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On motion of Mr. Cooper, William Waller was appointed Messenger.

Mr. Lewis moved that the Rev. Lewis W. Gibson be requested to act as Chaplain of the Senate during the present session,

Which motion

Prevailed.

Mr. Lewis further moved that a committee of two be appointed to wait upon Mr. Gibson and inform him of the action of the Senate.

Whereupon the Speaker appointed Messrs. Lewis and Cooper said committee.

On motion of Mr. Martin, the Clerk was directed to inform the House that the Senate was organized and ready to proceed to business.

On motion of Mr. Lewis, reporters of the press were invited to seats on the floor of the Senate.

On motion of Mr. Martin, the rules governing the last session of the Senate were adopted until new rules should be reported.

On motion of Mr. Lewis, a recess for ten minutes was taken.

The Senate reässembled at the expiration of the recess.

Mr. Cooper, Clerk of the House, being admitted, informed the Senate that the House was duly organized and ready to proceed to business.

Mr. Cooper, Clerk of the House, being admitted, informed the Senate that the House had adopted a joint resolution appointing a committee to inform the Governor that the two houses of the General Assembly were organized, and asked the concurrence of the Senate in the same.

On motion of Mr. Cooper, the joint resolution was read,

And further, on motion of Mr. McWhorter,

Was

Non-concurred in.

Ordered that the House be informed thereof and the joint resolution returned to that body.

Mr. McWhorter offered a joint resolution appointing committee of both houses to wait upon the Governor and inform him that the two houses of the General Assembly were organized and ready to receive any communication he might see proper to make.

Which, on his motion, was read,

And, on his further motion, was

Adopted.

The Speaker appointed Messrs. Martin and McWhorter said committee on the part of the Senate.

Ordered that the House be informed thereof.

Mr. Cooper moved that a committee of two be appointed to draft rules for the government of the Senate,

Which motion

Prevailed,

Whereupon the Speaker appointed Messrs. Cooper and Martin said committee.

Mr. Cooper, Clerk of the House, being admitted, informed the Senate that the House had concurred in the Senate joint resolution appointing a joint committee to wait on His Excellency the Governor, and that Messrs. Smalley, Norney and Waples had been appointed such committee on the part of the House.

Mr. Martin, on behalf of the joint committee to wait on the Governor, reported that the committee had performed their duty, and that the Governor would communicate with the Senate, through the Secretary of State, in five minutes.

Mr. Lewis offered a resolution, which, on his motion, was read, as follows:

Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate be and he is hereby instructed to furnish each member of the Senate with a copy of the Revised Code and Volumes 15 and 16 of the Laws of the State of Delaware, and copies of the laws of 1883 and 1885,

And, on his further motion, was

Adopted.

William F. Causey, Esq., Secretary of State, being admitted, presented to the Senate a written communication from His Excellency the Governor, together with accompanying documents, with a request that the documents be transmitted to the House.

On motion of Mr. Cooper, the Message of the Governor was read, as follows:

Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives:

In observance of an honored custom, and in discharge of a constitutional duty, it is my pleasure to present to the General Assembly information of affairs concerning the State, and recommend to their consideration such measures as, in my judgment, I deem expedient and proper.

In this biennial review of the condition of our affairs there are no marked changes to note, but it is safe to say a gradual, healthy growth, and improvement is everywhere apparent. Especially may our people be congratulated on the advancement made in the common school system of the State, bearing no mean comparison with the best in other States. This condition is due to the munificence of the State during the past decade. It is earnestly desired that the State may take no step backward in the great cause of education, but keep fully abreast of the times. It is but simple justice here to say that our colored citizens, the recipients, for the last few years, of the State's bounty, are improving their advantages by laudable efforts to acquire homes for themselves and education for their children. The prejudice against their enfranchisement is fast disappearing, and I trust will soon pass away forever. A policy that will encourage citizens of this class in pursuits of industry and the acquisition of property, and secure to them the advantages of separate free school instruction, will greatly increase their usefulness and insure their permanent devotion to the State. In the labor upon which you are about to enter, you have my most cordial and sincere wish that wise counsels and harmony may prevail, and that your efforts may hasten the growth and development of the material and intellectual interests of the State and secure the peace and happiness of its people-the highest aim of all good government.

STATE FINANCES.

Since the date of my last biennial message, the State Debt has been reduced only fifteen thousand dollars. This is principally due to the liberal appropriations out of the general fund for the use and benefit of free schools, without any proportionate increase in the revenue, which left the Treasury with means barely sufficient to pay current expenses and interest.

REFUNDING DEBT.

In pursuance of the act of April 8th, 1885, entitled "An act to provide for the payment of a part of the Funded Debt of this State," the board thereby appointed met at Dover, on the 16th day of May, 1885, and received and opened the bids for one hundred and twenty thousand dollars' worth of four per centum bonds of this State, and, in pursuance of the provisions of the said act, accepted the bid of Edward Morrison, of New York City, for the said bonds, at $1050.30 for each $1000.00 of the said bonds, (making a total premium to the State of the sum of $6,360.00 on the said loan,) which said bid was the highest received, and consequently the loan was awarded to Mr. Morrison at the figure stated. This loan was to the State a very profitable one, and reflects considerable credit on the board negotiating the

same.

STATEMENT.

On the first day of January, A. D. 1887, the State Debt was eight hundred and twenty-four thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars, classified as follows:

Bonds issued under act of March 16th, 1881, and designated as "Series B," payable on the first day of July, 1891, but redeemable at the option of the State at any time after the first day of July, 1886,

Bonds issued under act of March 16th, 1881, and designated as "Series C," payable on the first day of July, 1901, but redeemable at the option of the State at any time after the first day of July, 1891,

Amount carried forward,

$300,000.00

165,000.00

$465,000.00

Amount brought forward,

Bonds issued under act of April 8th, 1885, payable on the first day of June, 1905, but redeemable at the option of the State at any time after the first day of June, 1895, . .

Total amount of the State Debt, bearing four per centum interest,

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Bond of the State to the School Fund, payable on
the first day of July, 1906, bearing interest at
the rate of six per centum per annum,
Certificates of indebtedness held by Delaware Col-
lege, bearing interest at the rate of six per cen-
tum per annum,

Total amount of State Debt, January 1st, 1887,

$465,000.00

I 20,000.00

$585,000.00

156,750.00

83,000.00

$824,750.00

As an offset against this indebtedness the State has interestbearing investments, as follows:

Investments belonging to the General Fund. Mortgages on the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad, ($400,000 on the Junction and Breakwater, and $200,000 on the Breakwater and Frankford),

1275 shares of Farmers' Bank stock, at $50.00 per share, .

20 shares of National Bank of Delaware stock, at $465.00 per share,

$600,000.00

63,750.00

9,300.00

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5000 shares of Farmers' Bank stock, at $36.00 per share,.

180,000.00

2439 shares of Farmers' Bank stock, at $50.00 per share,.

114 shares of Smyrna Bank stock, at $50.00 per share,.

Amount carried forward,

121,950.00

5,700.00

$307,650.00

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