Year: 1877

GOEERNOR'S MESSAGE,

 perity of this section and will greatly advance the whole Territory. Mohavt county is also much in need of better mail facilities. The larger portion oi that rich and growing county has nc mail communication, and to transmit letters from and to the Capital usually requires as much time as to communi cate with New York City. The rapidly increasing business requires a daily mail on the two great east and west thorOughfares, to-wit: from Mesilla to San Diego or the terminus of the Southern Pacific railroad, and from Albuquerque to Los Angeles. I would earnestly recommend that you ask Con gress for aid to build necessary wagon roads and for increased mail service The military telegraph has proved of great benefit in facilitating military operations and the transaction of busi- ness for the people. The low rates established for sending dispatches has enabled all classes to use the line, and confirm the fact that cheap tele- graphing so increases the business that the owners of the telegraph are better compensated than by charging high tariff.

 THE TERRITORIAL LIBRARY

 There are at the present time in the Territorial Library 1000 volumes of law books, 300 volumes of statutes, 100 volumes of patent office reports, 500 volumes of reports and 300 volumes Oi miscellaneous books, making a total of 2200 volumes, estimated to be worth $S, 200.

 Considering the age of the Territory the library is very creditable to it. We receive from some of the State5 reports of the supreme courts in exchange for our statutes, while many others will only exchange in kind. 1 believe il would be the most economical method of obtaining the reports of the supreme courts from the several States and Ter ritOries to authorize and provide for the publication of the decisions of the supreme court of this Territory.

 TRADING LEGISLATION.

 I desire to call your earnest attention to the pernicious practice of legislation based upon combinations or trading whereby a certain number of members agree to pass an act providing they receive as compensation, the passage of another act. By this system laws are liable to be enacted, injurious to the general welfare, that never would be entertained under other circumstan- ces. A measure of real merit for the general benefit will safely rest upon it's own basis, while doubtful or inju- riOus measure can only be carried through by this system of bad practice, and such legislation coming tO my knowledge will lead me to doubt the propriety of the passage of laws enact ed in this manner.

 REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL.

 Your attention is directed to the Re port of the Adjutant General whose suggestions, in the main, l cordially endorse. As stated in said report the arms heretofore received and issued were distributed among the people for their protection, and seven years of constant use in a rough frontier life has so far depleted the stock of serviceable arms that probably not One-tenth of those originally issued are now fit for use. The necessity for arms at central points in the Territory, to be kept on hand for sudden emergency, has for some time been apparent, and l there fore addressed a communication to the Hon. J D. Cameron, Secretary of War, August 15, 1876, making acquisition for five hundred stand of Springfield mus kets to be used in arming militia com panies, and received in reply a com dated October 24, 1876, with a blank bond for me to sign in behalfo the Territory, which bond pledges the return of said arms or payment for the same at such time as the Secretary of War may designate Not having the authority of law gwen me to bind the Territory to this agreement, 1 have deferred fur ther action in the premises and would suggest that you take the matter into and enact the necessary legislation at as early day as possible. I have already had urgent request for arms to supply one militia company on the San Pedro River, i'll Pima county, and another at the Globe Mining Dis rict, m Pinal county, and 1 have no doubt each of the counties of the Terri tory will organize one or more militia as soon as the arms are re ceived. l would also suggest that you enact law for the distribution of these arms with such restrictions that their care and safe-keeping will be assured OF GRANT COUNTY, NEW

 MEXICO, TO ARIZONA.

 The people of Grant county, New Mexico, have expressed, with great desire to be annexed to and become a part of this Territory. They allege, among many other reasons, the superiority of our laws and of their execution, which Is complimentary to the wisdom of our lawmakers. The trade and intercourse between that county and Arizona are already eXten- sive, and constantly increasing, and 1 its acquisition desirable. It seems to me that the people of that To- cahty are the proper judges as to which government they prefer, and as a change of Territorial limits will not add to the expense of the Federal Government, l have been asked by committee appointed by the people of that county to call your at- tentiOn 10 the matter with the hope that you will memorialize Congress upon the subject.

 AMENDMENTS TO THE STATUTES.

 The law establishing the time within which actions may be commenced for the recovery ot indebtedness on an open account for goods, wares and merchant disc. sold and delivered, now in force, is ambiguous and has led to conflict and litigation. IL was evidently the intention of the Legislature to eStab-