The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-10-21
GOVERNOR Planners MESSAGE.
Important Recon- mend atoms.


On the Sth day OF the present month fire
broke out in the city of Chicago, which In few
hours destroyed large portion of that city.
1t is useless to attempt I" describe the awful
and saddeniny spectacle o. the destruction of the
most wealthy and populous parts of our great
city. The destroyer zane suddenly. and under
circumstances we'll calculated to impress Us with
sense Of our littlepess
Chicago is situated oA The shore OF a great
lake: il is in,ersected b. rivers 1T Was provided
with all the means for projection against hre
that are the product Of the united efforts of the
advanced science and ssil Of modern civilization;
vet, In the presence OF tAe drstrn tive element
men were powerless dui 1t purNned - course
until nothing was irir for II 10 destroy
In the course If TINS remark b,r oJuhagra.iOn,
which has already taken lis pi'u, IN history with
the greatest calarnitie> that have 'tfectc,l man
kind, the flames, with unexamped mr., swept
over she eastern halt Ui thv devoted city, des-
troyed many lives, consumed churches. hospitals,
schools, dwellings, warehouses, stores, bridges,
and structures of every kind. Everything per-
ished at their TOUGH, and whole wards Ut the city
were left without house or iuh. bitaut No re.
liable estimate of the number o; lives lost can be
made, but the amount OF property destroyed Is
estimated at $3O0,OOO,O0O.
In view Of the circumstances. l felt it to be NY
duty to convene session OF the General Assem-
bly,, and, accordingly, Oh the 10th day of Octo-
Der, 1871, issued the proclamation which have
had the honor to lay before you.
At the time vi the meeting of the General As
sembly. all were still 80 far under the control of
the feelings excited by this extraordinary calam-
ity, that no scheme h d been formed for the EN-
ployment of the powers I'D resources of the state
to meet the duties thrt Ire imposed upon it by
this unexpected condition of affairs.
But before proceeding to invite your attention
% ALal s,.t, IS H., ,,e% ~, I
must be permitted, in the name of the people of
the state, to express their grateful thAnkfulness
Tor the exhibition of outpouring sympathy and
benevolencs that this great and sudden calamity
has excited in all civilized lands. Not ouiy have
our own people and the people of our sister
states distinguished themselves by active lib
erality that is without parallel, but in foreign
countries, the hearts of men and women have
throbbed with pity for Chicago, and their hands,
filled with contributions, have opened to supply
the wants of its suffering people, Where all
have aided, and all have done much, it IL i'm
possible to give the names Of our benefactors
Their example, 10 honorable to them and to hui
man nature, IL worthy of perpetual remembrance,
and trust that the General Assembly will pro.
vide for the publication of memorial volume,
.' Which their names shall be preserved. The
pie of the st ste should be permitted to know
INES OF those who when their brethren
hungry, fed them and when they were
clothen them.
Che first question to b. decided by the Gan.
oral Assem- bly,, after careful review of the sit
uttlon, Is, what be doae for the reliog Of the
people, and for the discharge OF the duties of the
state: In finding answer 10 thi. question,
there are some difficulties and causes OF embar-
rassmeut that are yet 20 be stated. Some of
those are that the CourG House, Jail. aud pub..u
offices and records OF Cook county are DESTROYED
The tax books con au,ned SO that the collect
ton OF unpaid taxes cannot, without great dill.
Guilty, be enforced. The courts nre powerless.
The utmost confusion, ~ to the titles of lands,
must soon prevail. All the offices aud most of
the records of the oity of Chicago lost. Still,
the question, what be done by the state
presses for an answer, and all the wisdom, expe-
rience and patience OF the General Assembly is
invoked to furnish II full, complete and satisiac.
tory Response.
The general polite proposition, that that
government is to regarded a. the hes; ttat in
terferes withthe paop.' the least, viii rem iu
forever trae; and exp fi,nca has conelusively
shown that ntelligeu men and women are, uu-
der all ordinary circuru stances, more capable OF
providing for their ov. wants, managing their
own affairs, and Regulating their own conduct
than any government be, however well or
gained or administer Ii seems TO me, then,
that the people of Chicago anl Coos county.
who haye suffered lossc, require nothing from
the state but to be lei, fee TO employ their ul.
examped and unbrostu energies in the great
work of rebuilding thar zones
They need no loans Or gifts from the United
States or the state OF Illinois; and, unless
greatly mistake them, they will ask no more an
that the state shall assume the discharge of It's
own proper duties, and relieve them from bur-
dens-that, from their peculiar situation, were
always heavy, but have been cheerfully borne
80 that they may be lett to apply all their re.
sources TO their own great task. 1t Is primarily
the duty OF the state to provide for the poor, the
blind the insane, and all other helpless classes,
and for the enforcement of it, laws everywhere
within its limits. 1t is also its duty To provide
for the construction of highways, building brid.
ges and the support Of schools. The state of H..
lnois has always recognized the obligation Of
these duties, and for the more convenient per.
formahoe OF many OF them, counties, town
ships, cities, towns and other organizations
that have been established by its law
They are but parts OF the machinery employed
In carrying on the affairs OF the State, and the
authority and duties of each are confined 10 GER
tain vel defined territorial as well A. Legal
boundaries that may modified or DESTROYED
Is the exigeucies of the public may demand.
Ahu Whenever, from any cause, any of these
agencies become unequal 20 the discharge of the
duties assigned them or the public duties i'm.
Posed upon them become too burdensome or op.
Presslve TO the people embraced within their
limits, 1t Is the daty of the State to provide 9TH
er mems Tor their performance. 1t is a fact that
requires no proof, that the county of Cook and
tbs ~ OF Chicago two of the most import,nt
Of the GLASSES OF public agencies to which thew
respectively belong, are, from causes well unte r.
STOOD, unable 10 continue the full discharge of
al the duties that We're imposed UNION .ham