534 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



particularly in the State of Louisiana, the initia- 

 tion of vast schemes for the wasteful expenditure of 

 the people's money, the necessity for the Liberal 

 movement has been made apparent and its action a 

 position fully vindicated. 



Jittoleed, That whoever else be implicated in the 

 scandals which are being dragged to the face 

 we rejoice that no taint or smell of pollution attaches 

 to the fair fame of any of the great Liberal Uepubli- 

 can leaders. 



Raohtd, That, as members of a party in whose 

 glorious records utl achievements in the past we take 

 a fair pride, and claim a right to share, we see no 

 way left open to us. but to maintain the integrity 

 of the Liberal Republican organization, as a nucleus 

 around which honest men of all parties may gather, 

 in order to carry forward in the future those great 

 principles which it seems to us our old party has lost 

 sight of, and those measures of reform which are vital 

 to the best interests, if not to the very existence, of 

 republican institutions. 



Raolttd, That we make no indiscriminate warfare 

 upon the Administration ; we acknowledge and ap- 

 preciate the great services which General Grant has 

 rendered to the country; and we shall hail with ap- 

 proval any honest efforts, from whatever quarter 

 they may come, to purify the political atmosphere, 

 and to bring about a reform in the administration ot 

 public affairs ; but we believe the time has coma 

 when higher motives should govern political action 

 than a mere blind adherence to the mandates of party. 



The election occurred on the llth of March. 

 According to the official canvass of the votes 

 at the opening of the Legislature in June, the 

 whole number cast for Governor was 67,821. 

 Of these Ezekiel A. Straw, Republican, re- 

 ceived 34.023; James A. Weston, Democrat, 

 82,016; John Blaokmer, Temperance candi- 

 date, 1,078 ; Samuel K. Mason, Liberal Repub- 

 lican, 696, and eight votes were scattered. 

 This made the majority of Straw over all oth- 

 ers 223. A member of Congress was chosen in 

 each of the three districts of the State : in the 

 first district, Willinra B. Small, Republican ; 

 in the second district, Austin F. Pike, Repub- 

 lican; and in the third district, Hosoa W. Par- 

 ker, Democrat. Five executive councillors 

 were voted for, and in thefirst, third, and fourth 

 districts Republicans were elected ; in the 

 fifth district a Democrat wns elected ; and in 

 the second there was no choice. The vacancy 

 was filled by the Legislature by the choice of 

 a Republican for the second district. A full 

 Senate of twelve members was also voted for, 

 and seven Republicans and three Democrats 

 were elected, while in two districts there was 

 no choice. The Legislature filled the vacancies 

 by choosing a Democrat from one district and 

 a Republican from the other. The whole num- 

 ber of Representatives elected was 850, of 

 whom 201 were Republican:), 146 Democrats, 

 and 3 Liberal Republicans. 



The Legislature assembled nt Concord on 

 the 4th of Jane. On the llth the two Houses 

 met in joint committee to elect the executive 

 officers, who are not chosen by a popular 

 For Secretary of State, 316 votes were 

 of which Benjamin F. Prescott, Republican, 

 received 194, and Isaac M. Blodgett, Democrat, 

 122. For State Treasurer, there were 323 

 vote* cast, of which Solon A. Carter, Republi- 



can, received 193, and George W. M. Pitman, 

 Democrat, 130. Fur State Printer, tlier. 

 818 vote*, 192 of which were lor Kdwanl A. 

 Jenks, Republican, 125 for Juiues M. Camp- 

 bell, Democrat, and 3 scattering. For Com- 

 missary-General, tin-re w ere only 3 votes cast, 

 all of which were for Charles T. Montgomery, 

 Republican. 



The session of the Legislature was over be- 

 fore the 4th of July. Very little of the legis- 

 lation is of general interest. The most im- 

 portant subject considered was the oxped* 

 of a revision of the constitution. There * 

 special committee on this subject, and a bii . 

 brought in providing for a convention for the 

 purpose of making the revision, but it was 

 tin ally defeated in the Senate. The present 

 constitution has been in force foreujhty yi-ar-s 

 only one slight amendment having been made 

 in that time. The principal grounds on which 

 a revision is urged is the need of a new system 

 of representation which shall reduce the lower 

 branch of the Legislature and increase the 

 Senate, the need of a new and more equitable 

 system of taxation, and of minor courts in cities 

 for unimportant civil and criminal cases. 



The subject of allowing women to vote and 

 hold office in school districts was brought 

 under consideration, and the proposition was 

 defeated in the House by a vote of 89 to 228. 

 A proposition for increasing the salaries of tin- 

 Judges of the Supremo Court also failed, as 

 did a measure providing for a board of visitors 

 for prisons and asylums. A new election law 

 was passed, providing that only plain white 

 ballots should bo used, and providing for the 

 punishment of bribery and the exercise of im- 

 proper influences at elections. The act of Con- 

 gress increasing the salaries of members was 

 condemned by a joint resolution. 



The finances of the State are in a very sound 

 condition. The receipts fnun State tax, for the 

 year ending May :iist, were $8,000,000, from 

 other sources, $121,412.51, making a total of 

 $421,412.51. The expenses of the State gov- 

 ernment for the same period amounted to 

 $163,545.36, while $2.M,'.>i):!.:i:; of interest on 

 tln> State debt wns paid, making the total ex- 

 penditure $415,448.69. This left a surplus of 

 $. r >.963.82, which was applied to the payment 

 of the principal of the debt. A brief statement 

 of this debt is as follows: 



Old Hahllttlep. Jnnc 1, 187*. . . . $2.0W,78 67 

 Municipal war loan 8,805.095 44 



ToUl $71.48 11 



Assets In Treasury 148,808 85 



Ni-t liabilities of Stato. Juno 1. 1S7S. . . . $4,188,134 26 

 Old liabilities. .Tnno 1, 1873... . Jl.Tdn.SJO 04 



Municipal war loan ,S05.W 44 



Temporary Loan 826.05000 



Total $4,1,M548 



AsBeU In Treasury, 69,80504 



Net Indcbtednew, Jnne 1, 1878 $4.18J,10 44 



Redaction of debt during the year $5,968 82 



The reduction of the debt was unusually 



