The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-01-12
Governors lGeSsa ge.
The State Indebtedness
Penitentiary----Public I'm
prOvements---T Canal
Projects--E Education,
&C., &C., &c.
STATE or ILLINOiS,
ExECUrIyE DEPARTMENT,
January eth, 1861

STATE or ILLINOIS.
/ Executive DEPARTMENT.
january eth, 1861
To II Grasrc5 4ssemJly;
/ assemble to DISCHARGE the dulles im posed
uHo9 You ~ the Constitution pf the State.
It beepmes as with gratitude to acknowledge
the manY blessings which have been be.
5towed upon Us by Divine Irogidcnce. The
time which has inierveHod siaee 'he meeting
of the last General Assembly has been
marked by grand and imposing events.
. War, wi.h all It's sc1urgcs, has Iei from oar
laud. and gentle peace returns to heal It's
wounds. | congr tlla.e Won aud the com
try u92n the aaspicJul circumstances Galcr
which you a-a'a assemble.
In communicating 70 vou, rs it is my duty
I 70 dc, information of the state of the G0T>
( crament, il is I pieasiIr reflection that the
preyr-t affJ-ls US all that can reasonably be
expected From the recen, condition OF M
tional afAics.
Agriculture, commerce, manufactures and
| mining, the four great leading interests from
which all orr prosperity S9~ugs, are rapidly
cxpa-dnc. nni each is aiding i.ew and per
ruauent wealth 70 the State. Pestilence. in
It's aiilies, form. has only touched the bor-
der while r7.vc-sa! health has prevailed
throughout toe SAFE. The Law has been
I respects9 evcrywlg-re as the shield and pro-
lection OF society. with scarcely n i'p'e cf
Ii.sati.f4c'i5a IN amy locality; and justice,
lhrosgh cur c0rrts, has bcea fsirly and
pcaccablg administered.
T-e s.cc'ieul we're conducted il q manner
becoming The dignity of those important
political trials by the people, and in spirit
/ Of unusual Kindness between the conicnliu-
pcrti-s Tie result has been accepted Ia IL
CORES bonding temper, leaving the toacrs Of
the future, so far as cur State is concerned d,
. ini.clIiye o. all that can be dc Ir.l IN this
s-est.
Prompt to war, va Nere uyerjoyel at tie
return of peace. Our noble soldiers who
sought the ii ii and delicd the coBhic:-wao
Stood at lLe helm until the tempest sI5sIded
have returned to all The emp.0ymeuts OF
peaceful life, so naturally, and so rapidly,
that but for he rEaH@.ed forms o. those we
Eoc, eTery day, aa4 the noble and hCuOrci
dead, who sleep behind, the dark hours O.
the four mad years would scarcely sadlen
Us. Profoundly grateful for q retucn Of
peace and the great HEu5nal benefits results
ug FROM tie war. we shall never cease to
iameu; tbs great sacrifices it oecaSi0Eet to
oUg couairy, and the manY thousands Of onr
brave men.
u.
loyel respect and Tenetation for his high
character as citizen and statesman, | but
respond to a natursi and IuSt ezQ citation in
recalling your ;hou. hts 70 the death Of Aara-
ham LiucoiH, the late President of the UnI-
ted States. Ia the maturity OF life, At the
moment Of greatest usefulness 10 his country.
when the g.iIcd rays Of the morning OF
peace were Just beginning to dawa upon nur
| distracted cO4ntry, aud tue irst imp.es eiOuS
Of joy - throb IN his great heart, over the
august rcsa',s ot our great struggle. anu his
oTl hcrcu,can efforts, for the peace, the Sc
cUrity and the peri uity Of the Union. be
/ :e.I by the hand Ui rrmorseless asSlSslhs.
Our State was his loved home. aad here lie
sleeps ia death. Illinois, Justly proud OF his
iuperlshaiie fame, cannot regret that he
belonscd 10 our whole country. and by our
whole country shall be forever honcrca and
mourael.
