The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-01-18

General Assembly, together with the pres-s
ent insecurity of the public records Of the
State, render the early completion Of this
building a matter Of much interest.
Arrangements were made to have It GOV.
cred in last fall, so that the work, inside.
could be progressing during the wintsr.
but the contractors were disappointed in.
procuring the necessary materials. They.
have since been procured, however. and
the roof will be put on early in the spring.
1t is expected that the rooms intended
tor the Supreme Court, the Library, and
the various State offices, will be finished
and ready to be occupied early in the en-'
suing fall, and that the whole building will,
be completed in time for the next session
Of the General Assembly.
1t will be large and beautiful sdi6ce--.
eomPorting we'll with the magnitude and
increasing wealth Of the State. ,i
But little attention has been paid jof
some time past to the Militia System Of
this State, and in some places, it has been
suffered to go entirely down. No returns,
it is believed, have been made for several
years, and the State has thereby failed 20
receive her just proportion Of the public
arms. Many Of the Divisions. Brigades,
and Regiments are withoutk officers, ,and
there is some doubt as to the manner n
which they should be chosen.
The Constitution requires;thas lll- -whies
male citizens between the ages Of eighteen
and forty-6ve years, shall De enrolls6 Il
the Militia Of the State, and that provision
shall be made by law for the proseotiou
and safe keeping Of the public arms. lsaa
II has been found necessary in all Gov.
ernments to keep up some kind Of mili..
tarv force. In ours, the reliance is chiefly
upon . citizen soldiery. ssstss
There may be occasions whom thesoiyl
authorities are unable to perform their ap-
propriaie duties, and when the Governor
is expressly required s'to call forth the, Mi.
li,ia, to execute the laws Of the State. to
suppress insurrection. andfepel INVASION
The public arms, 10 will Be seen ion
the Quarter Master Generals ,RspoEt,tsre
in most unsafe condition. 9.
These circumstances. it appears % nd,
render il imperative on the General Az
sembly to provide for moro sfIicisns ~.
ganization Of the Militia of the State.
Tho reduction Of the pFice Of our Canal
Lands has increased the number Of acres
upon the grand duplicate, and conzibutsd
largely 10 the settlement Of one of. the
most promising regions Of the Slate.
The area Of the whole State contains
25, ,576 $50 acres, Of which there viii -
brought on the grand duplicate for the sAS
suing year, 24.8i1,455 aores, leaving =
balance Of 765.5O5. acres, the greater part
Of which still belongs to the General Gov
! ernment. .Aasfs.s1. !. sss 81 e 81
The United States continue to demanA
the former prices Of from 81 ,25 10 o.. 80
per acre, while the State sells her lands, 10
the same vicinity, At greatly reduced f1ass.
This necessarily retards the settlement. ,of
these lands. and proves . very serious in-
oonyepienoe TO the People in that seeslon
Of the State. ssfssf
The General Government should ess
once surrender the remainder. Of ID lands
to the State. so that they might 90 into Ne
hands OF actual settlers, q grlduaaed
prices, and be brought, with 81 the othss
lands Of the State, on the grand sduplicats.
This would be no moro than Just, The
whole quantity Of land At fret held by, ihe
General Government in this State, as Sp.
pears from the actual surveys. was 16,.
no, ,984 acres. The proceeds slrsady 70.
allied by the National Treasury. ameIpt
TO nearly $2l 100000, which 10 an Az
erage Of more than 81 25 per acrs lot tie
entire quantity. ssssssss Ssf
deem the present an appfopsiate and
favorable time to press this matter opon
the consideration of the General Govern.
ment, since the early settlement Of the
public domain is the avowed policy of tie
present Administration. sssfiasa
Our Federal Relations-boah at hssns
and abroad-have been conducted, ,dusine
the past year. with signal ability and suo.
cess.
The principles and policy announcSd
in the Inaugural Address and Message 6f
the Chief Magistrate Of tho Union, reases
the sentiments and opinions Of the peopls,
and afford ample proof that the honor and
high interests Of our country win Be 1Glly
and scrupulously maintained. s1i
WILLIAM MEDIEL.u
COLUMBUS. January 3, 1854. JsslisE