The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-11
GOV pALxER's MESSAGE.


recommends the establishment OF an in
ebriate hospital for its cure lie eongrat-
mates the Legislature and the people upon
the gratifying degree OF development and
nrocress made by the State upon the
10 which the system of education
has been brought; upon the good order
which prevails throughout the common
wealth upon the fact that the Peniten-
tiary is selt-sustaining upon the honesty
and faithtulness of all the State officers
upon the fact that the State is substantially
free from debt; upon the interchangeable
voluntary and unpaid exertions Of the
Board Of State Charities, and recommends
that in future its members receive salaries
upon the success Of the institution for the
feeble minded, and recommends increased
for its support. GOV. Pal
mer holds to the grand jury system, and
objects TO agitation for change in criminal
laws, as proceeding in many cases, from
mistaken zeal, recommending that nothing
be done to enlarge the discretion Of the
courts in criminal cases. The governor
declares hanging for murder worn-out
vestigc Of barbarism, He urges that suit
abb, persons should be appointed in popu
laus districts to visit persons charged with
crime to protect them from oppression and
eZtortion He declares the Illinois peni-
Tertiary to be now selt-sustaining, and
argues that the only practical system Tor
successful management Is combining com
pleta control of the cGnvlctS with the lease
Of their labor T. persons engaged IN special
pursuits He recommends the completion
of the revision and coditicati1n OF the laws,
and calls attention 70 the fact that the
Legislature will be required to divide the
State anew into judicial circuits.
Gov. Palmer charges shat some railroad
companies show "a disposition to dls)5cy
the laws regulating treights and passenger
interests making an issue 0f power relus-
ing T. conform to the maximum rates al
lowed lie recommends that these oil
fences should bc prosecuted by indictment
and tried by iurieS But by tar the larger
norton Of the message Is devoted u three
subjects. namely: Railways. the
criminal code. aud the doctrine OF
State rights
Public attention viii be arrested by hi
very elaborate argument on the question
of how far the State may control the ralI-
WAYS. These corporations, he says. OBJ
serve 20, limits i'm tine burden they impose
upau TIE people There is widespread
mi,.nnysptiou "a, a. taeir true relations
with the public. They claim not only the
.HuyG~hlp # ,lc railways, which are un
l,upt1dly theirs, tut ais, the exclusive
right e. the business Of carrying treigh:
over them, right which cannot he sup
ported by any just view ut the law. The
remedy for the enbarTaSsments Of the
community Is u throw all the railroads o
/ the State omen u competition between tn,
! carriers who are now in control Of then
and any others who choose t. enter th,
/ business. Ihi, would break up the mo
HJpJly which owners and managers If rail
/ roads now have. AMI would make the line
free % commerce. Railroad corporation
have inalienable rights in their property
and these would be preserved by allowing
them T. continue their ownership. thei
carrying trade and tn demand e1mpensa
ton for the use Of their lines from IN,
competing carriers. The regulations fl
this multitudinlus traffic may be easil,
arranged. he says by the General Assem-,
bly,. Gov Palmer declares that railwa
companies are OF dual character; tina
the tracks are highways owned by the rail
way companies, and that the c1mpanje
are al-r common carriers fIr hire II
proposes thar the State shall assume con
trJl OF the tracks - far a. u permit TIA
entire public t. Use them by making ia
companies reasonable compensation. an
concludes that the competition thus Great
ed will furnish ample remedy for til
present system OF CXtlrtilnatc rail
way charges Ant he yer
4, truly observes: The real cause
of the manifold abuses. eytarti,u-. am
oppre,sion- o. which the people are sui
jected are t, be found in the fact that raj
road property has passed under tine c0ntr,
. Of combinations OF financial adventurer,
/ who are in uowi-e interested in the prupC
arrangements Of the roads.
On the subjects Of criminal codes til
{ message pursues the beaten track foil 1--WE
by most OF those who have studied am
/ practiced the profession Of the law
deprecates any radical change in the sy
TEN opposes the abolition Of grand iurie
defends the pard0ning power a. a wi,
provision: tavOrs contidinc t. iuries ii
2 measure Of punishment upon c3nvictio
p for murder; opposes the enlargement
b of the discretion Of courts ia any particul;
= and generally defends the present code
wisely devised t. protect the lives an
3 liberties Of the people against the aeerc
p ,ions and eucruachmcut 81 power
. The concluded portion ID Gov Palmer
message comprises some thoughtful an
weli-cpnsidered comments upon the pr
' vailjnc political tendencies toward centra
D ism in our complex governmental system
His eXccilency states what every one ml
learn from the study IF our history. whe
he says that all the commissions that ha7
u endangered or threatened the overthrow
. our federal republic. and the subyersim
1 public liberty, have had their sources
4. the city Of Washington. 1t was at W asl
. iugtou that the despOtc alien and sed
IT, ton policy originated 1t was at Was
. ington that whatever there was in II
i Aaron Burr conspiracy was inspired
was at Washington that qualification
originated, at later day, n icds
e Washington Hat diyUHioR traS eo0ceire
a oad 0H tn measures Hat mqde reje7yjl
= possible ,rsr. orgaDfzed IN Hc CoD9rcss
- tie JHitsd States
'' This, says the Chicago Times. is II
3, statement Of an undeniable fact which
C Is worth while for every man to serious
consider. Every man who is not inexcu
ably ignorant, knows the fact; knows tn
> the vital forces of the rebellion were C
o gendered at Washington and organized
| the federal Congress. Gov. Palmer f,
e lows the statement of historical fact
proposition which he, and a very lar
Il body of patriotic people believe to be
= proposition Of fact, namely 1T is fro
o Washington that influences now prOce,
II, that threaten to overthrow the liberties
: the people Generally, the partisans
= the Washington administration will del
5 that this is true allegation Well, Il
lie partisans of the Washington administrati
J. in 1859, and even in the notable winter
- 1860, when rebellion was actually orga
y izing for war, would have denied, did den
" that in the federal Congress was hatchii
d treason to overthrow the constitution
b republic The denial did not alter &
fact then, nor will it alter the fact no
." What better reason is there to doubt tn
the forces which mean the destruction
= the federal republic by the erection
Y central absolutism, are developing and {
ganizing at Washington now, than the
was to doubt that the forces of destructi
I by secession were organizing in Washin
ton a dozen years ago? Is Congress COZ
a posed of more virtuous, patriotic al