The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-01-11
RAYENNA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY II, 1854
salutAry spirit will be impaired to the whole Gov


salutary spirit will be impaired to the whole Gov
ernment e7 E q! So $50
The New Constitution. very properly relieves
the General Assembly ofmany powers and duties
that were formerly supposed to disturb its delib-
erations, and unnecessarily consume its time
The people hencoforth expect steady devotion
to the duties DOW imposed by the Constitution,
within as brefa space oftimeas is consistent with
well matured and well considered Legislation,
The Supreme law of the State imposes in pos
tive TERMS upon the General ASSEMBLY, the duty
of enquriug into, and determining upon, the re-
ceipss and expenditures of every branch of the
Government. Specific appropriations must pre-
cede every expenditure, and no money can be COL
lected except in pursuance Of law.
For series of years the Public Works and
Public debts of the State. have been managed by
Executive Boards. The Board of Public Works
determined upon the amount of tolls, aud the ac-
eruing revenues were expended partly by the
same Board, and partly by the Commissioners of
the Sinking Fund, without due Legislative au-
thority. Their proceedings subsequently, report
ed, as they were, to the General Assembly, were
seldom very closely scrutinized, since their exam
ination after the ctou, could be of little pub
lie benefit. n
As might have been expected, the public mind
was frequently disturbed by charges of serious
character, which were, on several occasions, in
qured into by special commissions. The Boards
and their incumbents were frequently changed,
but the impression was never removed from the
people, that these boards possessed or least
ercised, powers that were liable to be abused;
and that, therefore, like all other Executive Off
GERS, they should be brought under the proper
control of the Representatives of the People.
A want "f certainty pervaded our financial sys-
tem;-the nett revenues of the p P1bie Works
fuotuated from year to year; expenditures were
coueealed by after dating, and through mere trans
fers upon the account of Trust and similar funds,
the pecuniary transactions of the whole Govern
ment were nystfed, defy ing alike Legislative and
popular scrutiny. =aaa=-
Ali this forced upon the conviction, that there
was some inherent difficulty in system, which
made the members of the Boards, Legislators and
Executive Officers, at the same time. There ex-
ecative duties were, and are, in themselves oner
Gus enough to require their undivided attention,
and it was certainly wrong to impose upon them.
the. determ ination of questions of policy, which
had bearing far beyond the appropriate sphere
of their duties. and which but the General
Assembly, composed of Representatives from all
parts of the State, should determine.
This public desire found its realization in the
most stringent provisions of the N ew Constitution.
which were, in part, carried into effect by subject
ing, for the first time, during the past fiscal year,
the expenditures upon the Public Works, and their
nett revenues to Legislative appropriation. This
policy must however, be followed up by requiring,
at an early period of the session, specific and detail
ed estimates for the various Public Works of the
State, and their sub divisions and by appropriating
therefor, such amounts, upon Legislative exam
nation will be found proper.
lnsurmountable difficulties are sometimes said to
be IN the way; but, have no doubt they will on
close examination, be found without any tangible
existence. General ard mere wholesale estimate es
may fail TO approach exactness, and consequently,
lead to embarrassment; but estimates made in de.
tail, by the present able Board, acquainted as they
are, by personal inspection with every part of the
Public Works, and assisted as they will be, by ex-
perenced engineers superintendauts and collect
ors, must prove very nearly correct. Such esti-
mates and corresponding appropriations would af.
feet, in each case, only very smuIl part OF the
Public Works, and specific contingent appropria-
ons would, is done in Congress, provide against
extraordinary failures in revenue or other uufor-
seen events. =-'E-s-.r
The following tabular statement exhibits the re-
ceipts and expenditures of the Public Works since
their completiun;-the estimates made for them
the year previous;-and the deficits in the interest
fund that had to be made up by taxation, as near as
the latter can be ascertained: ~ - :.