The New York herald., 1868-01-08
Tho Governors Message.


We publish to-day the Message Of Governor
Fenton to the State Legislature. 1t is a
lengthy, elaborate and not altogether uninte-
resting document. AS far as it relates to the
financial and other interests of the State of
New York 1t may be read with some satisfac-
ton. When it travels beyond that into the
regions of general politics it becomes vapid
and worthless.
The Governor impresses upon us the neces-
siy, as point of honor, of paying our share
Of the public debt incurred by the war, as it
any one hesitated to relieve himself Of this
obligation; and upon this point he is exceed
ingly prolx. And in this connection he reminds
us-to our sorrow-that there are sixteen hun
dred national banks in existence, with capital
Of four hundred and nineteen millions Of dol
lars and five hundred and sixty millions on
deposit but he does not recall the fact that
these national banks are dragging vast sums
from the substance Of the people-that they
are enriching few corporations at the expense
Of the general public.
After dwelling to great extent upon SUBJ
jects general to the whole country, the Gov
ernor invites our attention to the State of New
York. He shows the debt of the State on Sep
tember 80, 1867, after deducting the balance
Of sinking funds unapplied, to be $44 ,114592.
He assures US that despite the solicitude con-
cerning the ability of the State to sustain the
burdens resting upon il, and the predicted ap-
proach Of financial trials, our resources and
material wealth have vastly Increased, and
that thorough revision of the tax and assess-
ment systems will obviate ali difficulties. As
a fair measure Of the material advance, he says
that the New York city banks, in November,
1860, as represented by their loans, conducted
abusiness of $l22, 900, 900, and at the same date
In 1867 the volume Of their loans was nearly
S24S,000,000, or more than double the business
Of 1850 Hardly less significant, if not in SO
great q ratio, is the advance in most all depart
ments Of business and enterprise, as will be
found by reference to the tables of commerce
and tonnage, railroad and insurance capital,
mercantile, manufacturing and mechanical en-
ployments, and the value Of real and personal
estate
Concerning the canal debt, we are told that
upon the average basis OF receipts for the last
seven years the whole indebtedness will be
extinguished in 1874. The debt due to the
State for war purposes has been reduced to
S65O,2s6, and that is to be settled shortly BY
the War Department The National Guard is
represented to be in flourishing and adyanc-
ing condition, including now forty-fve thousand
officers and men.
The public charities and State prisons re.
ceiye a portion of the Governors attention.
and are treated Of somewhat in detail Re-
lating to quarantine, emigration and the public
health, the reports are satisfactory. In the har-
Dor Of New York during the pas! year 242,7
immigrants were landed, realizing fund to
the Commissioners Of Emigration-at the per
capita rate Of 50 50-of the magnificent sum OF
over q million dollars for Communication tax
alone.
The Governor INDUCES in some vague
theories about special legislation, and alludcs
to the fact that large number OF bills
OF this character were rushed through during
the last ten days OF the late session, four
hundred and nineiy-four of which he had not
time to sign before the adjournment This,
however, is q common custom, but IL ought 10
be amended and that we have altogether too
much legislation Is undoubtedly true, when
we consider that about eighty per cent of tho
bills passed are jobs
On the matter Of public education we learn
that The amount paid for the Common School
fund by the government last year was
$i,4O3l63, by voluntary local taxation
s5,59l, ,s7l, and from rate bills and other sources
sl,900,O0o. The number OF children attending
the schools were 3o62 per cent Of The entire
number between FIVE and twenty-ons years, or
4i5i per cent Of the whole number OF children
between six and seventeen years Of age. These
subjects, which are OF interest 70 the State of
New York, Governor Fenton touches upon
here and there in bis Message; but he dilates
altogether too much upon national ques-
tons. reconstruciion the defunct confederacy.
and the condition OF the South, which is mere
waste Of space, and might more properly be
embodied in other documents than a Cover.
por's MASSAGE