Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-04
ESTABLISHED 1850.

Federal authority when it is exerted in vino
catlon OF the Avs Of the United States, bV
lated, they feel that the interest of fus,iee r
quires that the offenders, be they foreigner
natives. private citizens or Federal official
snonld oe brought to the bar OF the State court
% answer Tor their crimes Iwould with muc
earnestness, invite the attention Of the Gener,
Assembly 10 this grave subject. and ask Won
honorable body to consider the expediencv {
proVlolug proper and ample appropriations fC
ene prosecutlon OF Offenders in the Federt
courts IN such cases as are here adduced, an
Tor proper representation of the States II
terests and dignity.
THE CONTINGENT FUND.
The appropriation made for the.continger
fund by the last General Assembly for each @
the fiscal years 1881 aci 1882 was 81 800. Fo
the year 1850 the amount appropriated 70
said fund was $1,000. while for the years pre-
ceding the latter and succeeding the late civ
war. the amount thus appropriated was 800
OO1 per annum. The annual appropriation 70
tnis Iund during the years Immediately pre-
cedinG the war was about 8 81 600
Tbe very material reduction of said apprc
prlation by the General Assembly for 1881
was doubtless the suggestion of a commen
9aole spirit OF economy, but experience ha
demonstrated that the reduction has been to-
great. The per diem of the Board OF Visitor
OF the State University, and the expense O
distributing the laws and journals OF the len
81 era = assembly. the supreme Court reports an
ties OF the State are a constant annual charg
upon said fund These items for the presently ca
aggregate Sl .552 so that Of the appropriation
for the contingent fund for 1882 there remain
only $4,000 for defraying the contingent ex
penses of the several offices Of the Fxecutiv,
Department for aiding in the execution OF tn,
criminal laws in the State. and for maxim.
other payments for lawful objects for which
no special appropriation had been made
Notwithstanding the smallness of said flne
ana tne probability Il its premature exhaus
ton. l could mt b lieve that it was consisten
WIN executive DUTY, or with the public inter.
est, T. refuse, without exception, to offer re-
wards FOR fugitive criminals. In consequence
several rewards have been earned. while thu
means or payment were wanting. Thes.
claims have been filed in the F-xecutive offIca
and will, in due time be laid before the pronel
committee or the General Assembly.
Ihls subject is referred to, not for the purpose
an making any special recommendation there
ation may be invited thereto.
SALE OF CERTAIN LOTS BELONGING To THE STATE
The last General Assembly passed an act ap
proved September 13, 1881, d recting the Gov
ernor to cause to be sold certain lots and frac
tional lots or land belonging to the State
which, by an act assented to December Is. 1873
iia nao peen reserved and set apart for educa
uonal purposes.
The third section OF said first mentioned act
provides that wv here any property is adver
Used Tor sale under this act. and the same is
person may interpose claim thereto" etc
ItsWaS deemed advisable to ascertain from
the records the condition of said lands as to
claim Of ownership. and accordingly inquiry il
regard thereto was made Of the Clerks of the
Superior Courts In the several counties IN
which said lots are located Replies to said
inquiries. SO far as they have been received
exni6lt the TACT that In a majority OF instances
said lots are owned or claimed by citizens.
No provision is made in said act for the pro-
tectlon OF the interest OF the State at said sales
and it is quite certain. in view of the foregoing
that the sums which would be bid for said lots
would be insignificant.
ln order that useless and expensive litigation
between the State and her citizens might be
avoided, deemed it proper to Withhold the
action required Of the government bv the aci
referred to, and to ask the further considera'
tion OF the subject by the General Assembly
III Is respectfully suggested that the Governor
be empowered to have Investigation made Of
the Titles ana value OF said lots, and that
authority be given him to bid for and purchase
the same when soil, unless they shall bring
something like their real value.
OBSTRUCTION OF THE PASSAGE OF FISH IN rzp
SAVANNAH RIVER.
