The productive property owned by the State consists of shares in the Western and Atlantic Railroad, which cost the State $5,000,000, and are estimated to be worth that amount. There is besides unproductive property owned by the State to the amount of $250,000. Common Schools. The amount of the School Fund owned by the State is $23,086. The Poor School Fund is distributed among the several counties, and is paid out to teachers, of schools and academies ratably, regulated by the report of the magistrates of each district. Public Institutions. The State Prison at Milledgeville has 122 convicts. The Lunatic Asylum at Midway, near Milledgeville, has 120 inmates. The State appropriates annually $ 15,000 to this asylum, and the last Legislature appropriated $25,000 to enlarge and improve the buildings. The State has an institution in Murray County for the education of the deaf and dumb and blind. XVI. FLORIDA. Government for the Year 1855. of Tallahassee, Governor (term expires Salary. $500 annually for expenses of residence, and $1,500 of Madison, T. W. Brevard, C. H. Austin, H. V. Snell, Register of Public Lands, and Sup't of Schools, $1,200 and travelling expenses. of Hillsborough, President of the Senate, D. G. Livingston, W. F. Russell, Hugh A. Corley, James H. Buel, $3 a day. 5 a day. 3 a day. 5 a day. of Tallahassee, Private Secretary of Governor, $200 The members of the General Assembly are chosen on the first Monday of October, biennially. The Assembly meets biennially on the fourth Monday in November. Thomas Douglas, John P. K. Savage, The General Assembly of 1850-51 established a separate Supreme Court, to consist of a chief justice and two associate justices. The Supreme Court holds four sessions annually; one in Tallahassee, on the first Monday in January; one in Jacksonville, on the third Monday in February; one in Tampa, on the first Monday in March; and one in Marianna, on the third Monday in March. When any one or two of the judges of the Supreme Court are disqualified from sitting in any cause, the vacancy is filled by a corresponding number of the Circuit Judges, who, in such case, constitute a part of the Supreme Court. They likewise passed a law providing for a change in the constitution, so as to give the election of justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the Circuit Court to the people, which has now become the law. The State is divided into four circuits, Eastern, Middle, Western, and Southern; and the judges of the Circuit Court, in the order in which they are named above, preside in their respective circuits. Finances. -The receipts from all sources are about $60,000 a year, and the annual expenditures amount to nearly that sum. XVII. ALABAMA. Government for the Year 1855. of Mobile, Governor (term of office ex- Salary. $2,500 Fees and 1,200 JOHN A. WINSTON, pires on the 1st Monday in December, 1855), Vincent M. Benham, of Montgomery, Secretary of State, Joel Riggs, William Graham, of Montgomery, Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2,000 of Lowndes Co., State Treasurer, 1,800 of Montgomery, Comm'r & Trustee to settle Affairs Michael Tuomey, John Whiting, J. A. Pettus, William B. Martin, of Tuscaloosa, State Geologist, of Montgomery, Private Secretary to Governor of Benton Co., of Coosa Co., and Keeper of State-House, 650 President of Senate. Clerk. Speaker of the House. The Senate consists of 33 members, elected for four years, one half going out every two years. The House of Representatives consists of 100 members, elected for two years. The Legislature meets biennially in the city of Montgomery, on the second Monday of November. The third biennial session commenced in November, 1853. The pay of the members of both houses is $4 a day each. JUDICIARY. William P. Chilton, of Tuskegee, Chief Justice, Geo. Goldthwaite, of Montgomery, Associate Justice, Salary. $3,000 3,000 3,000 Marion A. Baldwin, of Montgomery, Attorney-General, Fees and 425 Fees. The judges of the Supreme Court, and the chancellors, are elected by a joint vote of the two houses of the General Assembly, for six years. The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction only, and holds its sessions at the seat of government, on the first Monday of January and June of each year, for hearing and determining points of law taken by appeal from the Chancery, Circuit, and Probate Courts. The volumes of reported decisions are forty-two in number. The State is divided into three chancery divisions and thirty-nine districts, in