Year: 1860

enable me to make any specific suggcs.


tious in regard to it, aud can only re-


commend the whole matter to your care


ful and friendly consideration.


The present condition and future man


agement of the permanent school fund of


the State, deserves your serious investi-


cation and delibera,ion. Under former


and existing laws, this fund has been lent


to individuals, and in many cases, either


through the carelessness or dishonesty of


the officers by whom it had been lent,


the securities taken therefor have proved


to be entirely Inadequate, so that large


losses to the fund must ensue. BY a


provision Of our Constitution, all these


losses fall upon the State, and become


funded debt, upon which the State must


forever pay the interest. Many Of the


loans thus made, a~c now or soon will be


falling due, and it becomes matter Of


grave Importance to determine in what


manner the moneys when paid shall be
again disposed Of l consider the pres
ent system open to much objection. Not
only are losses Of the principal CONSTANT
ly occurring under it, which the State is
bound to make good, but even the inter


est is not promptly paid, SO that the ac


tive fund for the support of schools is


huctuatiug and uncertain. am strong


" inclined to the opinion that better


policy would be to direct the payment


of the principal, as it falls due, into the


State Treasury, to be used as other mon


cys for State purposes, binding the State


to pay the interest on the same fer school


purI oses In this way, the money would


in the first instance, 60 to the benefit of
all the people Of the State alike, by les
scning to that extent the amount of
money to be raised by taxation, and the
interest would, in like manner, be paid
by TIE people and be applied to their use
ia the support of the public schools
If this shall be deemed Objectionable, l
would recommend that the money when
paid in, be invested either in stocks of
the United States or in the best stocks
Of interest paying States. In case you
shall deem it proper to adop: this or a
similar policy, it will be advisable to


vest III the officers to whom the money
shall be paid, in the first place, discre-


tionary power to grant indulgence OF
time to those borrowers whose loans are
amply secured, so as not to cause unnec.
essary hardship or distress, during our


present financial difficulties.


| would also suggest to you the pro-
priety of a careful examination of our
revenue system, with a view to ascertain
if it cannot be made more certain and
and efficient. Any system of revenue
which permits large amounts of taxes to
become delinquent and to be ultimately
lost to the State, must be defective, and
must operate uniustly aud unfairly upon
our people. The deficiencies thus Great
ed in the revenue must be provided for
By additional taxation upon those who
have already discharged their duties as
citizens, by paying the taxes assessed
upon them, and they are thus compelled
to pay more than their due proportion of
the public burden. The laws should
provide for the most rigid and exact ac-
countability of all officers charged with
the collection, control or Disbursement of
the pnb'ic money. ANY vaguencss of
the laws which permits an officer to re-
tain in his hands any portion Of the pub
lie moneys, Or 10 use them for his own
private benefit, not only dcfrauds the
revenue, but introduces among officials
a laxi;y of morals highly dangerous to
the public interest. The Governor is
authorized by law passed at the last
session Of the General Assembly, to in
stitute Il careful examination Of the ac-
counts Of the State Officers once in each
year, and have no doubt the law will be
beneficial in its operations. But the
amount of money paid by our people in
to the State Trcau:y, is but small pro-
portion of the amount paid by them in
:he shape Of taxes. \ much larger
lmcunt Is paid for county and other ex-
penscs, and in my opinion the existing
avs are defective in not requiring more
careful scrutiny of the accounts of those
10 whom this money is paid and by whom


it is dlsbursed. | therefore recommend
70 your consideration, in addition to any
other measure your wisdom may suggest
he passage of law requiring the Judge
If each Judicial District, to appoint once
in each year skilful accountant in each
county of his district, whose duty it shall
be to carefully examine the books of each
county officer, and to state and record an
account between such officer and his
county, and when necessary between
,fhcer and officer Such examinations
~ disinterested persons, would, in my
opinion, have a decidedly beneficial effect;
he expense attending them would be
'ery small, and | have no doubt the peo-
Die Of the counties would cheerfully bear
hat expense for the satisfaction of know
ng that the large amount of money which
hey pay as taxes, are applied to their
proper object.


lapprehend it is scarcely necessary for
he to recommend to you as close and
'igid an economy in the matter of ap-
as is consistent with a prop
n administration Of the affairs of the
State. The scarcity of money, conse.
iuent upon the financial reyulsion of
1857, and the failure of our crops to a
great extent since that time, has caused
he payment of taxes necessary to the
support OF the government, to be felt as
sensible burden by our people, aud they
ave right to demand and think do
iemand at our hands, that until the press.
ire Is somewhat removed, and our fuan-
,lnl A1falrS hauo hoao.,o "a -