The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-01-21
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlenyn of the Senate.
and House of RepresentaticS

and House Of Representatives:
am happy to be able to congratulate
you upon the prosperit, Of our State. Du-
sing the last two years our people have en-
joyed their usual good health and have Sc.
cured reasonably abundant harvests. La.
Dor has been we'll rewarded. and the pro-
ducts of the labor have brought remuner-
alive prices. The educational interests Of
the State are as prosperous rs ever; and
peace and good order within our borders,
although on one CT two occasions somewhat
imperiled, have been maintained.
Let us render thanks to God for these
blessings vouchsafed ps during the exist.
ence Of deso.ating war, that has SO
scourged large portion Of our land.
FINANCES.
Our State finances have never before been
in a more healthy condition. Our entire
State debt is only 1922, ,295 IS, consisting ol
loan from the School Fund 81 ~, ,295 rs loan
Of 1858 5000, 900, and war loan of 1851 $500
900. or the $8O0, 900 war bonds authorized
to be sold, $500, 900 remain on hand-none
have been offered since the $500, 900 were
sold; and it is believed no further sales
viii be necessary.
The report Of the State Auditor shows
that the moneys now IN, the Treasury. the
delinquent taxes, the amount estimated to
be due from the United States. and the tax.
es for 1868 and 1864, are sutficieat 70 pay
the estimated expenditures for the next tWe
years. and outstanding Warrants OH the
Treasury, and our entire State debt, leav.
ing a balance in favor of the Treasury oil
about 5000, 900.
Provision should be made for the re.
demption of the bonds issued in 1858 and
1872 rs they fall due. recommend that
4 sufficient sum he set aside, annually. for
ddsls purpose, and invested, with its accu.
Equations, in United States Or other good
s locks. In my judgement, the amount ,tue
z e School Fund should be permitted to
llnain as a permanent debt Of the State
& e State is trustee Of this fund and liable
Itall losses thereto and there can be no
" mode Of investing this amount Of the
than the present. -" ''''
re report Of the Auditor still shows a
hramount Of delinquent taxes. So much
of s as is due upon real estate viii be q
nqll5aid but it is thought, a very consid
eno portion Of the delinquency is due
Il uponersonal property. by persons no,
3. owmiany real estate, much af which will
!. Und our revenue law, real estate is as
sessco eDnially, and personal property
annuait The assessments are made be.
tweenu 1st Of January and the Lat oI
: FeoruarT the next year. Il thus happens
that pefAs may bring into the State
tor saies onay buy within the State, large
y amopuQ personal property, which are
assesse0 them for taxation; may keep
,. and usetisame. within the State, more
than yeasnd finally dispose of it before
~ the tax otmes delinquent; and Is such
Id persons DOT own resi- estate la the sspe
county wch the personal property was
30 assessed, he is no means of compelling
= the paymsnlf TIE taxes due This defect
in the law bid be remeded in Justice to
the State, the owpers of real estate.
who al eaQy ar their full share Of the
- public burdrn
sd renew Apellowing recommendations.
made by ms tae Ninth Geperal Assem-
bly,: '''''
er I'm order tmate the revenue cf the
!. State more Sern, recommend that the
. County frea&uis be required by law to
pay the StatekTurer, at fixed times, Ger.
tain propor'loye the amount of revenue
due to the SWentil the entire sum for
each year IS ~ whether the County
freasprers haY&niyed The entire amoGpt
- OF State tax OF AT present the State is
wholly heipiess y its revenue. 1t has
to depend who'll non the officers Of the
n Counties inr itsZc.ction and transmits
sion, ard u the Sosy officers are inef1i
cient, the STATE isateIdiless. is Each county
is now liable ny psto the State for the
amount OF State ~ ,essetl in it, but this
: I'ab'hty. without leans of making il
effective, IS useless the counties were
reqnirea to pay venue due to the
{. State, whetner ch ~ or not, then the
County SuPerv would be
stimulated 70 reau'H the Treasurer a
- strict performance %! 3uties; and il, ir
- sda't'on' you snoula ange the present
law as 10 give Count surers in lieu OF
salary, q per centuu1 D the ,monnt ~
money collected and drtsed or nrov;de
TOT t"wnship cohec.o' he paid in the
2, he more ppnctnaliy paid r g" w.
J" II also recommend dAi ha mad. the
nd duty of the Board Of S&pIsor. NJ .sn,,
county to employ com "a ,cconnt,nt
once in each year. to exah ba .cco,,n,s
ei Of each county officer, and IA an .cco,, :.
between each officer and AiAonr,v .nd
betu cen officer and office<k IA Ia .h.,
's County Treasursrs, and Z tar rersons
who receive public moneys ,roh;h;t.d
under severe penalties, fro mo ,her,
in any way. or placing them other. ~
: be used, for their private beu "
There is due this State, fr<n, Halted
States, for expenses incurred b,hs~ ~ St.,s
pa in raising and equipping Rs 81
sending them to the field, G. o.h..
purposes growing out of the Nm ,hs
NJ estimated amount Of $500, ,OO< ,ara !.
% much difiiculiy in procuring an itm.n, |,
Of this claim at Washington. q .h.se
"a moneys were expended by the lalth.rs
- was no law Of Congress, or regul5 o.s ths
IN Federal Government, prescribing sor,,
be be in which proof of the cxpendituf , ,n,d
be taken; and the General ASSEM- ;S;a ;Sn
ne State provided. by law. for such b ~ =
vouchers as it deemed sufficient, biss.
the protection Of the State and the ! =
States. Upon presentation Of thes( $. =,
, and vouchers to the proper Depart( a.
y Washington. they are found not to dni
m '1 in form, with regulations since adop IN
:" that department; and it is doubtful I'll
9. they will be allowed without some L =
n. ton by Congress. Some portions Of ~
: expenditures, thus made, ave slso objeea
y as not coming within the letter Of sxi1
laws of the United States Among
are the sums paid by the State ffo'is; the
sistence and pay Of the troops that =
from tins State 10 Missouri, at the requ
70 of the United Statss officers. under the co
= mand Of Colonels Edwards and Morledge.
There is. also, an unsettled claim agar