of the Union. Ours is a border country, and the lessons of experience have been too recent, and too dear-bought to be speedily forgotten.

One principal source of the inefficiency of the Territorial Militia, results from the fluctuations which continually take place in the offices. So long as this evil operates to its present extent, we can expect no permanent improvement. Inducements must be held out to officers for their continuance in service. Exemption from militia duty, after a certain term, would probably produce beneficial results.

The reports of the Adjutant-General, which are herewith presented, will shew the strength of the militia, agreeably to the last returns, and will disclose some of the most prominent causes, whose operations paralize the exertions upon this subject. I cannot but hope, that you will be able to apply an efficient remedy. The report of the Quarter-Master General will exhibit the number and quality of the arms received from the United States, the disposition which has been made of them, and the amount still due to the Territory.

It is always desirable, that the connexion between the representative and the constituent, should be as intimate as practicable, and with this view, districts are usually established, within which it may fairly be presumed, the electors will be acquainted with the characters and pretensions of those, who request their suffrages. When these districts are extensive, and particularly when they embrace a whole state, or Territory, the immediate accountability of the representative to those among whom he lives, and who know him best, is weakened. I believe it would be expedient to divide the Territory into districts, and to assign to each the election of two members of the Council. A fair construction of the act of Congress of March 3, 1823, will authorize the exercise of this power.

Connected with this subject, and in order to furnish the means of executing the proposed plan, it will be necessary to provide for taking a periodical census of the inhabitants of the Territory. And should a majority of our citizens ever claim the privilege of substituting a General Assembly for the present legislative body, agreeably to the power given in the act I have mentioned, such an inquiry would be important, with a view to the apportionment of the representation. A census might be annually taken by the assessors in the respective counties, when the taxible lists are required, with little, if any additional expense to the public. These statements would also furnish important statistical information.

By an act of Congress of March 26, 1804, one township of land was granted for the support of a College in this Territory. The Trustees who were incorporated for the management of the concerns of this College, by an act of the former legislature, believing that the location

of this tract of land, in so large a body, would be injurious to the institution itself, as well as to that portion of the country where it might be made, petitioned Congress, in November last, for permission to locate the same quantity of land in the various subdivisions of a township. The fate of this petition is not yet known.

But as a provision, similar in its features, has been made for other Territories, and as there appears to be no objection in principle to such a modification, it is not anticipated that the application will be unsuccessful. The expression of your opinion, if favorable to the measure, would probably aid its accomplishment.

A wise and liberal policy, on the part of the general government, has established, as a principle in the disposition of all the public lands, that section numbered sixteen, in each surveyed township, shall be reserved for the support of schools therein. This reservation is equal to one thirty-sixth part of the national domain. Its immediate preservation and ultimate application, in conformity with a well digested system, are objects of paramount importance. No doubt can exist of your authority to protect these school lots from waste and trespasses, and there can be as little of the expediency of doing it. How far it is competent for the Territorial Legislature, without the express sanction of Congress, to provide for leasing these tracts, with a view to their improvement, and to the application of the eventual profits to the objects of the trust, is a question of much importance. Many of these sections, or portions of them, might now be advantageously leased, and as their productiveness depends wholly on the state of these improvements, the period of their value to the community would, by these means, be accelerated.

These reservations of land by the United States, of an entire township, and of all the sections numbered sixteen, together with three sections, granted by the treaty of Fort Meigs, constitute all the public funds. which are now provided for procuring the means of education. Whatever beyond these, the state of the country may require, must be furnished by the application of individual contributions, or by county or township assessments, authorized by law.

The importance of this subject to our present and future prosperity, must be too well appreciated to require any observations from me. A practical and well digested system, which should extend to all the advantages of education, would be of inestimable value to this young and growing community. A more acceptable service could not be rendered to our fellow-citizens. And no more equable tax can be levied in any country, than one, whose application is directed to preparing its citizens for appreciating and preserving the blessings of self government. The situation of the roads in the settled parts of the Territory, shew

that there is some radical defect in the laws upon this subject, or some culpable neglect in the administration of them. Your attention cannot too early nor too earnestly be directed to this matter, with a view to ascertain the cause of the evil, & to apply the proper remedy. No labor can be more advantageously employed in a new country, than that which is expended upon the improvement of the roads, as well to facilitate the various intercourse, which the operations of society require, as to encourage those who are increasing our strength and wealth, by forming settlements in the interior of the Territory.

