and promise for the prosperity and happiness of her people.

INDIAN RAID.

I regret that the existence of the fact that during the months of last September and October a band of Cheyenne Indians, variously estimated at from one hundred to two hundred in number, raided the western border of our State, makes it my duty to call your attention to this matter; and without stopping to discuss the causes, if any existed, that led to this raid, it is sufficient to be able to state, from a personal investigation of the facts, that no citizen of Kansas, nor any other person within our State, gave the slightest provocation for the brutal outrages committed by this roving band of murderers.

It is a fact, no less humiliating than true, that about twenty-five days elapsed from the time these Indians crossed the southern boundary of our State until they reached the county of Decatur, on its northern limit; moving in their line of march northward along the western border of the frontier settlements, making incursions into sparsely-settled districts, where the people were wholly unable to protect themselves, killing as they did about forty citizens, destroying and carrying away large amounts of property, and committing outrages upon defenseless women and children, so brutal, heinous, and revolting in their nature as to never be forgiven or forgotten. In declining to discuss the question touching the effort made by our State and national authorities to protect the settlers against the outrages committed by this lawless band of savages, I do not wish to be understood as casting any unjust reflections upon any one.

The duty of the hour is not so much to deal with

A

the past, but to look to the future with a determination that a repetition of these outrages shall never again occur in our State. The doors of Kansas have been thrown open wide, and a cordial invitation extended to the industrious, law-abiding people of all portions of the civilized world to come among us and build for themselves homes. Many who have accepted this invitation have chosen for their habitation our western frontier, and it becomes an imperative duty of our State to protect the lives and property of these citizens against every invasion by predatory bands of lawless savages who attempt or threaten to deprive them of either, and to administer to such bands within our borders prompt and merited punishment, and delay the settlement of all technical questions that may be interposed until after the safety of the citizen has been fully secured.

Section 11, of chapter 64, of the General Statutes of 1868, provides :

"That in case of insurrection, invasion, or threatened invasion, the commander-in-chief may order into active service any company, regiment or brigade, or any portion of either he may designate, in such forms of organization as he may direct," &c.

While section 15, of the same chapter, provides:

"That all expenses provided for by this act shall be sworn to by the officer making the same, and approved by the Major General, or Brigadier General, certifying that the same were incurred by his order and were necessary for the service, and the amount thereof reasonable and just; and the Auditor of State shall audit the same, and as soon as any moneys are appropriated for military purposes, the Auditor shall draw his warrant on the Treasurer, who shall pay the same.”

Under section 11, the commander-in-chief has no power to act except in cases of insurrection, invasion, or threatened invasion. Experience has taught us that hostile Indians do not send advance couriers to notify the frontiersman either of their coming or intent, but the

first notice generally given, or received, is by their murderous attacks upon those who are unprotected and unable to successfully defend themselves. Under section 15, it matters not what the exigency of the case may require, not a dollar can be had for any purpose until the expenses have been incurred, and an appropriation made to pay the same. I therefore respectfully recommend that an appropriation be made as a military contingent fund sufficient in amount-should circumstances at any time require it-to uniform, mount, equip, and pay, a limited number of reliable, discreet men, under command of an efficient officer, whose duty it shall be, at such times and places as may be deemed advisable, to act as a patrol on the frontier, and promptly give warning of every approach of danger, and thus the citizen having due notice, and promptly aided in his defense by the State, could be made secure in the enjoyment of his life and property.

Such an appropriation should have thrown around it such stringent safeguards as would require strict accountability from every officer or person having charge of the disbursement of any portion of such fund.

And I further recommend, that a committee be appointed to ascertain the extent of the damage sustained by citizens from the raid by said Indians, to the end that necessary steps may be taken to secure the payment thereof.

STATE FINANCES, AND REPORTS OF OFFICERS.

I transmit herewith the biennial reports of the State officers. These reports furnish a very full, complete, and satisfactory exhibit of the business transactions of the respective departments from which they emanate, from De

cember 1st, 1876, to June 30th, 1878, and of which I respectfully request a careful perusal.

The total receipts of the Treasury from November 30th, 1876, to June 30th, 1877, including balance in Treasury December 1st, 1876, amount to $850,064.88; while the disbursements during the same period amount to $471,849.08, leaving a balance in the Treasury, June 30th, 1877, of $378,215.80. The total receipts, including balance in the Treasury June 30th, 1877, for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1878, amount to $1,584,891.10; while the total disbursements during the same period amount to $1,272,910.92, leaving a balance in the Treasury, June 30th, 1878, of $311,980.18; which sum is made up of the several funds, as follows:

It will be noticed by comparing the respective reports of the Auditor and Treasurer, that there is an apparent discrepancy between the balance reported as being in the Treasury at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1878, amounting to $830.89. This is the amount of deficiency of ex-Treasurer Lappin, and is properly included in the balance as reported by the Auditor, he having no authority to omit it; but the amount so included by the

Auditor not being money in the Treasury, is properly excluded by the Treasurer in his reported cash balance.

The total bonded debt of the State, June 30th, 1878, was $1,181,975, of which amount $607,925 is held by the permanent school fund, $94,275 by the sinking fund, $9,800 by the State University, and $1,600 by the State Normal School The remainder, being $468,375, is held by private individuals and corporations.

From this aggregate amount of bonded debt may be deducted bonds of our State, $94,275; United States bonds, $22,600; cash in the Treasury, June 30th, 1878, $5,871.72, all belonging to the sinking fund—leaving the real balance of our bonded debt only $1,059,228.28.

On January 1st, 1877, $54,000 of the bonded debt of our State matured and was promptly paid; and it is a fact of which every Kansan may well be proud, that every class of matured indebtedness of the State which has been presented, and which the Treasurer is authorized to pay, has been paid with like promptness. And the financial condition and credit of the State to-day is such, that if sufficient funds were in the treasury to liquidate the entire bonded indebtedness of the State, it could only be done either by waiting until the bonds matured, or by purchasing the bonds at a premium on their face value, and paying interest to date.

The several State officers, in their respective reports, make a number of recommendations in relation to amendments of, and additions to, our present laws. These recommendations being based upon the actual experience of these officers, coupled with a thorough study and investigation of the matters to which they refer, entitles