The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-01-22
aoYrnNoR,s uEssaaE.

burdens We suffer in common with the Country
in which our interest is involved, and where we
may expect to find relief
The recent decisions cf hepeople have shown
that they are not willing to give the Govern
ment over to the hands OF our aaycrsarics as
rebuke for cur errors; and that no threats Of VI
olence can deter them from their duty in 70,
gard to the REIMBURSEMENT Of man.
"Tho States Of the South will see that ou'
quarrel is not with them, but with the inplaea
bic spirit Of secession and slavery"
FINANCE
The report Of the Treasurer will exhlon u
you the very satisfactory condition oil our man
ces. Our receipts for the last year were Ss''
35s, 533 81; expenditures, 81 ,li2.SOl,i' Iht
public debt has been reduced Soi,uVV Inv nI
whole now outstanding is S0,O03,COo,V vi
this, $500, 900 falls due in 1871. 10 meet Ihi'
we have the accommodating sinking fund, when
with the sums paid in on our claim against thS
General Government, already amount TO Soio',
OOOOO. On this war claim VIC have received
the last year Sl3i,2O3,30. At my entrance
upon office in 1867, the amount OF our claim
was S702. Si9,S2. Since that time We nave
been allowed AMI paid SOL, Oio,I2. VI tins
$751;, I02, 10 were paid to the Unlted States u
cancel the direct tax laid ON the State in loOl'
and S9,5lG,S0 paid 10 settle private claims
under resolve Of 1865. The balance, $685., S29
76, remains in the Treasury, and is applet &c
cxtinguish the war loan Of 1865. IL Will be
seen that the balance Of the claim Is very small.
The items Of this are Of such nature that II
l. doubtful whether any more can he allowed
without further legislation by Congress.
The commission authorized by the act for
EQUALIZATION and reimbursement Of municipal
war debts, under the recent amendment to the
Constitution, have entered on their duties. This
is an important tribunal. The act declares that
their adjudication is to be final, and without
appeal and that the State shall be relieved
from all further claims ON account Of municipal
war debts. A loan Of S3.50O,OOO, bearing in
tcrcst from April LIST, 1869, is authorized t.
meet this reimbursement IL will deyolye on
Won in pursuanc. Of this act to provide for the
first semi-annual payment Of the interest o
such portion of this sum as the commissioner
may lind due TO the several municipalities with
in the year, with the ratablo portion Of the
sinking fund provided to extinguish the debt at
maturity.
II must he expected that this viii require our
rate per cent. of taxation to be somewhat in
creased from last year probably by i'rO mills
ON the dollar. This will be the better borne
when Il il considered that it is to he more than
reimbursed to the poorer towns, and to contrib.
ute to equalizO 50 far as possible the burdens oil
the State.
MILITARY.
q Lac
Legislature are not sufficient to supply the de-
mand, and he recommends an appropriation oil
$4,000 TO pay for those to be delivered this year.
He gives the number Of applications Of the State
pension law for 1868 as ll07. or these 40
were granted, 400 rejected, and " suspended
for further proof This brings the expenditure:
within the appropriation for 1868 which is $40
900. The deficiency in the appropriations for
1856 and 1867 show that $50, 900 will be need
ell for 1869.
The Governor speaks Of the destitutiOn among
most of the orphans Of soldiers and sailors, as
very great, and that $4,000 viii be required
for distribution the present year. lie thinks 1t
not safe or wise for the State 10 be without n
small military force and recommends the COM
plete equipment of few volunteer companies.
The pay which by law attaches to military
service amounts to so much that the Governor
does not feel il TO be right to add to burdens
In that way, although the law authorizes 1t.
EDUCATIONAL AND REToRNAroRY INSTITUTIONS.
The report Of the Superintendent Of Common
Schools viii present matters OF extraordinary
importance. His exhibit Of the actual decrease
within the last eight years to the extent Of near
" 20, 900 between the ages Of four and twenty
one years is ola nature to startle those who
have at heart the welfare Of the State.
The State College of Agriculture and Mcchan-
ic Arts present the most gratifying prospects,
and he recommends the appropriations they ask
for. or such portion as may seem Indispensable.
The Reform School is most satisfactory, and in-
steal Of being burden Is regarded as saving
and blessing to the State.
The earnings of the State Prison have been
greater than in any previous year, though they
DO not meet the current experS.
PARpoNs AND EXECUTIONS.
The Governor after speaking Of parlons grant
ell 10 unusual numbers, and yet but to small
portion of the applicants. takes up the case Of
Harris and the course of the Attorney General
in relation to the same; the Attorney holding
that Harris should not be executed for the rca-
son that he turned State evidence. snow one
of two things; in turning States evidence
Harris must have implicated either a guilty par
~ or an innocent one. lfan innocent, then Inc
cndcavorcl 10 all third murler 10 the former
two; if guilty. then in afterwards contradict
Ing the statement with equal yehcmcncc he yir-
tually shielded the guilty from justice, in either
case but aiding another To his horrible list OF
crimes, AMI crOwning the whole with perjury.
fail to see the eStenuating force Of any such
States evidence as this.
IL is sail that the facts Of Harris carly life
the degrading influences Of slavery, and the de-
vclopemcnt OF his brutal passions alone, and his
beins almost in his legal infancy, should have
been considered They were considered, and ut
their full value. They were relieving element
in the case; they were ground Of gratitude that
no man nursci Of woman was leit to do these
horurs-and Of cOngratulation that this preco-
city Of guilt WIS nippcl in its legal infancy
before It's blossom and full fruits hal come. But
they ,lid not appear sufficient TO entitle him 10
special grace. Previous good character is a
plea in mitigation-but to plead previous bad
character is novelty in Jurisprudence"
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
The Governor having formerly advised that
the death penalty be either insurl or abolished,
hut since advantage has been taken Of the un-
limitei time for the issuing the warrant, Civ
Ing chance for the executive 10 defer Il indeli-
nitely, and thus aprccelent has been establish
cd too strong to he set aside without bringing
olium on the executive who should do his duty (;
now that this precedent has been broken, II may
be best 10 leave il as il Is, but thinks there Is
too much crime aLrOad at the present time TO
soften penalties. lie argues, that to abolish
capital punishment is TO invite crime from neigh.
boring States which retain the death penalty.
"And what conyinces me the more that we
SHOULD retain our present penalty, is the fact OF
which have hal abundant evidence, and must
siimonish YOU to keep ever in view, that the
same parties who are 80 fierce for mitigating the
death penalty to Imprisonment for life, are
equally Disconnected with this, and are quite as
irrepreSsible in the demand that these criminals
shall be absolutely parloned and set Mt liberty,
for the reason that they have been 30 long in
prison. Witness the Thorne case, where the
virulcnce Of abuse bccause FRYE pardon was
no, granted 10 the murderer Of his friend and
benefaetor with his friends wife as paramount