tice, in compliance with a joint resolution passed at the last ses-sion of the General Assembly. HENRY CLARK, Secretary of the Senate. A message was received from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Clarke, their Assistant Clerk, as follows: MR. PRESIDENT: I am directed to inform the Senate that the House have adopted on their part a joint resolution relating to a committee to examine certificates of votes for county officers; also a Joint resolution providing for a Joint Assembly for the election of Judges of the Supreme Court and Reporter of the de-cisions thereof; also a Joint resolution relating to a Parliamentary Manual; In the adoption of which the concurrence of the Senate is requested. A joint resolution from the House of Representatives: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, That a joint committee of one senator and three representatives from each county be appointed, upon nomination of the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, to examine the certificates of votes given in each county for judges of the county court, state's attorney, sheriff, high bailiff, judges of probate, and justices of the peace, and declare the persons so elected, and report thereon to the General Assembly; Which was read, and adopted in concurrrence. A joint resolution from the House of Representatives: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, That the Clerk of the House be instructed to have three hundred copies of the Parliamentary Manual printed with the Legislative Directory; Which was read, and adopted in concurrence. A joint resolution from the House of Representatives: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives: That the two Houses meet in Joint Assembly, on Tuesday, the 18th inst., at three o'clock, P. M., for the purpose of electing Judges of the Supreme Court and Reporter of the decisions of said court, for the year ensuing; Which was read. Mr. Henry moved to strike out the word Tuesday," and insert in lieu thereof the word "Thursday; which was agreed to, and the resolution adopted in concurrence, with a proposal of amendment. The President appointed as the committee on the part of the Senate, to canvass the votes for county officers: Addison County, Mr. Meacham, Bottum, A message was received from his Excellency, the Governor, by Mr. Williams, Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs, as follows: MR. PRESIDENT: I am directed by the Governor to transmit to the Senate, the Annual Executive Message to the General Assembly. The Message of his Excellency, the Governor, was read by the Secretary, and is as follows: Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: After a year of many mercies and great prosperity, as we meet to perform the duties imposed upon us by the constitution of the State, I would earnestly invite you to join with me in rendering to Almighty God the honor and praise that is His due, and to seek His favor and blessing upon the deliberations for which we are now assembled. I respectfully submit the following statement of the transactions of the State for the year, with such recommendations as seem to require your consideration. FINANCES. The detailed report of the Treasurer, which I transmit with this, will clearly exhibit to you the financial condition of the State. From this it appears that the total receipts into the Treasury from all sources have been Balance September 1st, 1863, $2,327,527 66 122,433 75 $2,449,961 41 Total disbursements, 2,025,864 85 Leaving balance on hand, September 5, 1864, $424,096 56 The amount of funded liabilities is stated to be $1,425,401 41 The amount of current liabilities, $644,982 13 mately estimated as follows: The amount of current resources, Excess of current liabilities, The current expenses of the year are approxi 429,538 42 $1,260,443 71 Deduct bonds authorized in 1862 and not issued, 250,000 00 Leaving to be provided for by tax or loans, $1,010,443 71 This amount may be increased to the extent of whatever expenses may be incurred in raising additional troops. The balance due from the United States for raising and furnishing troops, as reported in my last communication, is about $60,000 00. This amount still remains unpaid. Efforts have been made to procure an adjustment of the accounts, but causes beyond my control have thus far prevented. The accounts against the United States for the current year also remain unliquidated. These will amount to about the sum of $30,000 00. I hope soon to be able to effect a full settlement of all these accounts. Orders have been drawn by me on the Treasurer to September 1st, amounting to $63,617 48, which may be classified as follows: Services and expenses of recruiting officers, Subsistence of recruits not mustered, Transportation of recruits not mustered, Arrest of deserters, $24,719 84 1,934 82 785 07 Medical attendance and inspection of recruits, 73 70 93 54 Barracks for Co. A, 17th regiment, 485 57 Equipment for recruits for old regiments, 1,577 14 State pay prior to muster and pay of officers, 17,474 42 Expenses of Adjutant and Inspector General's office to June 1st, 6,570 18 Expenses of Treasurer, November 1, 1862, to No and expenses of Commissioner and State agents, $4,184 98 Telegrams to August 1st, 1864, STATE AID TO SOLDIERS' FAMILIES. 