The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-12-26

have been, by the voice OF her people,
stand, with such indispensable amend
ments, if any, as experience has shown
TO be just and necessary.
LethercolIeges, asylums, and schools
continue to receive at your hands, such
consideration and support, as their 6, eat
demands, and especially
recommend the appointment Of a Su-
Of Common Schools. Il
4 Let her ,pliehted faith be maintained
inviolate, BY upholding the laws alrea-
dy enacted, providing the means for
the payment not only Of tie interest,
but the principal Of her debt. By re-.
framing from all further works Of inter-
nal improvement by the State. until the
debt hepaid. By strict economy in the
administration Of all the departments
OF the government. ''q4l' 'o'l .i'l'''
BY offering 10 actual settlers such
reasonable reduction in the price Of the
canal lands, and giving to them on pay
ment Of the annual interest such time
for the liquidation Of the principal, as
will bring about their sale and improve
ment, that the region FIVE miles wide
on each side Of your North Western
Canals may no longer be wilderness.
By short sessions Of the General AS
sembly, and restraining within reason
able bounds the desire for innovation
upon legislation both general and local.
Let those enactments very properly
by universal consent denominated .the
black laws Of Ohio" be repealed. They
are impolitic, unjust and inhuman; at
war with the genius Of our free lnstitu.
tions and the spirit Of the age in which
we live. loR sial.49. i3H s9fl a' t7
There is one other subject which j
would recommend to the special con-
,sideration Of the legislature. 1t is a
fact well known, that question Of ju-
risdiction has arisen between Ohio and
Virginia, the latter claiming TO the top
of The bank on the Ohio side of the
rivera claim wholly inadmissible end
which can never be acceded to by this
State. The question is still undecided.
There is danger that other collisions
will arse between the authorities and
people Of Ohio and those Of the States
possessing the opposite shore OF the
river, which may disturb the harmony
so desirable to maintain with our sister
and especially our border States The
questions of jurisdiction and boundary.
If not Otherwise amicably adjusted,
must sooner or later be determined by
resort to the Supreme Court Of the
United States in the mode prescribed
by the Constitution for the settlement
of controversies between different
States. 1t is much better, if it can be
done, to settle these questions AMIGA.
bly,and in such manner as best 10 pro,
| mote the convenience Of the people on
both sides Of the river, than to resort
to litigation. >,
| /, therefore, recommend that the
General Assembly oi Ohio propose the
appointment of Commissioners, with
tuli power to make settlement both with
Virginia and Kentucky. by separate
! compacts, Of the questions Of bounda'
nv, and, also, Of the use, navigation,anc
! jurisdiction of and over the Ohio river
or the settlement OF either OF these
questions. The compact thus entered
i into would no doubt readily receive th'
assent of Congress, in conformity will
| the 10th section of the LIST article OF th'
Constitution Of the United States, ant
thus become binding. boca
i am induced the more cheerfully t
J propose this amicable mode OF puttlni
forever at rest these complicated an
delicate questions, from the assuranc
which feel, founded upon the know
patriotism of both Virginia and ker
lucky, and their disposition, as man
; tested on many occasions, 10 promot
: the harmony OF the States and Of tn
= Union, that the offer will, by them, b
) met in the same cordial spirit Of amt
, | in which it originates, Usr .6sgy-
The able and detailed statement
f our affairs already given to you at tn
: present session by my Immediate PR
3 decessor, who, during period OF I
0 more than ordinary difficulty, has di
r charged his high duties with so muc
: fidelity and patriotism, renders il unn
/ cessary that Ishould, on the pressr
d occasion, say more. 8a4 .ado5d.,
ri With these very brief and general re
/ Concentrations, therefore, ! confident
: commend the interests Of Ohio TO u
It wisdom OF her Legislature, praying tn
$ Almighty Beng who rules the ARM
/ OF Heaven, and amongst the inhabltan
l. of the earth, who guided our fathers
the shores ofihe new world, who ma
Q bare his arm. in our defenceo ON the b
d tie fields of the Revolution, and we
n out before our pioneer ancestors IN
D this western wilderness as cloud
q ,nJ n p;jlar of fire bv NIGHT. tn