The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-12
MESS ACE.
-OF- LsGf
GOVERNOR OLIVER P. NORTON
- =
Delivered Friday, January IL, 1861.

representatives.
Throughout the year which has
| just passed, the people of Indiana
have been greatly blessed. The pes
thence which desolated- other parts OF
the country, touched within our bor-
ders but lightly and did not long re-
main, and good health has generally
prevailed to ian unusual degree. /
Althoughone of our staple crops
hasfallen short, causingsloss and en-
barrassment to many, yet we have
had great and almost unexampled
prosperity. @ra
Agriculture has been prosperous,
commerce has fourished, manufac-
lures have been extended, public i'm
'proyements ofvarious kinds projected
and successfully prosecuted.
+ When we consider that the country
has just emerged from dreadful war
in which our State bore distinguish
ed part, and suffered greatly in the
loss of thousands of her best citizens.
and the withdrawal from labor and
business of many thousands more,
her general prosperity and growth in
population and wealth is as surpris-
ing as it is gratifying.
According to the census of 1860,
the population of Indiana was one
million three hundred and fifty
thousand four hundred and twenty
eight q $50, 428).
BY the enumeration. which has been
made and returned to the auditor of
State, under an act O. the last Legis :.
lature, it is shown that in 1866, the
State had Il population of, three hun
dred and forty thousand two hundred
and forty (340, 240), white males over
the age of twenty-One years, which
.hambermuliplied-h theratiousuaily
adopted would give q popalationsof
thousand. The estimate will also be
sustained by comparing the aggregate
vote of 1860 with that Of 1866, and
shows an Increase of more than three
hundred.@and fifty thousand in six
years. ~
According to this ratio of increase,
the State will have within her borders
inu1S70 more than two. millions of
people, which would be an increase
of over forty eight per cent. in ten
years. It is doubtful whether any
State in the Union is growing more
rapidly in population, wealth, manu-
features, public. improvements, and
the general development of agricultu-
raj resources. This great result is
owing inlarge part to the high char
acter which the State has acquired
during the war.
The large number Of men she fur
nished to the army of the Union, I'M
der, circumstances of great trial and
their uniform and distin-
guished gallantry on every battle
field, surpassed by the soldiers of no
other State, the great and continued |
liberality Of her people for sanitary
purposes and to relieve the distress
growing out of the war, and the faith
Ful performance of all obligations of |
kind in the midst of the |
great conflict, have commanded uni
7ersal admiration, and directed the |
attention. of the enterprising, and |
hose who in every State are seeking
or new homes, to the advantages pre-
ented to- the labor and capital of the
.asE bGOvERNoR BAKER 8
| was absent from the State on ac-
cunt of i'll health, from the 18th day
# November, 1865, until the 18th day
f April, 1865, during which period
he duties of the Office under the
Constitution were performed by Gov
rnor Ba keraa The great ability and
ldellty to the interests of the State
ThIch distinguished the administra-
l6n9of Governor Baker, commanded
he general approval of the people,
nd makes a public acknowledgement
n my part proper as well as a great
'leasure. The duties ichdevolyed
Ipon him were of an important char
eteriand were so well aud faithful
7 discharged as to be satisfactory to
II.
THE PUBLIC DEBT Oh THE STATE.
The public debt of the State out
landing in the hands Of creditors to
e provided for is as follows:
i've per cent. stocks 829 1856 IS
wo and a half per cent. stocks. 1,I9l.G9l IS
Total amount of stocks. .02I ,o27 90
Var Loan Bonds ...................... 100000 60
Incomes University Bonds. G6,5S5 90
Total Public Debt. 1896, 6l2 9S
The Auditor estimates that the
tate Debt Sinking Fund tax for 1866
ill, on the 1st day of July next, fur
ish nine hundred thousand dollars
$500, 0O0), and that enough can be
rawn from the General Fund in the
'reasury at that time and added to
his amount, to redeem all the out /
landing two-and-a-half per cent.
toe ks, which will leave outstanding
. the hands of creditors, to be pro-
ided for otherwise, four millions, two
undred and FIVE thousand, five hun
red and twenty-one dollars, and thir-
V-three cents ($4, 205, 521 33). t
The assets of the Sinking Fund, in la