The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-01-12
ent with the efficiency of their admins


tent with the efficiency of their admins
trations.
The county taxes, as exhibited in the
preceding statement, will also, no doubt,
attract your attention; especially when it
lis recollected that very large portion OF
the expenses incident to their administra-
ton is paid by fees, of which no record,
accessible to the public, is kept The en-
tire expenses of the several counties can
not, therefore, be ascertained, nor can il
be known without detailed examination oi
great labor, in which of them the admin
istration is the most expensive. There,
as every where else, the utmost publicity
should be given to all transactions of g
public nature. 1t promotes economy and
facilitates reform-while the addition ol
officers, without such publicity, only com
plicates the system. AS in mechanics, nc
power is gained by adding unnecessary
machinery, so in government, it is seldom
that either purity or efficiency is increased
by multiplying officers.
In referring to these municipal corpor.
ations, it was not my purpose to diver
your attention from the less fragrant, bu
still rapidly increasing expenses of the
State
X Il X 4 X
An examination of this statement viii
tend to give direcct efficiency to any re.
formatory and economizing effort; since il
places the responsibility, for whatever in.
crease there has been in State expendi
lures, upon the department of Govern.
ment to which it properly belongs. Tem.
porary causes however, have produced
much of this increase. a
The expenses of the last General AS.
sembly have been made the subject ol
public animadversion, but, when it is
borne in mind, that upon that body de-
volved the responsibility, and arduous
duty of carrying into effect the New Con
MISUNDERSTANDING the reorganization
of the entire Government, nt,-much of this
animadversion falls to the ground, as un.
merited.
The act providing "for the organization
of the General Assembly," will, if strict
ly observed, obviate all future cause ot
complaint. The unnecessary absence Of
members has been checked, sinecures
have been abolished, all waste of public
time and means has been guarded against
and thus a most salutary spirit will be
impaired to the whole Government.
The New Constitution, very properly
relieves the General Assembly of many
powers and duties that were formerly sup
posed to disturb it's deliberations, and un-
necessarily to consume its time. The
people henceforth expect steady devo-
ton to the duties now imposed by the
Constitution, within as brief space o.
time as is consistent with well matured
and well considered legislation.
The Supreme Law of the State impo-
ses in positive terms, upon the Genera
Assembly the duty of inquiring into, and
determining upon, the receipts and ex
penditures of every branch of the Gov.
ernment. Specific appropriations mas
precede every public expenditure, and nc
money can be collected except in pursu
ance of law.
The New. Code went into operation OF
the second of July last, and sufficient tim'
has not yet elapsed to test the wisdom anc
practicability of all its provisions. Tha
most, if not all of them, are real and i'm
portant reforms, / have no doubt. It i
to be expected, that in the beginning the,
will give rise to some embarrassment
but it may be chiefly the embarrassment
Of change.
In view Of the importance of this sub
ject, and Of the untried condition of thi
law consider it proper to recommend
great caution in any further immediat
legislation upon it. 1t seems to ME i
will be wiser to wait for the modification
suggested by experience, than hastily t.
adopt those of mere theory.
1t will be observed that the require
ment of the Constitution referred to, ap
plies as well to the Criminal as to the Civ
il Code. The Code reported and enacted
relates only to civil procedure; and tn
terms of the Office of the Commissioner
heretofore appointed, ended by limitation
on the first Monday of March last. Yo7
will, therefore, consider the propriety o
creating a further commission to prepar
a Criminal Code.
x x X X
The reduction of the price of our cana
lands have increased the number of acre'
upon the grand duplicate and contributed
largely to the settlement of one of tn,
most promising regions of the State.
The area of the whole State contains
25, ,576, 900 acres, of which there will b.
brought on the grant duplicate for the en-