bid off the remainder in behalf of the State, in that way settling the tax. There seems to be no provision for this condition of things.

Tax of 1864, of 125 per cent. on $1,012,692 66,
Deduct abatements and collection fees,

$1,265,865 83 56,331 06

$1,209,534 77

1,819 56

$1,211,354 33 1,201,939 74

$9,414 59

$9,414 59

By the provision made in the eighth section of the act of 1864, "making provision for the support of Government," there was paid into the treasury, on and before the 5th day of February last, $974,089 13, including the allowance of 3 per cent. on the amount paid. This result proves conclusively that the provision was a wise one on the part of the Legislature.

The care of this fund still remains with the Treasurer, and its present condition is as follows:

SUMMARY OF DISBURSEMENTS AND RECEIPTS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE

Paid to September, 1865, being Auditor's orders approved by the Governor,

Of this sum $75,267 68 has been drawn in aid of soldiers' families.
*Paid in full or in part since the books were closed for the year.

$314,032 96 416,316 47 72 833 69 71,031 29

71,476 07

228,247 60

$1,179,938 08

Paid to September, 1861,
Paid to September, 1862,
Paid to September, 1863,
Paid to September, 1864,
Paid to September, 1865,

EXTRA PAY.

$24,705 62 504,159 12 1,059,444 78 901,628 34 785,867 06

Direct tax paid United States,

There has been reimbursed to the State by the United States,

In 1862,

In 1863,

$3,275,804 92

$4,455,743 00 179,407 80

$4,635,150 80

$275,000 00
332,303 11

607,303 11

$4,027,847 69 878,245 57

Ordinary expenses, which include interest on loans-for four years,
State bonds of 1857 and 1859, paid,

150,000 00

$38,049 04

The general condition of the State finances at date of this report is as follows:

To be provided for,

$467,913 96

The Grand List of the State will be about one million of dollars, representing one hundred millions of property. A tax of fifty cents on the dollar on the list, will provide for the current liabilities and estimated expenses for the coming year. Now that the expenses incident to the war are nearly closed, it seems to me that it would be wise to begin to provide for the State bonds outstanding. This may be done by adding, to the sums required for ordinary State expenses, the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars each year, for the coming six years; the money thus to be realized, to be applied to the payment of the State bonds due in 1871. As these bonds are now quoted at ninety-five, a profit to the State would result, as well as a large saving of interest. As an instance of the working of this plan I give the figures for the next year:

Estimated current liabilities,
First instalment to pay bonds,

$467,913,96
150,000 00

$617,913 96

To raise this sum, a tax of sixty-five cents on the grand list of the State would be required, and for the five succeeding years, unless some extraordinary expenses should occur, the tax would not average forty cents on the list, and would leave the State debt, in 1871, at $750,000 00, which can be provided for as the bonds fall due.

TREASURER'S OFFICE, RUTLAND, September 5, 1865.

J. B. PAGE, Treasurer.

REPORT OF JOHN HOWE, JR., RELATIVE TO STATE AID FOR SOLDIERS' FAMILIES IN VERMONT.

(Referred to on Page 26 of the Journal.)

To his Excellency, J. Gregory Smith:

Enclosed is respectfully submitted a report of the expenditures for State aid to soldiers' families, under the acts of April 26, 1861, and November 14, 1862.

In accordance with your instructions, I have endeavored to equalize the amounts paid to the different towns applying for aid, in proportion to the number of its soldiers in service, and, so far as it was possible, this has been done, but the circumstances under which assistance has been claimed not always being the same, render it impossible to preserve, in all eases, an exact equality.

With the happy termination of the war, the calls for assistance have nearly ceased, and will soon be entirely closed. The statements of amounts expended the last six months exhibit the reduction as our soldiers have returned to their homes.

For all details of management, I would respectfully refer to previous reports.

There is one unsettled claim, from the agent of Corinth, about $250 00, which I have not deemed it proper to allow. I know of no other claims.

Statement by towns of all the agents appointed; Average Number of Families, and Number in the Families, aided one month; with total amount of aid from Sept. 1, 1864, to Sept. 1, 1865, giving Average per Family and per Head, per month, with the number the Families were aided.

of months