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391 maintained the most friendly relations though politically opposed and whose integrity and purity of motive reflect the highest honour upon him as a man, and upon the people he is chosen to represent. In taking my leave of the House permit me to tender to you individually and collectively my humble acknowledgements for the favourable opinion you entertain of the manner in which the duties of my present situation have been performed. It has been my anxious desire to merit your commendation and to deserve the confidence of the people of the State and whatever may be my success in future life I have the presence to believe that here I have met the reasonable expectations of my friends and in some good degree given satisfaction to all though sensible I am that the measure of success which has attended my efforts should be ascribed not so much to any peculiar qualification of my own as to the friendly assistance I have always received from the members of this House without distinction of party.

   The length of this session has exceeded my expectations and very much my wishes though it bears no comparison to the great mass of public and local business which has been presented to its consideration. It is useless to deceive ourselves any longer, for many years to come there is no ground to expect any diminution in the demands upon the time and attention of our annual Legislature if indeed it were desirable.  The existence of such demands furnishes indubitable evidence of the growing prosperity of our State and the laudable spirit of enterprise which pervades all classes of citizens. We have a large population scattered over a still larger territory diversified