Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-01-12

An examination OF is statement will tend IN
give direct efficacy to any reformalory and e.
conomizing effort since its places the respon.
sibilits for whatever increase there has
been in State expenditures upon the depart-
ment Of Government to which il properly be-
longs. Temporary causes, however. have
produce much of this increase
The expenses Of the las. Gen, Assembly have
been male the subject OF pu5iic animllversiou
but when il is borne ia mtnl that upon that
4 body devolved the responsible and arduous du-
/ ty of carrying into effect the New Constitution.
embracing the reorganization Of the entire
gOvernmnt, much of this anmadversion falls
to the ground, as unmerited.
/ The act providing for the organiz ltion of
the General Assembly," will. ifsrictly observ.
ed obviate all future cause of complaint The
unnecessary absence Of members has been
checked, sinecur,.s have been abolished. all
waste OF public time and means has guarded
against, and thus most saluLary spirit will be
impaired TO the whole Government
The New Constitution. very properly re-
ieves the General Assembly OF many powers
and duties that were formerly supposed to dis
turb It's deliberations. and unnecessarily TO con-
sumo its time. The people henceforLh expect
steady devotion to the duties now imposed
by the Constitution, within as brief space of
time as is consistent with well m4tured and we'll
considered Legislation.
The supreme law Of the State imposes, in
positive terms upon tho General Assembly,
the duty Of inquirirg iato. and determining up
on the receipts and expenditures of every
branch Of the Government Specified appro.
priations must precede every public expend
ture. and no money san he collected 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 cf Public
Works determined upon the amount of tolls,
and the acrein's revenues were expended
partly by the same BoarI,s and partly by the
Commissioners Of the Sinking Fund.- without
due Legislative authority. The proceedings
subsequently reported, as they were, to the
General Assembly, were seldom very CLOSELY
scrutinzed, since their examination, after the
transaction, could be of little public benefit
AS might have been expected, the public
mind was frequently disturbed by charges of
very serious character, which were, on Sc cral
occasions inquired into by special commits.
sions. The Boards and their incumbents were
frequently changed, but the impression was
never removed from the people. that tn Sc
Boards possessed, or at least exercised, powers
that. were liable to be abused and that, there,
fore, like all other Executive Officers, they
should be brought under the proper control Of
the RpnraSnnfattvhc of tho paanla
A want of certainty pervades our financial
system; the nett revendes Of the Public Works
flu ctuated from year to yea; expenditures
were concealed by after dating, and through
mere transfers upon the account of Trust and
similar funds, the pecuniary transactions of the
whole Government were mysti6ed. defying a
like, legislative and popular scrutiny. - p 4
All This forced upon the people the convc-
ton that there WAS some inherent difficulty in
a system, which made the Members OF the
Boards, Legislators and Executive Officers, AT
the same time. There executive duties were,
and are, in themselves onerous enouhg TO re-
quire their undivided attention. and it was cer-
tanly wrong uponto impose them, the deter
mination of questions ofpolcy: which had a
bearing far beyond the appropriate sphere of
their duties, and which none but the General
Assembly, com esed of Representatives from all
parts OF III, Ssate. should determine. IA
The public desire found its realization in the
most stringent provisions Of the New Constitu-
lion, which were, in palt carried into effect
ny subjsctng. for the first ame. during the
last fiscal year. the expenditures upon the
PubcWorks and their matt revenues TO Legis-
lanve appropriation. TINS policy must. how
ever, be followed up by requiring. at an early
period Of the session, specific and detailed esti.