The Lincoln County herald., 1873-01-15
500 AYEAR IN ADVANCE
SINGLE COPIES FIVE CENTS.
GOV. wO0DsON's INAUGURAL.

GOV. WOODSON'G INAUGURAL.
tsfJn words about Retvsnehnent-R
nue. Legislation-Plan for New Con-
stitution-P eaitentiary Reform - costs
in Criminal Cases-Ths Denocraey and
Education - Adjourned Sessions Com
dsnsd, &C.. &c.
SENATORS AND REPREsINTATIvIs
Called % I have been from The valks oi
private life 10 the Arst ONCE within the
gift Of the people Of great aud prosper.
Gus state, assure you that il 10 with
msny uisgivings asd with great distrust
of my abilities that venture upon the
discharge Of Official duties. No general
assembly was ever convened and no gov
nor was ever insugursted in time Of pro.
Found peace st mere pregnant or tryiss
epoch 10 our history than the present.
1n November last the people Of Missouri,
for the 6rst time during the last decade,
elected, without let or hindsranes, the
men Of their choice to gil every respon
.sible position within their gift under tho
constitution. It 10 for us, gentlemen, to
determine BY our conduct while in Office
the wisdom Or folly Of their choice. If
We are true to the people, whose servants
We are true to the great interests com.
nitted to our hands true to ourselves,
10 will not disappoint the expectations Of
our friends and bring our constituents
into disgrace, nor will We afford our polit.
ical enemies the weapons Of . successful
wsrefare upon 10 10 the future.
We all know the causes of complaint
against those who have moulded and
shaped the polices Of the recent past 10 Mis-
souri,. We know because We have seen
and felt the bad effects Of proscriptive
partisanship, in the enactment a. we'll as
in the enforcement Of our laws. All Of
us can point out the evils Of the past,
and assign to each its appropriate cause
90 clearly that no one will be found suf-
6ciently reckless to contest our asser-
tions. If am right in the positions as.
sumed you can but agree with me when
l Say that unless We adopt a different
policy the same evil results must follow
Us that have followed these who prece ded
Us.
No legislator, no executive, no judi
cial or ministerial officer under our form
Of government has the moral right to act
- . partisan. The duties devolved upon
us oil, under the constitution and re-
quirsd by our Official oatbs. pertain to the
state, to the people, not TO individuals or
TO parties. Hence, l assume that 10
shaping our policies as people We should
never look to effects upon party, but to
effects upon the people. That legislation
which 10 inspired by PARTISAN zeal, and
which can snly be had At the sacrifice Of
justice OF the general good is, aud Gun
but be, vicious, and meriting the con.
demuation Of every patriot. And allow
ms, at the outset Of my address, to say,
in all candor, and with tho most solemn
emphasis that can possibly command,
shat this general assembly aud the whole
inco ming Administration Of the state
government will prove disastrous fail
ure unless We show, by our acts, that in
all we do, and in all we cay, the public
good alone inspires US. Can We, gentle.
men, rise to the "height Of the srgu
neut p Can We thus sink the partisan
in the patriot? Can We forget the bitter
memories Of the past: its hates, its mis-.
ruls aud oppression, and conseerate our
uHicial lives to tho service of the state :?
If 70 Gao, and will, rest assured that the
people will sustain, aud the good and true
men Of oil parties will bless US.
Iplsdg. you, gentlemen Of the general
assembly, 10 joint session convened, that
while am governor Of the state her in.
tsrests, her honor, her prosperity, shall
control my every official act. Let Us,
gentlemen, 10 this spirit, 60 to work, re-
solved that not one dollar shall be i'm.
properly spent, that We will reform every
abuse 10 the administration Of the affairs
Of the state that comes to our knowl.
edge, remedy, 90 far - We are able, every
defective law iuaugurats oil wise poll.
ciss within our ability; advance all exist
Jog ones demanded BY the public good,
and do oil ws can, through every instru.
mentality within our reach, to put our
beloved state upon that sure, firm and
ssrtaiu road that will most assuredly and
ia the shortest possible time make her
che 6rst in the glorious galaxy of Ameri.
can states.
And just here I want to call special st'
tsntiou to . great evil that has unfortu.
.atsly characterized eur legislation for
many years, and one which I trust you
will shun. refer to the practice Of
chssgiug our laws upon various subjects
% sitsu. For an illustration Of what l
wish to impress upon you in this conuec'
Zion, I will mention, ous revenue laws
Almost every general assembly that has
net Tor many years past has enacted
revenue Law each succeeding one, II
possible, more defective than its predsces.
osv, sntii this vicious course eliminated 10
the production Of the existing revenue law
last wiutst TO some Of the defects and
hardships ef which my immediate preds.
ssssor 10 his secsut annual message has
- pointsdly called yous aitsntiea-1
. A.