A part of the proceeds of the public lands, amounting to three per cent, upon the sales, has been heretofore granted by the government of the United States to the various Territories, when about to be admitted into the Union. There are considerations connected with the situation and settlement of this frontier, as well as with the fiscal effect which the measure would produce, in the increased sale of the lands, which would justify an application to Congress for the immediate grant of this sum. Should the effort to obtain it be successful, the amount thus procured, if divided among the several counties, would materially aid them in the formation and preservation of their roads. The general subject of the Territorial Laws will doubtless engage your attention. Coming, as you do. from every part of the Territory, you must bring with you the public feeling on this important topic. Our code of laws has been in force sufficiently long to have submitted to the test of experience, the only unerring guide in political questions, their general operation. Changes will be found necessary. Some of the statutes are doubtful in their policy, and some are doubtful in their construction. The march of human improvement, in all the practical sciences, is steady and perceptible. In that which embraces, within the sphere of its operation, protective or correctional, the concerns of all, and at all times, and whose penalties or obligations are felt in every relation of life, the progress of reason, and changes in the state of society and of public opinion, must produce important alterations. None but a despot, giddy with his insecure elevation, and presumptuously endeavoring to survey the future instead of regarding the past, would attempt to imprint upon any laws the character of permanent immutability. But there is reason to believe that in the United States, our legal systems are altered too frequently, and with too much facility. In questions involving no principle of morality, it is often of more importance that the law should be settled, than that it should be settled in any particular manner. A knowledge of its requisitions, and a respect for its obligations, are impaired by these perpetual fluctuations. It should never be forgotten by the lawgiver, that more legal enactments afford inadequate remedies for many of

the evils which disturb the peace of society. Their causes lie deeper than the operations of ordinary laws, and the remedy must be sought in applications not found in the statute book.

The general principles of the Territorial Code, appear favorable to the security of public and private freedom, and in consonance with the feelings of our fellow citizens. I need not trouble you with a formal enumeration of those provisions which are defective or inexpedient. They are at least as well known to you as to me, and will probably occupy your deliberate attention.

The system, however, of regulating the manner of supporting paupers, threatens such serious consequences, that I cannot but recommend to you a careful revision of it. The obligation for providing for the maintenance of those who are unable to provide for themselves, is felt and acknowledged in all civilized communities. But the best method of collecting and applying these eleemosynary contributions, is a practical question in political ethics, which does not admit an easy solution. In almost all the nations of Christendom, this duty is left, like many others, to be performed by individuals, without deriving any part of its obligation from positive legislative enactments. In this country, and in that from which we have received our legal institutions, taxes are levied by the public authority, and the proceeds applied to the support of paupers. The plan which has been adopted in this Territory, does not sufficiently define who are proper subjects of this bounty; nor does it make any discrimination between the permanent resident and the stranger, who is thrown upon us for the very object of support. Many soldiers, who have exhausted their days and strength in the service of the nation, are discharged in the various counties and left to seek the public charity. Provision should be made by the general government for the support of these men. And besides, sick and disabled persons are frequently brought to our shores and abandoned. Duty to ourselves requires that means should be provided for sending these persons to the places of their embarkation.

The statement of the Treasurer, which you will receive, will exhibit to you the situation of the Territorial Treasury. You will perceive by it, that there will be a surplus after meeting all the existing de mands. It is due to the former legislature to remark, that besides defraying the ordinary expenses of government, and redeeming a large amount of debt, which had been contracted previously to the war. they appropriated considerable sums to the erection of public buildings in the counties of Monroe and Macomb. They expended at least an equal amount upon roads and bridges, and they supported for some years the whole police of the Territory, including the maintenance of paupers, and the expense of all criminal prosecutions. After the or

ganization of counties, their treasuries were required to meet some of these objects of expenditure; but many of them, and in fact all which related to matters of general concern, still remained charges upon the general Treasury. Among these, were several expensive criminal trials, some of which rendered it necessary to bring the parties and witnesses from one of the most remote counties of the Territory. No direct tax for these, nor for any other object, has been levied by the Territorial government, since eighteen hundred and twelve. The receipts of the Treasury have been derived from the licences of Stores, Taverns, and Ferries, and from auction duties. And in the counties of Crawford & Brown, the proceeds of these licences and duties have always been paid into the county Treasuries. The same indulgence was also extended to Michilimackinac for some years. These more remote and less populous portions of the Territory, were thought to be sufficiently burthened by their necessary local duties and demands.

The Territorial Treasury has been relieved from a heavy expense by the establishment of a superior court in the three north-western counties; and should you deem it expedient to provide for the organization of Circuit Courts in the peninsular counties, that measure would still further diminish these claims upon the Territorial fund-for as all the courts would then be local, their necessary expenses should be defrayed by the local Treasuries. Under this system, the prosecuting Attornies in the respective counties should conduct all prosecutions, before any court therein. As no duties would then remain to be performed by the Attorney-General, the office itself might safely be abolished.

The appropriation made by Congress for the expenses of the Legis lative department, has so reduced the demands upon the Territorial Treasury, that it appears to me inexpedient to continue its operations. The few objects of general concern now remaining, which require specific appropriations, may be paid from the fund of $1200, placed at your disposition by the general government: and in cases where the claim is local in its origin, provision may be made for its payment at the proper county Treasury. This arrangement will enable you to repeal the laws creating the offices of Territorial Treasurer and Supervisor of Taxes, and to abolish the Territorial Treasury. By these means, some reduction may be made in the duties upon licences, and whatever is retained, may be retained as a county tax, and paid into the Treasuries of the counties. A material diminution may thus be made in the amount of the present assessments, and important relief afforded to our fellow-citizens. The pecuniary situation of the country imperiously requires a system of rigid economy, in the administration of the concerns of the Territory, whether general or local; and I am