Year: 1878

by the Legislature, and with next to none by the Executive. The act is worded with dan gerous obscurity, is too stringent in penalties, and far too restrictive of the liberties of the employed.

 It is doubtless the right of any man to quit employment under reasonable conditions but take occasion to say that to abandon rail- road train in transit, by cOnserted action, ill breach of contract with the carrier and of du- ty to the carried, and having abandoned such service, to compel others to do the same by means of force, is fragrant outrage upon the rights of others; and an offense against the public peace and economy. There is differ ence between striking and rioting between taking bread from ones own mouth and talk ing it from the mouth of another, between the honest liberties of labor and it's license of clos ing workshops by force, burning stations and cars of merchandise {, and clubbing men off their locomotives; and this difference no man, orsset of men, should be allowed to forget. A laborer who strikes has no more right to pre- vent another from taking his place than has eapitalist who foreeloses a poor mans mort gage to prevent another from assisting the debtor to redeem. There are fundamental truths which lie at the foundation of natural justice, social order, and the only liberty which is worth the having-a liberty which respects right and is regulated by law l take pride and pleasure, however in saying that the rail- road employees of this State have shown them selves law abiding, proof against mischievous solicitations from abroad and worthy of all praise. Under these circumstances, I submit it to the Legislature whether any, and if any, what legislation is needed on this biect.

 RAILROAD RIOTS.

 The railroad strikes of the last summer seemed to attract to themselves not only many turbulent elements in the laboring classes, but the idle, the vicious, the outlaw and the thief, and what is little better, the agrarian. They were generally marked with lawlessness, and often with incendiarism, rapine and pfunder. The disorder seemed to be. contagious It blocked 5000 miles of railway, ran through fourteen States, and began to approach and threaten our own, in an incredibly short space of time. In this condition of things, thought it my duty to take prudential and timely meas ures of prevention, if prevention were possi- ble; if impossible then prompt and effective measures for repression. I accordingly order ed the officers of the National Guard to place themselves and their men in preparation for an instant call and I made, under the advice of two distinguished and experienced soldiers whom it is my special good fortune to have on my staff, such local dispositions as prudence seemed to require I found, to my surprise, that the State was inadequately supplied with arms and ammunition. 1 accordingly made a requisition on the general government for 800 Springfield rifles and the needed supply of am- munition, on the quota due the State for mill tary equipment These were promptly fur nished, and are now on hand

 The measures 1 thought it my duty to take have imposed some additional expenses on the State, but not to any considerable amount. I itofo f0 should I have hesitated to incur much larger if it had been necessary, rather than find my self surprised and driven to the necessity of calling on the National Executive for aid in the discharge of duty which the Constitution of the State clearly imposes on me. Such necessity l should have regarded as humiliat ing to the honor and dignity of the State an impeachment of my own administration and of the character of our citizen soldiery.

 NATIONAL GUARD.

 It is a mortifying fact that the militia of some of the States, for lack of proper disci- pline, disappointed public expectation during the late riots. l am confident, however, that we have in the National Guard of this State body of soldiers well officered, armed, disci- plined and trusty to the last.

 The States must rely on themselves for the execution of their own laws, or the General Government must support large standing ar- my for their defense. The choice between these alternatives is easy A standing army within certain limits will always be necessary for frontier protection and national police Be yond this the soldier by trade, in a time of peace is dangerous element in the State, not merely because he is a devOurer the peoples substance, but because since the world began he has been the natural enemy of the peoples liberties. and always will be. For State to depend on the general government save in the last emergency, for protection against domes- tic violence or insurrection, is to emasculate it. self and become the feudatoryand bondman of the central power. For these reasons, 1 re- commend the National Guard to your most fa- vorable consideration as indispensable to the security of the State. They stand behind eve " peace officer in the Commonwealth as the laws last sanction, and SO give authority to his office. I advise their maintenance on a liberal basis, and that nothing be done or omitted by the Legislature whichis calculated to diminish their numbers or compensation, or to impair in the slightest degree their spirit or discipline.

 The encampment of the last year, embrac- ing the Second and Fourth regiments, was held in South Norwalk, in August last and no one who witnessed it can doubt the soldierly quail ities of the men orthe value the encampment as a school of instruction, duty and soldierly emulation.

 invite your special attention to the valua- ble suggestions contained in the reports of the Adjutant General and of the Quartermaster General. It will be seen that new uniforms must be provided for the Guard before July 1, 1879. These can be furnished from the avails of the communication tax for the current and coming year.

 EXECUTIVE POWER.

 think it a matter of importance that the duties of the Governor in the exercise of the supreme executive power should be defined by the Legislature, or at least, disembarrassed of some existing enactments. The mayors of some of our cities, perhaps of all are author ized by their charters to call out, at their dis cretion, all the active militia within their Him. it's for service, without permission of their Col onel, their General or the COmmander-in-C Chief. Whether such powers are consistent with the Constitution of the State, or even with military order and whether such calls should be obey ed by company officers when given, are seri- ous and practical questions which had best be taken out of the way or settled in advance. Whether the Executive, in case of domestic vii olence and commotion, shall regard himself as the chief peace officer of the State, authorized to intervene with the military power at his dis cretion, or whether he shall so intervene only upon demandof the mayor of city or sheriff of a county, is very grave qcestion, which de- serves wise consideration, and ought no longer to be af1oat. know of no other power in the State so delicate and responsiblein it's exercise as this. It's boundaries and the duty of the officer charged with it, should be clearly de- fined by law. commend this subject to the wisdom of the Legislature, and purposely re- frain from specific recommendations.

 INSURANCE COMPANIES.

 A commission was raised by the last Assem- ply to revise our insurance laws, and to report such changes as are necessary for the protec- tion of the public, and for the security and proper management of the business Henry B. Harrison, of New Haven, having resigned in October last his place on the commission, 1 appointed in his stead Origen s. Seymour, of Litchfeld. A special commission was also or ganized to inquire into the assets, liabilities, affairs and management of life insurance con- panies. The Insurance Commissioner and the two special commissions will, in due time, re- port their doings and the Assembly will thus be in possession of full information for it's guidance in dealing with this much exposed, A T.