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& acquiescence & it may be said to be itself a fundamental law. It may well be doubted whether the action of a con-vention assembled in any other manner would bind the consciences of our people. There are other subjects which will require the speedy actions of a convention The finances of the State will require their attention Their condition renders the enlargement of your powers necessary to the adjustment of pecuniary dif-ficulties—[?] [?] that you husband the further collection of the state taxes—The paper in it is now being collected is worthless—That already collected should ordered to be returned to the parties from whom it was received—no taxes we have funds can be collected until next winter & the further collection & assessment of money taxes may therefore be safely postponed till the meeting of the next Legislature I recommend also the revision of yours leave for the collection or a tax in kind on agricultural products—The Destitution of a portion of our People requires that this tax shall be immediately increased & promptly col-lected—A large portion of the tax in kind assessed under the Confederate laws has not been paid—You may by law adjust this assessment & make it payable to the State relieving from the payment those from whom the tax has been collected—The state salt works will be no longer be profitable—& I rec-ommend that they be sold—The further manufacture of spiritous liquors at the State distillery should be discontinued. It will no longer pay expenses—I earnestly recommend that the law against distilling & the sale of spiritous liquors except for medicinal purposes be continued in force amending this only so far as to permit the dispensary to purchase & sell under the orders of the Boards of Police & under such further stringent regulations & provisions as may prevent abuse The wisdom of your laws on this subject—is now evident as the officers in too many instances have neglected their duty as to their enforcement—I recom- that for this penalties be prescribed for neglect of duty by Staff and other peace officers To thier neglect inefficiency & coward-ice is to be mainly attributed the [?] of crime & the insecurity of life & property—The Terrible contest this which the country has just passed aroused in every section the fiercest passions of the human heart & in many instances has lead to the commission of crimes of the most malignant character until at last lawlessness seems to have culminated in the assassination of (W Lincoln President of the U.S. & the attempt to assassinate M^r Seward Secretary of State—For the then acts of atrocious horror so repugnant to the [makers?] of the [?] [?] & so much opposed the principles regula-ting our social life You feel I am sure in common with the whole people of this State the profoundest sen-timents of detestation—The period too at which they oc-curred was most inauspicious for the fortunes of this country—They have influenced as was most natural the mind of the Northern People & the right thinking men when the [?] feelings aroused by these acts