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In His Message Or Inaugural Address

In His Message Or Inaugural Address image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
January
Year
1873
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Gov. Bagley calis speciul n-ttcntion to tho ost of tho Stato printing and nuggests ome modification of the laws, the printng of fewer copies of reporta anti speoal laws, the appointment of a Superintendent, etc. Lot us refer Gov. Bagi.ey 'O another leak. By a connivance - peihnps it hn all been accidental - betweon State o1 oi !s and printers holding the Statecoutiact3, much printing is now liesng done at Lansing and paid for by tho State, which ought to be done in tho counties and paid for by tho towna or parties using the blanks. "We will cite thera to tho law - of '69 we think - under the proviaions of which Eoad "Warrants and Overgeers' Return8 for every town and highway district in the State re printed in Lanaing : for the sole benefit of the State printer. Also to tho law under whioh marriago eertificates are furnished free to clergymen and magistrates. Yet these are small mattere by tho side of the doublé and treblo pay for "constructiva printing" on legislativo journals and documents, whon in many casos three pricos are paid for single coruposition, of the aame memorial or document appearing in tho daily journal, - perhaps of both houses, - in pamphlet form, and thon in ..the bound documents. If the houaea would avoid doublé and treble orders there would be a big item saved. Again, if oontracta are mado now as some years ago doubla price is paid for a large share of the book preaa work done for the State. If tho Governor will examine the reporta of tho Board of State Auditora ho will - or would formerly - find on any report or document aolected at random - twice as many tokens aa charged as can poaaibly bo shown, except by the conatruotive charges prohibited by the Constitution. This is or was done by contracting or construing contract for eight pago forms, working in eighteen, and chargiug for two every time ono is printed. Having put the Governor on truck wo leave hiin to make hia own explorationg. TnE f'pardon moasage" of Gov. BaldWiw, aent into the Legislatura on the firs, day of the session, reports tho pardon of forty-nine convicta daring the two years, and gives the rea3ons on which the pardona were aeverally baaed. "Former good charaoter," "aufficiency of punisbtuent,"' "good condnet in prison,"and "infirm or feeble halth" are tho rensons most often assigned. We will not discuss tho "aufficiency" oí' there reasons, though some of them may well be queütioned : for instancf, we serioualy doubt whether BnANNOlT - the Adrián abortioni&t - corvicted of mtvnslaughter and sentcneed for aeven years should be diacharged in leps than thirteen months - pardoned - because "very aged and of infiriii heaith." If abortion be tho detestable and damnable crime the law and public opinio unite - or ovgkt to - in branding it, thirtoen montha impriaonmpnt ia not a "surficiency of punishmont" even for an "aged and infirm" sinner, but raay throw the whole business into the handa of that fuvored class - the young and hearty biding tho time of their harvest. Again, wo questi'on the propriety of pardoning a convict on the solé condition that he should leive the city (Detroit) at once, and not return within two years. A "malicioua trespaseer" should not be turned looae upon other communitiea without even tho excuse of "good behavior," "age," or "ferblene9s." W@ hojie Gov. Bagley wil) require better reasona for hia pardona thn he gave for asking the pardon of Mills. And we might inske similar comments on other oa8es, but forbeor. No ONE who watched the progress of the Stokes-Fisk inurder trial oan harber the auspiciën that prejndico or pre-conceived opinión governed the action of the preaiding judge in the leaat, he having in hia rulings givon the prisoner Stokes every chanco possible under the most liberal constrnotion of the law and well-aettled rules of evidence. Tet, in sfintencing Stokes, Judge Boardmaw said of the jury and the verdict : "Thi3 verdict was wrung