Year: 1869


cheeringly to hear that land is coming
so near after thirty years OF struggling
Indebtedness, often drifting close upon
bankruptcy And this is the work of
Republican administrations. From the
time the debt was made till Governor
Hammond went out Of Office on the 14th
of January, 1861, the Democrats held
the power Of the State without check or
break, and during all that time, nearly
quarter Of a century. the state debt
was not reduced enough to make de-
cent showing in the books of q bank
rupt barber. The Republicans took the
State and in eight years the debt is more
than half wiped out.


The defects in our criminal laws are
reviewed by the Governor at length and
with such minuteness of suggestion as
to remedies, as entities him, for this
alone, to the thanks Of our scoundrel-
infested communities. In regard to the
New Albany outrage he speaks with no
hesitating or measured utterance. He
exposes the pretence of the lynchers
that they were supplying the defects of
the law which corrupt courts and officers
created, admirably, in the following
pithy passag,:


"The pretext set up as an excuse
resortino to such violence is that the law
ia powerless to punish offences in Ger
tain districts, and that the officers OF the
law have proved unfaithful in the pes-
formance of their duties; and yet the
men who assumed to sit in judgment
upon the law and it's Office s, and who
enforce their own uncontrolled and II
responsible will as something above
and superior to the laws of the State,
do not aestate to shoot down sworn
officer Of the law cngag ed in the faithful
performance of his duty, when such
murderous proceeding is necessary to
the furtherance Of their designs or to
prevent their discovery and prosecution


He suggests that the Legislature shall
offer reward for the discovery of the
men concerned in the outrage. He also
recomm ends amendments which will en-
able the authorities to put short top
to prize lighting.


In regard to the Agricultural College,
which made some noise two years ago
he states that the land scrip. given by
the Government had beeh Sold, convert
ed into five twenty bonds, and now
amounted to fund of s23S, 246 80. AS
70 its disposal he thinks the Legislature
should memorialize Congress to allow
the interest to be applied to the common
schools, until the State is prepared to
advance the necessary money to pro
vide ti4e site and erect TIE buildings for
the Coiloge If this is not thought best,
then ue wo3l.i ask the priiege to fund
the interest with the principal until that
liIac And if neither can be done, then
be would recomm end that it be applied
to the establisL ment Of college in con-
nection with the State University, as
that will be much cheaper than scpa
rate establishment, but upon the express
condition that when = separste college
can be established the fund shall be
Withdrawn from the University.


EDUCATION.


The common school system of the
State is gradually but steadily improv-
ing and becoming more thorough and
efficient in the great work of educating
eli iren and yo tn The increased and
increasing pride which the educators of
the State manifest in the noble profes
sion to which they have devoted them
selves is worthy Of the highest com
mendation Indeed, know Of nc class
of our people who devote SO much time
and means to the elevation of their pro-
tession as the one to which allusioD has
just been made. II .hese efforts shall
be properly appreciated and encouraged.
the time will come when the education
of tn young will not be entrusted to
those who resort to teaching as a tempo
rary expedient to enable them to pre-
pare for the duties os some other voca
ton more congenial to their ta> es but
our schools will be presided over by
trained teachers who love the profes
sion of their choice. and who are anx-
ious to excel in the performance of its
duties.


1t is much to be desired that, tn time
du ing which the schools are in opera
ton in the rural districts should be pro.
longed, but it may be doubted whether
it would be wise at this time to report
to an increase of the State tax for school
purposes to accomplish that object.


By the act of March 9th. it is provid-
ed that the Trustees of Civil Townships
the Trustees of Incorporated Towns and
the Common Councils of Cities, may
levy annually q tax no exceeding twenty
five cents on each one hundred dollars
of taxable property and twenty-five cts
on each poll, to be expended within the
Jurisdiction assessing the same, in the