The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-01-13

me especially important, that she should
take the same course, in order to assure
her creditors and the public that her
ability and disposition to pay her debts
were fn no wise disturbed or impaired
by this assault upon her credit. Accord
ingly 1 instructed Mr. Harvey, Treasurer
of State, to provide, if he could upon
reasonable terms, the coin with which to
pay the July interest upon our stocks
This he did upon the terms and IN the
manner stated in his report. The an
nouncement of the purpose of the State
to pay her interest in coin, had an i'm
mediate and salutary effect in restoring
confidence and bringing back the value
of our stocks to its former standard.
At the time, directed the payment of
the July interest in coin, the premium on
coin was very small, but has since in
creased so greatly as to forbid the like
arrangement for the January interest.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
The operations of the common school
system for the past two years have been
quite successful The amendments made
to the School Law at the last regular ses-
sion, 50 far as | can learn, have worked
well, and meet with general approval.
The report ofProf Miles J. Fletcher, Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction, for
the year 1861, is laid before you, but the
report of the present Superintendent,
Samuel L. Rugg, for the year 1862, has
not been completed. The Rev. Samuel
K. Hoshour was appointed to fill the
Vacancy oceasioned by the death Of, Mr..
lato rhc hal1 hn Mt IN
successor was duly elected and qualified
DEATH OF MILES J. FLETCHER.
The death of Miles ]. Fletcher was a
misfortune to the State. Possessed of
fine talents, highly educated, endowed
with every accomplishment that can
make man attractive in society, with
heart full of the warmest affections and
! the most generous impulses, he united
| with all these an indomitable energy of
character that gave no rest, and ever
pressed him forward in the path OF duty.
! His industry was marvel, and the
amount of labor accomplished wonderful.
/ The duties of his Office he discharged,
not scantily as task, but with devo-
ton and pleasure that were satisfied only
with full performance. The cause of
education he regarded Of the first impor-
lance, and the vocation and calling of the
] educator the most honorable and digni-
! fed, next to that of the Christian Minis
ter The misfortunes of his country
deeply afflicted him, and Notwithstanding
the delight he took in the performance
ofhis official duties, and his untiring de-
votion to the education of youth, ne would
have resigned his office and gone TO the
field, had he not been dissuaded by his
friends, who urged that he could serve
his country better in the position he then
held. He devoted much time, labor and
money to the care of the sick and wound
ed soldiers He visited the hospitals and
the fields of battle to hunt up and minis
ter to the neglected and the dying, and
in carrying wounded man upon a
steamboat at Pittsburg Landing, shortly
after the battle of Shiloh, suffered a
bodily injury, from which most likely he
could never recover. When he. was
killed, he had started upon another mis-
sion of mercy to the army. l was stand
ing by his side at the moment of his
death, and never before did l have
brought home to me in full force that
passage of Scripture which declares,
THAT in the midst of life we are in
before who, among all the young men OF
Indiana, babe fairest for life of great
. usefulness and fame, would have an
swered, Miles J. Fletcher.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
The reports of tie Boards of Trustees
of the Asylum for the Blind, Institution
for the Deaf and Dumb and Hospital for
the Insane are herewith submitted. The
management of these Institutions for the
past two years has been eminently sue
cessful and satisfactory. The Superin-
tendents have displayed ability and fidel-
ity, as well as the subordinate officers
and teachers, and | commend the re-
ports to your especial consideration, and
the Institutions to your fostering care
and attention
PRISONS NORTH AND SOUTH
At the regular session of the Legisla-
ture in 1861, the sum of 10000 dollars
was appropriated for the purchase of ma
terials and construction of the Northern
Prison, located at Michigan City, for the
year 1861, and like sum for the year
1862 At the extra session in 1861, the
sum of $4,000 was appropriated for ma
terials and construction of the Northern
Prison, and for the support of convicts,
and the payment of the expenses incur
red for the month of January, 1861.
AT the same session a law was passed
for the transfer of 200 convicts from the
Southern Prisons, at Jacksonville, to
the Northern Prisons, but no provision
was made for their return in case their
labor should not be required At the
same session an act was passed provid-
ing that all persons sent to the peniten-
tiary from counties north of the National
Road should be confined in the Northern
Prison. The work in the construction of
the prison was vigorously pressed in the
summer and fall of 1861, and it was
found necessary, b. .LA- BOARD of Direct
ors. in order to keep the convict labor
SHhePaafPfsf55 made for the T aShs pfHSn
ton Of the prison in 1862; SO that when
the work for the year 1861 was closed
up, there remained unexpended of the
fund appropriated for the construction of
the prison in 1861, but about 5000 dol
lars. 1t was apparent, then, that the law
labor of the convicts could not be en-
ployed in the construction of the prison
during the year 1862, for the want of
means in which to urchase the neces-
L.