Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-01-13
GOVERNOR HARDIN'S MESSAGE.
Last Words of an Able Admins
tratlOn.
An Elaborate Exposition OF the
states Financial Conditions.
Wise Recommendations for Future Leg
islation.

SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE ::
The constitution imposes upon the leg
islature Il degree Of care ana consider IA
ton heretofore unknown in legislation
Satisfactory success Will come only from
untiring !abors and well-digested views
OF its provisions. An important part Of
Your duty viii bc to harlnOnI2e existing
laws with them. This was deemed so
laborious task that the trainers nt .h!s
instrument provided therein that this
sc s,ion might extend tr l2p days
Whilst it is true that this will be work
of great labor eXacting from you the
soundest and most intelligent considera-
ton that may be given to the many new
and untried provisions, vet. by regular,
di!igent and energetic action, 1t may AL
be accomplished in Il session OF ninety
davs or less The condition Of the
treasury demands the shortest possible
session, and the most economical eApen-
dlture OF its revenues. The gravity OF
Il thorough adaptation of ,he laws to the
constitution may be seen in the COM
mand in the latter part Of the first Sec
ton OF the schedule, which asserts that
"the provision of all laws which are in
consistent with this constitution as re-
! quire legislation to enforce them, shall
cease upon it- adoption, except that all
! laws which are inconsistent with such
/ provisions ut this constitution aS require
legislation To- enforce them. ,ha!. remain
/ in torce until the lst day OF July. lSIT,
| unless sooner anenued OF repealed hv
! the general assembly. No one can
! estimate the difficulties that may arise
and the expenses that may accrue hy
reason OF the failure to conform them to
| tho superior requirements oi the constl-
! tuition. The iOrty-third section of arti-
! Gle tour only authorizes appropriations
tor the payment OF interest upon the
| bonded debt of the state that may he.
come due during the term tor which the
! assembly is elected" The length OF !
term is two wears. No law. nor doe.
the constitutions fix The date specifically
The implication. however, is obN ious
whsn it shall bcgi'. The conrtitutiot
and laws bearing on the question have
been construed always rs fixing the DE
ginning OF the term at one electioii, anC
ending at the next biennial one Gov
King called the seventeenth general a.
sembly together on August 80, le52 bc
ing day between the election, then il
Angus, and the day, then in December
fixed by law for the meeting OF tile reg
ular session.
1t is the duty OF the executive t. Sc
lect the committee to settle with th'
auditor ami treasurer from the recent,
elected members OF the senate an,
house They are required to comven
before tie meeliug of the general as
sembly. and take the path prescribed b,
law for the members of the Legislature
Ii an executive should desire to conven
= general assembly after an election
and before the date of the begin
ming of 4 regular session, there coul,
be no question but that he could onl
call the last elected general asscmbl
together, and not the former one Ih
conclusion then is that your term be
gan with the recent election, and vii
end with the election of November, 1875
and that you make no appropriation fc
the payment of interest on the bumIe
debt, which may tall due after the Ia:
named election. On the first day OF .JaI
uary, 1873, which is before the regula
session Of the thirtieth general assembl
: will begin, the last instalIment OF sem
+ annual interest on the public debt 10
j the year 1873, amounting then to tn
= sum of near hnli Il million dollars
e will fall due. Without authority OF law
i il could not be legally paid, yet for tn
n honor OF the State. and OF its publ
= credit, it must be. Deficiencies in NJ
preparations Tor tins purpose would mex
, essarily occur every two Years and
: proper remedy should at once be SUP
!, pied by an amendment 10 the cons,ItI
5 tlon to the effect OF adding three or iou
n months to the time tor which appropris
= tions may now be made, and also {
2 authorizing the fund commissioners (
;, pay the interest. which may fall due o
the Is, day OF January, 1879. The en-
desired would be effected as we'll b
framing the amendment 10 strike out
the clause the words. that may becom
. due during the term for which each get
) eral assembly is elected. The rcsidu
of the clause would be protected by tn
limitation, As seen III the 10Th section
e article 10. Appropriations. under III
o clause rs it stands in the constitution
y have. practically limitation OF som
!, TWENTY-FIVE months. whereas all other
= have one OF two Years. The adoptiU
IS of the amendment in the last form wouI
make the limitation uniform. An amen,
ment in either form would he prompt
voted. and leave no ground Tor cay
I about the payment ut this or any 9th,
installment OF interest The credit OF
State is SO easily affected that the wise
policy would he to timely make clear IN
~ indisput1blc all laws and authority th'
:. direct and control its payment. Thel
is an alternative remedy, however: a
Of no I -, ",
vember or December, 1873. called IL
j, the express purpose of making an al
/. preparation for this payment. Th
= would be expensive, and meet only IL
. then present necessity, whereas Il
q ,,ronocitinn mould ~