By a joint resolution Of the General Assem-.
bly,, approved September 2S 1881, the Cover
nor was instructed to have full and complete
investigation made Of the obstruction Of the
paSsag ge OF fish in the Savannah river caused
by the dam OF the Augusta Canal Company.
and or the feasibility, of providing sufficient
Hsh-wayS in said dam. L. F. Livingston. r. n
Carey andsJ. S. Newman were appointed to
make such investigation. After visiting Au-
gusta and examining the nature of the obstruc-
tion, they reported to the Governor that. while
they we're satisfied it was entirely practicable
to remedy en- ~ tn the evil complained Of. they were
regard to the construction of proper fish.ways.
without first observing the plan and operation of
such structures in other places. 1t being one of
the prime objects Of said resolution to secure
inf,
thotized by an Executive order of date Au-
gust Is, 1882, to visit and inspect the Mcdonald
fish ways In the James and Rappahan-
mock rivers in the State of Virginia; the fish
ways at Lawrence, Massachusetts and the va
r1ous models OF such structures in the
Smithsonian Institution at Washington Citv
The result OF such inspection and the recon-
mendatlon OF the commissioners. based there
on, will be found in their report accompany
ldg this communication. AS there remains no
fund In the treasury from which tbs expenses
of the commissioners. incurred in making said
investigation. could b9 paid, 1 respectfully
purpose be appropriated by the General AS
sembly.
DRAINAGE OF CHATHAM COUNTY,
submit to the Legislature the report of the
ooard appointed Tor the prosecution of this
important work and the disbursement of the
appropriation made to effect it, 1t will be seen
that they ask for an additional sum for a fur
ther prosecutioni OF the enterprise, which
seems to be one of very great importance.
Savannah, our great port. has ever been to the
people OF Georgia cherished interest and
pride, and we have good grounds for believ-
ing that in the labors or this board we already
eau mark the most beneficial results 1t would
be well to consider the great good that may be
sustaining the public spirited gentlemen who
compose it.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
In 1875 law was passed and approved estab-
fishing State Board of Health. The board
was organized under this law and entered upon
its duties. The members of the board received
no compensation for their services. and were
only allowed their expenses while dischareing
their outy as board. The sum require for
the printing OF the transactions Of the board
was 81 500 per annum. During the two years
of active existence of the body it rendered val
uable service to the State but the failure of the
Legislature to make the annual appropriation
caused a suspension of the labors of the board
and its sessions have been discontinued It
NAV be proper TO state that the credit of estab-
fishing Board Of Health was at an early date
due to the State of Georgia as among the fore.
most promoters OF the measure, and such an
agency is now deemed indispensable by most
Of the States Of the Union
PARDoNs.
In conformity with the requirements of the
list Is furnished to the General
Assembly OF the pardons granted by the Ex-
ecutive In the last two years, with the reasons
for the same. The number OF cases in which
1t has been proper TO exercise clemency, has
Of necessity, to some extent Increased from
various causes. Ten years ago, on account Of
the more numerous disorders resulting from
the wac, and the unsettled state Of society.
longer terms OF punishment were inflicted than
are usual now for similar offenses. In many
offenses the penalties have been diminished
by statute. 1t has been deemed proper to ap-
proximate penalties to the present standard In
meritorious cases.
STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH
Without assuming anything to which we
may not justly claim for the fortunes of the
State, we may, with great satisfaction make a
retrospect Of our progress in the last six years:
In 1877 the taxable property OF the State was
$235 $50 $50; in 1872, SsS7, ,24s 4OS; increase,
S51, ,5S9, ,873.
Rate Of taxation in 1877 was mills on the
dollar; now it is mills.
The gross amount of taxation in 1877 was
81, ,176, ,297; in 1884, SS6i ,748, diminishing the
amount OF taxes annually over S3i6,54O
In 1875 the cost of collecting the tax incIud-
Ing insolvents, was over 500, 900; now this
cost is, including insolvents, S64 2S4 16; making
q difference in favor of the State OF S135 us "a
In the same time we have collected of back
taxes due from railroads In the State 500, 900,
and established the right OF the State to
recover as annual tax on the same roads
$4,000 more than was previously paid.e
Our State securities that were quoted at psr
in 1877 have greatly appreciated, and are now
quoted at 113
In 1877 our public debt was Sl1, ,O44. 600. with an
annual interesso over $500, ,Oo0 We now owe
49, 6e4. 1875, with an annual interest OF S645 446.
showing that Ia six years nesrly 81. 500, ,OCO OF