The State is also liable for $669,088.95, United States surplus revenue. The receipts and expenditures for the year 1854 were as follows: Receipts (from taxes, $549,890, and from common school fund, $62,026), Balance in Treasury, 30th September, 1853, Expenditures in 1854, including $ 400,000 to Mobile and Ohio Railroad Company, $29,031 for Insane Asylum, and $17,441 for interest on 16th section fund, Balance in Treasury, 30th September, 1854, 1,046,293.00 $814,832.00 Of this balance a large portion is in the notes of the State Bank and branches. When these notes are in circulation, they constitute a liability of the State; when in the treasury, they are only evidence of debts paid. There is a State prison at Wetumpka. The State has made appropriations for the Alabama Insane Hospital, and for an institution for the deaf and dumb. Madison McAfee, of Holmes, Auditor of Public Accounts, " 1,500 The jurisdiction of the High Court is appellate exclusively. There are two terms each year in Jackson, commencing on the first Monday of April and of October. The court may continue in session as long as business requires, and may order a special term, or adjourn to meet at any time. The judges are also authorized to meet annually on the third Monday in June, in the town of Oxford, to receive the written and hear the oral arguments of causes from the third district, provided the State is not a party. The Reporter is elected by the Legislature. The reports are to be called the "Mississippi Reports," and are to be printed, bound, and published in the State of Mississippi. The common law form of pleading has been abolished, and a system somewhat similar to that of chancery or civil law adopted. The Superior Court of Chancery, held at the Capitol at Jackson, is in law considered always open. The Chancellor is authorized to hold the same at such times and for such periods as business may require, upon giving three weeks' notice in the newspapers. The District Chancery Courts have concurrent power and jurisdiction, within their respective districts, with the Superior Court of Chancery, where the amount in controversy does not exceed $500,000, and have the same power as the Chancellor of the State, both in term time and in vacation. Special terms of the District Chancery Courts may be holden by the Vice-Chancellors, respectively, by giving thirty days' public notice. The Circuit Court has original jurisdiction in civil cases in which the sum in controversy exceeds $50. For each of the seven circuits, a judge and attorney are elected, every four years, from November, 1849. It has also exclusive criminal jurisdiction. There is also a Probate Court, with a judge and clerk for each county. The Probate Court in most of the counties has a term of from two to six days each month. The Probate Clerk is also Register of Deeds. $204,528.56 484,521.04 $689,049.60 600,120 27 $88,929.23 The principal items of expenditure were, legislative department, $43,988; judicial do., $102,937; Mississippi University, $17,674; appropriations, $73,284; swamp lands, $ 10,995; internal improvement fund, $235,060; blind, $10,240; deaf and dumb, $9,115; lunatics, $5,000. The chief sources of income were, taxes, $294,327; internal improvement fund, $ 88,290; Chickasaw school fund, $47,439; tax sales, $9,569; seminary fund, $1,947; penitentiary, $18,250. An asylum for the blind, one for the deaf and dumb, and a lunatic hospital, are in operation, under the care and support of the State, at Jackson. Common Schools. There is no uniform common-school system for all the counties. Each township has a school fund arising from the lease of lands granted by Congress for common-school purposes, -- every 16th section in each township having been so granted. These lands are leased for various periods, but mostly for ninety-nine years. The money thence arising is loaned annually at not less than 8 nor more than 10 per cent. per annum interest. This interest is the amount applied to tuition, &c. annually from the township fund. There is also a county fund, arising from fines, forfeitures, licenses, &c., which is distributed in those townships that are destitute or have but a small school fund. The school sections in some townships are worth many thousand dollars, and in others only a few hundreds. Hence great inequality in the funds of the townships, and the necessity of the above method of distributing the county funds. In all the larger towns, public schools have been established, and there are many flourishing High Schools. Salary. Jan., 1860, $ 4,000 R. C. WICKLIFFE, of W. Feliciana, Governor, [during the session of the Legislature. Andrew S. Heron, of Baton Rouge, Secretary of State, Jan., 1860, Samuel F. Marks, of West Feliciana, Auditor of Accounts, Louis Bringier, S. M. Westinore, L. J. Sigur, Samuel Bard, L. Hebert, of New Orleans, Surveyor-General, $8 a day, 2,000 500 1858, 2,000 3,000 2,000 1,200 of New Orleans, Adj. and Insp.