The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-02-10
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
4 TERsE AND ABLE PAPER.
Governor Porter to the General
Assembly.
Interesting and Important to the
People.

A
Gentlemen Of Tho Senate and Hosss Of Req
reseHtGaSs8:
The Constitution Of the State imposes
upon me the duty Of making such recon-
mendations to the General Assembly as
may deem expedient. But the elabo-
rate message of my immediate predecess-
or, coupled with your action, covers the
entire field of legislation, and 1 will only
direct your attention briefly to a few
questions, most of which are already en-
bodied in bills now pending before you,
and as paramount to all other questions,
I call your attention to the fact that in
all sections of the State the people COM
plain Of the burdens of taxation, FEEDER
al, State and local; and while they are
willing to be taxed for all necessary and
legitimate purposes, they have such con-
fdence in your wisdom and discretion,
and In your knowledge of their present
great necessities, as to make them feel
secure in the belief that you win avoid
any legislation looking to extravaganza
or to the advancement of private specu-
lation. The people Of Tennessee never
possessed so little ability to bear the bur-
dens of government as at present. The
very general failure in all the staple pro-
auctions of the State, together with the
great industrial depression resulting from
the financial disorders of the country,
has reduced the condition of the people
TO such a point as to require the exer-
else Of economy and watchfulness in ev-
cry appropriation made by their Repre-
sentatives.
THE STATE DEBT.
The attention of the Legislature is
called TO the necessity of making provis-
| ion for the interest on the State debt,
and for the necessary appropriation to
meet the current expenses of the State
I Government.
It is too late to discuss the wisdom of
the policy under which this debt was
created, but how to preserve the public
| faith and credit without an increase of
the public burdens, is the question of
| the greatest concern to the tax payers;
! the rate of taxation cannot be increased
without inflicting irreparable injury up
| on the people, and while this fact can
not be questioned, il must be understood
that the people of Tennessee will never
repudiate the legitimate debt of the
! State. The question was fairly present
ed to them during the late canvass, and
they pronounced against it, They know
that Reputation does not pay a debt;
that it docs not discharge the debtor;
that it does not modify debt so that it
is not always binding in law as we'll as
in morals and that it adds sort of dis
| repute to acknowledge inability" but
n IL Aha r ha mill
| consent to the infiiction of this "stain,
| which We ought to feel worse than
wound" there is an imperative necessi-
ty for prompt reduction in the eXpen.
ditures of the State Government. If this
is done, no doubt can exist of the ability
of the State to meet promptly all its OBJ
legations.
ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL LAW.
The expense incident to the admins
tration of the criminal law, is the subject
of criticism and complaint in all parts of
the State, and it is believed that this
large expenditure can be greatly reduc-
ed by modification of the statute in re-
lation to the crime of larceny, so as to
There are now in the State Penitentiary
about five hundred convicts convicted Of
larceny, chiefly of the lower grade; the
ofense of many was for stealing sums
ranging from eight cents to five dollars,
entailing directly on the State, in many
cases, an expense of over two hundred
dollars for the delivery of the convict at
the State Prison. The reduction of the
grade of this crime, would save many
thousands of dollars to the Treasury; the
punishment of those convicted of it by
confinement in the county jail or work
house would be adequate, while the NOR
ais of the convict would be improved by
this change in the manner of his punish
ment; and suggest for your cOnsidera-
tion the propriety of imposing by law,
upon the several counties, where the
crime is committed, the payment of the
cost now chargeable to the State; the
adoption of this policy would be great
relief to the Treasury, and would doubt
less induce greater watchfulness upon
the part of the citizen, and arouse more
active interest in the suppression of ev-
cry character of lawlessness.
FEES AND PERoUIsITEs.
Much complaint is made by the tax
payers of the State at the amount of fees
and peruuisites received by many Office
holders in Tennessee. The compensa-
ton of all public servants should be rea-
sonable, but no place should have at
tached to it such an income as will jus
tify the employment of corrupt means in
obtaining it, and I recommend the pas
sage of a general law limiting the in
comes of all officials to a certain amount,
and providing that all fees in excess of
the prescribed limit shall be paid into
the public treasury.
THE STATE PENTTENTIARY.
The lease Of this institution win ex-
pire the LIST day of December, 1876, and
the duty dcvolves upon you Of determin-
ing the disposition to he made Of 1t.
The present policy is a very questiona-
BILE one, but if il is To be released, the
manner and terms Of the lease should be
definitely settled, and should be made in
time to enable the lessee to provide the
necessary material and supplies for pros
ecuting the business of the establishment.
The penitentiary building is wholly in
adequate for the accommodation of the
convicts now occupying it; no proper
system of discipline can be enforced, and
no sufficient provision can be made for
the health or moral condition Of the priR-
oners; the enlargement of the present
buildings is not desirable, because OF
the location, and recommend TO the con-
sideratinn of the Legislature the propri-
ETY. of selling the establishment and erect
ing a new one at some point outside the
city of Nashville, with accommodations
suited to the wants of the State; but our
financial embarrassment will prevent the
construction Of this much-needed i'm
provement now unless a sum sufficient
can be realized from the sale of the build
ings and grounds.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The people of Tennessee recognize the
necessity of affording free education TO
all the children of the State. The sys-
ton, now in ODeratiOu is q wise one in
MANY respects, and ought to be made
the subject of the most friendly legisla-
ton; such legislation as will make every
child in the State its beneficiary. The
general sentiment of our people is favor
ShIe 70 the canse of nonnlar education.