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while there is not even a remote probability of the debt ever
being liquidated in this manner. Under these circumstances,
I submit the matter for your consideration, whether this un-
productive property, consisting of wharves, warehouses and
a leasehold interest should not be disposed of, and the present
system abandoned for another based upon a similar footing
with that pursued in the sale and purchase of other agricul-
tural products. The system of inspections and the present
mode of appointing Inspectors, need not be repealed, but the
State should be no further connected with the management
thereof, than to receive the taxes on their commissions, the
excess of their fees of office, leaving the purchase of all neces-
sary buildings and other matters for the proper prosecution
of this trade to individual enterprise. This department would
be saved the unnecessary labor of examining, auditing and
preserving the annual accounts of the several Inspectors, and
the people of the State benefitted by a separation from all
systems of this kind. Our financial operations would be less
complicated and more productive. The fostering of one
branch of industry to the prejudice of another should never be
encouraged, but all alike should, after the reception of the
State's assistance in their incipient efforts, be left to their own
unaided exertions for support.

The receipts from the Inspection of Grain have increased
since the modification of the original law made on the 8th
day of March, 1864. Although not sufficient to pay the sala-
ries of the officers in full, it has been such as to warrant the
probability that after our commercial difficulties shall have
ended a revenue will be received more than sufficient to pay
all expenses and salaries. The gross amount of receipts re-
turned for the fiscal year of 1864, was $6,435.90, from which,
after deducting $884.53 for expenses, there was left applicable
to the payment of the salaries of the Inspector General, and
four Inspectors, $5,591.91.

During the present year, there has been imposed upon this
Department by the Acts of 1864, chapters 15, 246 and 373,
the payment of bounties to Volunteers in the service of the
United States. The enlistments were made up of white per-
sons, free colored and others of African descent, formerly
slaves. The sums due the two former have been paid to the