The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-01-29

10 The Senate and House Of Representatives.
GENTLFMEN-It becom eS my duty, under
. she Constitution and laws of the state IL
8 transmit this. my third annual message &c
a your honorable body.
IN takiug retrospect over the last -four
"a years, ! am led to the cOnclusi n hat de
81 cjded Advancement has been madc i'm All
thc departments of the Government. The
a laws enacted have conformed in the main,
ii to The wants Of the people. Our public insti-
buttons have been repaired and enlarged :
FL educational advantages have been pro-
yided; crime has been meaSurably sun
pressed; peace aud good oider have been
inainfanrd; prescription and intolerance
have subsidized, and harm iaiouS aud friendly
Il relations haye been ret tbiishpd anon o
S all classes ct society. These evidences of
advancement and prosperity lend promise
10 the future. What remains to be done. i
To continue the work of improvement SO
wei begun; advance the credit OF the
State; lessen the burden of taxation; up
hold the laws. and foster the amity Of feel
lng which alone can bind the people to-
gether in a community OF interest and open
The avenues of wealth aud power.
As consequence of the large amount Of
Alegis iatiOn invited to meet The requirements
Ot Reconstructed Mississippi. amt of the
hasty manner in which much of il has been
considered, time and the Interpretation of
fht Courts will he required to harmonic it
and IlmijiauZc the people with tie new
Save received judicial construction, the less
additional legislation that is had, The better
RWill 1t he for the state. Too little is better
fhan too much legislation
Il In my last message | auimadyerted upon
lhe evils OF special enactmentS Another
d ears experience has deepentd my rouVic-
lious upon this subject. 1t would. in my
judgment, be greatly to the advantage of
80 people u the entire system OF special
sRnd local legislation was swept away and The
Objects sought to be accomplished thereby
We're provided for by general laws. The
4tndency in NIL better regulated commune
Us Is III this direction. In some Of The
States constitutional limits have seen im-
Rosed The new Constitution Of Illinois.
Mdopted in 1870 provides as follow. The
Feneral Assembly shall not pass local or
Hp"ciai laws in any e. the following cuumry-
et eases. that : 10 say: For granting di-
#"ree-; changing the names OF persons or
80, iaftHI ont opening, alterlHL ANA
4 "iNUg roads or highways: Narating
Il ATS, lawn D'afS. streets, alleys and public
kf"th"s; locating or changing county
-; regulating Jne jurisdiction and duties
"A justices ut the peace. p lice IA gi-JruLe~
ha c"n>ables; providing Tor changes %!
t'Hue lh civil and cri...iuai cases. IT, r0Fpo-
4''ti"E critics. towns or villages, ar changing
u aluH"dln~ tEg charter 81 ANY toyl ~. city
a \n''&r; proE!GsHg to~ lie eiec joa OF
fa'tiAHrfs OF Gre Bsir,t of Supervisors in
4o"o>hips, Incorporated Downs and cities
fuHm"nlHG and impaHnelag grand or petit
res providing ieG the management OF
eoih mon schools; regulating Jhe rate of in
3 Ic>t on money; the opening and conduct
'HG "l any election, or dtsi rnaJiug the place
II voting; the sale or mortgage of real -
n - belonging Ia mfnaTS, or other. under
sEt9ibtllA The protection of game or fish
Sil, t"fhE or liz u-iHg ferries for toll
II urges renting fines. penalties or forfeit
''tts creating. increasing or decreasing fees,
- cehtaSe or allowances OF public officers
luFlh4 the term fnr which said officer Mas
%iecied or appointed; changing the law OF
peNceht; grating to any corporation, assoc
Fttloh or individual tie right {" lay down
1dliFoai tracts, or amending existing char
ferS for such purpose; granting 10 any
corporation. association or individual any
especial or exclusive privilege, immunity
pr franchise whatever; in all other cases
where a general law eau be made appilCa-
pie, no special law shall be enacted Within
the past year Pennsylvania has followed the
Example of Illinois. and the indications are
.tdat the fortunate day will soon arrive when
provisions similar TO those above quoted
viii have been engTaftvd upon the Cnn-ti-
tuition of every ) ate in the Union The
hangers OF special iegis alton are well illus
tFated by a provision which was Struggled
into railroad charter a the last regular
session of the Legislature OF the state.
" hereby an attempt was made by an inge-
ahously worded clause 10 exempt all rail
|IoadS from taxation ter a period of JeH ears.
ASIDE from the great unnecessary expense
|ftsultlng from special and local enactmrntS,
8they are still more objectionable rs aftortiuw
medium through which designing aud cor
sfapt men may operate. With the correc
lion OF the evil herein referred to, ! / uHiai
eesSiuns Of the LegiSlature viii naturally
II 'lloN aud the Nay viii ht opened s. hereby
Ette expenses Of the Legislative D"p@rtm rnt
Fl the Government may be reduced 10 a
golden minimum.
PUBLIC REVENUE.