, 1861-01-15
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
inaugural MESSAGE OF
RIo@ARD AIsSs
Governor of Illinois.

IIclesrapAad exclusively lo1 lAe 1F!uu2c.l
Scn1SGF1ELD, Jan. II, 1851.
In tho Senate to-day nothing Ct Importance
W.. done, The House debated 1t length, and
Gua,ly 7assea resolution, declaring it viii, i'll
course Of the session, pass law calling ] Con-
e.itu,ioaal Convention. The House and Sc
nate lie. In Convention at ? o'clock. Co..
Yates aul Lieut. Gov. Hoffman, carr,e IN. nro-
Ycr!y csca.zcd, were swo::-- III by Chief Jus
,;ce Catoa, aad tsi..ra tho Governor from the
speakc7's. .scsk proceeded to read
" tie Gea6ra: lsssmb'y Of The 9e:e Of Illinois;
The duty Of making communications to the
GcuerI Assembly upon subjects requiring lis
action more properly belongs to 1ie outgoing
Executive, Wllo.G intl.uttc connection EifA
<he aamiaisi ration for peri I'll cf years, aT,:d5
him the benc1i or that observation and e2rc-
ricuc.. necessary to i true understanding OF
luc condition and wants nE The STATE amt uf
the character Of legislation most ucetttl 10
coatiuuc aud advance its prosperity. Ill tie
P.oy ueucc of God a!lt distinguished occupant
Of tue Eubcrnatprla1 chair, who, fur ea.5
tiuc-, was installed iA,o oillcc, Was, tlc2Ist
9f MA.ch Of the last ycs1, called to lis an:I
-.soIa.- The -ra3S- J,rrllapta1:s u ray oHn
hrir., aud The ltroprIesies Ut this occasicri Ga
:noni-h me not to omit to heer my testimony
20 the great ability, Ins],y:nkiuS fidelity ana
lofty patriotism with WHICH, '1iidcr the scver-
est l:lls OF bodily atilIction, he ttischarGcdthc
duties Of his position Indeed. may say; ts.1.
usuc can remember the lamtnted Heetll ex-
crpt in association with the highest and NO.
O2cst traits of our humanity, most happily
blvn,lin in hts character ali the shining e...i
ties Of The Christian etizcG, the ::aI int so!dlel
credit 1t home end sh:oad upea the 2ta,e tt
.eh;:ls, With un:tiish desolion, he gave his
talents lila energies Aol his life 1t is .sratify
ias to know, however, that during the rcla
n.ut OF ui5 term the Executive duties have dc
vu,scd u1oa one OF her distinguished citizens
VINO, for many years, has enjoyed the c"rti
druyc OF tie lI<,p.e oi the State as Qos
ee.=:ug, in an e.u,n:ut d:sEcc,. taat =.
l2r.ed experience, l'7mtiva: fn:wletS
ard great integrity which r.st::tc His rccou,
1uc.zI5c i1c has suhH5ittcd 10 You, aud in III
suggestions Of which | concur. relieves N
FROM any e:ahoaste +. esent:,tinn OF the rarie:s
'uca=1reo which be has submitted soyour cor
tide1etion- As I commonwealth, the iasor;
Lie auspices nader whicil 1lcr le1islatots h,v
assembled, the health aud prosperity wlic
surround rs on every h.nd, I'LL the hl..SEin.
Of hi.n civil, soci2! auti religious Civilization
demand unteislea tnanks to Tod who il til
aatuor Of every good i i perfect sit: aud !;
one Of tho S1atss composing ous highly Elyo
cd nation, nuw 1hE.~.:eised with d.nSc,
alarming to thc ratr,ut, VIC should sAnlh
1ecuSnlzc u1r d2p:ndei:ce upoc that snptri
tending Providence ws,ira guided orr la llc
In thclr struggles for natioua1 existence, Al
In all onr 1,ast illustrious career, and wi
whose continued favor VIC may ever rtma
r1c.t and united people, In tho full ch5t
tacnt Of all tho blessings oi republican hoer
sad uatiunal happEn.as and prosperity. I
-crcut ccusus OF the United States reveals
degree OF advancement in The population
the Most gratifying character. lie: grow
las no. been by auy Ordinary process, but, 6
tin, all example 4: dsilauce, shc has n marcl
inr~-arl wilha i bound ~ ths proud postum
si.. iolriil S:atc lit 1hc Gi:.on. ana :io's, I'm
lia! wc,lta, power aust p Stitch, beyond |
Possibility ol recall or change, arc hers :
icrs % ever. ILR.h. spa Q Of i've Years or
our population has advanced from s,S5o,5 SIC
l,7lJ4Al i commonwealth Gf' fewer VI
thin he who now addresses you. now nu!ub
all tic colonies WHEN they entered upon
revolutionary ct7us.lc with Great BRIAN.
