The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-12-20

diate control, are deserving your con-
sideration. Although they have been
of inestimabIe service in fixing the
standard of collegiate education insour
State, and with furnishing us with ma
ny well educated and valuable citizens;
lyet it is feared that they, fike other
State Institutions of the kind, have not
fulfilled the just expectations Of the
community. 1t is highly desirable that
the failure be traced to its causes, and
that such means as are within the pow
er Of the Legislature may be employed
to render them efficient auxiliaries in
the work of improvement.
Professional education has received
but little attention from the State gov
ernment. The Medical College Of Ohio
may however be claimed as State in
stitution; and is worthy of its parent
age. 1t has, however, received no ap-
preparation of late, and has been so
prosperous as TO outgrow its buildings.
The faithful trustees to whom its in
terests are committed, will in due time,
present its claims, which commend to
your favorable consideration; more es-
pecially as they can probably be caa-
celled with the auction fund of the city,
within whose limits the college is Ioca-
ted. The health and lives of commu-
nifty are as properly the subjects Of leg
islative protection as It's pork and -four.
The law heretofore existing which
imposed penalties and disabilities upon
such practitioners medicine as did nct
give satisfactory evidence of adequate
science and skill, proved inehic,cn,,
and was regarded by the public as anti
republican and odious. BY rendering
medical schools respectable, and medical
knowledge accessible, We accomplish
the object ef1ectuaIIy and in an unex-
ceptionablc mode. If public opinion
would JUSTLY the measure, / would be
glad to sec the portals of our medical
schools(b permanent endowment of
their proiessorship) thrown wide open
to the poorest youth in the land.
There are certain sciences which,
becauge they cannot be cultivated at.
private expense have always received
more or less of legislative encourage
ment, in civilized countries; among
these sciences are Geography and rs
tronomy. It is the practice Of the ma
ton to explore the distant coasts; but
ought ,ce not to survey our can hills
and valleys? Il more thorough and
extensive examination OF cur own nat
ural history ani geology would result
in valuable contributions TO science,
and would, by revealing unknown sour,
ces. repay thousand fold the expense
which it might incur. A small appro-
priation is all that | would suggest at
present.
advert with pride to the fact that
an Observatory has sprung up within
the last year in our own Queen City,
which is likely to become the best light
house of the skies in this hemisphere.
May its exploring eyes discover truths
to compensate in some humble degree
for the valuable knowledge we have de-
rived in the last half century from Eu-
rope. lam not aware that it asks any
aid from the State, but would rot pass
so proud monument without notice.
Amo..g the various subjects to which
your attention will be called, perhaps
no one is OF deeper interest to your
constituents at this time, than the ques-
ton OF Banks and the Currency. Our
banks are reduced to eight in number,
and some of them are preparingto close
their business. That banks promote
our prosperity is no longer a mooted
question. They increase the produc-
tive industry OF the country, furnish Ia
cililies for commercial operations, and
afford a currency which is readily coun-
ted, easily and safely transported, and
under proper regulations convertible in
to specie at the will OF the holder. '"
That banks are liable to failure and
suspension, capable of expanding and
contracting their circulation at, will,
and subject TO the frauds of dishonest
directors and stockholders, are reasons
TOR regulating but not destroying them.
The English language has been the me-
dium of immeasurable evil, but who
proposes to abolish its use? 10 estab-
Iish an exclusive metallic currency
whilst our sister States have banks, is
Legislation cannot pre-
vent the use of papercurrency. Stop
It's entrance at one avenue, and 1t will
come in with redoubled force at anoth-
er. 10 say that one man shall not pay
and another receive, what they mutu-
ally agree upon in a bargain, can an
swer no valuable purpose among free
md independent people. Legislation
nay vltiate currency-it seldom i'm
proves one. .....
What system of banking shall be a.