Blank forms of mortgages, 116 17 Interest on Coupon Fund on deposite in Madison Gain in purchase of Sinking Fund Bank Stock, $3,634,813 01 JAMES M. RAY, Clerk. 928 90 671 34 7,595 77 ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR JOSEPH A. WRIGHT. DELIVERED AT HIS INAUGURATION, DECEMBER 6, 1849. INDIANAPOLIS: JOHN D. DEFREES, STATE PRINTER, 1849. INAUGURAL ADDRESS. Senators, Representatives, and Fellow-Citizens: Having taken the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution, suffer me to return to you, and through you to our fellow-citizens generally, my grateful acknowledgments for the confidence they have generously bestowed upon me. While I do this, I desire in this public manner to asseverate that my time and ability shall be employed in endeavoring to promote the happiness of all. Custom sanctions and enjoins that I shall briefly declare to you the views which are entertained by me, upon some of the topics which engage the attention of the people at the present period. It is gratifying that our State during the past year, by a decisive vote, has shown a desire to favor the constitutional reforms of the age. Thirty-three years have passed away since our fathers framed for us our present excellent constitution. Under this constitution we have lived in the enjoyment of civil and religious liberty. Our prosperity has been great-our growth rapid-and the march of improvement onward. Time has not only proved the correctness of the republican principles contained in the constitution, but it has had a tendency to show that they may be much further extended and more generally applied. The elective principle was highly valued by our fathers, and, it may be justly said, they were far in advance of our sister States of that day; but a still further advance is practicable. In order to more effectually guard against improper appointments to office, and against such as may be made with selfish motives, without reference to the welfare of the public in general, or the will of the people, the elective power may be safely substituted for the appointing power. Another subject of primary importance is that of Common Schools. Men of intelligence can best and most safely exercise the sovereign prerogative of the elective franchise; and to secure general intelligence among men, they must begin to learn while they are children. It seems to me therefore that we should concentrate every legitimate effort to accomplish this end, bestowing all the means at our command to the promotion of this common good in the most expansive form,-that we should first endeavor to extend common. |