frora their judgments, not prompted by their hearts. I am sure I do each juTor but justice in aaying, and in assuring you, that hia concurrenco in this verdict was the most painful act of bis life. The reault is not the fruit of unkindneaa to you, but of respect for and of obedience to the law. The evidonce in the oaae - even your own testimony - I nm constrained to helieve landions their amelutions and justifica their verdict." This languago should sanction thoae fnultfinding critica who pronounce the verdict unlooked for and unwarranted, and attribute it to the deuand of public clamor. ÜNE OF the States of this "glorious Union," this Uuion seared and cemented by the blood of tho "noble army of martyra," has 600 pensioners, and these G00 pensionera draw upon tho State treasury in the nnnual sum of 22,358 36. One would naturally auppoae thut theae soldiora would be nouriahed and cherished in acoordanco with thoir deserta, and that public and offioial prayera would bo offerod fjr the preaervation of their lives. But, in'stoad, we read in tho recent message of the Goverpor of that State : " Fortiinately thoir numbor is gradually decreasing, but whilo they are with ua the State will honor itself by proyiding for their neoeaaities." Tho reader - especially if ho bo a Radical with no confidenco in tho patriotism of bis political opponents - will suggest in explanation that tho State is not Woil," and that thg,'OovT ernor ia "a vilo copperhead." Not so wo gun, Tho Stato is nono other than Maine, and tho Govornor ia of tho family of the " tried and faithful." Commcnt unnecessary. We oive place this week to the inaugural addross ormessago of Gov. Bagley, that of Cov. Baldwin being too long for our columns. Wo givo, howover, quito a full synopsis of the lattOr message, and eithor in this issue or our noxt shall givo placo to its vcry full and satisfactory financial statement, as well as other oxtracts from it. Both mosSagfia are oxclusively devotod to Stato affairs and ignoro politica and political disquisitions ; and both furnish tho Logislaturoa carofuland candid discussion of Stato intorosfs with dcfinito rocommendatiens. The secojïd trial of Stokes, on the udiotment cbarging him with the murder of James Fisk, Jr. was concluded on Saturday ovcning last, and aftcr being out about three hours tlie jury rendered a verdict of ' gilty of murdcr in the first dcgrec," and on Monday tlie convictcd prisoner was genteneed to be hungon tho 28th day of Fcbruary. The defensa of "self-defense" was not as suceossf ui as that of "insanity," set up on tho first trial. This result is probably unexpeoted to the large majority of p'eople who have watohed the progroflp of the trial, and yet no sane man enn doubt the correotness of tho verdict. It now remains to be Been what further meana or sobemos will berosorted to to prevent the exocution of the sontenco. We shall read of motions for new trial, stays of proeeodings, writs of error, &c, &c., and no efforts will be spared to find a tcchnical loop hole through which the convict nsay escape andsare higneok. A fair trial is no longer satisfactory to men clusrged with crimes ; justice to tbeir jlients or the communky seeina 110 longcr the aim of mrniy lawyers; and our higher Dourts have come to give mero teohnical proceodings more scope and weight than is consonant wit!i tlie safety of the comnmnity. Therefore the future of the Stokes oase will be carofully watched. " All the wokld aud tho rest of msn kind " has heard of the great magnruiiinity oí Gen. Qrant, as eridenoed by bis laying asido tho cares of State for a few hours, journcying to New Yik, and attonding the funeral of IIorace Grekley. Hut all the world may not have h#ard that Gen. Ghant noglecicd to pay bis hotel bill, bis magnanimity being entirely above suoh little mattora ; and so to gratify curiosity we givo a copy of the bilí presentad to the Board of Aldorruan for payment : íirTn Ateni'í: Hotel, ) Nkiv Yoük. R(c 1, 1872. . j Preaident Grnnt and purty, Ih-., To Darling1. GrunvoldA Co. Board and pralor 1 day 6 persons, - - $13 (10 Fire'H, - - _ _ . a . _ 2 00 Mc'ala serrêd in room, - n 75 Uan-iage, -----.. c Of