The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-01-16
GOV. LANES INAUGURAL.
Gentlemen Of tie Senate and House Of Rep
resentattUes, and FcLLolc- Citizens

Gentlemen Of tie Senate and House Of Rep
-rese1ltatiUes, and FcLLotc- Citizens
The People of Indiana, in adopting their
| present Constitution, expressed their graft
tude to Almighty God for the free exercise
of the right to choose their own form~o OF
Government, in order to establish justice,
maintain public order, and perpetuate the
principles of civil and religious liberty. For
the present enjoyment of these inestimable
rights and privileges; for the blessings OF
peace and order within our borders; for
bountiful crops, and for general health and
prosperity throughout the year which has
Just closed, our most heartfelt thanks and
gratitude, individually and collectively, as
people, are due to the same Almighty,
Allwise, and Beneficent Being. | feel the
strongest degree of confidence, Senators
and Representatives, in the belief that you
will, in the exercise of those high and i'm
portant legislative powers with which you
are invested by the Constitution, be con-
stantly governed by strong motives impell-
ing you to adopt wise measures for the adj
vancement and maintenance of the true in
terests of the people of the different sections
of Indiana; and also by patriotic desire
to prevent or allay all unnecessary and in
furious local political excitement and to
promote and secure as far rs possible, the
general prosperity, honor, and safety of our
beloved State. r.
The annual reports of the several State
officers for the fiscal years ending in 1859
and 1850, have been laid before both branch
es Of the Legislature, and these documents
present an official exposition of the bust
ness and operations of the various depart
ments of the State government. They are
worthy of, and will doubtless receive, your
most careful examination and consideration,
in order that the proper legislative remedies
may be applied for the removal of any de-
fects that may be found to exist, either in
the laws relating to these departments, or
in the administration of those laws. En-
tertaining, as do, the strongest confidence
in the honesty and capacity of the recently
elected Treasurer of State and without in
tending to cast any reflection upon the Off
cial conduct of any of his predecessors in
office, still, deem it proper, at this time, to
recommend to you such changes in the law
regarding the Treasurer's Office as will most
effeetuatly prevent any misrepresentation of
the public funds, or their use for any pur-
pose of private speculation or gain, and
which shall secure the availability and safe
ty Of money in the public treasury at all
times. Changes calculated to effect these
desirable and important objects, will receive
my most cordial appreciation and support.
Our Common School System, from its i'm
portance, demands, and will doubtless re-
ceive your most careful consideration. It
is believed that such q modification of the
school law can be made as will make the
system more useful and less ijurthensome to
the people. In your efforts to secure these
objects you may rely upon my cooperation.
From the report of the Auditor of Public
Accounts, it appears that the total receipts,
from all sources for the fiscal year ending
the 3lst of October 1860, amounted to ST.
65S,2I7.87. The total expenditures during
the same period were $l,621 ,I02.49, leav-
ing in the Treasury at the close of the fiscal
year, an actual balance of 1874, 66O.39.
From the same report it appears that the
domestic debt of the State on the 3Ist of
October amounted to S2,O08, 993. so, and
the foreign debt to $7,77e, 1880. By
careful revision Of all the laws which relate
to the mode of conducting the financial af-
fairs of the State, aud by the application of
the most rigid economy to all the various
departments of the State Administration,
the present Legislature will, it is con-
fdently believed, be enabled to pro-
vide ways and means less onerous and
more effeetual than those which have
heretofore been in operation for the grad
ual reduction and final extinction of our
State debt. In the administration of every
department of the State Government, the
strictest economy that can be introduced,
consistently with a steady maintenance of
the public interest, will be in accordance
with the wishes and just expectations of the
People Of Indiana and in all your efforts
to make provisions for faithful and econo-
mical administration of the State Govern
ment, you will have my earnest, active, and
honest cooperation and support. And in
this connection permit me to suggest the
Importance of instituting rigid inquiry,
by joint committee of the Senate and
House of Representatives, into the past
management, and present condition of the
various benevolent Institutions of the
State, and also of our State Prisons and
if extravaganza and mis-management are
found to exist in the administration of
either or all of those Institutions, to take
such steps as shall in future prevent re-
eurrence of such abuses. The honor and
interests of the citizens of the State of In
diana alike demand a thorough investiga-
ton in reference to the manner in which the
Swamp Lands given to the State by the
Congress of the United States, have been
disposed of.
The Importance of we'll organized and
thoroughly drilled Militia, in the present
critical condition of our National affairs,
cannot be overestimated and l will most
heartily concur with you in any measures
which you may devise for the purpose of
giving greater efficiency to the present very
defective Militia laws of our State. A
possible, I hope not probable eontingen-
cy may arise during the present session of
the Legislature, which will make it neces-
sary and proper for you to appropriate a
sum sufficient to equip portion of the In
diana Militia for the purpose of aiding in
the prompt execution of the laws, and in
the maintenance of the government. If
this contingency shall occur during your
session doubt not that you will meet it in
a spirit becoming freemen and patriots.
The present laws in relation to the mode
Of conducting elections are not sufficient to
protect the purity of the ballot-box, nor to
prevent frauds upon the inestimable privilege
of the elective franchise; and l therefore re-
commend such a revision and change of the
election laws as will most effectually ac-
L IL