The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-01-11


crease there has been in State expendi-
lures, upon the department Of Government
TO which it properly belongs. Temporary
causes, however, have produced much oi
this increase.
The expenses Of the last General As
sembly have been made the subject of pub
lie animadversion; but, when it is borne
in mind, that upon that body devolved the
and arduous duty Of carrying
into effect the New Constitution,-embra
cling the reorganization Of the entire Gov
ernment, much OF this animadversion falls
to the ground. as unmerited.
The act providing "for the organization
of the General Assembly," will, if strictly
observed, obviate all future cause of COM
plant. The unnecessary absence ofmem.
bers has been checked. sinecures have
been abolished, all waste Of public time
and means has been guarded against, and
thus most salutary spirit will be impart-
ed to the whole Government.
The New Constitution very properly re-
lieves the General Assembly ofmany pow
ers and duties that were formerly supposed
to disturb its deliberations, and unneces-
sarily to consume its time. The people
hencefor,h expect a steady devotion to
the du,ies now imposed by the Constitu-
ton, within as brief space OF time as is
consistent with well matured and well con-
sidered Legislation.
The Supreme law of the State imposes,
in positive terms, upon the General As
sembly, the duty Of enquiring into. and
determining upon, the receipts and expen-
ditures OF every branch of the Govern
ment. Specific appropriations must pre-
cede every public expenditure, and no
money can be collected except in pursu-
ance 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. and the accruing rev.
enues were expended partly by the same
Board, and partly by the Commissioners
OF the Sinking Fund. without due Legisla-
tive authority. Their proceedings subse-
quently reported. as they were, to the Gen.
eral Assembly, were seldom very closely
scrutinized, since their examin alton, after
the transaction, could be Of lillle public
benefit.
AS might have been expected. the public
mind was frequently disturbed by charges
OF very serious character, which were
on several occasions, inquired into by
special commissioners. The Boards and
their incumbents are frequently changed
but the impression was never removed
from the people, that these Boards possess
ed, or at least exercised, powers that were
liable to be abused; and that, therefore
like all other Executive Officers, they
should be brought under the proper con
troll Of the Representatives Of the People
A want of certainty peryaded our finan
cial system;-the net revenues Of the Pub
lie Works fuciuated from year to year
expenditures were concealed by after da
ting, and through mere transfers upon th'
account of Trust and similar funds, th'
lpecuniary transactions Of the whole Gov
ernment were mystiied, deiying alike
Legislative and popular scrutiny.
All this forced upon the people the con
viction. that there was some inherent dif
ficul,y in a system. which made the Mem
bers Of the Boards, Legislators and Exec
utive Officers, at the same time. Thei
executive duties we're. and are, in them
selves onerous enough to require their un
divided attention, and it was certainl,
wrong to impose upon them, the de,ermi
nation of questions Of policy, which had
bearing far beyond the appropriate spher
of their duties, and which none but tn
General Assembly, composed of Repre-
sentatives from oil parts Of the State, shoul
determine.
This public desire found its realization
in the most stringent provisions Of the Ne,
Constitution, which were, in part. carrie,
into effect by subjecting, for the first time
during the past fiscal year, the expendi
lures upon the Public Works and their ne,
revenues to Legislative appropriation
This policy must, however, be followed u
by requiring, at an early period OF tn
session, specific and detailed estimates 70
the various Public Works Of the Stste, an,
their subdivisions, and by appropriatin
therefor, such amounts, as upon Legisla
tive examination will be found proper.
! Insurmountable difficulties are some
times said TO be in the way; but. have NJ
doubt, they will on close examination, b
found without any tangible existence
General and mere wholesale estimate
may fail to approach exactness, and. CON
sequen,ly, lead to embarrassment; but es
Inmates made in detail, by the present abl
Board, acquainted as they are, by per
sonal inspection with every part Of tn
Public Works. and assisted as they vii
be, by experienced engineers, superin
tendants and collectors. must prove YER
nearly correct. Such estimates and cor
responding appropriations would affect
in each case, only very small part OF tn
Public Works, and specific contingen
appropriations would, as is done in Con
gress, provide against extraordinary fail
ures in revenue or other unforeseen events
The following tabular statement exhibit
the receipts and expenditures on the Pub
lie Works since their completion;-th
estimates made for them the year previ
ous;-and the deficits in the interest fun,
that had to be made up by taxation, a
near as the latter can be ascertained:
Same es. Same esI Deficit il
~ Gross timated Expen- timated interest
car receips lyear pre- ses and lyearpre made uI
vious. repairs. vious. by taxa Il