The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-01-09


the purpose considering promote the public
welfare Many questions of grave Importance will come
before you Fresh from the people, you their
sentaves in fact Assured that you realize the weghy
responsibility of position, and hat your session will
be characterized by WISDOM prudence harmony and pa
uiotIsm' congratulate our great commonwealth upon
the suspicious circumstances under which you have
vened, and invoke the blessings OF Heaven upon your
deliberations.
During the past year, general peace and quiet have
prevailed With few exceptions, confined to one or two
localities disturbances have occurred the laws have
been enforced and the courts have protected the citizen
in his life person and property Local segovernment
sufficient the and to secure
to people the blessings of good government The
wisdom of the legislation of predecessors, enacted
the memorable session of 1876 and in the session OF
1871 in the prosperous and satisfactory condition
OF Department, and in the general content and sat
sfacon of the people of all classes and The
finances of the State satisfactory condition
than at any period during the past eight years and ample
opportunity afforded to every educable child to receive
good English education in the free public schools 1t
true, there is considerable complaint of prosration in
circles but the prosraon is due to other causes
than that of public legislation The history Of the State
during the past four years familiar to the country 1t
was not reasonable to expect that within few years
our people could entirely from the effects of
events that Frustrated every interest and reduced to pow
erty, and otentmes to absolute want and suffering,
those who had before possessed pleny and had
the means to crafty every wish.
Much has been accomplished within the past years
Taxes for State purposes have been reduced from IA
mills the dollar in 1874 and 81 in 1875, to 81 in 1876
and in 1871 Reductions equally great have been
made in the matter of county taxation and within short
time when the Indebtedness of the State and counties
shall have been Observation-Disclosures which existed
the people will be reduced a which will compare
most favOraby with that of other State in the Union
The warrants of the State at par and have been since
the st day OF January, 1871 AS stated taxation has
been greatly reduced in every county, and where ndebt
edness existed two years ago. it has been either entirely
extnguished greatly lessened.
Frequent complaints have of occasional
acts OF awlessness in two three of the
of the State better class citizens
who greatly in the majority in these counesare OPP
posed to lawessness but poweress to prevent it in
many instances The lawIess persons operate secretly
and efOr heir leeds knox
to those who might pursue them and bring them to justice
thew have disnerei and no trace of them can he found
These persons generally act sparsely settled
ties Although in the minority, and composed mostly of
irresponsible persons, yet these awless elements should
be made to feel the strong arm OF the Government and
the guilty parties should be punished with the utmost
verify. few evil awless bring reproach upon
the Government and more harm to its reputation
than the entire awabiding element repair. ask
the attention of the Legislature the plants from
to bring the lawess persons to sense of their duties
The ordinary remedies have thus far been inadequate to
meet the emergency 1t is due not only to the States
fair name, but to the people in the immediate neighbor
hoods-who necessarily suffer in person and property
that the awess bands be broken up and that such pun
DE administered as VIII force them hereafter TO
obey the laws and deport themselves good citizens.
1t might be well to send Legislative Committee to the
tier oil countess to personally investigate
the condition of affairs and to suggest such legislation
punish powerless, without additional legislation
The complaints are confined to few neighborhoods in
particular locality The laws enforced elsewhere all
the State and order PREVAILS reproach to the
entire State that in section the laws be VIC
lated with impuny. And should receive very slight
consideration who openly defy the laws and who are
utterly Indifferent to the reproach which their lawlessness
may bring alone themselves and their counties
but to the people OF every portion of the State
THE PUBLIC REVENUES.
AS the fiscal year closes on the s1s of December the
Auditor of Public Accounts and State Treasurer have
found it impossible have their reports complete and
ready be Transmitted you the first day of
An examination of the books in the offices of the
two officers named shows that the finances of the State
in most satisfactory condition The Government is
being administered upon basis of economy and the
spirit of retrenchment and reorm inaugurated by
predecessors two seems to pervade every De-
partment.
During 1917 the receipts into the Treasury, from all
Sources $S6532747 The disbursements during the
same PERIOD were $5620S469 In 1876, the bonded debt
the State the of $3O565O, paid, besides
interest the said debt Certificates of indebt
edness cancelled to the amount of $22785 Bonds
issued to the 3st of December to the amount of
$2o5OOO On the 1st day of January 1877, the bonded
debt of the $70900; the 1st of January,
1878, the bonded debt was $60s5O0, follows to-wit
Bonds due January 1875 $1499oo bonds due January
l. 1872 $149 250 bonds due January l. $780, $81 $50
bonds due January l. 1896, agricultural Land Scrip
FundJ, $227,15O.
The State on realty 1876, was.....s6 1928 371.S2
The State realty, 1877, was......... 4747577s
Decrease for 1877 s14s614O4
The State tax personality, 1876, 1892 68666
The State tax on personally, 1877, 15ss4Soo
Decrease for 1877 7a74a.ee
INDEBTEDNESS OF THE STATE.
On the 1st day of December, 1876, the entire ag-
gregate Indebtedness of the State was reported as
being 1929 S4743 This estimate INCLUDED the amounts
due Chckasaw and Common School Funds all bonds in
tsrest school funds, bonds insurance deposits etc
The total debt proper $1,100e0522 This latter
was obtained by substractng from the first named
aoove the debts due the two school funds the cash hal
ance IN the Treasury and the Railroad Warrants
treasury which owned by the State The total debt
proper OF the State the 1st day of the present mouth
is less than 100000
do not entertain any doubt but that You viii be
economical your predecessors in 1875 and 1877
and that, by the wisdom prudence Of her officers Of