\ new career now opens to our STATE !;
h~i-h: and eharDing future is b.fore IS. t,
s useless t" talk Of our resources TOR they
are i!mi;lcsS; Of our ,n-sns of wealth, for
they are boundless Industry, wisely and
economically directed. will secure the enjoy
ment Of universal happiness, anl our State
will become. what it was destined to be, the
home OF the happy. 1t is our Spty to hold
constantly in view every interest OF the cO2l
,nonwea,h: 10 bravely meet every require
meut necessary To the fnil development of
our ra,ural -lvaurages to cherish the arts
and the scieaces; to foster education, tbs
soul of the STATE; and with cl aritab,c ham 9s.
to meet and SIS Is? the unfortunate.
STATE DEBT.
Although the State debt was once an op>
pressiYe burden, and hung as an incubus
upon our people. an honest wish to pay II
prompted the discovery of the nears Tor its
liquidatios. In few years, with the pro-
cress We are now making, the whole amount
will be paid; and, released from the ooiiga-
tiOrs which grew out Of the indiscrciion OF
former aad experimental YEAR, we 81 ali be
able, by the jn'icious imposition Of reasons
abe taxes, to meet all :he requirements Of
our growing population, witLouT, il is hop ped,
creating another Sta;e debt.
On the first of December, 1854. the debt
tomittug Macaiister aG3 Stc5binS hJads J
was $I0.277,I6l.3G. Owing to tba non.
presentation cl bonds for paymnmt Of pro
ra.a dividends Of the proceeds OF the two
mill :ax, provided ~ The Constitution for IN"
Humiliation uf tho State debt, the Ge1e~H
Asse!nhly. Ia 1851. provided for lnc transfer
to The rcvcnac iand OF the proceeds OF hat
tax, then in the r.aaury, and payment OF
further proceeds of the same directly into
t;c revemue fund, and sI+psndel the as ess-
niert of sal tax for the years 1851 and
tSG2 This uspeaIed. until Jana ,sy 1863,
s.rv liaYmcgt - the debit from this source.
leaving only The receipts from the Illinois
Central Rlilro1d, and dividends by the Trus-
tees Of tie Illinois and Michigan Caral on
registered canal bondI, as means for redaciuG
the State deot.
III. debt was Increased in 1861, by the
issue of
Bonds f,r varpurposes...... s2,oo10@ 90
Bonds For revenue purposes, ....-....... 3loo0no
Thornton loan, .-........-.---. -.... le-OOo"o
Making. with tn, amount outstanding Dee.
1st. isso... -..............' l22'-loi.9e
This amount was reduced by payments by
the Canal Trustees ard by purchases with
the Illinois Central Railroad fund, up to De-
cemher lst, 1854. to Sl1,2f6,2l0. Payments,
from Dec /, 1864. 10 Dec, l. lsG6, emount
to S2.607, ,95S.45, leaving due, Dec. /, 1866,
i S8,638, ,252.2l!
The following is a statement of state in>
debtedness purchased and paid off with the
several funds applicable to that purpose;
Central Railroad fund, o2Sif ., 9tiif'.-o
State deot frnd,. .....-. s2lo7eo --...-''
State debt fnnd, pro rata pay
meats FOR 1868 and Is i6.. l,i.19oito .--'.''.
Central Railroad fund, Maraii'trr -
and Stebbins bonds. 29,''p'oo Z',t'"'0o
Central Railroad scrip ans comp o.- >. ,,o =,
ons October 1861, -o"'.e" ''tVO--'
Instalment of 10 per cent by trs
tees o, Illinois and Michigan n
nal on registered oaani bon's, -
January 1856. zo'o''''' '--''--'
4 s2,se7,75sis s47,2cc.t2
4 The following is an abstract anu statement
I L., ~f tbn ctat indebtedness December