Of the State, as they contain re-
cords that could never be replaced. The Ii
brary room is alrcady filled, with no op7ortu
nifty Of cnlarging it. There is no suitable
place for holding our Supreme Court. The
halls of Legislation are already too small by
baf and with no nte.cbambers or committee
rooms. But littic need be said upon Il c SUBJ
ject. Your own experience and observation
for the next sixty or seventy days, will form
stronger argument in favor of n new Capitol
than anything that can say. twill take five
or six years to commence and complete such
public buildings as the wants and dignity of
the State require. A commencement should
be made Immediately. l recommend that
you appropriate fifty thousand dollars per an
mum, for the next two years for that purpose.
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS.
At the last general election the question OF
a1 ending the Constitution so as to lengthen
the time for legislative sessions, was submit.
ted to the p'op'e, and by them adopted, and
your session will be no longer limited by that
instrument to forty days. The questions that
will comc before you for consideration will
demand your calmest delberation, and upon
the result of your action will depend, in a
great measure, the future progress and pros
rerity d our State, and | trust no false con-
sidorations Of economy in time, will prevent
You from giving each subject careful and duo |
dolibcration. 1t is far better for the State
that you should remain in session ninety or
hundred days, if necessary, than to have crude
and hasty legislation.
The Auditor General, in very able report,
has explained at length the financial cmbar-
rassmcnt Of the government has labored for
the past two years, and he has also made an
estimate Of the rcncvuc and expense Of the
ensuing year. and given his views as to the
most feasible way of providing for the defcien.
cy in tho revenue, TO all Of which you arc re-
spoctfully referred.
The appropr ations which I Doom cxpcdi.
ent to be made to meet the wants and rcqpte-