The daily gazette., 1877-01-02
january =. 1877.
Governor Coctran's Message

Governor C0ctran's Message.
The first biennial message of Goverpol
Cochran, was sent in to the General As
sembly to-day, and read in both Houses
1t is an ably prepared, lucid and valua
BILE State paper; and will receive the
hearty approval Of the people of Della
ware.
1t treats of nearly every local mattel
of legislative interest. 1t opens with
some congratulatory remarks upon the
completion of the first century of the
nation and brief reference to the sue
cess of the Centennial Exposition, which
we are told will refund to the State proba
bly, 90per cent. of the SIC, 900 which the
Legislature of 1875 authorized to be sub
scribed TO the stock. Then follows q
comprehensive review of the Report Of
the State Treasurer, showing that the
finances have been well managed thai
nearly half million dollars of the State
bonded indebtedness has been liquidated
since 1871. Since the meeting of the
last Legislature $23,660 of the matured
bonded debt with interest, has been paid
and there remains net balance of about
100000 in the Treasury waiting invest.
ment. The Governor, therefore, argues,
as we think wisely, that it is better to re-
duce taxation, and gradually pay the
bonded Indebtedness as the bonds can be
purchased at par, or nearly so. The
State Treasurer having endeavored to
buy them, but failed to get them. His
Excellsncy is fully aware of the hazard
to which sinking funds are subject. He
knows they are often unwisely managed :
and suggests that what is saved by one
legislature may be sqandered by another !;
he therefore urges that the revenue laws
be so amended as to produce less sur
plus, and annually reserve only sufficient
to pay the interest and redeem such bonds
as may be offered. The School Fund
and railroads are glanced at; and the ap-
pointment Of commissioner to examine
into the affairs of insurance companies is
recommended. The collection of statis-
tics for information concerning crimes,
paupers, eaf,dumb, blind, insane, assess
ment and valuation of property, taxation,
insurance, railroad companies, agricul-
ture, &c, is recommended, and he suggests
the enactment of law making it the
duty of certain officers to prepare and file
statistics of such matters with the Secre-
tary of State. Some enactment is sug-
gested to protect the State from the in
road of tramps. The Governor then re-
fers to pardons, and insists that applica-
ton for executive clemency is too fire.
quentiy made where it is undeserved, and
maintains, properly, that he cannot be in
duced to interfere with the judgments of
the courts, to alleviate the wounded
feelings of suffering relatives Under
the head Of charities it is shown that the
State is providing for nine who are deaf
and dumb, three who are blind, and two
feeble-minded, in institutions not within
our borders. Considerable space is given
to the consideration and value of free
schools and the school law of 1875. The
settlement of the boundary question be-
TWEEN New Jersey and Delaware is
urged. Under the head of Military, the
Report of the Adjutant General is refer
red to, which shows that officer has made
some important additions to the arms of
the State, by the correction of errors with
which it had been charged by the General
Government. The Message then discus
ses freely and ably the question of estate
Aid" and very properly denounces the
growing practice of plunging the whole
people into debt with the delusiye idea of
comforting benefit upon particular sec
tions by building railroads, that expert
ence has shown rarely repay their run
ming expenses; and concluding with a
very concise yet forcible allusion to our
"Federal Relations" and the attempted
encroachments upon the right to try Of
Tenders against our laws in our State
courts, in which numerous decisions of
the us. courts are cited, and reference is
made to the case Of the assault of John
O'Byrne, Esq, by deputy U. S. Mar
shal, and the proposition of the District
Attorney to take the case out of the State
Courts to the u. 8. Court.
The Message is of unusual length and
of great timportance-one of the best that
has emanated from the Gubernatorial
office Of our State, and we earnestly COM
mand careful perusal of tito our readers.
Its length renders its publication entire
to-day in our space impossible, and its
importance as a political, and historical
document, induces us not to attempt a
mere synopsis, we shall therefore have tc
defer its completion until tomorrow.
The Republican party is setting baC