Litchfield enquirer., 1864-05-12
The State Reform School has been open ten

years, during which time there have been receiv. ed six hundred and ninety four boys. There are now two hundred and three in the institu- tion. Their earnings in the mechanical depart ment have been about S7,00O during the year. It has been conducted with more economy. and been more successful in improving the character of the boys than at any former perio,!
 The system of labor trains them to habits Of order and industry the plan of education de velops their mental faculties, and the moral and religious instruction directs then. in the paths of honesty, sobriety and virtue. The friends of the institution will be gratii- ed that their anticipations are being realized in the saving of some from greater depths of vice to which they were tending when brought to the school, and in such complete reformation in the conduct and character of others as to inspire them with proper degree of self re spect, and enable them to secure q comfortable livelihood as useful and respectable citizens.
 The whole number of convicts in the States Prison is one hundred and thirty nine, being twenty less than year ago.
 The law which reduces the term of service for good behavior, continues to have a benef- cial influence upon the morals and characters of the prisoners The reward is to them one of merit, and gives them degree of self re spect. Good discipline has been preserved without severity.
 No contract for prison labor has expired dur iig the year, therefore no advance in prices has been obtained. The necessary supplies of tle prison and of experimenting the prisoners have increased so as to make the expenditures S657 3l more than the earnings.
 There have been sixty one State benefciaries admitted into the Retreat for the Insane dur infrt thsC o,,d fo,,fu ,,ip T; ,oha eight of whom had recovered or improved There are one hundred and twenty-siy remain ing.
 This and other institutions of humanity and charity. established by Christian benevolenee IS will appear by reference to the reports of their directors, have continued to be the chan nels through which the State has relieved the necessities of many of her unfortunate chil- lrpn
 Their numbers increase not only with the in crease of population, but in consequence of the anxiety and distress occasioned by public dis turbaHce, and larger appropriations are requir- ed for their relief.
 Those who possess and appreciate the bless ing of a physical and mental constitution which can readily be so developed as to add to their usefulness and happiness, will rejoice in any judcous expenditure which you may make to relieve those who are deprived of any of their senses, or who are deransed CT deforn.ed in any of their powers.
 The railroad interest has been rendered pros porous by large increase in the number of passengers and in the quantity of freight trans ported. While the operating expenses have been much larger than formerly, yet the net income from paid capital of Sl9 0i2, ,391 3 Eas been Sl ,G94 I30 l8 which is gain of more than half million of dollars over the amount received last year.
 ihe New Britain, aud NilI!etown Railroad Is in process of construction.
 The Rockville Road has been comeleted aud is in successful operation. During the year only three hanks have ter n.lnated their corrnr;.tc relations to the State and organized under the National Haukn. ! Act
 l There arc now seventy-two Banks of Dis count with an aggregatn capital of S2O, ,6Oi ,9i2 l here is no material difference between the loans, deposits, circulation and specie reported in 1863 and the present amount. The conservative and health full influence of our forty -eight Savings Banks is felt in the stimulated industry of our laboring population, aud in the habits of economy and saving which are manifest in the deposits, whic!, have in creased during the year $3, ,S01 ,S65, and on the first day of January amounted in the aggregate to S26,954 SOP.
 The frequent applications which have o' late been made for acts of incorporation to carry on manufacturing, and other branches of industry, induce me to refer to the public act relating to Joint Stock Corporations. Under its provision labor, capital, and genius have been associated, and various kinds of business prosecuted, often upon an extended scale, with advantage to individuals and benefit to the State.
 | lfany amendments can be made to the law which will not call for an unnecessary exposure of private interests thus associate d, and which will assure the public that the corporations are wisely and properly conducting their business. let them be adopted.
 Is it not probable that the suggestion which had the honor to make 10 the General As sembly in 1858, relating to more reliable annual statement is of this character The experience of twenty-five years shows that the law is based upon sound principles, and that in order to secure just protection to capital invested, or to labor employed in ordinary business, its wholly unnecessary and impolitic to grant special acts of incorpora- tion.
 All associations for conducting business which it is right for an individual to pursue, other than a copartnership, should be organ ized under this statute.
 If there shall be peculiar circumstances con nected with any company, which furnish sub stantial reasons for relieving it from any of the requirements of law, or for granting special privileges, they can be considered and met by resolution which shall relate only to the ob- ject ia view.
 More than year since the attention of tue Executive was called to law affecting the in- terests of many citizens of Connecticut, enact ed by the State of Massachusetts, which impos ed different and as was believed, heavier tax upon the stock of corporations held by persons residing out of that State than upon the same property owned by residents. | For these reasons it was regarded as viola ton of the second section of the fourth article of the Constit ution of the United States, which declares that "the citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immuni ties of citizens of the several States" Fears were also entertained that it would disturb the harmony which now exists between the States by exciting retaliatory legislation.
 The attention of the Governor of that State was called to the subject by others as well as by myself and on the assembling of the Legis lature he presented the subject to that body in an argument to show that the act is in viola tion of that section of the Constitution to which