The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-05-18
Message of Governor Davis.

This document Is too lengthy Tor Us 10 pubilSa IL
full and therefore only give few of the leading
features There is nothing particularly objectionable
in it. except recommendation Of the organization Of
the State militia, which would pFose of the great
est curses that could nov be inflicted upon the State
The scenes witnessed in Arkansas would he reanacted
with added horrors and eutrages; though it would
seem that this might be obviated, in part by al good
men enrolling themselves in the militia, and thus con-
trolling an element so dangerous the best interests
of the State The difficulty is however that the Rad
ca officials would he very apt to select for special and
active duty such men as would subserve their own
ends.
Gov Davis takes liberal view of the question of
internal Improvements and recognises the important
fact that Texas must her future prosperity to rail-
roads, in the absence of naEgabe streams throughout
so large portion of her vast domain. Upon the
question of internal improvements extract the fol-
lowing synopsis of his remarks, from q Texas ez-
change:
"Ths is question that will come before the Legisla
ture in a variety of ways. The people desire the
couragement of such public works will afford means
of intercommunication and connection with the rail-
roads of the eastern States but great caution
should be exercised to avoid encumbering the State
with a weighty debt, created in furtherance OF the
many schemes for private advantage, by calling for
State aid that will be forced the surface in the
of internal Improvements.
The absolute necessity for State aid, beyond liberal
charter and the right of way not perceptibe to bis
Excellency to the success OF any honest and
feasible enterprise and even simple charter-to say
nothing of State aid-should not be granted without
evidences of good faith and ability to comply with
promises as the failure of any charter entered only
serves to cucumber our statute books and ohstruct
| the ground to other more responsible companies.
| The sad experience of Texas 10 Substituting public
works has not been very satisfactory. We have in
vested in this way including interest," nearly two and
three fourths millions of specie and upwards of five
millions of of best lands, worth fully ten
millions more in specie; and we have somewhat less
than five hundred miles of railroad, which the State
has mostly built, but does not control to show
for it. The message then goes on TO suggest that if
the Legislature should differ with him in the of
lending State aid to railroads that their aid be limited
to work which of the most pressing necessity
road crossing the State from Red River the Rio
Grande; in the charter Of which road and all other
roads enjoying exclusive privileges in any shape pro-
visions should be made indecisiVe terms giving the
State government such control and supervision will
secure the safety and good treatment of passengers
and reasonable charge for passage and freight"
For the apprehension and punishment Of men who,
in disguise, commit outrages upon the persons and
code as will punish them with special severity recon-
nended. The question Of making aome provision for
the temporary establishment of martial law under
tain contingencies, within limited Districts is submit
ted and recommendation is made that the privilege
of carrying be placed under certain restrictions
except in few Of the frontier counties.
The importance of education is commented upon,
and the condition of the school fund is thus given
" In addition to the perpetual fund provided for in
article of the Constitution the Legislature is autho
Eed to provide for the raising of such By
alton in the several districts in the State as will pro-
vide the necessary school houses and insure the edu
cation of all The summary of means now dsposable
which may be considered included in this perpetual
fund, is first, cash in specie, S58979 81 currency,
s549 10; total, S59,522 so; second, State FIVE per
cent bonds under act Of November 18th, 1866, $50
l68 S2-assuming that this act of the Legislature of
1866 is to be respected. In addition to this sum- the
act mentioned provided tor placing other similar bonds
to the credit of the school fund to make up such part
of the 1884 900 Indemnity bonds" with the paid
coupons or their proceeds might be recovered from
the parties to whom they had been passed from the
military board during the late These ndem-
nifty bonds and coupons taken from the school
fund to which they belonged, by Of the revolu-
ii onary government of January II, 1862, and the act
o. 1866 intended to replace them far recov-
cred By FIVE per cent State bonds In lieu of this il
is suggested that the collected of those bonds
and coupons be turned to the school fund Third
the principal and interest," 81 742 les 81 dueto the
school fund from railroad companies included in this
amount is the Of 1920 967 IL, pretended to have
been paid during 1854 and 1866 in State warrants for
which the per cent. manuscript bonds issued.
1t is assumed that this $500 1857 is still legal claim
against the roads pretending have paid the same.
Upwards of two millions of the total due By the rail
roads could be realized With certainty, and perhaps
the whole may be eventually saved by the adoption of
the proper measures"
The following is a review OF the Treasury;
1.-The amount of cash on hand on the Sd of Septem.
Der, 1857, when the late provisional government took
charge, $40 232 %. The receipts from that date
to the 18th nst inclusive, 81 1884 100 50. The
total expenditures from the Sd of September 1857
the 10th inst 81 ,024 s9l 81. The of cash in
the treasury, including balance Of convention fund,
but exclusive of school and other special funds on
the 10Th day of the current month 81 962 81 in
specie, and s419,746 90 in currency. OF this amount
there covered BY appropriations made under military
order since March lst 1870, the sum Of 49, 1923 IA,
currency, which, with the sum of $3.50 03 not
counted for by Mr. J. T. Allan late State Treasurer,
should be deducted from the above total thus leav
ing S2,952 81 in specie, and 1856, 425 TO- currency,
in the State Treasury, subject to appropriation for the
support of the State government
The debt of the State is small. Under the act of
November 18th, 1865, above alluded to- five per cent
State bonds to the amount Of So, les So issued
10 scnoot 70 Vi same ooHus
the university fund If this act is be respected
the State is much in debt to the school fund. The
only other Indebtedness is that Of the ten per cent
warrants issued before the late war; and not excluded
under the S4th section of article T. general proTi-
sions 1t will require some investigation to ascertain
what amount of these warrants valid claims against
the State but this cannot be considerable Texas may
therefore be substantially considered out of debt,
It will be noticed that in the Controllers report of
assets the accounts bear from year to year the items
Especial loan fund s97,40s So" " University land
sale sl0s0 II" and six per cent. manuscript bonds
for school fund, s320,s67 49," These items repre-
sent State warrants, of State bonds issued during the
war and representing obligations which now void
and should no longer be borne the Controllers
ports But the Controller considers it his duty to
tnue them until the Legislature decides otherwise"
The message concludes by saying that the whole
system Of collecting the revenue must be revised and
made effective.
THE CONTEMPT CAsE.-Our city contemporaries re-