Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-12-23
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Fslio,O ciizens Of the Senate, b 9as
and House of Representatives

.tI+ - d II1I d. HE n
Fslio,o cihxens of the Senate, fi taa
and House Of Representatives.:
In meeting with you at the commencement
uf another political year, to take charge Of the
interests Of our common constituents, / beg
leave to congratulate you on the health, pros
peritys and happiness that have been enjoyed
by our people throughout the state. At no
time, since the existence of our state govern
ment, have all the duties Of public, social, and
private obligations been better performed by
our citizens, than during the present year.
bi The administration Of justice and the pro-
. lection of law, have been felt and acknow-
lodged by all classes Of society, whilst intel
I. lcctual and moral instruction have reached our
whole people, by being disseminated into eve
ry village and hamlet in the state. For nil
4 these blessings, we are under renewed obli-
cations of thanksgiving and praise, to the
) Great Author Of our existence, in whose
keeping are the destinies of nations.
One Of the first objects that should attract
the attention of every statesman, is the ha-
bits, condition, and future prospects of the
youth of the state. Through them we may
read the future destiny of the republic, for
j good or for evil. If we suffer them to grow
up in idleness and ignorance, we must look to
the future with forebodings Of the misery and
degradation that await our descendants,
whilst, on the other hand, if we give them in
dustrioRs habits, guard well their morals, and
improve their minds, we may fondly antici-
pate that our institutions will be perpetuated
and our descendants grow up and continue in
the enjoyment of freedom, independence, and
prosperity. aei
The means of attaining this desirable
end, must be through our common
schools; and although much has been
done in our own as well as in many of
our sister states, in the great cause of ed
ucation and common schools, YET, there
is still much more to be done to perfect
the system, so as to bring within the
reach Of our whole population the means
of thorough common school education.
The fund that legally and equitably
belongs to this object, is the proceeds Of
the sales ofthe public lands. By giving
it this direction which is loudly called for
by every principle of justice, Congress
would do nothing more than fulfil a
sacred trust; whilst by Withholding it.
they incur heavy responsibility to q
class Of our fellow citizens, whose
wants should be the first objects of their
solicitude. l9au
Ibriefy allude to the right, which the
. whole people ofthe United States has in
this great land capital, and the benefi-
cent objects 10 which it should be appli.
ed, in my inaugural address to the gen
eral assembly on the 18th of December
last; and without denying to Congress
the poDer ofappropriating this fund to
the ordinary expenses ofgovernment,
then expressed my dissent from the jus
tice or eqality of any such disposition
will now offer you some reasons and
arguments to show the correctness Of the
position then assumed.
This landed interest came into the pos
session OF the United States by deeds o.
cession from some of the states, and by
the purchase of Louisiana & the Floridas
was charged TO land funds, there will be
but little difference as to the rights Of the
states in the two descriptions OF title
The most important of these deeds O.
cession, was'made by the State of Vir.
ginia, whilst the Union was held togeth
er by articles of confederation Of l776
which provides That all charges o
war and other expenses, that should be
incurred for the common defence or the
general welfare, and allowed by the
United States in Congress assembled
shall be betrayed out Of a common
treasury, which shall be supplied by the
several states" The mode of determi
ming the proportion which each of the
states shall bear of the public charges is
particularly pointed out; and it is ther
provided, that the taxes for paying thai
proportion, shall be laid and levied by
the authority and direction of the seve
raj states. To this state Of things, ex
listing at the time of the delivery of the
Virginia deed of cession, its provisions
must necessarily apply g1d
II was to confederacy Of indepen
dent States, who kept up common
treasury, out Of contributions from eacl
ofits several members, according to a
determinate regulation, that this deed
was made; and after making certain re.
seryations specially set forth, it declares
the trust in the following distinct terms
+ That the lands within the territory
so ceded to the United States, and no,
reserved for, or appropriated 10, any o.
the before mentioned purposes, Or dispo-
scd inbouniies to the officers and sol.
diers ofthe American army, shall be con
sidered common fund, for the use ant
benefit Of such Of the United States a