No. 1. LEGISLATURE, 1859. GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. Fellow-citizens of the Senate, and House of Representatives: The Constitution makes it the duty of the Governor, at the close of his official term, to give to the next Legis lature "information by message of the condition of the State." I have the honor, therefore, in compliance with its requirements, of making this communication" to you. The receipts into the State Treasury during the fiscal year, ending Nov. 30, 1858, were as follows: Balance of cash in Treasury Dec. 1, 1857,... $158,642 70 General Fund. From sale of lands and U. S. 5 per cents,... 5 297 28 Trust Funds. From sales of University, Prima ry and Normal School lands,.. $22,573 91 From swamp lands,..... Asylum lands and interest, 62,897 67 2,933 11 For expenses of sales, refunded to counties, redemptions refunded, &c.,. . . $112,873 08 For salaries, expenses and appro 15,654 94 40 00 176,347 20 M. C. R. R. deposits refunded,.. Total,... $1,024,363 05 It will be perceived that the aggregate of receipts and expenditures is largely increased by including bonds to the amount of $266,000 00, which have been issued in conformity to the law of January 30th, 1858, all but $50,000 00 of which were to redeem the outstanding bonds of the State, which fell due on the 1st of July last, and on the 1st of January instant. The conditions of the law, for the issue of these bonds, have been faithfully complied with, and bonds to the amount of $196,000 00 have been redeemed and cancelled, and provision made for the redemption of $20,000 00 which fell due on the 1st of January instant. It is grati fying, also, to be able to state that the credit of the State is in a high condition; and that while the bonds of the States of Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, and several other 1 States, were below par, we were able to negotiate these bonds at a premium. It will also be noticed, that other large amounts of money, as the interest on the University and School lands, constitute no part of the revenue of the State, but that the Treasury is simply made the agent for their receipt and disbursement. The receipts into the Treasury for delinquent taxes upon non-resident lands, have been largely increased over the last year. This is to be attributed mainly to the able decision of the Supreme Court, which has rendered hopeless the efforts of that class of property holders to avoid their just proportion of the public expenses. If this just decision had not been promptly made, or if the Court had arrived at a different conclusion, the Treasury would have been greatly embarrassed, and the resident tax payers subjected to an inconvenient, if not insupportable burden. The State indebtedness, for which Bonds have been issued, is as follows: Penitentiary Bonds due January 1, 1859,.... $ 20,000 00 Penitentiary Bonds due in 1860,.. Internal Improvement Warrant bonds,.. 40,000 00 50 00 New bonds issued in July last, due 1878,.... 266,000 00 Total,... $2,337.629 67 The average amount of cash in the Treasury, for the four years next preceding Dec. 1st, 1854, was,...$285,536 06 The amount of interest received for the use of the same, was,. 1,553 86 |