The border vidette., 1917-03-24
FIFTY-THREE YEARS AGO.
First Governors Farewell
 Message to Legislature.

On the ninth day of November. 1861, Hon. John N. Good win, the first governor of the Terri tory of Arizona, addressed the following farewell message to the legislature at the conclusion of it's deliberationS:
 In reply to a message from the legislative assembly, inquir ing whether I have any further communication to make, it gives me pleasure to inform you that all business requiring your atten tion has been submitted to you, and have only to express my full appreciation of the dilig- ence and wisdom with which your labors bave been prescott ed and of their great value to the territory.
 'The task before you was, indeed, one of no ordinary diff ficulty. Since it's acquisition by the United States, the territory has been almost without law or government. The laws and GUS toms of Spain and Mexico had been clashing with the statute and common law of the United States and questions of public and private interest had arisen which demanded careful but decided action. These questions have been met and satisfactorily settled. No portion of the terri tory has been overlooked and no interest of it's people has been neglected. In addition to the ordinary business of the session, complete code of laws has been adopted; one which will meet all the wants of our young wealth and will compare favorably with the statutes of the older states.
 You have been in session forty three days and a greater amount of labor was never per formed by a legislative body in the same time.-
 I congratulate you on the harmony and good feeling that have characterized your delibera tions. At a time when political feelings are strongly excited, you have suffered no party diff ferences to distract your proceed ings and divert your attention from the important work before you. You can now separate with the consciousness that your duties are performed.
 In a subsequent address to the legislature, made on the occasion of the tender to him of vote of thanks flor the able, efficient and impartial manner in which he has discharged the ardous duties of speaker of the house during the present session." w. Claude Jones, the first presiding officer, said:
 "You have been orderly, SO Der, active and industrious, and your deliberations have been directed with an enlightenment of intelligence. You have gone with an energy and with will into the business of the legiSla- ture. You have worked unceas- ingly, and with great and good results. You have accomplish ed what no other territorial le- gislature has done before you"
 Such was the condition in 1861.
 At the close of the third state session 1n 1917, fifty three years later, Thos. B. Campbell the first de facto or makeshift gov ernor of Arizona, made a felicit- ous address in which he com plimented that body in no un- certain words. Arizona in a half century has progressed, in fact the appropriation bill in 1917 was larger than the assessment roll of the territory in 1861. The third legislature had something tangible to begin with. Dili- gence and wisdom marked the procedure and politics did not prevent necessary legislation to care for every interest in the state. Arizona has taken no backward step.- Messenger.