Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-01-11
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
ExRcUTIyR OFFIcR,
IAcEaor. M. IanaafI 5. &c. I

To The Senate ana house Of hepTessnta'
lives;
partment Of the GOveFnme nt, you have as
sembled IN regular session for the purpose
Of considering measures 70 promote the
public welfare. Mani questions u rave
Importance = ~ cone before you, Fresh
from the teOple. you ere their representa-.
tIVea In fact, Assured that yOu realize the
weighty responsibility u Jour position,
and that your session will be character.
iEed by wisdom. pFU dencs, harmony aud
patriotism, ! congratulate our great Com
mOnWealih upon the auspiclous ctrcum.
stances under which you have convened,
and invoke the blessings Of Heaven upon
y0ur deliberations.
During the past year, general peace and
a iiet have prevailed. With lew exceptions
confined 70 one or TWO localities, no dis
tuFbances have occurred, the laws have
been enforced, and the courts have pro.
tected the citizen In his life, person and
property. Local selEgOyeinment has been
sufficient 10 preserve the peace, and TO Sc.
cure 70 our people the blessings Of good
government. The wisdom Of the legisla.
ton OF your predecessors, enacted In the
memorable session Of 1875, and In the ses'
sion OF 1871, Is seen In the prosperous and
satisfactory condition OF every Depart.
ment, and In the general content and salts.
faction OF the people Of ali classes and
races. The inanees OF the state are In
more satisfactory condition than at any
period during the past eight years, and
ample opportunity ls afforded to every ed.
ueable child 10 receive 4 good English ed.
ueatlOn In the free public schools. IL IL
true, there 10 considerable complaint OF
pFOsIratl0n In business circles, but the
prOstFAt.On is due 70 other causes than
that Of public legislation. The history OF
the State daring the past lew years, 10 ia.
mlliaT 20 the country. IL was not reason.
able TO expect that, within a few years,
our people could entirely recover from the
effects OF events that Frustrated every ln.
terest, and reduced 70 poverty, and Oi'en-
times 10 absolute want aad SUD ring, many
OF those who had before possessed plenty,
and had the means 70 gfatiiy every wish
Much has been accomplished within the
past two years. Taxes, for State purposes,
have been reduced from IA mills on the
dollar In 1874, and ol<, In ls75, TO 6k In iS q.
and 10 1917. Reductions equally as great
have bean made 10 the matter Of county
taxation, and within short time, when
the Indebtedness Of the state and counties
shall have been discharged -lndebtedne
which existed prior 10 The let OF January,
l6I6-the taxes 70 be paid BY the people
will b. reduced 70 rate y hich will com.
pare most aY0rably with that Of any other
state In the Union. The warrants OF The
State are ct par, and have been since the
let day. Of January, 1871, AS stated, tax.
alton has been greatly reduced In ever,
county, and where Indebtedness existed
two years ago. IL has been either entirely
extingulshed or greatly lessened.
R5equ ut CON plants have 90 ne TO me OF
occasional acts OF lawlesaness In two or
three Of the southwestern counties OF the
State. The better ola Of the citizens
who are greatly In tbs majority 10 these
eounties-aTe opposed TO iawlessneBs, but
are plwerleas 20 prevent it Ia many 10.
stances. The laWlees persons operate
secretly, and at night, and b fore their
deeds nave become known 70 thOss who
might pursue them and bring them to JUS
tlce, they have dispersed, and no trace or
them can be found. These persohs gener..
ally aot In spaTse,y settled communlties.
Although In the minority, and composed
mostly Of iGrerp IN sible pers0nV, yet these
1aWless elements should be made 30 Il ell
The strong arm Of the Government and
the guilty parties oh uld b. punished with
the utmost severity. A few evil, lawless
men can bring reproach upOn the Govern.
ment, and cause more harm 10 tts reputa-
tlCn than the entire law w.abiding element
can repair. l ask the attention OF the Leg
Islature 10 the compla;ntS from the Inc Ali-
Ties montlOntd, and suggest rigorous
measures 10 bring the lgWivss persons 10 a
sense Of their duties. The ordinary rene.
dies have, thus laT, been inadequate 10
meet the emer9 ency. II ~ due, not only
10 the state's fair nIme. but 10 lhe people
In the immediate neiShbOThO OOds-Rh no
necessarily suffer 10 per on and property
that the lawless bands be broken up, and
and that such punishment be administered
as will force them hereafter TO obey the
Il a Nkasa II - 4A.A .N4
zenB. 10 misht be well TO send 4 Legislu.
tive Committee TO the sOuth-w stern tier
Of counties, TO personally investigate the
condlt on oil affairs, and to suggest such
legislation as may be ueceBBary In the
premises Unless the courts can punish. !
l am powerless, without additional 1egis. |
latlen, fhe Implalnts age confined 10 a
few neighbl hoods IN 3 PARTICULAR lsealiiy
The laws are enforced else Where, all over
the State, and order prevails; II is q re-
prOach 70 tue entire state that In even one
section the laws can be violated with i'm. !
punlty. and men should receive very
sllght consideration who openly defy the |
laws, and who are utterly Indifferent 10
the repToach which their la lessness may
bring, not alone TO themselves and their |
counties bit 10 the people OF every pO:-
tl0n Of the stat. r--..
The PUBLIC REyERUEs.
The subIOlned figures will show the con-
dition OF the PuDlic Revenue and give
transaetlons OF toe FlHaocIal Department
Of the State during the year 1871:
Disbursements by variants. s.
Receipts into state Treasury 90. -
Total acreage OF the State go. ---
Total valuation OF realty. ..... .-
State tax On realty, 1877 ....... 97i767 II
state tax realty, lS15.,..... 023 STl 81
Decrease for 1871. 1881 o.
Total valuation perslHalty. 1877 - -
State tax on personally, 1871 ib9 Ol3 on
State tax on personally, 1915 239 BJ6 50
Decrease for 1877 ...,,....,.... 727ls SO
During the year tho State paid -
OF bonded deOt, and Interest on the
sane. Auditors warrants were oulstaud.
ing 10 December 3lst, 10 AMOUNT OF -
-, Of which - were lnsnranne
warrants, and ---- were known AZ
railroad warrants.
Amount due ChickasGw School Fund
December 3lst, was -. Interest an
same was paid during 1871. 70 amount Dt
-, leaving -- due Jaauafy
let. y. !"
THE PUBLIC REVENUES.
AS the fiscal year clOsas on the glst Of
December, the Auditor Of Public Acc UNITS
and State Treasurer have found 1t impos.