Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-01-11
Governors Message
Recommendations to the LeOis-
tdtltre!
OUR STATE FINANCES

u Tue OOnstltutlOn, 10 RlNc 10 tne TWO
Houses such information as he may possess
concerning public affairs, and of recon-
mending TO their consideration such mea-
sures as he shall Judge expedlent.
In entering upon the discharge of this
duty, should neither meet your expecta-
tlon nor fulfill recognized obligation II /
failed to acknowledge that benign Provi-
dence which has preserved the general
health of the people of the State, aud per-
mltted no serious calamity to mar their
happiness and prosperity. While industry
in our State may not have been so richly
rewarded as In some sections OF the coun.
try, We have, as a people, been blessed
with leuty, and exempt from the ills
attendMt upon mrequl;ted toll. Lawless-
mes anl msuhordination nowhere eAist in
oul boilers in their aggravated forms, but
peace and order every here prevail, rem
derng easy the due execution Of the law
10y ia constituted authori les, ard evlucing
the cun'tntment aud happiness Of the peO-
pie Of he State.
The p per administration Of public JUS
| ticr, ana the faithful execution Of the
laws Df The State, are essential to the
well b Ing society aud tend to strengthen
| the attachment Of tie people TO the gov
eminent under which they live. | am
| happy o. bear my testimony to the fidelity
| Of Those entrusted with this important
duty. Justice L. nowhere better admin
| tttred than in our own State. The Grim
| NAL laws ATE impartially executed aud the
| punishment OF crime rendered certain. As
a consequence the property and lives Of
| our citizens have been comparatively Sc
cure, aud the welfare aud safety Of the
| co~mnnlty assured.
STATE DEBT AND FINANCES.
sc the close of the late civil war We
/ found ourselves, In common With most OF
the States of the Union, burdened with a
| la.gc state debt. created, for the most
part, 10 inees demands made upon our
citizens by the general government.
/ Pfior to tue necessity which led to the
/ creation OF our present debt, the people of
no State enjoyed greater immunity from
| the burdens OF government. The ordinary
| revenues Lad proved sufficient for the
| economical administration of the State
government, and our people had not been
called uiOu To contribute anything to its
| support, with the exception Of the small
amount paid forspecial privileges, secured
/ by licenses granted by the state. We en-
/ joytd the protection aud shared the benefits
| conferred by our local government with
] buh N'AuE tbiuItAlNu ~ ItSlNnu 10 u hluElt
exaction for its maintenance, and but for
the war and the exigencles which il
created, such undoubtedly would have
been our condition to-day. When, how
ever, the bad passions of extreme men,
north and south, eliminated in strife, this
State, 10 common with others, had to
share in some Of Its attendant evils.
Among these, and perhaps the most grev-
Gus and affecting, was the CONSUMPTION by
drafts Of many Of our citizens into the
military service.
1t is unnecessary to speak of the multi
plication Of these drafts, or the partlality
and untairness with which they were con
Quoted. They are still vvidly remem-
bered, not only for the corruption and in
humanity they revealed, but the alarm
| and trepidation they inspired. Under
their operation our citizens were liable to
be taken from their homee and families In
opposition to their own wills and against
their protests, and forced into the service
to engage and possibly fall In conflict
they had no hand in creating. eome OF
the persons thus liable to draft were the
heads Of families dependent upon their
daily toll for support. Others were young
men, the sons of aged parents who looked
to them for protection and maintenance.
MANY were in INDECENT circumstances and
Unable TO raise the means to exempt them.
selves by Communication or procure substi-
tutes, and their only hope of escape from
military service way In appeals TO their
tellow-c citizens for aid. Private charity
responded to these appeals with a liber-
ality honorable to humanity, but was
wholly inadequate to the emergency, and
the public sentiment of the State demanded
that relief should be granted by the Legis.
lature.
The General Assembly, In obedience t
the known wishes of large majority o
tie people Of the State, from time to time
I enacted laws authorizing the issue Of bond
: to aid persons thus drafted into the miitar-
service. Under the authority of thesl
. laws, and In strict compliance with thei
provisions, bonds to the amount of on
{ million one hundred aud ten thousanl
dollars were issued and sold. This wa
the origin OF our puhlic debt. 1t was no
created for the purpose of advancing pri
waite Interest, hut Tor the general wcliar
S Of the people of tile State, and challenges
z bath III the object proposed and the result
accomplished ny its creation, the approve
- aud admiration of every good citizen q
p TIE state. Had our iudeltes1css been tn
cOntliytuce OF designing men to pnric
thcmsel"es, iu-lc 1t Of O noble tribute {
e the claiws OF humanity Il migbt an
would have been felt as nm Oppressive Inn
den. But such was not the csse. The nj
It which 1t afforded enabled our fellow-cit
ions TO escape the demoralizing influence
n of the military camp, and doubtless pr,
v served the lives Of many Tor future usciu
ness to their families aud to the State
III buih in IT'S objects and results the acti0
d Of the LEGISLATURE in the crentiop of N
state debt, is more than iu-tiOce. AND h,
fc0 can Dc found To question It's wis,loi
# pni none 10 doubt the faithful nnulic.,io
Ia Of the flud to ihc purposes 10 which
was appropriated. Willie in the mar
It States vi the l'niou large indehtedness h,
j. been incurred 10 advance individual an
local Interest. of questionable rharactr
A. nat a dollar of oar debt WIS wasted
I'll useless cntriurises or expended for In
proper PURPOSES.
have rtieUcl to tie Issue of honda fl
~ the rurpnsc Of aiding draftcI persons
d tie origin Ur our debt. because il would
mAnifc-ly inpr0per TO r.pa.d the hnut
l. lai,rad io 'tbs p..l,,,.,, p,i7,...i -. Vs.
II ,..i ..,.,,,,,.t "a, . ','" a YIN -
".u wv" ,.H Wy ."' tnii'uc puma, W
inlrHion and Baltimore Ruilr0ud COmpnn
IL as forming any part Of the indebtedness
al The State Tho payment OF the intcre
..., H. .,tfi. '' '"ui'"
IS "."lf li''t''N lvI ny mat company, M
.u lhel Wtl lh no protaliu event have tO
iuO, idrd for hl thu State.
Nortnn the lnnn In The junction m,
- Riot ,v.,rer Roilrn'.1 Cn,,,,,,',. a,a ~
/, cured i' art mortgage upon the enti
roHd, be properly Nie~td as forming ar
y pant pl tie debt unprovided for. The j.
s- tcryst OH the bonds loaned TO that COZ
I'd pany, It is true, must be paid by the Sta
Treasurer, but the company has thus ia