1,159 45 $63,671 48 In October last, I appointed John Howe, Jr., Esq., of Brandon, agent of the State, to furnish the necessary aid to the families of the soldiers. The report in detail of that department is herewith transmitted. From this it appears the amount expended during the past year is $18,700 42. The number of families aided, 471. Number of persons aided, 2058. The transactions in the department under Mr. Howe's man agement have been conducted with great ability and discretion, and while the duties have been delicate and the labors arduous, prompted purely by motives of patriotism and without compensation, the interests of the State have yet been protected with great fidelity, and the destitute families of the soldiers have received that care and assistance which it was the object of the law to furnish them. MILITARY. On the 3d day of August, 1863, the War Department authorized the raising of two additional regiments of infantry and one battery of light artillery. In pursuance of this order, my predecessor made arrangements for, and appointed the necessary recruiting officers to raise the 17th regiment of infantry and the 3d battery of artillery, and also to a partial extent the 18th regiment of infantry. It was expected under this order that these could be raised as veteran organizations from the men just returned from the nine months service, and, as inducements for speedy enlistments, the Government authorized the payment of a bounty of four hundred dollars to veterans, and one hundred dollars to new recruits. The severity of the service which these nine months regiments experienced in the battles at Gettysburg, which occurred just on the eve of the expiration of their term, deterred them from immediate enlistment, and at the time of my entering upon the duties of my office but comparatively few men had enlisted into these organizations. On the 14th of October, 1863, the call for three hundred thousand men was made by the President, to serve for three years, and authority was given for the payment of four hundred dollars to veterans and three hundred dollars to new recruits. The quota, under the call, assessed to Vermont, was three thousand three hundred and thirty men, and the period within which to raise the troops was limited to January 5, 1864. The work was at first very greatly retarded from the difficulty of properly adjusting the credits due and belonging to the several towns, from the fact that towns, as sub-districts, were not recognized by the Government. Efforts were, however, promptly made, by application to the War Department, to remedy the difficulty, and after some delay an order was obtained recognizing towns as sub-districts, and the quotas were accordingly assessed to the towns and their credits properly adjusted. The quota of the State was then promptly filled within the period limited by the call, and on the 1st day of February following, sixteen hundred and twenty-one enlisted men stood to the credit of the State as a surplus over all calls that had been made. This, surplus continued from that time constantly to augment, with slight variations, under the calls of February 14th and March 14th, so that, at the date of the last call by the President, July 14th, the State had an entire surplus of two thousand two hundred and one men. Under this last call for five hundred thousand men, the quota of the State was five thousand one hundred and fifty-six. Fifty days from the date of the call was the time allotted for filling the quota, and it is with a feeling of just pride that I congratulate the State upon the promptitude with which she has responded to it, and that on settlement with the General Government to October 1st, there was found to be due to the State a surplus of one thousand and fourteen men, which stands to her credit against any future call, should one hereafter be made. The report of the Adjutant and Inspector General, which will in due time be laid before you, will furnish you more fully in detail the transactions of his department. It is but justice to that officer to say that the State is largely indebted to him for the energy and efficiency displayed in the details of his department. The services rendered by him have been of great value, and have contributed largely in securing to the State the proud. position which she this day enjoys. The efforts which were made throughout the State to fill the quotas under the first call, the liberal bounties paid by the towns generally, and the fact that under this call new recruits received three hundred dollars bounty from the General Government, while under the order authorizing the raising of the 17th and 18th regiments and the 3d battery, only one hundred dollars |