The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-04-13

the kindness Ssat their situation and
conduct willacTmit. l respectfully
refer you to Ine pardons and COM
mutations granted by me, set forth
in the report of the secretary OF
state. The reasons assigned for
granting them, filed in his Office,
will exhibit the fact that l have
acted in most of the cases upon the
ground of good conduct while in
penal servitude. 1t has been done
under the belief that the premium
thus offered for good conduct would
beget such habit of conformity to
the required rules of action to which
they are subject as convicts, las to tend
greatly to their reformation. They
are thereby taught to depend upon
themselves for relief, rather than
upon the influence of friends or
relatives in getting up petitions nu-
merously signed, or upon sending
influential persons to the governor
to present their peculiar cases, each
of the cases being peculiar case of
hardship in the view of those who
present them. When he gets his
liberty upon his own merits as a con-
vict, he feels that it is due to the
justice of his government, and not
TO the sickly sympathy of others,
that prompts them to sign petitions,
nor to the efforts of persons of in
fluence procured sometimes, though
perhaps not usually, by compensa-
tion for their services. This policy
that has been adopted has had a
good effect, at least in the control of
the convicts while under confne-
ment.
beg leave also in this connection
to call your attention to, and ask
your action upon, at this session if
found necessary, the practice in
some counties of hiring county con-
victs to persons who carry them to
distant counties, sometimes to un-
healthy localities, where they are not
treated as they shonld be. L have
but limited information on this SUBJ
ject, but have incidentally learned
of such a practice, and mention it
that it may be inquired into and
corrected, if it should be found to
be an evil, without authority of law,
as suppose it to be.
UNIVERSITY.
Another subject submitted for
your action is the university OF
Texas and its branches, with the
recommendation that the legislature
shall take such action as may be
necessary in everything relating to
their government to the relation
n
disposition of their funds; and to
take such further action as may be
deemed necessary and proper in any
and every respect, for the support
and maintenance of the Prairie
View normal school, and for the dis
charge of its debts and liabilities.
In view of the hopes and efforts
of those who have heretofore con-
trolled public affairs, in laying the
foundations OF our institutions, and
in view of the interests of those who
shall be raised up in Texas to con-
troll its future destinies, this recon-
mendation involves the most import
ant matters, that will be before the
present session of the legislature.
1t embraces a numerous variety of
considerations, to which your espe-
cial attention is respectfully invited.
So important did the members of
the convention regard this matter
of public interest, that they made
the most minute and specific regu-
latiOns concerning it IN the constitu-
ton. They pointed out how it was
to be located, and made provision
fn re hrn -fn Il ri tn
be of the first class, indicated the
subjects of learning, enjoined it upon
the legislature as a duty to establish,
organize and support it, when prac-
ticabie, prescribed exactly how and
by what means that duty should be
performed by indicating what should
constitute its permanent fund, and
directing the appropriation of the
interest on it only for its support.
The election for the location of the
location of "The University of
Texas" provided for by an act of
the last regular session of the legisla-
ture, has been held and Austin has
been selected for the main univer-
sity, AMI Galveston for the medical
branch, as declared by the secretary
of state, whose duty under the law
it was to receive and count the votes
and declare the result.
On the 18th of November last, the
board of regents previously ap-
pointed, was convened at Austin,
held a session of several days, had
before them the reports OF executive
officers, showing the condition of
the property and funds of the uni
versity, took such action as was
then deemed by them necessary, and
made a report with recommends
tions, all of which has been printed
and will be submitted to you for
your examination and considera-
tion.
From these papers it will be seen
that its entire means were as fol-
lows:
PERMANENT FUND.
Lands in Tom Green, Crockett
and Pecos counties, 100000 acres ;
lands in Cook, Fannin, McLennan,
Shackleford and Callahan counties,
81, ,335 acres; notes III the treasur-
er's Office to be invested in bonds
when collected, $155,000; state
bonds, SIS, 6's and rs, 1885,, ,435 63 ;
cash to be invested in bonds,
$206.69.
AVAILABLE FUND
That has and will be on hand 1st
of January, 1888, not including the
appropriations made to the existing
schools, to-wit: A. Sc NJ. college
and Prairie View school. $47,O25.11
AS explained in the comptroller's
report,
THE PERMANENT FUND
may be increased by action of the
legislature as follows;
Bonds issued in 1867, 34,472.26 !;
interest on them from January l,
1867, at per cent. to 18th of April,
1876, that may be invested in bonds
if allowed, $62, ,473.58; comptrolIer's
certificate of Indebtedness, $10,-
30O.41. Available fund that may be
added by action of the legislature in
recognizing the validity of the above
bonds issued in 1867, and allowing
interest on them from April II, 1876,
to January, 1879, when the bonds
matured, SIS, S,209.77.
Upon subsequent inquiry from the
comptroller, l learn that, upon the
basis as presented in that report, the
annual interest on the bonds from
the 1st of January, 1888, which
would constitute the available fund,
is estimated to be 500, 1886, and if
the bonds, amounting to $134,472.26
should be added to the permanent
fund, the interest annually would
amount to $29, ,9s095. Further than
that, the annual increase of the avail