The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1854-01-13
WHcLE NO. 6oe.


increase there has bsen5in Stale exp6u-
diinress upon the department o.. Govern-
tnent logwhch Il pro6eay belongs
Temporary caases, however, have pros
duced much Chofihldidereass.
The expenses of1he last GeneFaI AS
scmbly have bean made, tho subject Of
pubic animadseIsio6; but, wIleE Il is
borne III mind, thai' upon that body de- (
soved the responsible and :arduous duty
ofcafryihg into effsctabe new Coasitu-
lion, sembacing the resorganiz ,tion Of
the entire Government, much of this
aniinadversion falls 10 the gronnd as un-
meriieds go
The aciprogiding "ior the organization
ofthe General Assembly, ,Ywille If sIrioily
qbseTyed, ,olyiale all sa'pre cause Of com.
p3lqi1i. The unnecessary absence of
members has been checked suecures
have been abolished nsll waste of public
time and msans has been guarded
against, and thus a most salulary spirit
will be impaired 10 the whole Governs
ment. ~
The new Constitution very propetIg
relieves the General Assembly from
many powers snd duties that were Gorm-
erly supposed TO disturb its deliberations,
and unnecessarily TO consume its time.
| The people benceio forth expecl a steady
devotion 10 The dulies nowaimposed by
the Constitution, within as brief space
Of time as is consistent with well ma.
lured and well considered legisla,ion.
Tho supreme lazy Of the State impo-
ses, in positive terms, upon the General
Assembly tie duty ofinquiring into, and
determining upon, the receipts and ex4
penditures Of every branch OF ,be Govern.
meni. Specific appropriations must pre-
cede every public expenditure and no
money can bo collected, except pur>
saance OF law. .-,@s
For. a series Of years the pubic works
and public debts Of The Stale, have been
managed BY executive, boards. Tie
Board Of Public Works determined upon
ibe amount Of tolls, and tho sccfuina
revenues were expended partly blythe
same Board, and partly by the Commis>
siouers Of ;he Sinking Fund, without due
legislative authority. I Their proceedings,
subsequently reported, as they wero, 10
The General Assembly, were selsom very
closely scrutinized, since lhoir examins,
Lion, after llio Transaction, could be of
lille public benefit. s.
AS might have been expected, the
public mind was frequently distutbedby
charges ola very serious character, which
were, on several occasions, inquired into
| by special commissions. The Boards
and their incumben,s were frequently
changed, but the impression was never
removed from the people, that these
Boards possessed, or al least exercised,
powers that were liable 10 be abused;
and thai, therefore, like all other execu>
tive officers, they should DO brought tundef
.he proper control of The representatives
Eof The people, ..t, w,
A want OF certainty pervaded ouf
i financial sysiem;-,he nett revenues of
| the public works fluctuaed from year Ia
| year, expenditures were concealed by
alter da'ing, and through mere transfers
upon the account Of trust and similar
funds, The pecunlary Transactions Of the
whole Government, were myslifed, defy>
! ing alike legislative and popular scrutiny.
All This forced upon the people Tie
conviction that there was some inheren.
difficulty in system which made the
members Of the boards legislators aud
| executive officers. al the sama time.--
4 Their executive duties we're, and are, in
themselves. onerous enough TO require
their undivided attention, and il was GERS
iainly wrong 10 impose upon them tho
| determination Of questions Of policy.
which had a bearing far beyond Ire abs
4 propriate sphere or theit duiies. and
which none bul the General Assemble,
composed Of representatives from ali
4 parts Of The State, should determine. ,.f
| This public desire found it's realization
| in the most stringent provisions of the
new Constitution, which were. in part.
| curied into effect BY suLiecling, for The
| ftstt.me, during The past fiscal year, ibe
| expenditures upon the public works and
their nett revsnues 10 legislative appros
/ |ap!ia,ions This policy must, however. ia
Followed up BY requiring, al an; early
/ period Of the session, speciifcland detailed
estimates fprtbe various Public Works
Of ihe State, and their subdivisions. and
| BY nppropriatine therefor such amouuis
as, upon legislative examination, Will be
found proper. ,si
Insurmountable difficulties. are sornes
times said 70 be in the way; but. / have
no doubt, they will, on close examination,
te found without any tangible existence.
General and mere wholesale esiimaies.
hlay, fail TO approach exactness, and, con-
sequenlly, Iced To- embarrassment; but
] es.imnfes made ID detail, BY the present
able Board, acquaiDled as, they are. b.
/ personal inspecfionwIth every part ofihe
1 public works, and assisted as they will
be, by experienced engineers, superins
tendents and collectors, must prove very
nea1y correct Such estimates and cor
Responding appropriations would affect, in
eath case, only "a very smpll part OF The
\ nnbiic rnrits and enacif,c nn,,,;n,xo,,t -, &