New-York tribune., 1871-01-04
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, Jan. s. 1871.

attention
WHAT THE SHAM DEMOCRACY HAVE DONE
General laws have been passed, through which much
special legislation will be avoided. The conspiracy laws
have been amended revision Of the statutes mss
been ordered Tie registry laws except In tho City OF
NowYorkl have been repealed. Important changes IN
canal policy have been made. The examination oi
numerous claims against tho State, heretofore reqrhS
special act in has been been provided Tor Oy
sncIe statute The excise laws have been modified IN
conformity with the judgmentof majority OF the people
general law for the incorporation OF villages has been
enacted. The powers Of the boards OF SUPERVISORS
Of the several counties have been enlarged Metrcpo
tan and other district commissions, which had ABSORBED
the srighfu powers OF local governments have Deeh
abolished The management OF their own affairs mas
been restored to the people Of the great ces Inc
tory steps have been taken to secure more just ana t
sfactory assessment OF property for taxation Ihesc
subjects engrossed r degree the time OF tho leg
sature at the last session The disposition then made Oh
them having commanded the popular Endorsement the
principles involved may be treated as settled am JUS
titled therefore, in the hope that the present legls"e
session will be much shorter than usual IL VIII DC Ie
lief to the people the volume OF annual legislation DC
diminished especially II they that much OF the dim
mutton the defeat OF the private schemes which
are 50 frequently thrust upon your consideration.
TIE BURDEN OF TAXATION
Although the people OF this State enjoying fair
degree of prosperity they feel sensib the heavy burden
OF taxation, Federal State, and local, which rests upon
then and which, heavy taxes always do, lessons their
home comforts and interfees with their efforts to i'm
prove their condition They watch closely their repre-
seutaiyes legislative and executive IN the adminstr
tion Of public oa-s. They expect rctrcnclinent OF
expenditures wherever It Is possible and have rght
TO demand tha legislation be cOnled 70 its legitimate
purpose, to Wit, the equal protection OF all ana the
promotion OF the general good They know that all the
money drawn from the public treasury is tahen out OF
f11rro 10 IN
exoopt in the pockets Of the people. willing to be taxed
for the e climate purposes Of government they are not
disposed to be pCrsmoniols in contributing thereto
but waste extrava gance and taxation for the benet Oh
private speculative enterprises, viii incur their conden
nation.
The tendency on the part OF both Federal and state
Legislatures for many years past. Las been TO the
making OF laws for tho benefit or favored few protect
rg and advancing special at the cost Of the general IN
terests Those who seek such legislative favor are always
ready TO put forward the Gpecious argument tat some
public benefit Is likely to accrue MS compensation lo
the private gain assured 10 Themselves but In too many
cases tho resul. simply that burdens imposed
on the people, THIS evil Is Of great magnitude Our
Government is government by majorities hut 1t Is
mistake to suppose that the governing power even when
vested in majority has the right TO impose taxes upon
tho people at largo for purposes OF private benefit
tits time to return. both In Federal and State affairs.
to full appreciation OF tho principle of justice TO all
upon which our Government is founded. Our country
has passed through the struggles and trials Of great
civil strife and people rapidly forgetting the
causes which cngendcreG IT, and tho giefs and sorrows
It produced whe the nations OF Europe are convused
by war; or stand In dread Of 1t, mercifu Providence
besses US with peace. Gratitude to GOd as well as our
interest, demands chat We shall cultivate, al
through the land the spirit OF masnanimty, charity,
and patriotism; then II wisdom shall inspire
ses we may easily throw of the burden which folly and
evil passions have put upon US, and enter upon new
career OF public and private prosperity.
The rate OF state taxation this year is about IT mills.
Nearly onehtd OF the tax is for the annual payment on
our war bounty debt, required by the act creating It,
Besides this mill necessary TO provide Tor OD'
cations incurred and claims audited in former years. but
for the payment Of which the Legislature then omitted
TO make appropriations. 1t not question II disc
ton bu. matter Of honor that these claims, here
tofore examined and audited by the proper officers,
should be paid at They ought to have been paid
before This item will not appear another year. Five
eighths OF mill are levied to meet payments for work
Oh the new Capitol. Tie two last mentioned items
amount TO about onefourth Of the whole state tax.
THE NEW IAaMASY GOLD NINE.
The new Capitol was begun under former Admins.
fration n is the people, through their representa-
tives to say how rapidly the work shall go on Ills
manifest that the OF this work will very far exceed
the original estimates and the limit proposed by law; to
this deem 1t my duty TO call Jour special attention
erect new Capitol Chapter $50 OF Laws or 1862 ex-
plicy provided that they shall not proceed to the
of the sad new Capitol unless they shall be
satisfied that the expense thereof shall not exceed,
when completed, 100000" The sum OF sloo3,75O 50
Gncependent OF t647,56 10 paid Tor land) has
already been expended in tho construction OF the
building and the foundation only Ia completed. 1T
due to the Commissioners say that before they COM
menced tho work they had estimates from skilled men
which came within tho limit OF Hooo,co; they claim,
Also that the work the foundation will be proper
tonately expensive 1t is. nevertheless, evident
that the Of the building, when completed, viii be
very greatly in excess u the first estimate.
It for you 10 provide remedy r this very unsatis
factory state OF things II the work to on perhaps
the plans might be modified that building OF much
simpler and less costly style could be erected on the pres
ent foundation, and yet all the accommodation needed
by the state Government be Afforded. Nor do SOC why
with abundant space occupied. part OF the proposed
Capitol building should not be appropriated TO An EIecu
tive residence; this would DO saving % tie State
H. on the other hand the work Is to be stopped or sus
pended for me this can be done with less loss and
inconvenience now than at any future period IN The
prosrcss OF construction. Capitol Is unquesion
ably needed but unless tho plans can be so modified
that the cost win be very much less than
now promises to be- and much in Of the ers
pal limit, recommend that the work DO suspended, at
least until bounty debt which requires about
S,OOc.Oo OF annual taxation, b paid.
STATE DLBr.
The greater portion OF the State debs consists Of the
war bounty debt, which will be extingushed within
seven years through the annual taxes imposed by the act
which created Il. The unpaid portion OF this debt
amounted t,X 3Oth September, 1870 to N9slSso a.
The residue debt amounting TO >2s,7S si
was In existence before tho war. aud incurred In
gold; II IL II 10 satisfied, not from taxation, but out OF
the revenues pledged for its payment No part n the
principal will due this year, and you viii msrely
have TO provide for the payment OF the interest IN oon
In accordance With the policy which the State adopted
last yepr The entire State debt was the soh Of 6ep
tember 1870 AFTER deductng the unappled portions OF
the several sinking funds, S21oiA 20, reduction of
@45e 10 having been effected during the past two
years.