CONGRESS. 



CONNECTICUT. 



259 



will impressed upon the whole framework of our civil 

 polity municipal, State, and Federal and this is the 

 price of our liberty and the inspiration of our faith in 

 the republic. 



It is the duty of those serving the people in public 

 place to closely limit public expenditures to the actual 

 needs of the Government economically administered, 

 because this bounds the right of the Government to 

 exact tribute from the earnings of labor or the prop- 

 erty of the citizen, and because public extravagance 

 begets extravagance among the people. We should 

 never be ashamed of the simplicity and prudential 

 economies which are best suited to the operation of a 

 republican form of government, and most compatible 

 with the mission of the American people. Those who 

 are selected for a limited time to manage public affairs 

 are still of the people, and may do much oy their ex- 

 ample to encourage, consistently with the dignity of 

 their official functions^ that pla'in way of life which 

 among their fellow-citizens aids integrity and pro- 

 motes thrift and prosperity. 



The genius or our institutions, the needs of our 

 people in their home-life, and the attention which is 

 demanded for the settlement and development of the 

 resources of our vast territory, dictate the scrupulous 

 avoidance of any departure from that foreign policy 

 commended by the nistory, the traditions, and the 

 prosperity of our republic. It is the policy of inde- 

 pendence, favored by our position and defended by 

 our known love of justice and by our power. It is the 

 policy of peace suitable to our interests. It is the 

 policy of neutrality, rejecting any share in foreign 

 broils and ambitions upon other continents, and re- 

 pelling their intrusion here. It is the policy of Mon- 

 roe and of Washington and Jefferson " Peace, com- 

 merce, and honest friendship with all nations ; en- 

 tangling alliance with none." 



A due regard for the interests and prosperity of all 

 the people demand that our finances shall be estab- 

 lished upon such a sound and sensible basis as shall 

 secure the safety and confidence of business interests, 

 and make the wage of labor sure and steady ; and 

 that our system of revenue shall be so adjusted as to 

 relieve the people of unnecessary taxation, having a 

 due regard to the interests of capital invested and 

 working-men employed in American industries, and 

 preventing the accumulation of a surplus in the Treas- 

 ury to tempt extravagance and waste. Care for the 

 property of the nation, and for the needs of future set- 

 tlers, require that the public domain should be pro- 

 tected from purloining schemes and unlawful occu- 

 pation. 



The conscience of the people demands that the In- 

 dians, within our boundaries, shall be fairly and hon- 

 estly treated as wards of the Government, and their 

 education and civilization promoted, with a view to 

 their ultimate citizenship ; and that polygamy in the 

 Territories, destructive of the family relation, and of- 

 fensive to the moral sense of the civilized world, shall 

 be repressed. The laws should be rigidly enforced 

 which prohibit the immigration of a servile class to > 

 compete with American labor, with no intention of 

 acquiring citizenship, and bringing with them and 

 retaining habits and customs repugnant to our civili- 

 zation. 



The people demand reform in the administration of 

 the Government and the application of business prin- 

 ciples to public affairs. As a means to this end civil- 

 service reform should be in good faith enforced. Our 

 citizens have the right to protection from the incom- 

 petency of public employe's who hold their places 

 solely as the reward of partisan service, and from the 

 corrupting influence of those who promise, and the 

 vicious methods of those who expect, such rewards. 

 And those who worthily seek public employment 

 have the right to insist that merit and competency 

 shall be recognized instead of party subserviency, or 

 the surrender of honest political belief. 



In the administration of a government pledged to 

 do equal and exact justice to all men, there should be 



no pretext for anxiety touching the protection of the 

 freedmen in their rights, or their security in the en- 

 joyment of their privileges under the Constitution and 

 its amendments. All discussion as to their fitness for 

 the place accorded to them as American citizens in idle 

 and unprofitable, except as it suggests tho necessity 

 for their improvement. The fact that they are citi- 

 zens entitles them to all the rights due to that rela- 

 tion, and charges them with all its duties, obligations, 

 and responsibilities. 



These topics, and tho constant and ever-varying 

 wants of an active and enterprising population, may 

 well receive the attention and the patriotic endeavor 

 of all who make and execute the Federal law. Our 

 duties are practical, and call for industrious applica- 

 tion, an intelligent perception of the claims of public 

 office, and, above all, a firm determination, by united 

 action, to secure to all the people of the land the lull 

 benefits of the best form of government ever vouch- 

 safed to man. And let us not trust to human effort 

 alone; but, humbly acknowledging the power and 

 goodness of Almighty God, who presides over the 

 destiny of nations, and who has at all times been re- 

 vealed in our country's history, let us invoke his aid 

 and his blessing upon our labors. 



CONNECTICUT. State Government. The fol- 

 lowing were the State officers during the year : 

 Governor, Henry B. Harrison, Republican; 

 Lieutenant-Governor, Lorin A. Cooke ; Secre- 

 tary of State, Charles A. Russell ; Treasurer, 

 Valentine B. Chamberlain ; Comptroller, Lu- 

 zerne J. Munson. Judiciary, Supreme Court : 

 Chief-Justice, John D. Park ; Associate Jus- 

 tices, Elisha Carpenter, Dwight W. Pardee, 

 D wight Loomis, and Miles T. Granger. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature met on 

 January 7 and adjourned April 23. The fol- 

 lowing is a summary of the work of the ses- 

 sion, so far as of general interest : 



CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. 



Passed. That each Legislature may provide trans- 

 portation for its members between their homes and 

 Hartford. The object is to do away with the use of 

 free railroad passes by members. 



Rejected. That plurality of votes shall elect State 

 officers. 



A resolution for a constitutional convention in Sep- 

 tember, 1885, was also rejected. 



STATUTES. 



That in civil actions the court may admit hitherto 

 inadmissible evidence, or reject it. 



That any ward of legal age lor choosing a guardian, 

 may choose a guardian of the person but not property, 

 with approval of the Probate Court. 



Establishing a town court in Derby. 



That where a divorce suit is contested, it may bo 

 taken up at any time, instead of waiting ninety days 

 after return day, as with uncontested cases. 



Compiling the probate laws. 



That the statutes be revised. 



That in all towns triplicate election returns of State 

 elections shall be made, one to be sent within two 

 days to the Secretary of State, another within ten 

 days, and the third deposited with the town clerk. 



That in town meetings male citizens may vote if re- 

 siding in the State one year, in town six months, duly 

 admitted as electors, having freehold estate $300, or 

 personal $150. 



Punishing deception and fraud in causing any 

 person to vote a ticket he did not intend to vote. 



That non-partisan commissions shall be elected 

 by the people instead of by the aldermen in ttew 

 Haven. 



Authorizing the New Haven and Derby road to is- 

 sue $300,000 bonds to take up old bonds. 



