, 1865-11-15
INDIANA.
Governor M0rt0n,s Message.

Governor Morton's Message.
state Fsnances-Census-Ap
-Reconstfuctions Etc.
Gov. Morton's message wns delivered to The
lndilna Legislature yesterday. 1t IL docu.
ment Of great length, filling twcnty-stx octave
pages, 4 considerable portion being devoted
to discussion Of the question whether the
state is legally bound to pay the principal oi
her public debt on the 10Th Of January next.
We make the following e1tzaets from til
message:
rrATE FINANCES.
The nmount Of the public debt OF the State. oon-
sisting of swe snd haK md nye PEI cent i1esis. ri
tered stocks Is seven million four hundred End
eighteen Thousand nine hundred md sixty dollars
and y fSat* 1 sS1s ose ,S1 o5 a. s
thousand dse hundred dollars III, 3ta 5O0) i avc
per cent and tho sum Of two millions sesepty-slx
thousand four hundred and sixty dollars and dlty
stock that ss stocks upon wh,ch tntcsest is paid
At theee rates.
VI these stocks the Beard Of Commissioners oi
The sinking tund have purchased and noW bold The
hurdncd and seventy-two dollars and si1fS. seven
cents t$43d 6ss.E7) Of the FIVE ncr cents. and tht
sum Of f1:y.oLe thonsand two hundred md sev.
enty.two dollars and fifty cents (Ssi,s59) Of the
The State Def, Sinking Fund has purchased and
now holds seven hundred and eishiy-eicht thou
sand and thtrt, 1--we dollars t$7BaVas Of the fve
per CENTS, and ninety y-eix thousand nine hundred
dollars 6,se0) Of the txo and hair pa cents.
The Agg1eFtfc amount Of hat the Stale holds
through theee Two funds. Is one million tno huDd.
red snd thitty'fcuf thousand aeEen hundred and
seven dollars and et1ty-aeTen cents {$l, ,E34 7 81
OF the dye per cent stotks, and one hundred and
lotfy-eiehl thousand one hundred ard seEeuty-two
aollars and my ee1ts tx14s II; 5o} Of Tho tso md
eiChly-two thousand eight hundred and eighty dol.
aru nnd seventeen cents III ss $50 IL 1eastng out
etanding IN the hands Of the creditors Of The Stse
the amounl Of efh millions thirty ysI1 thousand and
eiEh.y collars ana 1hfrsy-three cents Ga G oo ssl
Of which iour million one hundred and seven thons.
and seyen hnndreu and ntucty-tWo d3llats aud
ll!lfy-ihree cents (N1m ~ 81 are hse per cents,
.honsand TWO hundred and eIghty-eishE dollars
e., ,sa, sf6) are two and q half per cents.
lace o1 The soek ot The eeFt1dcstes OF fndebt-
etDetr provide that tbls stock Is tedeemahle at
any lime atler twenty years from the 1ytb day d!
JtnnaEJ, 1876 1t the pleasure Of Tho State and unl
redeemed fs transferable upon 5urrender in The cfY
o. New fors. n books provided for that purpose
menk ihefcon. and according to speh other rules
and forms % are may BE- prescribed for that our.
pose. and !or The payment Q! the Interest and n
fssmp9n se I,sps % e s,R as Rseps the .h Of
The twenty yeare referrrd to viii expire on the
18th Of January next, md the question ffst to b
considered IL whether these ssockx fnl due 1t that
requires that payment sball b. made on tia. day.
ny tome It has been urged that the words at Inc
peasnre Q! the state 10 be srratcd as su plas-
ace and The money held to fall due precisely at The
II Is a1Ened that because \ slaia caunot be COM
PEELED 10 Jay her debts BY legal process, the p,y-
ment y1ll i1 a4 eases BE- at the pleasure Of The
must hold that the lsuGnage In usti rneana iust
what It snss, that the State may coneult her own
a. 70 1he lime of mailing payment. IN
action out Of which this form Of indebtedness
.prang. Or something contained IN The law Grating
II. which requires that a different couetrpctIon
should be put upon 1t.
In y.ew OF the Whole matter Is hsve presented
Il The |ust conclusion SCENE to be this that while
ne State 1s not boand to pny the principal Of this
debi on ihe 19th dsy Of January. 1sa, Or be con-
postpone the psyment Of II indefinitely; that 10 do
30 would be to Jiolate the fair construction Of the
certificate iteli, and ihe explicit understanding
and In the Convention Of 1850, as shown By their
several euactuents and debaies but that ehe il
hound e make provision to ay the debt within such
@ he ne
the abiT and condition Of the state as len py the
wnE, the faithful performance Of her cuntEacls and
the preservation Of her good name. The whole
sideta{on, ln The hope thai your conclusion, what
eSer 1t shall he, may be announced before your nal
adjournment, 70 that the State and her Creditors
may know what they have to depend npon.
BrSKEa FUND.
Ar before shown the amount Of these stocks out
provided for IL si1 millions hirtysix Thousand and
eighty dollars and thlrty. three cenla f$6 uM
Ihs AadifoF OF Stale has furnished me etate-
menr &c IN which he estimates that there will be In
nj n$a f1nt.f krty$
million dollars t$l, ,600, ,000}
The Board Of Commissioners OF the old Sinking
1T day q 5anuaFy: IsSI lie sun Of eix handsei M red
thousand dollars {{Go0, cool
There 4 due slso 70 the old Sinking Fnnd ubout
nine h9nd1ed thonsand dollars $500 6e0) on leans
secuted ~ mortgages On rcal estate, which, how
eses could not be made available Tor eevern years
owing to the extension of time made By he Staie
10 tie mofteasoFs:
Should the asPets OF the siuktne funds be con-
sefted into our public debt n have suggested,
!ha hole debt Of the State lel outstanding ID he
hands Of hs1 creditors to be provided for might be
Two and talf md five per cent stock. aa eosa
War Loan bontt x.,,.,.,.,,. 438O0l n1
vineenne. i1nisez.tty bonds. G6eas.OO
Floating debt, estimated at........... 100000
Total debt. ,$3.9 $780, T6i33
The conversion suggested can be made within
ls EsAt sA 1uo4tHsy anu tnefe Is no pfopE3efy Ia
q the eum of eeven Or eight millions or dollars
hen she has the means fn her own hands Of re-
1ucfpe 1t to lcss than four milKons.
STATE APPoRT1oSMEST.
The Legislature of the State having failed
or some fifteen gears, to comply With the
PROVISIONS Of the constitution, In regard to q
:ensus for The apportionment of mmbera of
he Senate md House Of Representatives, the
Governor recommends that census be taken
o the year 1866, etc:
To meet the present emergency further RECON-
mend the passaee Of law, temporary IN its charac-
er, making new appothonment Of Senators md
ttpYetentatiEet on The bars OF the votes cast at
ne fIesioch!lai eiectinu in 1864, such a1,portou.
aent to continue until q new one ean be made
titntIon. - ''N~
TESTIMONY OF co1oRED PERSONS.
Ihe Governor reports his Recommendation
i last year, that colored persons be allowed
o testify IN all courts Of Justice.
RECONSTRUCTION.
On the subject Of reconstruction the Gov
rnor approves generally Of President John
on's pohcs,opposes negro suffrage and argues
fasof OF an amendment Of the United States
Constitution making the basis Of Federal rep1
esentation depend on the number of voters.
1stcad Of population. In conclusion be says:
an not Of TIE opinion that the Herculean work
M nS0na1Iu1oa 60 LEU ~aa ~ Be accomplished At
W1lI proceed Staie by Statc. as each one ahali
oniosm 10 me requirements Of the Government.
I'D show itseif loyal an prepared to resume its
hteh have heen imposed upon these States by tbe
resident are not only reasonable and iegitimnte
at e. aetsfed bR 1nstlce and wiae foresight for