Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-01-17
Governors Message.
Delivered Friday, January II, 1867
GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE AND House o
REPRESENTATIVES,:

DlcSSeu- Inc pcStlcnCt WHICH ucsvldtoV
other parts of the country, touched within
our borders but lightly, and did not long
remain, and good health has generally pre-
vailed to an unuSu i degree.
Although one of our staple crops has
fallen shtrt, cauSing loss and embarrass
ment to many. vet we have great and al
most unexampled prosperity.
Agriculture has been prosperous, com
merce has flOurished, manufactures have
been extended, public improvements of va
rIous kinds projected and successfully
prosecuted.
When we consider that the country has
just emerged from dreadful war. in which
our State bore distinguished part. and
suffered greatly, in the loss of thousands Oi
her best citizens, and the withdrawal from
labor and business Ofmanv thousands more
her general prosperity and growth in pop
ulatiOn and wealth is as surprising as 1t Is
gratifying
Accordingto The census of 1860, the pop
ulqtion of Indiana was one million three
hundred and fifty thousand four hundred
and fifty eight. (I,25a,45S).
By the enumeration which has been
made and returned to the Auditor of State
under an act OF the last Legislature. 1t is
shown that. in 1866. the State had a pOpu-
lation of three hundred and forty thousand
two hundred and forty (340, ,2i0) white
males. over the age of twcnty-One years
which number. multiplied by the ratio usll-
ally~ adopted. would give population OF
over one mil,ioa seven hundred thousand
The estimate viii also be sustained by com
pairing the aggregate vote OF 1860 with that
of 1866, and shows an increase of more
than three hundred and fifty thousands in
six years.
According TO this ratio of increase, the
State will have within her borders, in 1870
more tlian two millions of people. which
would be an increase of over fOrty-cighi
per cent, in ten years. Ii Is doubtful
whether any State in the Union is growing
more rapidly in population, wealth, manu-;
factures. public Improvements. and the gen
eral development Of agricultural resources
This great result is owing in large part 10
the high character which the State has nc
quired during the w~r.
The large numb of men she furnished
TO the armies OF { -nion, under circuin-
stances of great and difficulty. thcig
uniform and distinguished gallaniry ON
every battlefield, unsurpassed by the sol
dicrs of any other State, the grest and con
tinued liberality of her people for sanitary
purposes and 10 relieve the distress grow
ing out Of the war. and the faithful per-
formance OF all obligations OF whatsoever
kind in the midst of the great conflict
have commanded universal admiration. and
directed the attention of the enterprising
and those who in every State are seeking
for new homes. to the advantages pTosen
ted to the labor and capital of the immi
grant
GOVERNOR BAKER.
was absent from the State on account
of III health. from the 10th day of Nnvem-
Der. 1865. until the 9Th day OF April lS66
during which period the duties of the OF
flee under the Constitution were perform
ed by Governor Baker. The great ability
and fidelity 10 the interests Of the State
which distinguished the administration oi
Governor Baker, commanded the geneaal
approval of the people. and makes pub
lie az Acknowledgement on my part ATOper rs
well rs a great pleasure. The duties which
dcvolved on him were OF an important
character, and were SO well and faithfully
discharged as to be satisfactory To all.
TIE PUBLIC -DEBT OF THE STATE.
The public debt OF the State outstanding
in the hands of creditors TO be provided
for is as follows:
Five per cent st"cks s3.s2a a3G .
Two and halfPer cent. stocks. 1i3l-t9l
Totsl amo'int Of stocks S5trsI ~ ss
Wa Loan Bonds. 1900 o.
Vince nres University bonds. $685. ot
Total Public Debt s5,396,CI2 50
The Auditor estimates that the State
Debt Sinking Fund tax for l>G6 will, on
the first day of July next. furnish nine
hundred thousand dollars, (SoGo0. .o0o) and
that enough can be drawn from the Gener-
al Fund In the Treasury al that time and
added to this amount to redeem all the out
standing two and q half per cent. stocks
which will leave outstanding in the hands
of creditors To be provided for otherwise
four millions two hundred and five thou
sand five hundred ard twenty-one dollar
ami thirty-three cents, (S4, ,.0j, ,52l 81.
The assets of the Sinking Fund indie
pendent al State stocks and bonds whicl
by the law last winter are 10 be applied tC
The payment of the State Debt may be
safely estimated at one million dollars
(Sl 900, ,000). of which amount five hundred
thousand dollars $500, 600 can be made
available by the Ist of July, 1870, and
which, if properly applied, would leave the
balance OF the debt 10 I've provided for and
paid by taxation. three million seven hun
dred and five Thousand five hundred and
twenty-one dollars and thirty three cents
ga, 705,52l $50, which it is estimated by tn,
Auditor will be fully accomplished at tn,
present rate Of taxation for that purpos'
hy the Ist of July. Is7O
T',fS Sr,ovrS tho financial CON litfOr of III.
State TO be better than at any former peri
Cd in her history. and presents the crafty
ing prospect that by SO she will have ia
ken up all her stocks and be out of debt
without adding to the the taxes which hav,
been already imposed.
To avoid confusion of. ideas it must bt
borne in mind that the money and property
OF Whatever Kind belonging to the old Sink
School Fund, and wh'ls 20 much of tn
State debt as may be purchased by the
Sinking Fund is thereby extinguished in 81
far as creditors and, the putlic are concern
ed, yet it must, in an other form, he KEPT
alive for the benefit OF the School Fnnd.
| The repc.t of the State Auditor will be
found to be an able and thorough docu
ment, giving full exposition of the bust
ness affairs OF tie State.
In the above estimate of the indebted
ness OF the State have omitted the inter
nal improvement bonds, amounting to tire,
hundred and fifty three thousand dollar,
(S553 ,0r0)
The Auditor in his report, following tlit
example of his predecessors for more than
twenty years, has put these bonds down a
part of the Indebtedness Of the State
They belong to the old debt OF the Stat,
upon which compromise was made il
1876, the holders of them falling or refus
ing to enter into or take par; in the com
/ promise. Upon these bonds interest has no
been paid for more than twenty-five years
The attitude of the State in regard to then
is not creditable, and ought to be chang
cd. Year by year the State by her accoun
ing officers publishes and confesses to til,
world that they are part of her indebted
ness, but pays no interest on them. which
has now accumulated to more than half
million of dollars, and makes no offer tt
IL IL L.