Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-01-11

founded, go far at least as any efforts were made
for their melioraton and relief The proper dis
tihctions are now observed, and each class is
found amenable to different modes of treatment.
Idiccy is understood to consist in an impaired
condition of the powers of the mind and an entire
want of the reasoning faculties. Persons thus af
hfcted are not responsible for their acts, and must
necessarily therefore, become public or private
charge
Possessing muscular force, some traces Of mem
ory, andethe powers of imitation, they are capa-
BILE of being trained to perform many of the nec-
essary duties of life.
Our Common Schools, from their universal DIFF
fusion, located they in every neighborhood,
and distributing their healthful influence to every
family, should always be regarded as among the
very first objects of Legislative care, They have
not inaptiy, at times, been styled ''the peoples
colleges" and are certainly the palladium and
most efectual defence of our free institutions.
The New Constitution m kes ii imperative on
the General Assembly, "to make such provisions
by taxation, or otherwise, with the income aris-
ing from the School Trust Fund, will secure
thorough and efficient System Of Common Schools
throughout the State. ;
In accordance with this requirement Of the
Constitution, the last General Assembly, with al
most entire unanmty, passed law reconstruct
ing our educational system,-elevating its stand
ard, extending its usefulness, and impartng to it
greater degree Of efficiency.
It is claimed by the friends of the system thus
created that the features cngratcd upon it,
are decided improvements; in perfect accordance
with the educational demands of rapidly in
creasing population.
Ina Republic like ours, founded as it is on the
virtue and intelligence of the people at large, the
thorough and efficient education of those who are
soon to assume the duties and responsibilities of
government in all its departments, is essential to
the healthful existence of the government itself
and cannot be neglected without danger to the
vi 0f free inst
The new provisions OF the present School Law,
involving changes radical il their character, must
necessarily produce, for time, much embarrass-
ment and inconvenience, and in some instances
it may be, actual oppression But most OF those
being of q temporary nature, an incident to al
most every innovation upon long blished usage.
they should not impel the General Assembly to
hasty and inconsiderate legislation, lest the pres
ent law may be, in short time, involved in the
same complexity and confusion which under the
former laws, produced much embarrassment.
The anual assessment and levy of two mills
upon the grand duplicate of the State for school
purposes, is regarded by many of the tax payers
us oppressive and unnecessary This levy, how
ever, is only half mill greater than that author
lied.
Prior to the passage of the present law, the
State levied half mill and County Commission
ers were required to levy mill, for school pur-
poses; making total school tax of one mill and
been united into one, and styled State levy.
Another tax which has borne very heavily up
the tax payers the past year, is the one
thoriEed to be assessed by Township Boards of
Education for the purchase of school house sites,
and the erection of school houses. The amount
that has been raised for these objects is very
ly as large as that levied by the State. 1t is
tax that will not be required to be repeated, how
ever, in the next fifteen or twenty years.
Tn the establishment of all school SvSfams
three objects should be constantly kept in view,
-brevity, simplicity, and the utmost degree of
economy that is consistent with the proper educa-
ton of the youth of the State. To attain these
excellencies, however, much time and experience
and careful observation of the working of the
system, necessarily required.
The grand duplicate has been greatly increased
by the re-vsluaton Of the real estate. A levy
of two mills, for the ensuing year, would produce
one-fourfh more revenue than was raised during
the past year, under the same levy. No system
can operate benefcially that bears to heavily
on the people. I therefore recommend that the
law be so modified in this particular, not to
quire any increase, at least, Of the amount now
assessed.
The work on the new State House has been
carried on. during the past year, with commend
able industry and dispatch. The Inconvenience
and expense of procuring suitable halls for the ac-
commodation of the Genersl Assembly, together
of the State, render the early completion of this
building matter of much interest
Arrangements were made to have it covered in
last fall so that the work inside: could be pro-
crossing during the winter, but the contractors
were disappointed in procuring the necessary ma
teriais. They have since been procured, how
eyer, and the roof will be put on early in the
spring
It is expected that the rooms intended for the
Supreme Court, the Library, and the various State
Offices, will be finished and ready to be occupied
early ia the ensuing fall, and that the whole
building will be completed in time for the next
session of the General Assembly.
twill be large and beautiful edifice-com-
porting well with the magnitude and increasing
wealth of the State.
But little attention has been paid for 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
to receive her just proportion of the public arms.
Many of the Divisions, Brigades and Regiments
without officers, and there is some doubt as to
the manner in which they should be chosen.
The Constitution requires that all white male
citizens, between the ages of eighteen and forty
Eve yesrs, shall be enrolled in the Militia of the
State and that provision shall be made by law for
the protection and safe keeping of the public
1t has been found necessary in all Governments
to keep up some kind of military force. In ours,
the reliance is chiefly upon citizen soldery
There may be occasions when the civil authori-
ties are unable to perform their appropriate du-
ties, and when the Governor is expressly required
1sto call forth the Militia to execute the laws of
the State, to suppress insurrecton, and repel in
vasion." )"
The public arms, as will be seen from the Quar-
ter Master Generals report, are in a most unsafe