The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-01-27

| p~TOUlUtiou VI VIZ iutCiCStS wv s"'""'
ing class Of our community, requires
the particular attention of the Genera
Assembly. That interest is always
fully represented in this body, and will
trust, receive q full share o: its con
sideration.
History and example teach, that q
republican government, depending as
it does, upon the will Of the people. can
only be maintained where information
and knowledge are generally diffused.
! Impressed with this truth, the trainers
of the constitution declare in that in
strument that, s'Schools and the means
Of instruction shall forever be encour-
aged by legislative provision"
Considering the age OF our state,
much has already been done in obedi-
ence to this requirement Of tho consti'
tuition. But much more remains to be
done before our system OF education
will became as perfect as its Importance
demands. In the administration OF our
school law greater number Of per.
sons are engaged than in the admins
tra,ion OF any other law upon our stat
ute book; it should therefore be plain,
explicit and easy TO be understood.
The acts now constituting our system
ofcommon schools are scattered through
the different volumes Of the statute, Sec
tions and parts OF sections changed,
altered and repealed until it is no easy
matter even for a skilful lawyer TO as.
certain what the law is. would there
fore recommend 10 the Legislature a
revision of these laws, so that the whole
subject Of common school education
may he embraced in a single statute.
Within the last twenty-five years a
system OF internal Improvements has
been commenced and completed at the
public expense. That these works
have added much TO individual and gen.
eral wealth there can be no doubt, since
by their construction every portion Of
community is brought within a reason.
able distance of a market for all their
surplus productions, thus having devel.
oped the resources Of the state and CIV
en- an impetus 10 every variety OF bust
ness transactions. TO procure the
means of constructing these works a
state debt of considerable magnitude
has been contracted, which at n time
seemed to threaten our prosperity and
our credit. But by the energy Of our
officers and the fidelity Of our people
both have been preserved, and our 90.
legations will be faithfully adhered to
until that debt shall be paid TO the last
larthing.
BY the operation Of our present sys'
TEN of revenue, a system believed 10
be as equal as any that could be devils,
ed, the interest Of our State debt is
punctualIy paid, and already since its
adoption q large amount Of the princl,
pal OF that debt has been discharged.
The new banking system has restored
confidence in our currency by the lacll-
tiles afforded to business, and its secu.
rity 10 the bill holder, and is yet all that
was expected of it. These two sys.
TENS, | doubt not will be sustained
whilst their beneficial effects remain so
clearly manifest.
From a consideration Of the laws
themselves, as well as from the agita.
ton Of the subject in all parts OF the
State, l invite the attention OF the Cen
eral Assembly TO the act Of January
5,h 1904, entitled, can act to regulate
black and mulatto PERSONS" and the act
amendatory thereto, passed January
25lh, 1907. These acts, which are in
common par!ance, denominated the
"black laws" are Of long standing. the
first having been enacted soon after the
organization Of the State government.
From the first they have met with n
decided opposition from a portion Of the
people of the State. or late years and
o n a more full Investigation, this oppo-
sition has become more determined and
more extended.
There has sometimes been manifest
ed a disposition to impute improper mo-
tives to those who enacted these laws.
In this attack upon the memory Of those
who have gone before US, am not dis.
posed to participate. These acts were
undoubtedly intended by these who
passed them for good-they were legis-
Iating for a State which had just been
organized, On its southern boundary,
and separated from it only by the Ohio
river, were States in which the colored
man was enslaved. But in their own
Stale, both by its constitution and the
ordinance Of 1897, happily, slavery
could never be tolerated.; its people
and every portion Of them must forever
:. " TT-J-- 49, --