Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-04
FROM sr. LOUIS.


ST LOUIS Jan. q
Thomas G. Fletcher, the newly elected
Radical Governor of Missouri, was inau-
g1rated at Jefferson City to-day and his
inaugural address read to the Assembly.
After speaking in general but glowing
terms of the new era Of freedom for the
State, the fate of slavery, the peoples YER
dict, ss evinced in the recent election, the
duty of all to sink the partisan in the ps-
triot, the dark past and bright future, the
advantages and resources of Missouri, the
future homo of Progress, Truth and Faith,
he enjoins strenuous efforts to preserve
harmony in every department of the State
Government with all measures Of the Ma
tionAl Government. He advises the Log
islature to furnish homes and education for
the orphans of our soldiers He says in his
appointments to office he shall give the
preference to men who have served with
honor in the field. He recommends that
our public school system be enlarged so as
to include military instruction, and the
transformation Of the State University
into free academy, with two depart
ments, bearing directly upon and qualify
ing young men for the development Of our
agricultural and mineral wealth. BE ad-
vlses the modification of the militia law,
and the division of those subject to military
law into two classes, and the abolition Of
the commutation clause in the present law.
BE says the right to citizenship and home
in Missouri ought to be insepRrable from
tha duty of assisting in its defenss. He
enjoins great care in the revision Of stat
utes and amendments 70 the Constitution
about to be made. He will require the
erasion from it of the word "slaye," the
abolition of all distinctions of color in the
laws relating to crimes and their punish
ment, and the sbrogstion of all laws for
fostering and protecting the interests of
slavery.
He recommends the passage of a regis
trstion law for the protection of the bal
lot boz. He says that the men who by re-
bellion have disavowed their allegiance to
the Government, should regain tha privi-
leges of citizenship only through the
United States naturalization laws, while
the liberty-loVing foreigner, willing 10
fight for his adopted country, should have
the probationary term preceding the ae.
quiEition Of citizenship shortened fur all
purposes Of State elections.
He advises the encouragement of emil
grafton by all possible means, and assures
Union men who have BEEN driven from
the State that they can return with
safety.
He regrets the condition of our finances,
and suggests the issue of interest bonds for
the accrued interest on the State debt, and
that the portion of the interest we are IN
able now to meet bear no ointerest for three
years, and then three per cent, increasing
at the rate of one per cent. per annum for
two years, the maximum rate to be five per
cent. He recommends the selling of all
railroads which have forfeited their charters
by non-psyment of interest. BE recon-
mends the speedy completion of those
most necessary to the State, and requests
the General Assembly to exercise all its
power over railroads and other corpora
tions to compel them, under penalty, to
employ none but entirely loyal men.