Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-01-07

| ought, IN any instance, 10 ne SUBJECT 10 gar
nishment rcco nmend the repeal of tn
law rert''rtl to, or that 1t be so modified tia
such corporations, their officers and agents
shall not be required TO answer or plehC
touching any c-r,lits, monies or effects arts
ing from any agreement or contract for TN
personal services of those in their employ
also suggest the prop1ieiy of 80 amending thu
attachment laws of this State, that the hirt
or wages paid for personal service shall, il
no case, be subject to attachment. @'N
SHIP CANAL.
A ship canal, to connect the waters of tht
Chesapeake with the Delaware Bay. has fol
some time past engaged the attention of per
sons interested in foreign and coastwise nav
igation and commence. Examinations have
been made within the last year to determine
the practicability of such an enterprise, and
the most favorable route for the proposed
canal
While the chief advantage of such an en-
tsrprise will accrue TO the commercial cities
of the country, and TO persons outside of this
State, 1t will, nevertheless, prove of great
benefit 10 our own citizens, especially those
residing in that portion OF the State through
| which 1T may pass. Should application be
made to the Legislature, at the present ses-
sion, for an act of incorporation in this State,
l recommend its passage, and that proper
| provisions be inserted In the charter to pro-
tect the just rights of our citizens, and secure
to them the advantages that such work
| ought to afford.
REPRIEvEs, PARDoNs AND REWARDS
herewith submit list of the pardons, re-
prieves and remissions granted since came
| into office, with the reasons therefor.
Since the adjournment of the last session
of the Legislature it became my duty to issue
co,.t
hension of two fugitives from Justice. On
the 25th of September, 1871, proclamation
was issued offering reward of two hundred
dollars for the arrest and delivery into the
custody of the Sheriff of New Castle county
of Charles White, who was charged with
having murdered John Mawheny, in said
county and on the 1st of April, 1879, IA pro-
clamation was issued offering a reward of
two hundred dollars, and again on the pod
of April, 1872, a further proclamation
was issued, offering a reward of three
gate, the sum of five hundred dol
lars, for the apprehension and delivery into
the custody of the Sheriff of New Castle
county of William Dennis. alias Richard
Duckery, charged with having committed the
crime of rape. Under these proclamations
the criminals were arrested and have been
convicted. | recommend that allowances in
the aggregate amounting to seven hundred
dollars, be made to the parties making the
arrests.
TREAsURER's REPORT.
In the revision of the revenue laws, at the
last session, the provision of the act of 1869,
increasing the salary of the State Treasurer,
was among many other provisions of that
act, repealed. 1t is not believed that such
was the intention of the Legil lture. The
duties of that officer are arduous and respon-
sible, and the compensation now allowed by
law is wholly inadequate for his services.
| recommend that his salary be increased TO
an amount that will remunerate him for the
services rendered and the responsibilities
incurred, and such compensation be paid him
for the time he has held the office.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The attention of the Legislature is invited
to the condition of that part of the public
building used for the State Library and the
office of the Secretary of State The rapid
accumulation of valuable books, by exchange
with other States and otherwise, has rendered
the room appropriated to the Library wholly
insufficient for the preservation of the books.
and provision ought to be made,
at the present session, for tais purpose. The
office of the Secretary of State is not such as
comports with the dignity of the State, or
furnishes proper accommodations for the dis
charge of the duties of that office. | suggest
that such measures,b ,be adopted1as will provide
suitable accommodations for the Library and
furnish convenient rooms for the Seeretary's
office.
. REVISED STATUES.
The Legislature, at its last session, passed
joint resolution authorizing the Secretary of
State to prepare an edition of the Laws of
the State, to consist of the laws in the Re
vised Code, as they have since been amended,
together with such additional laws of pub
lie and general nature as have been enacted
since the publication of the Code, the said
laws to be arranged under proper titles and
the classification of the Revised Code
This mode of publishing the laws was con-
sidered by the Legislature preferable to their
codifcation in the same manner as was done
in 1852, for the reason, that it saves the
great expense of re-enacting the entire Stat
ute Law of the State. Under this resolution
| am informed by the Secretary of State, that
he has been engaged for the past two years,
and has prepared for publication the said
edition of the Laws. The same will be pre-
sented to you at the present session for ex-
animation, together with a report from the
Secretary explaining the manner in which the
classification has been made Such work,
as contemplated by the Legislature, is much
needed. and when approved, provision should
be made for its publication as soon as practi-
cable.
ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF TAXEs.
Recent events in this State render it proper
that | should call your attention to existing
laws prescribing the duties of the Levy
Courts, Assessors, and Collectors, touching
the assessment and collection of taxes
in this State. BY the first
Section of Article of the Constiteton of the
State, the payment of "a county tax which
shall have been assessed at least six months
before the election" is made one of the quail
itications for an elector, and the laws of the
State make it the duties of the Assessors and
the Levy Court, to place upon the assessment
lists the names of all pefs) )ns within the coun-
ty liable to pay taxes. The primary object of
the provisions of the Constitution and Laws
referred to, is to compel every citizen to bear
his just proportion of the public burden as
well as to furnish him the opportunity to
qualify as an elector.
Our laws for the assessment and collection |
of taxes were designed TO be as effectual for |
the purpose as could be framed, Each asses
sor is required to complete his assessment |
within given time, and to hang up, in five |
public places within his hundred, alphabet |
cal lists of the persons assessed, and to give |
notice that he will attend at the time and place !
prescribed by law to correct any errors there |
in, or for the purpose of assessing any per- |
son omitted The lists are afterwards rpnui- |