The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1854-01-11

been guarded against. and thGs most cal-
u5ary spinl viii be impaired 70 the whole
Government
The new Constitution very properly re-
lieves the Genefal Assembly from many
powers and dalirs' that were formerly sup
posed to disturb ID" deliberations, and I'm
necessarily 10 consume its time. The peO-
pie heneelurth expect a steady devotion to
the duties now imposed by the Constitution
within as brief space Of time as is consls-
tent with well malGred and well considered
Legislation.
The supreme law of the State imposes, in
positive terms, upon the General Assem-.
bly, the duty of inquiring into, and determl-
ming upon, the receipts and expenditures OF
every branch of the Government. Specific
appropriations must proceed every expendl-
ture, and no money can be collected e1-
cept in pursuance of law.
For a series of years the public works and
public debls Of the State, have been man.
aged by executive boards. The Boards OF
Public WGIks determined upon the amount
of tolls, and the accrping revenues were
expended partly ty the same board, and part
IT, by Commissioners Of the Sinking Fund
without due legislative authority. Their
proceedings, Subsequently reported, as they
/ were, to the General Assembly, were sell
dom very closely scrutipiztd, since their
examination after the rapsaction, could be
o. little public benefit
AS mi ght have been expected, the public
mind was frequently disturbed by charges
Of "A very serious character, which were, on
Several occasions, inquired into by the spe-
''cial commissions. The Boards and their
incumbchts we're frequently changed, but
The impression was never removed IRON
the people, that these Boards possessed,or at
least exercised, powers that were liable to
be abused; and that, therefore, like all 9TH
er executive officers, they should be brought
under the proper control Of the representa-
tives Of the people.
A want OF certainty pervaded our fnan
eial system;-the nett revenues of pub
lie works Huctuated from year 10 year; ex
penditures were concealed by after dating
and through mere transfers upon acconn
of trust and similar funds, the pecEniar!
transactions of the whole Government wer
mystihed, defying alike legislative and pop
ular5scrutiny:
All this forced upon the people the con
viction that there was some inherent qlEl
Guilty in system which made the member
of the boards Legislators and executive OF
ficers at the same time. Their executive
duties were, and are, in themselves oner
Gus enough to require their undivided atteh
ton, and it was certainly wrong to impos'
: upon them the determination OF questions
policy, which had bearing far beyond th'
appropriate sphere of their duties, ant
which none but the General Assembly, com
, posed Of representatives from ali parts
the State, should determine.
) This public desire found its realization il
, the most stringent provisions of the neV
Constitution, which were, in part, carried
: into effect by subiecting, for the first time
} during the past fiscal year, the expenditure
} opoD the public works and their nett reve
nues to the Legislative appropriation. YhF
policy must, however, be followed up BY
requiring, at an early period of the session
specific aud detailed estimates for the varl
Gus Public Works Of the State, and thep
sub. divisions, and by appropriating 'heretoi
such amounts as, upon legislative examlna,
ton, will be found proper.
Insurmountabe difficulties are sometime;
said to Oe in the way; but, ! have no doubt
they will on close examination, be founc
without any tangible exlstance. Genera
and mere wholesal estimates, may fail tt
approach exactness, and, consequently, leat
: to embarrassment; but estimates made il
detail, by the present able Board, acquaint
ed as they are, by personal inspection will
/ every part of the public works, and asSis
ted as they will be, by experienced engi
; neers, sNperintendents and collectors, mus
prove very nearly corrct. Such estimate
and corresponding appropriations would af
feet, in each case, only a very small part o
the public works, and specific contingen
appropriations would, as isl done in CUngr, s.
provide against extraordinary failures in rev
enue or other unforeseen events.
The following tabular statement exhibit
the receipts and expenditures on the publ
works since their completion;--the estimate
madei for them the year previous;-anc
the deficit in the interest fund that had II
be made up by taxatiou, as near as the lat
ter can be aScertained:
n.E.