Resolved, That the Clerk be requested to furnish each member of the House with a copy of the Revised Code and a copy of the Laws of the last General Assembly. And, on motion of Mr. Palmer, the resolution was Adopted. Mr. Brown offered a resolution, which was read, as follows: Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to wait upon His Excellency the Governor, and invite him to a seat on the floor, at his pleasure; also, the Secretary of State, and the Judiciary of State, ex-members of the House and Senate, and also the ladies who may be present during its sessions. And further, on his motion, the resolution was Adopted. Whereupon Messrs. Brown, Wilson and How were appointed said committee. Mr. McCabe moved that the Sergeant-at-Arms be instructed to prepare suitable accommodations upon the floor of the House for the reporters of the press, Which motion Prevailed. Mr. McFee, Clerk of the Senate, being admitted, informed the House that the Senate had adopted a joint resolution entitled, "Joint resolution appointing a joint committee to wait upon the Governor and inform him of the organization of the two Houses," And asked the concurrence of the House therein. On motion of Mr. Virden, the Senate joint resolution, just received, was read. Mr. Saulsbury offered an amendment, which, on his motion, was read, as follows: Amend the joint resolution by inserting "His Excellency," before the word Governor. Mr. Saulsbury moved that the amendment be adopted, Which motion Prevailed, And, on his further motion, the joint resolution, as amended, Concurred in. was Ordered that the Senate be informed thereof and their concurrence in the amendment requested. Mr. McFee, Clerk of the Senate, being admitted, informed the House that the Senate had concurred in the House joint resolution entitled, "Joint resolution appointing a joint committee to wait upon the Governor and inform him of the organization of the two Houses," And returned the same to the House. On motion of Mr. How, the Sergeant-at-Arms was instructed to raise the National flag over the State House during the sessions of the General Assembly. Mr. Brown moved that the Clerk of the House be authorized to appoint a Reading Clerk, subject to the approval of the House, Which motion Prevailed. Mr. McFee, Clerk of the Senate, being admitted, informed the House that the Senate had non-concurred in the House amendment to the Senate joint resolution entitled, "Joint resolution appointing a joint committee to wait upon the Governor and inform him of the organization of the two Houses,' And returned the same to the House. Mr. Saulsbury moved that the House insist on its amendment, and asked for a Committee of Conference. Which motion Prevailed. Mr. Truitt moved that the Sergeant-at-Arms be instructed to maintain, as near as possible, a uniform temperature of 65 degrees in the hall of the House during the sessions, Which motion Prevailed. Mr. Moore, on behalf of the joint committee to wait upon His Excellency the Governor, reported that the committee had waited upon His Excellency, and that he would send a communication, through the Secretary of State, in a few minutes. Hon. William F. Causey, Secretary of State, being admitted, presented a written communication from His Excellency the Governor, and informed the House that he had delivered to the Senate sundry documents, with the request that that body deliver the same to the House. On motion of Mr. McCabe, the Governor's message was read, as follows: Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives: In obedience to established custom, and in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution, it becomes my pleasure to recommend for your consideration and action such measures as, in my judgment, are necessary and expedient and for the best interests of the State. I congratulate you upon the general observance of law and the good order which prevails among the people of whom you are the chosen representatives. Peace, prosperity, contentment, and protection of lawful rights, the main and sole objects for which governments were instituted, are here enjoyed. While in many portions of our common country great distress, discontent and unrest prevail by reason of depression of the varied industries and occupations in which the people are engaged, it is cause of thankfulness that the year just closed has been one of gradual but sure progress in all that tends to the material, social, and intellectual advancement of our honored little commonwealth. After the exciting and bitter national political contest through which we have just passed, I hope and confidently trust that a return to the better days of the republic awaits us, when honest, just and faithful administration of all that concerns the public weal was the guiding principle, and the Constitution that protected and guarded the fathers in their conservatism shall still be our only lamp to light the way in this great progressive age. The great and good men who struggled for and established, as an enduring monument to their wisdom, patriotism and statesmanship, the Constitution of the United States, built wisely and for all ages and conditions of society. And now, at every advanced point of our country's development, the provisions of that sacred instrument are ample, full and complete for our guidance and protection. Happily the animosities of the past no longer interfere with the old time discussion of questions affecting alike the interests of all sections, and the "second sober thought" has led the way to a new and bright era in the country's career. The long period of nearly a quarter of a century, shrouded with passion, malice and prejudice on the part of a large body of our fellow citizens, has reached its end, and we enter upon the next quarter with, I trust, a long farewell to the unhappy memories of the past and with high hopes for a reversal of the methods that well-nigh sapped the foundations of good government and popular rights. May we now witness the installing of pure, honest, sound and fair principles in the public service, such as can only underlie and become a guarantee that happiness, prosperity and peace, with their attending blessings, will be the heritage of this and unborn generations. Our own loved Delaware has had no small part, in her long, safe political rule, in contributing to the happy result now a common blessing, and well may her sons claim with pride the positions taken and held by her for a generation past, against, at times, formidable odds, in defense and preservation of constitutional liberty. Let us now, in common with our sister States, bend all energies to build up the waste places, and start in motion, as far as we can, everything that will advance and develop our common country and kindle anew the fires of patriotism. With the above reference to the general condition of the country, I will pass to questions more nearly affecting us as a state. STATE DEBT. On the first day of January, 1884, the debt of the State amounted to eight hundred and sixty-four thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars ($864,750.00), as follows: LIABILITIES. Outstanding bonds bearing four per cent. interest, School Fund bonds, bearing six per cent. interest, Indebtedness to Delaware College, being proceeds of scrip or land warrants issued to the State by virtue of an Act of Congress donating public lands to the several States and Territories,) Amount carried forward, . $625,000.00 156,750.00. 83,000.00 $864,750.00 Amount brought forward, Bonds redeemed January 1st, 1885, Total amount of State Debt at present, ASSETS. $864,750.00 25,000.00 $839,750.00 The semi-annual interest bearing investments applicable to the General Fund, are as follows, to wit: Mortgages on the Junction and Breakwater and 20 shares of National Bank of Delaware stock at $465 per share, Aggregate investments for the benefit of the School Fund, as follows: $600,000.00 63,750.00 9,300.00 $673,050.00 121,950.00 5,000 shares Farmers' Bank stock, at $36 per share $180,000.00 2,439 shares Farmers' Bank stock, at $50 per share 114 shares Smyrna Bank stock, at $50 per share 37 shares National Bank of Delaware stock, at $465 per share, 254 shares Union National Bank stock, at $36 per share, School Fund Bond, Loan to Sussex County, Total, Deducting Debt, Jan. 1st, 1885, Difference shows the assets in excess of liabilities, 5,700.00 17,205.00 9, 144.00 156,750.00 5,000.00 $1,168,799.00 839,750.00 $329,049.00 I desire to call your attention to the fact that on the first day of July, 1886, of the outstanding bonds of the State, one hundred and thirty-five one thousand dollar bonds fall due and are payable. It will therefore become the duty of the present Legislature to provide for the payment of the same. |