The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-02-18

been received, and viii be laid before
you. The distribution was made in due
time; the wheat was sown by the recip-
tents, and yielded large crops of excellent
grain.
INSURANCE.
This has become business of immense
importance in this State, and / do not
deem our present laws on this subject
sufficient to secure the interests of policy
holders in all instances. 1t would seem
that there should be q law to compel
every company doing business in this
State to furnish incontestihle evidence of
adequate paid up capital, and to make in
vestments or deposits sufficient to secure
poliey-holders. / am not familiar with
the insurance business, but if the passage
of such a law seems feasible and Just,
recommend that it be done, and that in
vestments, to certain limited amount, In
Kansas State stocks, be required of every
company doing business in this State.
CREDENTIALS OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS-.
am in receipt of circular letter of
date March 25th, 1869, from Hon. Ed
ward Mcpherson, clerk of the House of
Representatives of the United States, in
which he states that it will greatly tacili-
tate the preparation of the roll of Repre-
sentatives elected to the Forty-second and
subsequent Congresses if the Governors
of the several States would send to the
clerk of the House of Representatives,
copies of the certificates of election of the
successful candidates, or in some other
official manner, inform him of the names
of the persons duly elected.
There is no law in this State authoriz-
ing the Governor to give such certificate
or notification, and as an attempt
was once made, by a former clerk,
to exclude from the roll the name
of representative from this State
on account of the omission of such for
mality, l recommend that measures be
taken to obviate this difficulty The
circular is transmitted herewith.
CLAIMS FOR INDIAN DEPREDATIoNs.
To comply with the provisions of "an
act to provide for the settlement of the
losses sustained in the years 1867 and
1868, by the settlers on the western from
tier, from Indian depredations," approved
March Sd, 1869, appointed Hon. z.
jackson, of Ellsworth county, Edison Bax
ter, Esq, of Saline county and James F.
Tallman, Esq, of Washington county, as
the Commissioners provided for in the act,
and charged to audit and report the claims
for losses. They made their report at the
time required and it was forwarded to our
congressional delegation as the law pro-
vided.
VACANCIES IN sHERIFFs' OFFICES.
l recommend that where vacancies &C.
cur in the Office of sheriff, no under sheriff
having been appointed, as required by
law, authority be given for the Governor
to appoint sheriff to fill the vacancy
until an election can be held in pursuance
of law.
NATIONAL CEMETERY.
Under date of September 18th, 1869,
Gen. w. 7. Sherman, then Secretary of
War, wrote to me. making the request that
at such time as deemed proper, applica-
ton be made to the State Legislature for
its assent to the purchase of land already
made by the United States under the act of
Congress of February 22d, 1867, for the
purposes of National Cemetery at Fort
Scott, Kansas, and for the cession of ex-
elusive legislation over the same, as re-
quired by Section 8 eight, Article 1 of
the Constitution of the United States sub
ject to the provision of Section l of the act
of March I'd, 1895. The letter will be laid
before you. | recommend that the assent
requested be given and the cession made.
REPORTS.
l recommend that authority be given by
law for the printing of the reports of State
institutions in advance of the meeting
of the legislature, and for the printing Of
limited number of the reports of each of
the State officers, and of the Governors
Message, separately. The confusion Incl
dent to the transfer of the executive de.
partments, and the want of sufficient cleri-
cal force, have delayed some of the annual
reports.
CONCLUSION.
Though republican States are authori.
ties instituted by the people, and charged
only with care for the temporal welfare of
their citizens, yet it is incumbent upon US
who wield for brief time, the power of
the people, to exercise that power in such
way that we may hope for the approba-
ton of ''Him who giveth every blessing,
and whose goodness has crowned the year
with peace and plenty"
JAMES NJ. HARVEY.
TOPEKA, January IL, 1870.