Year: 1860

VI iiS CulHt su'yeSlt anu tIlaI tHeF report lt
the Governor, at the earliest practical period
such changes anu notifications in our cana
laws, as in their judgment are desirable to les
sen the expenses, OF 10 increase the income, 50
as at least to make our canals fully self-sustain
ing.


II a thorough experience shall demonstrate
that they cannot be made self sustaining, con
slant agitation must be expected Of the PROPOSE
ton TO sell or lease them, so as 10 have tht
State relieved OF their support


suggest the appointment ofths Commission
because Of my apprehension that the members
Of the Legislature have not the time, nor III,
means within their reach, during session, will
so many other demands upon their attention, t.
give to so complicated and important Subiec
that systematic, detailed and thorough investi
cation which the interests involved seem to nt
to require


Among the topics commanding the attention
Of our Sister States, and worthy of your pres
ent consideration, is the measure Of encourage
meut which State should hold out to her or
ganized and disciplined militia. The last two
General Assemblies enacted laws and directed
the preparation of Regulations, in order to per
feet the framework of the State militia organ
izaton, and develop symmetrical and well
ordered system which has been so far realized
as to leave little to be done but for you to de
termine, in your wisdom, whether the Statt
shall endorse that system by its direct aid.


The reports from the proper officers show
that through the want Of such system hereto
lore, the State has lost more than 100000 il
value of the arms received from the United
States A proper State Arsenal, and such di
rect aid to the citizen soldier under strngen
limitation as would practically defray the ac
tual expense of keeping the arms in the man
ner required by law, would, It is believed, pre-
vent similar sacrifices in the future, and be eco
nomical to the State. 1t would also command
small and we'll disciplined force, sufficiently
large to give weigh: to the sanctions of law
and prove a sufficient nucleus for any neceSsa.
ry increase.


Other States have embraced the plan sugges
ted, and the counsels OF the Fathers Of the Re.
public unite with the concurrent action of The
majority of the State Legislature, to pronounce
well regulated militia, which is from and o
the people, to one Of the surcst safeguards fol
the enforcement of law, the maintainance Of or
der, and the perpetuation Of those persona
rights which are our chief reliance and dear tC
every American citizen.


Every other State in the Union, except Flor.
ida, has completed, or has in progress, a geolo-
gical surrey OF her territory; and | would re.
commend to your early consideration the com.
pletion Of the geological survey of this State
which has been too long suspended. I doubt
not its Importance to the agricultural and mi'
ming interests of the State, and to the advance
ment of science, will fully justify an appropri-
alton for its vigorous prosecution.


by the constitution, it is made the duty o
the Legislature to propose such amendments o
that instrument as in its judgment the public
welfare demands.


Sufficient time has not elapsed since the a.
dopuon of the constitution, to determine from
its practical workings all the notifications
which the public interests may require. Nari.
Gus changes have been proposed, bnt owing te
causes to which need not specially fer, none
of them have been approved in the manner pre-
scribed by the constitution. The form Of the
proposition submitted al the recent election foI
annual sessions Of the Legislature, in being cou-
pied with condition for biennial elections is
believed to have prevented fair expression 0
the opinion OF the people upon the question Of
the eXpediency of annual sessions.


submit the question to your consideration
respectfully recommending an amendment Of
the Constitution, providing for limited annual
sessions, and annual elections


invite your attention also TO the subject ot
the unequal representation in beth branches ot
the General Assembly, resulting from the sys-
ten of single, dual and plural election districts,
provided by the Constitution, for the purpose of
recommending to your favorable consideration
an amendment Of the constitution establishing
a uniform system Of single election dis tricts
which should be based solely upon population.
Such plan Of apporionmont seems to me to
be alike required by logical regard to the the
ory of our form of government, the security of
the people at large against the undue control of
particular sections Of the State, and for the
just protection Of minorlties against the power
of majorities in the more popuIous counties.


The geographical position of our State forev-
er Identifies her destiny with that Of the great
valley of the West. Whatever may affect the
growth or prosperity of this highly favored re-
gion, must be of inteeest to u.s. Among the
objects which have long attracted the anxious
attention OF the people of the West, and which
they justly regard as of paramount importance
to their material progress, is the improvement
OF thee and Mississippi Rivers, and our Lake
harbors.


invite your attention to this important sub
Ject, for the purpose of respectfully requesting
your earnest application TO Congress, to adopt
such measures, and to make such appropria-
tons from the Natoal Treasury, as will he com
mensurate with the removal of the distractions
of the navigation Of these great highways, and
to the decided improvement of these important
derots oil western commerce.


When we consider the magnitude OF the re-
gion directly interested in the navigation of
these rivers, and our western lakes, embracing
a territorial extent of nearly 100000 square
mles--a territorial superficies greater than the
entire extent of the original thirteen States,
eleven States and two territories,
and parts of three other States with popula.
ton of at least thirteen millions, and but little
less than one-hali of the entire population of the
United States--we may well express our a.
mazement at the UNIV lse and illiberaI policy of
Congress, so long and perseveringly persisted
in, OF refusing the necessary aid ior disarming
OF its dangers the navigation Of these rivers, and
for increasing the safety of our lake harbors.


And our sense Of this injustice is not little
when we consider, that the people
of the States directly interested in these i'm
have paid largely to the Federal
Government for the soil winch they occupy and
and are now, by their consumption o {
the foreign imports, contributing quite, if not
fully one half Of the annual revenues of the gov
ernmont, while the national expenditures among
them are comparatively Gritling. We make no
complaint because of the bountiiul appropria-
tons by Congress for surveys and delcnces of
The coast, for the improvement of harbors the
erection of light houses and the various other
purposes, in aid of the navigation and com
nerce Of the ocean; but we do complain, that
while cheeriully sustaining our full proportion
If the expenditures for these puposes, for the
benefit of one branch Of the national wealth and
enterprise, a euitable portion Of the national