-General, 1856, of Washington, Assistant Engineer, of New Orleans, State Librarian, The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor are elected by a plurality of votes, and for four years. The Governor is ineligible for the four years succeeding his term of office. The Secretary of State is elected by the people for four years, and the Treasurer for two. Senators, 32 in number, are elected for four years; one half every two years. Representatives, not less than 70 nor more than 100 in number, are chosen for two years. The Legislature meets annually. The pay of senators and representatives is $4 a day. The sessions are not to last more than 60 days: acts passed after 60 days are invalid. JUDICIARY. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is elected by the people of the whole State, and for 10 years: the four associates are chosen for the same period, but in districts. Their compensation is established by the constitution. The Court is in session in New Orleans from the first Monday in November to the end of June. It has appellate jurisdiction when more than $300 is in dispute, when the legality of any tax or of any fine imposed by a municipal corporation is in question, and in criminal cases, on questions of law alone, when death, hard labor, or a fine of $300 is imposed. The attorney-general and the district attorneys are elected by the people for four years; the former by the State at large; the latter in their respective districts. The inferior judges, clerks of court, justices of the peace, sheriffs, and coroners are chosen by the people. Supreme Court. Edward H. Merrick, of New Orleans, Chief Justice, April, 1863, $6,000 The term of office of the Judges and Attorneys will expire in 1857. 2 Octave Rousseau, St. Bernard, 6 W. B. Robertson, Wt. Baton Rouge, Shrevesport, Attorneys. $2,500 Louis Lombard, Education. The constitution provides that "free public schools shall be established throughout the State; the proceeds of lands granted for the purpose, and of lands escheated to the State, shall be held as a permanent fund, on which six per cent interest shall be paid by the State for the support of these schools." The yearly sum of $250,000 is appropriated for the support of the free schools of the State, and is derived from the levy of a tax of one mill on the dollar, and from the imposition of a poll-tax of $1 on each white male inhabitant of the State. The School Fund, January 1, 1855, amounted to $ 461,269.65. There is, besides, the Seminary Fund, which, at the same date, was $151,539.66. But these now. are funds of account only, and consist merely of a debt of the State to the fund. The number of school districts in the State, January 1, 1855, was 681; number of schools in operation an average of eight months in the year, in 33 parishes, 687, and the average tuition of each scholar, per annum, was $9; number of white children in the State between 6 and 16, 62,682; average attendance for the year, estimated, 36,000; number of teachers in the State, about 1,000. The amount apportioned to the several parishes for the year was $250,524.56. The report of the Superintendent of Public Education contains no other school statistics than these of any general use. The Governor in his message speaks of the "educational system" of the State as in an unsatisfactory condition, and as "almost a failure." In New Orleans the system has worked well, but is now somewhat crippled in its resources. FINANCES. Total receipts into the Treasury for the year ending Dec. 31, 1854, $1,428,159.78 The sources of income are direct taxes, sales of public lands, and licenses of trades and professions. The principal items of expenditure are the public debt, schools, executive and judiciary, erection of public buildings, Charity Hospital, deaf and dumb, orphans, the Penitentiary, &c. Contingent expenses of Executive, Mill tax, Executive, contingent expenses, Publishing decisions of Supreme Court,7,719.99 88,019.04 Internal improvement service, 30,499.01 State Debt.-The State debt, properly so called, amounted January 1, 1855, to $3,839,221.93 Add the State's indebtedness for the property banks, Second Municipality of New Orleans, $8,421,888 198,240 8.620.128 00 $12,459,349.93 This is the Comptroller's statement, and in the debt proper are included United States surplus revenue, $479,919.14; the free school fund, $461,269.65; and seminary fund, $151,539.66. Of this debt proper, $ 1,120,221.93 are stated to be due on demand; $50,000, in June, 1855; and $250,000, June 1, 1857. Nearly a million and a half of State bonds have been issued to the railroad companies in the State, under the acts of 1853. The assessed value of the taxable property in the State in 1853 was $299,996,176, upon which were assessed $ 1,028,907.68; 338,412 acres of land were cultivated in cane; 574,575 |