The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-01-16
Governors Message.


The circumstances under which we meet can
scarcely fail to impress especial awe OF the re-
sponsibilities assumed with our respective
trusts. Grave duties are to be discharged amid
extraordinary difficulties, while unusual import
ance attaches to the manner of their discharge
The management of the interests cOnhded 10
US, will be watched by our constituents WIN
eager solicituce.
Fortunately, the independent action OF 'he
people in the late election, permits 10 their rep
resentatives an unusual freedom to accep! tnp
guidance of personal ,Fnvictions OF duty upon
all measures Of public Ohcy.
No previous legislature HIS convened unuer
equal incentives to a disintafested Zeai III the
public service The occasion pleads with you
In rebuke OF all the meaner passlons-admon
ishiug to the exercise of Il conscientious patriot
lam becoming the representatives of Christian
ngopIe called in Gods providence, to pass hro
the furnace of a great trial of their virtue, and
Of the strength of their government.
1t 50 happens that the first duty devolv ing
upon me as Executive is compliance with the
requirement of our State Constitution that the
Governor % shall communicate to the Legisa
ture, at every session, the condition of the
State, and recommend such matters for thei:
consideration rs he may deem expedi ent"
The condition of the finances Of the State. Of
its currency, educational interests, and pub lie
institutions, is learly set forth in the annual
reports from the several State Departments, and
Institutions supported from the State Treasu-
ry, which are herewith presented, printed, and
in readiness for your examination. These re-
ports will be found to be full aud particular in
their statements, specially regards the expen-
dlture of the public money-and to suggest
some important measures of legislation. The re-
Communications submitted and the appropria-
tons asked for in these report, have, generally
my cordial endorsement
/ would respectfully suggest that each report
bn referred to some appropriate committee, who
shall be charged with the duty Of its critical ex-
amination-the preparation Of the legislation
asked for in the form Of bills, for your prompt
action thereon-and particularly, that such
committee themselves conduct all Investigation
into the management of the Department or In
stitutlon from whence the Report emanated.
| am prompted TO this suggestion by the con-
viction that the " Joint Committee of lnvesti
cation now provided by statute and your rules,
has outlived it's usefulness if, indeed, 1t be not
degenerated to an abuse. The special call for
investigation into the affairs of the Depart
ments, which first inaugurated this committee.
gave 20 its Iabors sufficient interest to command
at the time, the personal attention Of its MEM
bers, end justified the employment Of assistants
competent to thread the intricacies oflarge and
involved accounts All especial interest in in
vestigations of the ordinary business and ac-
counts of the state seems to have tran%pred -
Members appointed upon this committee do nor
and it consistent with due attention 10 the bus
mess of legislation, to make personal examina-
tions 0 the transactions, entries and vouchers
of a whole year in all the state offices. Indeed.
the labor of thorough examination through al!
the State Departments is TOO great to be lmpos
ed upon one committee The labOTs OF InNes
tigation have hence come to be devolved almost
entirely upon clerks, of whom this committee
may employ All indefinite cumberland hence
it has become the last resort for he crowd that
annually gathers at the opening OF Il session. to
seek employment from the Legislature. The
committee have not always selected men quail
fled to sit in judgment upon the pubic conduct
ofofficers or possessed of the cBrctuness justl-
flying their being turned loose among the rec
ords and files OF public office.
The transactions of the year iii the GENERAL
FUND provided for the current expenses of
State government, are as follows
Recerved.
From counties State tax, and tax On -.
suits) $40, AZ 10
From banks (bank tax .------------- 18l74 -
From railroads Ilicensel ---..--------- 23u3o ~
From foreign INSURANCE companies ia.
ccnse l9,%9J ID
From all other sources ufregenue 800 lG,ib6 81
On hand December 3LaC, lSbl----- 9o,'o' %
Total receipts. s435, 435 81.
Dls6urseG.
For permanent Gppropria
tiOns and salaries linclu-
ding Circuit Judges .---. $sl ,4O3 %
For expenses of regular
sion OF Legislature. Is 972 20
For State PrisoP. ----....-- y. 49, ~
For humane institutions
current expenses --.-.-.- 81, 800 OU
For Capitol extension. -.... n 26I oil
For Hospital for Insane IN.
debtedness g. buildingl-- 81 63S AZ
For interest Stase loa.s.- Is ,973 81
For miscellaneous expendl-
lures aud special GpprO
priatiUns --.------..----- Sb,2lS DO
Total EXPENDITURES. S4lS 800 A
Leaving balance in the State Treas
ury to the credit or this fund, Dec.
3ist, 1861, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS $lb,0bo sI1
The representatives of the people should hold
all State officers to a rigid accountability--and
to Il proper discharge of this duty, a yearly re-
view of the transactions, accounts and vouchers
III the State offices, is Indispensable. This pre-
cautiOnary meReurS was too long omitted i'll the
early history of the State, and should never
again be neglected. But Investigations, with
the resulting censure or approval of The conduct
of men in office which go forth under the sane
ton of legislative authority, should be in good
faith conducted by the legislature through It's
committees, This requires reform OF the pres
ent system, which reform, to be operative at the
present session, must be undertaken before
your committees are appointed.
BY provision OF TIE statute, the reports sub
mitted accompanying the Message, ne for the
fiscal year commencing on the first day of Oc-
tober land ending on the thirtieth day of Sep
TENDER following. The summary statements
customarily presented in the Message are for
the calendar year ending the thirty first day OF
December preceding It's delivery. Following
this custom, proceed TO give, in brief,the con-
dtiOn of the various funds of the State, up to
January lst with such intimaions of needed
legislation and provision of money as the facts
suggest.
The estimates of the Secretary of State an
ticipate deficiency in the revenues provided to
meet current expenses to the close of the fiscal
year (September 3Oth. 1864 of $22, 573 21.-
Making further reasonable allowances for "Ar-
rearages due from counties, of which the State
has always been compelled to carry large
amOuht from year TO year, probable dehcien-
cy is shown CT $65 ,453 40. This deficiency is
attributable to a falling off in tho Bank Tax and
license fees from insurance companies from with
out the State, together estimated TO equal S47,
362 67-and the InSuficiency of the $4,000
additional State tax levied last year to supply
THIS failure in customary revenues, and at the
same time provide for extraordinary expcndi-
lures this year, of $l06 90I IS for buiiding and
permanent improvements, and $66 800 90 to
pay the war bonds issued. for which no speciai
tax was imposed with the last levy. That loss
es from the revenues of former years and increas-
ed expenditures, amounting to al aggregate OF
$22O,567 So have been far supplied tina
500 453 40 is reasonably estimated 10 equal the
whole deficiency affords tolerably plain intima-
ton OF the gain to the State from the stopping
OF certain familiar wastes, as in the public print
ing, and evinces general economy and good
management of this Fund
Two means of present relief suggest them
selves, by. either of which the estimated def
cheney can be nearly supplied. A reloan of the
money provided in the last levy of State tax to
meet $50, 900 of State bonds which fail due on
the first day of April next; or The Appropra
ton of that portion OF the Town Library Fund
derived from the one-tenth mill State tax,
which now amounts to S53, 500 40. In case
you deem it advisable to replenish the General
Fund from the latter source, l would earnestly
second the recommendation urged in the report
OF the Superintendent of Public INSTRUCT on,