vided for, to be paid after the completion of the canal; being a reduction of eight millions of the State debt, which has been made or effectually provided for within the last four years; the State itself, although broken and discredited at one time throughout the civilized world, has been enabled to borrow, on the credit of its property, one million six hundred thousand dollars, to complete the canal; the people abroad have once more begun to seek our highly favored land as the home of the emigrant. Our population has rapidly increased, and is now increasing faster than it ever did before; our people at home have become more contented and happy; they have ceased to be terrified by the magnitude of the State debt, and the imagined inability of the State to pay it; they have cheerfully submitted to taxation, as far as they were able, to meet the public liabilities; and have thereby manifested to the world, that they possess a heroic virtue, capable of any sacrifices demanded by integrity and patriotism; and it is with unbounded satisfaction that I now announce to the General Assembly that the former discredit resting upon our people in other States, for supposed delinquencies in paying their debts, no longer exists; and that the reputation of Illinois and its citizens now stands proudly fair and honorable amongst her sister States, and the great family of nations in the civilized world. I repeat again, that it is with a just pride, and a very high satisfaction, that I am enabled to announce these results; and to claim, as I truly may, that I have at all times fully concurred with the Legislature in all the measures which have been instrumental, so far as legislation could be instrumental, in producing them; and also that I have faithfully endeavored to carry out and execute, to the best of my ability, all the laws which have been passed for this purpose. However, it must be acknowledged that much more credit for this altered state of things is due to the gallant spirit and to the recuperative energies of the people, than to any agency of law or government. That I may have committed some errors, is not to be questioned. To err, belongs to all the family of man, in their present imperfect state; but whatever errors I may have committed, I trust were the errors of a bad judgment, rather than of a dishonest purpose. Without having indulged in wasteful or extravagant habits or living, I retire from office poorer than I came in; and go to private life with a full determination not to seek again, any place in the government. I retire from the exercise of high power, with heart-felt gratitude and joy; gratitude, for the many favors I have received at the hands of the people and their representatives; and joy, at being liberated from the cares and toils of office. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, On motion of Mr. Cavarly, Your obedient servant, The message was laid on the table, and five thousand copies ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate. On motion of Mr. Killpatrick, The vote taken on the resolution of Mr. Cavarly, proposing that the two Houses meet at 2 o'clock this day, in the Hall of the House of Representatives, for the purpose of canvassing the vote for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, was re-considered, and the resolution laid on the table. Mr. Killpatrick, on leave, introduced a bill for "An act to repeal the fifteenth chapter of the Revised Statutes;" which was read, and Ordered to a second readig. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McDonald, their Clerk. Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives have adopted the following resolutions : Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That the two Houses will meet in the Hall of the House, to-morrow, at 10 o'clock, A. M., for the purpose of canvassing the returns of the election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, in August last. Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That the Joint Rules of the Houses of the last session of the General Assembly of this State, be adopted as the Joint Rules of the two Houses of the present session of the same, until otherwise ordered. Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That a joint select committee of three on the part of the House, and two on the part of the Senate, shall be appointed to draft and report rules for the government of the two Houses. The House have appointed Messrs. Morton, Reynolds and Archer, the committee on their part. In the passage of which, I am directed to ask the concurrence of the Senate. Which resolutions were severally taken up, and concurred in. Messrs. Judd and Webb were appointed the committee on the part of the Senate. Ordered, That the Secretary inforin the House of Representatives thereof. On motion, The Senate adjourned. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1816. Senate met, pursuant to adjournment. On motion of Mr. Allison, Leave of absence was granted to Mr. Cavarly, until Monday morning next. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McDonald, their Clerk: Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives are now ready to receive them, in pursuance of the joint resolution of the two Houses, and proceed to count the votes given for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, in August last. Whereupon, The Senate, preceded by their Speaker, repaired to the Hall of the House of Representatives, and proceeded to canvass the votes given for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of this State, in conjunction with the House of Representatives; when it appeared, upon counting the votes from the returns of the different counties in this State, that, AUGUSTUS C. FRENCII had fifty-eight thousand seven hundred votes for Governor. THOMAS M. KILLPATRICK had thirty-six thousand seven hundred and seventy-five votes for Governor. RICHARD EELS had five thousand one hundred and fifty-two votes for Governor. THOMAS L. KILLPATRICK had ninety-four votes for Governor. THOMAS KILLPATRICK had thirty-five votes for Governor. SCATTERING, seven votes. JOSEPH B. WELLS had fifty-five thousand two hundred and twenty-one votes for Lieutenant Governor. NATHANIEL G. WILCOX had twenty-nine thousand six hundred and forty-one votes for Lieutenant Governor. ABRAHAM SMITH had five thousand one hundred and seventy-nine votes for Lieutenant Governor. H. E. WILCOX had four thousand eight hundred and twenty-five votes for Lieutenant Governor. E. H. WILCOX had five hundred and seventy-four votes for Lieutenant Governor. N E. Wilcox had five hundred and fifty-one votes for Lieutenant Governor. N. S. WILCOX had three hundred and fifty-four votes for Lieutenant Governor. Mr. WILCOX had two hundred and thirty votes for Lieutenat Governor. JAMES B. WELLS had one thousand three hundred and thirty-five votes for Lieutenant Governor. JOSEPH WELLS had six hundred and seventy-nine votes for Lieutenant Governor. JOSHUA B. WELLS had two hundred and twenty-two votes for Lieutenant Governor. SCATTERING, ninety-eight votes. Thereupon, The Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives announced, in the presence of both Houses of the General Assembly, the several ag gregate numbers of votes, and that AUGUSTUS C. FRENCH was duly elected Governor, and JOSEPH B. WELLS Lieutenant Governor, of the State of Illinois, for the ensuing four years, and The Honorable the Senate repaired to their Chamber. