Estimated by T. McHugh, Secretary of State, for ex Reported by T. McHugh, as expenses of 1849, 78,085 73 Reported revenues of 1849, 58,059 94 Actual deficit, $20,025 79 Estimated by T. McHugh, for expenses of 1850, Reported by Wm. A. Barstow, (Sec'y of State) for ex Estimated expenses of 1851, by Wm. A. Barstow, 65,266 08 14,567 61 Reported expenses for 1851, by Wm. A. Barstow, receipts of 1851, Actual deficit, Estimated expenses for 1852, by Wm. A. Barstow, (including about $38,000 of unpaid salaries, and indebtedness, for which no appropriation had been made) Estimated resources for 1852, Estimated deficit, r09,283 29 109,550 60 266 31 Reported receipts of 1852, by C. D. Robinson, Sec'y of Reported excess of payments, Estimated expenses of 1853, by C. D. Robinson, . 135,155 52 136,096 23 940 71 99,275 04 Estimated balance in Treasury, Reported receipts of 1853, by C. D. Robinson, 66 66 66 expenses, Reported excess of payments, Estimated expenses of 1854, by C. D. Robinson, 19,292 61 152,296 44 160,407,14 . 8,110 70 157,210 70 Reported expenses of 1855, (A. T. Gray,) Estimated balance in Treasury, Reported receipts of 1854, by A. T. Gray, Sec'y of State, 191,299 46 Reported expenses of 1854, 167,147 74 9,807 94 35,767 39 273,067 72 debts due from the State, and the deficit above Reported expenses of 1856, by D. W. Jones, Sec'y of (This includes $32,258 54, the deficit of Treasurer Excess of payments, Estimated expenses of 1857, (D. W. Jones,) (Including the amount overpaid, and $62,000 "due indi 7,002 28 345,316 01 Reported expenses of 1857. (9 mos.) (including over These transactions are for 9 months, the beginning of the fiscal year having been changed to Oct. 1st. By using the quarterly Treasury Report of January 2d 1858, we make up the transactions for the full year 1857, as follows: Reported expenses for 1857 $442.756.00 For the purpose of exhibiting the gradual increase of the expenditures of the State from year to year, the following table is prepared from the above: In the expenditures of 1856 is included the balance found to be due to the State by Ex-Treasurer JANSSEN, $32,258 84. In the expenditures of 1857 are included sundry amounts to two of the benevolent institutions of the State, and for the enlargement of the State Capitol, amounting to about $80,000, which as, according to the law of last session, completing the edifices for those Institutions and carrying the expenses of the State in the construction of the new capitol through the current financial year, were extraordinary in their nature, and relieve the Treasury from estimates to any large amount for those purposes. ;! With these explanations, it will be seen that the increase in the current expenditures of the State for the year past has been but small. 1 The Secretary of State, in his estimates of the expenditures and revenues of the current year, presents a gloomy prospect for the tax-payers of the State, especially in a time of great financial distress. That officer estimates a deficit at the end of the fiscal year amounting to the sum of $70,345 66, and as under the head of resources, the amount of the deficiency of Ex-Treas. Janssen is included, a sum which there seems no probability that the Treasury will receive during the year, the estimated deficit must be increased by that amount. Under these circumstances, it will be the duty of the Legislature, in the exercise of a wise economy, proper at all seasons, but especially so in these times-to examine carefully the estimates of expenditure, and endeavor if possible with a due regard to the interests of the State, to keep the appropriations within a low aggregate. From such examination of the subject as I have been able to make, it is my opinion that the expenditures of the State may be so regulated, without detriment to any department of the public service, that a state tax for the current year of the same amount as that of last year $300,000-will be amply sufficient. In expressing this opinion, I have in view the probable negotiation of a new loan of $50,000 to take the place of the bonds falling due this year. If on examination, however, the sum of $300,000 will not be sufficient to meet the current legitimate expenses of the gov ernment, and pay the debts of the State, the amount must be increased. The debts of the State must be provided for and paid, and their unnecessary accumulation guarded against in the future. PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. Owing to the fact that no provision of law has been made requiring the clerks of the County Boards to make their returns to the State Superintendent in time to allow that officer to comply with the law requiring a full Report from the several departments soon after the close of the fiscal year, the Report of the Department of Public Instruction is not yet prepared. I recommend that the necessary provision of law be made, so that this important duty may be attended to hereafter in due season. The present State Superintendent has furnished me, from the statistics in his possession, the following facts and figures: The whole number of children in the State between the ages of 4 and 20, entitled to share in the common fund is 241,647, being an increase of 27,761 over the number reported for the previous year. The number of pupils who have attended the public schools is 153,613. The number of school districts and parts of districts reported is 4378, and the number of school-houses in the State 2945. The average amount of monthly wages to male teachers was $24.60, and to female teachers $15.16. The amount apportioned to the Schools in March, 1857, was 66 cents to each pupil. The apparent amount to be apportioned this year is about $230,000, which would be 95 cents to each pupil; but in view of the probable delay in payments to the funds, that average cannot be fairly expected. The productive fund of the Department now amounts to over three millions of dollars. It is a fund which should be sacredly guarded by the officers who have it in charge. The Legislature will feel it to be a pleasure as well as a duty to see that the necessary laws are passed to cause the greatest good to be derived from the distribution of the Fund. The impression |