that the legislature shall meet on the first Monday in January in every year. Would not the interests of the people be promoted by so modifying that provision, as to limit the sessions of the legislature to biennial periods? In most new states, and in few, perhaps, more than our own, a strong tendency to excessive legislation has been manifested. Enactments designed to effect local or private objects alone, no wise conducive to the general good; multiplied acts of incorporation, and frequent alterations of the general laws, have occupied much of the time of our legislatures. Their sessions have been greatly protracted and the draft upon the public treasury made proportionally heavier. As the expenses of the legislature constitute a great part of the amount disbursed in support of the State Government, its sessions ought not to be more frequent than is necessary for the adoption of measures and enactment of laws absolutely essential to the general welfare. I respectfully submit whether a session every alternate year would not be all sufficient for those purposes. Biennial sessions would very much diminish the burdens upon the people, and at the same time tend to give greater permanency to our statutes. In several of the younger states, their legislatures convene only once in two years, and in no one of them, I believe, has it ever been proposed to alter their constitution in that regard. I recommend such further modification of the constitution and laws as shall provide for the election by the people, of all county officers, many of whom are now appointed by the executive, and it is worthy of inquiry whether all State officers, also, may not, with advantage to the public interest, be selected by the direct action of the electors. I have hitherto deemed it inexpedient to make high judicial officers elective, but the experiment recently made in another state, has shaken the opinion I had previously entertained upon this subject, and it may not be inappropriate to the occasion, to add, that in a late revision of the constitution of Illinois, biennial, in lieu of annual sessions of their legislature, were provided for, and all officers of every class and grade made elective. While, in concluding this communication, gentlemen, I pledge my cooperation in all the measures you may adopt for the promotion of the public good, allow me to express an earnest hope that your present session may be brought to a close at the earliest period possible, consistently with a full and proper discharge of your duties, and I invoke for each of us, the guidance of Him whose teachings are unerring wisdom. EPAPHRO. RANSOM. TO THE SENATE: February 28, 1848 From Journal of the Senate, p. 280 I have received the melancholy intelligence of the death of John Quincy Adams, formerly President of the United States. He died in the city of Washington, on the 23d February, instant. Although the mournful event which I am, at this time, called upon to communicate, is not altogether unexpected, yet, its announcement cannot fail to produce the deepest sorrow in the heart of every American. The public life of him whose loss we have to mourn, constitutes an important part of the history of his country. For more than half a century he has been a distinguished actor in its most important affairs, and during that long and eventful period, amidst all the turmoil and excitement of party conflict, in which at various times he was involved, John Quincy Adams ever stood firmly by his country-her cause he never for one moment abandoned. To her interests his whole life was devoted and in her service his latest breath was spent. Truly, a great and good man has fallen. In view of this great-this afflicting this national bereavement, I respectfully recommend the adoption, by your body of such measures as to you shall seem an appropriate manifestation of the profound sorrow all must feel for the loss of one who has filled so large a space in the hearts of his countrymen. EPAPHRO. RANSOM. 1849 January 1, 1849 From Joint Documents of the Legislature of the State of Michigan, pp. 1-29 FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Another year has passed away and the period has again arrived when, by our Constitution, the representatives of the people are required to assemble and consult together for the common good. It is made my duty to communicate to you the condition of the State, and to recommend, for your consideration, such matters, as to me shall seem expedient. In entering upon the performance of this duty, I avail myself of the occasion to congratulate you upon the proofs every where exhibited of the great and growing prosperity of our State and country. The blessing of health has characterized the year which is past, and is now almost universally enjoyed throughout the broad extent of our favored land. Our country is at peace with all the world and free from civil discord and strife at home. Abundant harvests have crowned the labors of the husbandman and the industry of the artisan has received its merited reward. A knowledge of science and the useful arts has been, everywhere, rapidly increasing. Social order has been observed and the laws have been respected and obeyed. For these rich and multiplied blessings, we should not forget to render tribute of gratitude to that Being from whose bountiful hand, we receive every good and perfect gift; and in commencing the arduous and responsible duties of another session of the legislature, let us invoke the guidance of our Father which is in Heaven, without whose counsels, all our wisdom is foolishness. Reports of the officers charged with the supervision of the several departments of the state government, will be laid before you without delay. For their recommendations and suggestions, I beg leave to ask your early and careful consideration; and too much credit cannot be awarded to those officers for their zeal and fidelity, with which, one and all, they have applied themselves to the discharge of their public duties. Detailed statements of our financial affairs will be found in the reports of the Auditor General and State Treasurer. The balance in the treasury on the 30th November 1847 was $62,304.45 The aggregate receipts of the past fiscal year amounted to 360,868.57 Making the whole available means for the year... Leaving a balance charged to the Treasurer of $423,173.02 371,491.47 $51,681.55 To which add for warrants on the general fund, outstanding and unpaid, 1,055.43 and the actual cash balance in the treasury, Nov. 30, 1848, will be shown 52,736.98 The expenditures from the general fund have been the following: 66 redemption moneys refunded to purchasers, "interest and exchange on general fund and 15,386.82 Making the whole amount drawn from the gen eral and contingent funds during the fiscal year, The following payments have been made on account of the Internal Improvement fund: Land warrants issued on appropriations of the ... last legislature, received at the treasury, Similar warrants issued on former appropriations, Outstanding Internal Improvement warrants paid $21,053.93 4,541.30 in and cancelled .... 59,380.53 Interest on Internal Improvement warrants paid in, 20,234.42 Southern Rail Road Company, 19,608.00 66 Interest on outstanding five million loan and .... 22,623.51 90.00 1,050.00 same period have been From the Primary School Interest fund 25,119.88 It will be observed that a very large proportion of the receipts and expenditures of the State Treasury, as here stated, is made up of moneys received on account of non-resident taxes and tax land sales, and reimbursed to counties and to individuals; forming no part of the regular revenue or proper current expenditures of the State government. Of like character are the land warrants issued under appropriations of the last and previous sessions of the legislature; and no inconsiderable expenditure of the two past years has consisted in the expenses paid for raising the Regiment of Volunteers to serve in the war with Mexico. Estimates have been made by the Auditor General, exhibiting the sources and probable amount of our proper annual revenue, and the present annual demand upon the treasury for current expenses and for accruing interest on state indebtedness. Our income is derived from: The annual state tax of two and a half mills upon the dollar, assuming the aggregate valuation of taxable property in the state to be $30,000,000.00 Annual tax under the Act of 1843, providing for the liquidation of the public debt, &c., Annual tax under an Act passed in 1848 for similar purposes $75,000.00 17,998.75 24,100.00 |