each of which one session of the court is held annually, and in some of the larger districts two sessions are held. This court has original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal causes in the State. Two sessions (spring and fall) are held each year in every county. The Solicitors, besides fees, receive a salary of $250, except in the first circuit, where the salary is $ 350. The Attorney-General acts as Solicitor for the eighth circuit. In Mobile County the criminal jurisdiction has been transferred to a special Alexander McKinstry, City Court for Mobile. Salary. $2,000 This court holds three terms each year, on the first Monday of February and June, and the second Monday of October, and has concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Courts except in real actions. Judges of Probate (who are also Clerks of the court and Registers of Deeds Counties. Judges. Counties. Judges. Jefferson - Irab Bagley, Choctaw -Carter N. Wilcox, Lauderdale-W. T. Hawkins, Coffee-James Claxton, Macon-Lewis Alexander, In consequence of an amendment of the constitution of the State, ratified in January, 1850, the preceding list of Judges of the Circuit Courts, Judge of the City Court of Mobile, and Judges of Probate were all elected by the people, on the first Monday of May, 1850, and for a term of six years. The State is also liable for $669,088.95, United States surplus revenue. The receipts and expenditures for the years 1852 and 1853 were as follows: Of this balance at least $1,000,000 are in the notes of the State bank and branches. When these notes are in circulation, they constitute a liability of the State; when in the treasury, they are only evidence of debts paid. This reduces considerably the balance in the Treasury. 19,893.00 Two and three per cent. Funds, . From United States, for suppressing Other sources, 17,762,28 66 87,146.82 Expenses of the Code of Alabama, Principal Items of Expenditure. 22,290.31 Alabama Penitentiary. · At Wetumpka. Whole number in confinement, Oct. 1, 1852, 156, 152 males, 4 females. Received during the year, 93. Whole number during the year, 249. Discharged by expiration of sentence, 23; by pardon, 24; escape, 5; death, 5; error, 1; in all, 58; leaving in prison Oct. 1, 1853, 191, all males, 190 white, and 1 free colored. 13 were convicted of murder in the first degree; 17 in second degree; 8 of manslaughter; 14 of assault with intent to kill; 11 of negro stealing; 17 of horse stealing; 5 of robbing the mail; 10 of robbery; 41 of larceny. There were 16 under 20 years of age; 81 from 20 to 30; 56 from 30 to 40; 21 from 40 to 50; 11 from 50 to 60; 5 from 60 to 70; 1 from 70 to 80. 23 are natives of Alabama; 25 of Georgia; 24 of South Carolina; 11 of Tennessee; 67 of other States; and 41 foreigners. 18 are imprisoned for life; 4 for 20 years; 34 for 10 years; and 103 for 5 years and under. Provision was made by the Legislature of 1851 and 1852 for establishing a State institution called "The Alabama Insane Hospital," and an appropriation was made towards the erection of buildings. Also, $5,000 were appropriated for "organizing and sustaining an institution for the deaf and dumb." The sum of $ 10,000 was set apart to aid the State geologist in the discharge of his duties. XVIII. MISSISSIPPI. JOHN J. MCRAE, of Clark Co., Governor, W. H. Muse, of Tishemingo, Secretary of State, Madison McAfee, of Holmes, Auditor of Public Accounts, L. Julienne, Term expires. Salary. Jan., 1856, $3,000 Nov., 1855, 1,200 M. M. Smith, F. L. Swann, Robert Joselyn, State Commissioner, High Court of Errors and Appeals. Term ends. Salary. Cotesworth P. Smith, of Woodville, Presid. Judge, 2d Dist., 1855, $3,000 Elias S. Fisher, David C. Glenn, The jurisdiction of the High Court is appellate exclusively. There are two terms each year in Jackson, commencing on the first Monday of April and October. The court may continue in session as long as business requires, and may order a special term, or adjourn to meet at any time. The judges are also authorized to meet annually on the third Monday in June, in the town of Oxford, to receive the written and hear the oral arguments of causes from the third district, provided the State is not a party. The reporter is elected by the Legislature. The reports are to be called the "Mississippi Reports," and are to be printed, bound, and published in the State of Mississippi. The common law form of pleading has been abolished, and a system somewhat similar to that of chancery or civil law adopted. |