caun's hc1 wealth by the hundred nillis
She courts amou:,, her citizens inur hund
thoES4ad who tan bear arms; aud more l.
doEole that tua,ber ol children attend her
tchoo!s- The State Las ilai her embaH
u1vutr. hu: they hare only served to teach
useful lesson OF economy in the aIn;nistrat
O: tho Government. to demonstrate
sturdy integrity Of hcr psoa!e,
establish her character Tor good &
ond crcli: rorg 1out the wog.d. In i
Que Of my rrcaeces- ofs, In vicw Of the cul
ras=nleuts which visionary scnernes oil intc
improvement aud reckless private orecula
t4%a ulQAIAk AiN5A W. N>&9 AulNNA ~ LII ia
ia!iuS admission that our State WIS In
seSeutceu millions Of dollars. the do,1e
ts1a.ary in arrears for the Ordinary ezrs
Of the Government three Auudre'l aud
teen thousand dollars, auditors warrants
inS 1t d:ty cents to the dollae, and that not
loil1r was In tho treasury. even 10 pay pos
to and from the public officers. a tadler
turc could scarcely be drawn; ana yet t.
honor Of The Statc, in these darksst.h<
when the dread alternative ot taxation TO
fo1nrah1r IN ! hfFin the l1uIs OF
graceful rgpadiaion On the other, stared I
III the face, her people never faltercd.
suggestions o. timid counsels that inc1<
ts5ation would drive our citizens fun
Sta:e and prevent immigration 10 tt, how
well groundcd they seemed 10 bc, were In
tua to deter a high spirited people frou
7atn Of integrity and the policy OF :.
Greatness. In 1913 the people, by thcir
vote imposed upon themselves "a taS oot ot
e-l,an mills to pay tue interest. on
energy oi q young Hcrcuies She put
load On her shoulders, mud how gal1autl
has borne 1t let her bonds, eoumaudli,s,
MUM and her credit throughout the u
answer Instead Of expel!ing our citizens
the State In great numbers, is was an !c'f
il only riyeied then1 more strongly 10 h.l
tunes, und instead Of detcrrinx tho eini
from seeking q home within her bord,
only inspired him With q desire and deter
ton TO cast bis lot amony people Who
temptations could corrupt and no clo'
hnancial gloom discourage 1t Is now !
r. pleasant retrospect fer the people Of the
aud signal example to attcs: the great
that the public honor and irac greatnt
compatible alone with public juslc and
risy. With regard to tue railroads, for
the Etatc debt WAS principally incurred
yidua1 enterprise aud private capita! NAV
! 70 successfully applied that cCcn the q
of1S37 hare been more than rea1zed- II
vi the Stato had only 95 miles OF raa1road
81 she las completed aud in successful
tton 800 mies-more than tHicc the
Il Of miles Of that system which In ~;
ridlcn1ed a ttle mnmmoth syatenn. -.
progress Of railroad construction the ~
Il been peculiarly favored by her geogfa
position It Is central power III the
i vest, and the general highway Of n;
uaseL 1t has been the crossing Eroun'
waca the great commercial empoFtums
EsEt, IN sending out their fron arms
aonr quarters Of the continent, have
thetr way to the Mississippi. to Lake
Eant and 70 the heart OF the Northwest
1olk and Boston, establishing their y
IouSes Aong the shnres Of tho Lakes,
9ne'E way ACROSS our northern borders.
- delphia found her direct route upon tht
A. ~ Of lo1ty degrees through the interior
A. State, aud Baltimore, In her long
S1i.-"1 L. tn H. fnnfa fr,rp.s.. ,,4...-5