The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-01-09
GOVERNORS ADDRESS.

| Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Rep
resentdtires:
Having again been called to the discharge of
| the executive duties of the State, | appear be-
lore you, the representatives of the people, TO
| take and subscribe the oaths of office to return
| my profound thanks to those who have, for
| three years. honored me with their confidence
and sutfrages; to renew the pledge of my most
earnest efforts r. promote the great interests of
| the State, and to guard with watchful care the
| rights and welfare of the people; and, in obe-
| dience to the constitution, to give information
OF the condition of the State, and recommend
such measures as are deemed eXpedient.
In this spirit and with these purposes, Igreet
| you, and welcome you to these halls, and to the
high duties and responsibilities with which you
are charged. Mindful of the obligations rest
| ing upon us, acknowledging our dependence on
the Divine Ruler and invoking that wisdom that
! is from above, let us consecrate our best ener-
| gles to the service of the State.
| NATIONAL CONDITION.
| 1t is proper that we should pause for a mo-
| ment on the threshold OF our duties and recall
some of the leading facts that characterize the
| present highly prosperous condition of the coun-
| Try. In the two questions between this coun-
| try and Great Britain, involving the Alabama
| claims and the San Juan boundary, decisions
| have been made confirming fully in one case,
| and upon the most important points IN the 9TH
er, the claims OF the United States. The ami
cable settlement of these questions is triumph
VI tllc ITlUcptS oI peace over IflOSe Oh war IN
| the adjustment of international differences.
The year 1878 opens with degree Of pros
| perity in all our national interests seldom if
ever equaled in our history. Unusual activity
characteriZes all our industrial pursuits. Our
| railways, the arteries of civilization and com
merce. are being rapidly extended into every
| part of the country where there are resources
to be developed. They are opening up channels
of business before unknown, and bringing to
| the great marts of trade the wealth heretofore
| IN hn Mi md iyne
| tire industrial system. The locomotive stops
not at the base of the Rocky Mountains, nor
| the confines of civilization. Intent upon its
great mission, it scales the mountains, traverSes
vast prairies, punges into dense forests, spreads
farms, towns, cities, schools. factories and the
newspaper press on its way, and opens up new
| highways for the commerce of the world.
| Our agricultural. manufacturing, mining and
commercial interests were never more prosper
Gus. All the means of water transportation at
| command are not sufficient to carry our surplus
| agricultural products to the markets of the old
world. The single State Of Pennsylvania is
| producing more iron at the present time than
| England and the continent of Europe. 1t is re-
| ported that iron has recently been shipped to
| Europe with advantage; and 1t is confidently
| predicted that within a few wears, instead of
importing iron from England, we shall export
| large quantities TO that country.
| Our internal taxation. made necessary by the
war, has been reduced nearly two hundred and
| fifty millions raraannm; and still we have been
| paying the public debt at the rate of one hun
dred millions per annum. The duties on i'm
| ports have been entirely removed from a large
| portion of the neceSSarieS of life, and otherwise
| greatly reduced. Soon Il reasonable duty upon
| articles of luxury, which will be chiefly paid
by the wealthy, with such modification as the
| protection of our own laborers demand, and the
| tax on spirits and tobacco, will he sufficient for
! revenue, and generally satisfactory to the ppO-
| pie.
| Our credit has been strengthened and the pay
men of our debt made absolutely certain, so
| that to-day our securities are eagerly sought for
| BY capitalists for permanent Investment in this
and other countries. 1t IS now understood that
| the balance of our debt may be funded ut four
and Il halt to i've per cent. interest. All this
| lends to appreciate our currency and hasten the
time when specie basis can be reached. Our
| present banking system secures a currency
| which. unlike the bills of the old State banks.
is equally good in all parts of the country !;
while the bill-holders are secured from the pos
| sibiitv OF loss by the miSmanagcment Of falnre
Of the banks.
BY striking the shanklcS from the slave, we
| have removed the badge of dishonor which
| slavery attached to labor, and lifted up and dig
nifed human industry.
| The events and results of the recent Pre>i-
| dental cOmpalgn indicate greater unanimity
upon the leading questions OF public policy than
| has existed since The country was divided into
political parties. The constitutional amond-
| ments aholiShing slavery, and guaranteeing the
| Tl9nlS ol cUiLthSlhp 10 :lll persons born or NAT
| uraliZcd in the United States including the
right to vote; plcdging the faith OF the country
| TO pay the debt incurred in the suppression of
| the rebellion, and pensions 10 disabled soldiers.
| and the dependents of such n died in the SER
| vice; declaring Illegal and void all debit, and
obligations created i'll aid oi the rebellion. and
giving Congress power to enforce these amend
! lnrntS by appropriate legislation, have ul been
| accepted 10y their former opponents and ap.
| proved by the platforms of both political par
| thut nln .,
| the sentiments Of the men who made Them no
| party now desires the revival of slavery or the
withdrawal of the rights of citizenship. the
| ballot or the privileges of education from those
| recently in Servinde, and no one questions the
| propriety of providing that our debt shall be
paid, and that 10 part of the debt created in aid
| Of the rebellion shall be assumed by any State
| or general government All are in favor of
such changes and reforms in the civil service
| and other departments of the government i, on
perience shall dictate and thn good of the coun-
try shall require Indeed, it is said that in the
| recent Presidential canvass, many voters here
| t0tore republicans, were seriously puzzled tn
| determine whether the democratic party had
not become as it claimed in some instances,
| more intensely and truly republican than the
| republican party ITSELF while others were so
positive that such was the fact that they deemed
| it their duty to vote the democratic ticket in
| order to sustain republican principles.
| The principal questions that have divided the
| two great political parties being substantially
settled, we shall have time to devote more OF
our thoughts and energies to the development
of our material and intellectual resources and
| the achievement of the grand results which in
the possibilities of the future await our efforts.
FINANCES.
The financial condition OF the State as appears
by the report of the State Treasurer, is highly
satisfactory.
| The receipts for the past year have
been Sl,33I s5o.9s
Disbursements, LIZ ,5ii.4l
Debt Jan. |, lS73 7,lS- 800. 90
Sinking fund in the Treasury, l,02o, ,.i1,10
Debt deducting sinking fund, G,67 653 w
Cash in Treasury above immediate
liability. $50, 1000 90
Debt deducting sinking fund and cash
in Treasury, 5,9s7 653. 90
Sinking fund Jan. l. 1872, 19s 295 90
t" 1873. 1920, ,2l7 90