The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1870-01-15

"OF CIAOI - w SI1lIOlI stlIltlsti
message was submitted to the
Legislature on the 5th inst. We
select the following extracts from
the message. being all Of the doc
umcnt we consider Of interest to
the people Of the State at large:
POLITICAL.
The strongest tendencies Of the
American people, as manifested
not only in the war but equally
in the late popular elections, are
personal freedom and national a,l-
thority, the largest liberty to the
individual and the amplest and
fullest obedience to the govern
ment. With the vindication of
the natural authority: and the res
toration Of peace, these tenden-
cies have become more fully ex-
pressed in the laws of the land,
and as they are recognized by the
whole people, liberty Of opinion,
of speech and of action, and pro-
lection to life and property shall
become the heritage of every
American citizen. / congratulate
you, gentlemen, upon the good
feeling that exists among the
people Of both races, and the
cheerf,llness with which they are
accepting the new order of things
and the earnestness with which
our people are addressing them
selves to further and protect the
great interests committed to their
hands. a beneficent Providence
has aided us in the restoration Of
Our fortunes by granting an album
dant yield Of the products OF the
soil and unprecedented health
among our population.
My congratulations ended, al
low me to call your attention to
the grave matters Of interest that
will claim your careful considera-
ton and judicious action during
the present session OF your homo
rable body.
FINANCES OF THE STATE.
The financial condition Of the
State claims your careful consid-
Grafton. It is such as to embar-
rass my Administrations, and the
credit of the State, as tested by
the prices commanded by her Sc
curities, is not satisfactory.
A wise use of the State credit,
sustained by judicious Legislation
and administered by faithful Off
GERS, is all necessary in the prem
Uses. We have not always used
the credit Of the State for practi-
cable and feasible purposes, but
still, if need be, in great works
of internal improvements. under
proper checks and restraints, her
credit might be safely used to a
much greater extent than has
been already done. She is amply
able to pay her debts. Why should
her securities be deprecated
One vital cause Of this is to be
found in the legislation Of the
State. lnheriting a large floating
Indebtedness with the matured
coupons from 1861 to 1865, you
found your financial condition
critical, and were compelled to
levy the one per cent. tax for spe-
cial purposes, and at the same
time the general tax of one-luar-
Of one Per cent. To Tighten the
burdens of taxation, you, in your
last cession, authorized each of
these taxes to be paid in matured
coupons and warrants Of the Au-
ditor of Public Accounts, consum-
ing thereby so much Of the reve-
nue. Of the State as to leave
unprOvided for the interest on q
large portion of your public secu-
rites and the Treasury of the
State without sufficient funds to
meet the current expenses Of the
government.
The law was defective, either
in the amount of the tax levied,
or else permitting warrants with
out limit to be substituted for the
tax. But a more potent cause of
our financial embarrassment and
deprecated credit than even de-
fective legislation will be found
in the maladmistration. Of the
Auditor of Public Accounts, who,
taking advantage of this law and
the necessities of the peOn1e. has