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McDonald, their Clerk: Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the House of Representatives to inform the Senate, that they have adopted the following resolution, viz: Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That a joint committee be appointed, of three from the House, and two from the Senate, to wait upon the Governor and Lieutenant Governor elect, inform them of their election, and ascertain at what hour they can meet the two Houses in the Hall of Representatives, for the purpose of being sworn into office; In the passage of which they ask the concurrence of the Senate. And that they have appointed Messrs. Pickering, Sherman and Reynolds, as members of said committee, on their part. On motion, The resolution contained in the message was taken up, read and concurred in. Ordered, That Messrs. Cavarly and Dougherty be a committee on the part of the Senate. Ordered, thereof. That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives Mr. Boil offered the following resolution, which, under the rule, lies one day on the table. Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That, when the Governor and Lieutenant Governor elect meet the two Houses in the Hall of the House of Representatives, for the purpose of taking the oaths of office required by the constitution, the Honorable the Judge of the District Court of the United States, the Honorable the Julges of the Supreme Court of this State, the Honorable the Ex Gov. ernor and Lieutenant Governor, and the Ex-Members of Congress and of the Legislature of this State, be invited to take seats within the bar of the Hall of the House of Representatives. On motion, The rule was suspended, and the resolution taken up, read and adopted. Ordered. That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof, and ask their concurrence therein. On motion, The Senate adjourned until 3 o'clock, P. M. THREE O'CLOCK, p. m. Senate met, pursuant to adjournment. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McDonald, their Clerk: Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the House of Representatives to inform the Senate, that the House of Representatives have concurred with them in the adoption of a resolation relative to administering the oath of office to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor elect, and inviting the Judge of the District Court of the United States, the Judges of the Supreme Court of this State, the Ex-Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and others, to take seats within the bar of the House during the ceremony of inauguration. Mr. Cavarly, from the joint select committee appointed to wait upon the Governor and Lieutenant Governor elect, made the following report: That the committee have ascertained of the Honorable Agustus C. French and Joseph B Wells, Governor and Lieutenant Governor elect of Illinois, that they will meet the two Houses of the General Assembly, in the Hall of the House of Representatives, on this afternoon, at half past three o'clock, for the purpose of being installed into office. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McDonald, their Clerk: Mr. Speaker: 1 am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives are now in readiness to receive the Senate in the Hall of the House, on the occasion of the Inauguration of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor elect of this State. Whereupon, The Senate, preceded by their Speaker, repaired to the Hall of the House of Representatives. The Honorable Augustus C. French, Governor, and the Honorable Joseph B. Wells, Lieutenant Governor elect, having been severally qualified into office, by the Honorable Samuel H. Treat, one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois, Mr. Moore, Secretary of the Senate, at the request of the Governor, then in feeble health, read to the General Assembly, the following address: SPRINGFIELD, December 8, 1846. Fellow-citizens of the Senate, and House of Representatives: In presenting myself before you for the first time, previous to assuming the responsibility of my official duties, I can not permit the occasion to pass without making known to the people of this State the deep sense of gratitude I feel for this marked expression of their confidence; and I know of no way in which I can more fully express the sense of the obligation under which I feel myself placed, than by the ready manifestation of an earnest desire to discharge all the duties which may be imposed upon me by the constitution and laws of the State, with a careful regard to the wants, wishes and interests of the people. During the past season, an ever kind and watchful Providence has crowned the labors of industry with all needful blessings; preserved all the great interests of State; and secured to the people generally, the unimpaired continuance of social, civil, and religious liberty. These priceless blessings, so far superior to those enjoyed by the great majority of mankind, demand of us the profoundest gratitude to the Great Giver of them all. While favored with a rich profusion for all our temporal wants, we have cause, also, to rejoice in the rapidly reviving prosperity of the country generally, and a comparative relief from the financial embarrassments, which for a long time pressed so heavily upon the hopes and energies of the people. Blinded and misled by a false and deceptive view of the true State of things; encouraged onward by the glitter of a delusive prosperity; we were incautiously drawn into measures, seriously involving the hopes and expectations of individuals, and the interests of the State. It is unnecessary to enter minutely into the causes which led to our present State embarrassment, as they have been often repeated, and are familiarly known to all. From the general features, exhaustless fertility of soil, peculiar adaptation and natural resources of our State, it seems clear, that, for a long time to come, the agricultural will continue to be the predominant interest. The current of business and the habits of our people, as well as a sound enlightened public policy, render the maxim, that "few laws are required to answer all the purposes of good government," peculiarly applicable to our condition. These laws ought to be plain and simple, interfering as little as possible with the free, voluntary employment of capital and labor. Perhaps one of the most striking features in our American forms of Government, is seen in the fact, that a large portion of the delegated powers are designed to operate in a kind of negative character, to be employed rather in restraining the action of those whose interests or inclinations would lead them to disturb the general community of rights which are free alike to all, than to direct or control the various kinds and relations of business and industry. there is any thing which distinguishes the nature and character of our institutions from those of any other nation, it may be found in that freedom from restraint accorded to every man, to pursue whatever calling his inclination or in If |