LEGISLATURE, 1848. Governor's Message. Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives : Having been elected, by a majority of the people, to the office of Chief Executive Magistrate of our young, but rapidly growing State, and having assumed the high obligations and responsibilities of that elevated station, by taking the oath prescribed by the constitution, I am required to communicate to you, as the Representatives of the people, the condition of the State, and to recommend for your consideration, such matters as I may deem expedient. With the importance of the trust confided to me, I am duly impressed, and of my ability to perform the arduous duties it imposes, am fearfully distrustful. My predecessors, in accordance with a custom adopted at the organization of our State government, have, on being inducted into office, preceded their executive communications by an avowal of their opinions, upon the general principles of governmentthe peculiar character of our institutions and laws, or upon such other topics of general interest, as seemed, at the time, most to engage the public mind. This custom is certainly harmless, but it is, I think, as certainly, without practical utility, and as it seems best to comport with the republican simplicity of our system of government, to dispense with all unnecessary and useless ceremonies, I have deemed it proper, on the present occasion, to communicate with you, only in the mode, required by the constitution. The assembling of the Legislature at the commencement of the year, furnishes a suitable occasion for a retrospect of that which has passed. In reviewing the year that has now just closed upon us forever, we discover abundant cause for congratulation: No severe sick ness has visited the people, but general health has prevailed through the breadth and length of the land. An unexampled degree of prosperity has attended every branch of business-the enterprise and activity of the commercial and mercantile classes have never secured for them richer returnsthose engaged in the mechanical and other industrial pursuits have found uninterrupted employment, and received ample compensa tion for their labor. Although the crop of our agricultural staple has not, in some sections of the State, been as great as may have been anticipated, yet in others it was never more abundant. The harvest of other farm products, has been every where plenteous. All kinds of produce have been in demand, meeting a ready sale, at fair and remunerating prices, so that, upon the whole, the labors of our husbandmen have been rewarded with a bountiful return. For these manifold blessings, received from the beneficent hand of Him who ruleth the nations, we ought to render tribute of unfeigned and fervent gratitude. The reports of the Auditor General and State Treasurer furnish a detailed statement of the transactions of their respective departments during the past fiscal year, and of the general condition of the finances of the State-an exhibition of our pecuniary affairs, which cannot but be gratifying to our creditors, and a source of pride to our citizens--I take great pleasure in presenting it to you, and through you, to the people. The receipts into the treasury within the year, to the credit of the general fund, amount to $185,134 46, and the disbursements for the same period, have been $165,306 03, the receipts exceeding the expenditures by $19,828 41. The balance in the treasury, on the 30th November, 1847, including the balance on hand at the close of the previous year, was $64,470 35-the whole of which was in current money. The amount available for the uses and purposes of the general fund, is $44,145 77, which, during the present month, will be increased to $50,939 58, by receipts from the Primary School interest fund, and the University interest fund, for over drafts, which will be repaid from those funds, out of the proceeds of the annual |