Wir.CN, ----... in 00 Totul, ------- fox 73 - That wine item proves that if the President "bas quit his drinking" he was, likepoor Tray "oaugit in bad oorapany.' - Seriously, if Congress inoreases the aalary of tho President to 00,000 it ought to provida that ho shall -paj a his own housohold oxpunses and foot his own junketing bilis. Tho one Demoorntio Senator - Mr Mellex, of Macomb was liberally dealt with. He is ohnirman of the committce on Fishing Interests, and a mem hor of the following committees; Federal Eolations, Edneation and Public Schoei.", Lumber Interest?, mdGeologica Survcy. - In the Iïousp, Spralter Cros-?tj:ll aiinonneed tha comtnittces on Wednesdp.y. The -rumbers 'rom this county aro placed ]ns follows : Mr. Gsakt is chairinan of the Committee on Ways anf Means, and a member of that on Educntion ; Mr. K"oyes ia ermirrnan of the oommittee on Geological Survoy, nnd on the University and Normol Sehool committeo ; Mr. Cook Í3 on the committees on Insane Asyhun and Fisheries. 0"R announcement made last woelt ihat Gso. M. nuwTlOTOw had been appointfd to succeed Judge Hioby tvhs premature. It caema that Gov. Baoi.ey leolinedto confirm the decisión of tho Biít meeting held at Jnckson, nnd appointet Hon. A. D. Crank, of Dextnr. Mr CrANS is a -vrorthy citiïpn, an arerage lawypr, nn honest nirsn, nnd will earneatlj strive to discharge the onerous duties devolving upon him. - A Mr. Melexdy, of St. Josoph. county, haa been nppointud to succeec Jndge LTpson, resigned. Iï the "Hon. J. J. BaoleY" announced as one of' the "drawing conmiittee '' of the "Harmonie Örand Gift Concert" advertised to take place in Dotroi is Oov. Baoley we Tenture to refer him to the statuiea ngainst lotteries, gift enterprisos, etc, which clearly inolode "gif conoerte." It' it is anoiher Baoley bj tho same name we suggeat that Gor Baoley adyise his namesiilte towithdraw from the "drawing committee " and save appearances. Gov. Baldwin recommended tho several appropriationa asked for by the Ko genta of the Uniyersity, and withou' abating dollar. He declined, however to recommend the establishment of a State Hospital in connection with the Medical Department of the University, as reoommended by the Coniraission for the Supervisión of the Ponal, Pauper, and Reformatory Institutiona. Tue Legislature ia now fully orgar.ized and at wort. In the Senate the tho standing committeea were announced by Lieut. Gov. Holt on Tueaday. Senator Cllll-DS is chairman of the committoo on Univeraity and Normal School, and a member of othor commiftees as foüows: Citiea and Village3, Hcligious a:;d Bonevolent Sooieties. Tjie recommendiitionsof Gov. Baoley in behalf of the insane - curable or incurable, and of the idiota, etc., are to be commonded by every generoua hourt. - None of these classes should bo left to find homes in the poor-houses of the State. The Detroit Tribune sheds " a heap " of toarsovrir the failuro of Don. Hendersox, of tho Allegan Journal, to bag a S'.nall legislativo ouloe. Ita "brothorly" tribulation is exoruoiating in the extreme suggostivo of onions and a coarso napkin. C. D. Eandall, Esq., of Coldwator, haa been appoiuted a member of the Statu l'ubüc Bohool Board, vice Gov. Baoley, resigned. Anthony Comstalk cf' Now York city gives his time and ■ nttentiou to the suppression of impuro literature. Tho result of one year's ktbor shows not only thoenergy of the man,, but the immonse scale on which this business is conducted. Un der his direction 181,000 obsceno pictures and photographs, Beven tona of books and pamphlets, 1,500 engravings and negativo sand fivo_tons of stereotype plates. A Louisvillo man who had only beon acqu.-vinted with 'nis girl two nights, attempted to kiss her at tho gate. In his dying deposition ho told tho doctors that "just as he kissed her tho earth slid from umi er his l'eot, and his soul went out of bia mouth, whilo his hond touched tho stars." Later dispatches show that what ailed him was tho old maa'a boofc. South Carolina has but 0110 swamp an?el left, and WOU-ld teel sorry bnt for tho act that sho bas tha groatett sho7 of carpet-baggers on oarth.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus