The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-01-24

to fight, has waved in the forefront of ev-
cry battle. Face to face and foot to foot,
our soldiers have grappled with the armed
traitors of the Republic-haye beaten or
baff1ed them, and their decimated ranks,
more eloquent than words, tell of their
dauntess heroism and lofty courage.
do not wish to indulge in poetic speech,
or empty defamation. Neither will feed the
hungry Or relieve the sufferer. We must
render both substantial aid. And this the
State should do. Loyal commonwealth oil
| the Republic have cared for the soldier, by
appointing sanitary committees; by appro-
priating funds for their families. while the
heads thereof were in the field, and by re-
| lieving, on the battle field or at home, the
wounded and the sick.
Kansas should be the rival of the noblest
/ of these eommonwealths We stand first,
! because In proportion to population and
wealth, we have mustered more men to COM
bat the rebellion than any loyal State in the
| Union. This has been done, too, at i'm
mense sacrifice. Many of our families have
been left almost in restitution. have been
an eye witness to the fact, that in many in /
! stances the faithful mother, and in some in
stances only children have been left to at
lSDu 10 the QOuS6QOlO anu
Our soldiers are still in the conflict; ex-
posed every hour to danger or death, while
we, even we here, enjoy their protection.
Yet they are denied the right of citizenship.
They cannot even vote while guarding thus
the persons and property of their own
State; therefore, as the first duty to them
and ourselves, I recommend an amendment
to the Constitution of the State, by which
they shall be permitted to exercise the cleo
tive franchise.
The heroic dead are gone Officers like
the dauntless Johnson and Jewell, the in
trepid Russell, Woodburn, Jones, Pratt and
Agniel; privates like Sherman, Jolley, Rog-
ers, Redman and Becker sleep in the sol
dier's grave. But their memory and their
example will live. 1t should be our sacred
duty to perpetuate the memories of our
fallen heroes. The roll of the glorious dead
should be perfected in the archives of the
State, and, were it possible, monuments
should be erected to their honor, to inspire
the present with purer patriotism and the
future with loftier valor.
We cannot mistake our duty; the glory
that has covered our arms should make us
the more jealous for the Well-being of the
State. Sacred obligations rest upon you
aud upon me. In the pride we feel for our
soldiery, we should never forget, as we can
never escape, our responsibility.
Our military reputation is established. 1t
is for you and for me to lift the civic char
acter of the State to an equally high posi-
ton. To this end, | would impress upon
you the necessity of subduing local rivalFies
and suppressiug partizan feelings; of arrest
ing and exposing fraud; of battling the
schemer; of systematzing the laws; check
ing extravaganza; lessening taxation, and
aiding and guarding every public interest
The financial condition of the State de-
mands your careful consideration. Its i'm
portance cannot be over estimated. The
eye of the State is fixed upon you and upon
me, and upon you and upon me will rest the
responsibility of establishing its credit and
character. We cannot escape that respon-
sibility if we would, and l trust We would
not if we could.
am not able to, furnish you with such
details as l could wish. l have made every
effort in my power to obtain, oficislly, such
information as l would desire you to have,
but have failed When obtain that, will
communicate it fully to you.
There are pressing liabilities upon the
State, aud soon there wit be others, which
must be met and met promptly.
There are outstanding warrants upon the
Treasury, unpaid for want of funds. On
the first of July next, there will be required
81, 900 dollars, TO pay the bonds known as
the war bonds. These were created by au-
thoritv of an act of May, 1861, to enable
the State to borrow money, to aid the Gen
eral Government in raising troops.
Under the law of Congress, to reimburse
the States for actual expenditures for this
purpose, Kansas will be entitled to receive
from the Federal Government, as I am in
formed 1900 dollars, leaving 19, 600 to be
provided for by the State.
This amount will have to be raised either
by direct tax upon the people, or by a new
issue of bonds. The former is impractical
bic, because it would be impossible for US
to make the levy and collect the tax IN time.
The latter is our only alternative.
In November, 1861, this State made a
contract, through the agent created by its
authorized agents, with the Secretary of the
Interior, al Washington, for the sale of
$3.50, 900 OF its fifteen-year seven per cent.
bonds, at IS cents on the dollar. Only
portion of this contract has been fulfilled.
Ninety FIVE thousand dollars (S95. 600) of
these bonds IS all that has been delivered,
and only $4,000 paid for. This leaves a
difference of fifty -four thousand 1854. O00)
of these bonds that will have to be delivered
to the Secretary of the Interior, before the
contract can be consummated. The Legis-
iature of 1862. for reasons of its own, took
the completion of this contract out of the
hands of its then agents, and their attorney.
aud placed it wholly in yours.
TO complete this contract, you will have
to authorize the issue of fifty -four thousand