The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-01-18

throughon our country, for the energy and
success which have thus far characterized
its efforts Its library now numbers q, 1866
volumes bound and unbound, of which over
eleven hundred are bound newspaper vol
umes, with crcditable gallery of portraits
of Wisconsin, pioneers and prominent Indian
Chiefs, and a fine cabinet OF curiosties 1t
has now become a source of great pride to
all the citizens of the State who are ac>
quainted with its excellence. If the State
would grant the Society tie privilege OF is
suing volume Of COLLECTIONS once In three
years it would be the medium of preserving
many valuable narratives of our gallant Wis
consin soldiers in the war for the preserva
ton of the Union l commend this matter
to your respectful consideration.
Tie Secretary of State has frequent appli
cations from the various officers entitled to
them, for copies of the Revised Statutes,
which he has no authority to grant. 1t fire.
quently happens that officers fail to hand
their books over to their successors, or they
are worn out or lost
l suggest that the Secretary be authoriz-
ed to furnish them under such restrictions
as you may deem proper. 100. .2.'1
bB Your attention is called to the fact, well
known to all who have occasion to consult
the Revised Statutes, that they ought to be
again revised or codified-
The present volume is almost worthless
| TO the people generally, because of the many
amendments thereto tas s'fl
There have been 649 amendments enacted
to the laws since the statutes were revised
| in 1853, 528 Of which are amendments to
the Revised Statutes aud the general laws.
lit dots not seem necessary to present any
other argument in favor of another revision.
Il submit. it to your judgment whether this
style of legislation is either necessary or
profitable tt
Special Legislation has become an evil in
our State, and the frequency with which
our laws are amended is a sure indication
that much of the past legislation has been
hasty and ill advised. @ a
The bank Comptroller reports that the
whole number Of State banks doing business
on the first day of October, 1864, was sixty
four,---
With an aggregate. capital gof .. So OG3 OG0
Whole number October list, 1865 twen-
ty-oEe, With an aggregate capital of SQ1 900
Decrease OF apital in 2 months, 50, 2O2 600
The VIII lie amount Of securities held in
trust for banking associations, Oct.
LIST, 1851 was -. S2664 500 IS
The aoou..t held October Isl, 1865 WIS 2S4,i57 20
Decrease IN tg-motths -. 49,. 50 $50 SIP 90
The amount OF cil euiati0n outstan dihg ...
October tst, 1865 was.............. 274,784 90
IL Deciea'c in IL uo'eths, , $2,2S5, $3.50 20
Under provisions Of chapter 282 of the
laws Of 1865, 81 banks have assigned to the
State Treasurer their Wisconsin State bonds
the aggregate amount of which is $57, 500,
the State being rsponsble for whatever cir
culatiOn of these banks may be outstanding.
The State Treasurer should be authorized
to redeem this circulation when presented
at the State Treasury, and he should be EN-
powered to take the necessary steps, as prof.
vded in the banking law for closing up
these banks and securing to the State the
Ebeneft of their lost circulation. - -
r. The Comptroller suggests that the bank
ing law isv very defective, and should be
thoroughly revised, If State banking is to,
be continued TO any considerable extent. \
This suggestion should receive your earli-
est attention. /
H. Your attention is called to the careful con
sideration of chapter 400 Of the general laws
of 1865, which provides for taxing national
banks. 1t is claimed by that class of cor
poratjQns that the State tax is unist and |
unconstitutional.
Banks thus taxed have in some instances
paid into the State Treasurer the amount
required of them, under protest with an ex-
pectation of decision by the Supreme court
of the uuited States generating them from
such liability /
A test case is now before the highest iu-
dicial tribunal, taken up from one of the |
State Courts of the State of New York, /
where the tax was declared constitutional |
1t is also expected that the question will be |
decided in a few months by the Supreme
court of this State
= If it is held by the courts that this tax is |
unconstitutional. the Banks will demand |
q return OF the amounts paid by them into |
the State treasury, and the State treasurer
should be authorized to re paythen. -- i
The securities for outstanding bank cir
culation, on the 31st day of December last
amounted to 1929, 90l, 5 of which $115, 500 |
were bonds, and SIG, 401, Is were Treasury !
notes and coin. The bonds are deposited |
with the State treasurer. while the notes !
and coin are with til bank Comptroller. 1t
is desirable that the money should also be |
ran,ovad to the vanlt. of tba Itot, J,rooe,,ra,.,
He is the officer to whom the duty of keeping /
the public money naturally belongs, and he |
can discharge that duty more securely and
than the Rank Cop,ptroIlar /
The S ale Claims 70 Be fhe Substantial nuoar
of air,o ti',, 81 ,bso mon, -, W., ~ - = Het
the Stnte were sold r. The bankn nnon nre,1
for a portion Of the purchase mpnev- II vyas
a',raad ,4''t ,ha ha.d "'pney' IL was
irsily. Ms security fr he ciTcnIs,i1n If tbo
banks making the denosit and seenndlr - sa1
curry To ike State far The nnna,d haiance If tIo
Many of these band. have basn so,3 nv +ba
Bank Comptrolierto redeem the bank crcula-
ton. and a residue nj tie proceeds, after te
deeIniI:g sucn bits as have been presented, re-
mains in the .C'mptfoiie''s safe, part OF the
money Oh hand as above stated. This sub-
lect TO, ana viii he absorbed by the lien Of the
state, und should he in the possession. and Al