The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-01-12
Gentlemen Of tile Senate

| Gentlemen of tie Senate
and House Of Representatives:
A century ago, the territory now consti-
tuting the State of Ohio, was an unbroken
wilderness. Her admission into the great
confederacy of American States is fresh in
the memory of many who are now before
me. Little more than half century has
elapsed since that event.
She entered the Union with a popula-
ton of hardly sixty thousand inhabitants.
Of the thirty -one States which now con
stitute that Union, she is the third in re-
spect of population. More than two mil
lions of citizens, IN the full enjoyment of
civil and religious liberty, now live within
her borders.
Her resources have been adequate not
only to the expenses of Government, but
have been applied to the construction OF
long lines of canals-to the establishment
and maintenance of magnificent system
of public instruction, and to the erection
and support of large and expensive insti-
tuition for the education and restoration of
the unfortunate
Private enterprise has kept pace with
the increrse of wealth and the growth of
population.
The wilderness has given place to cul-
tiyated fields, and smiling villages raise
their spires where but few years ago the
lofty oak displayed its foliage. Colleges
and other institutions of instruction have
been founded and endowed. Places the
most remote have been brought into close
proximity by extensive lines of railroads.
Indeed, the number of miles of our finish
ed and projected railroads, is greater than
that of any other state in the Union.
Such rapid growth in all the elements
which make great and prosperous peo-
pie, must ell the heart of every citizens
with patriotic hope and honorable pride.
The future prospects of our people are
as promising as the past has been pros
| porous.
He would be unworthy of your conf
dence and respect who didnotfeel honored
at being called, by the voice of its speople
to the Chief Magistracy of so great and
SO growing state. Words, indeed are in
adequate to express my thankfulness fol
the confidence which has been reposed in
me, and my sense Of the responsibilities
of the position in which 1 have been
placed.
The growth of our State and the higI
position which she now occupies, have beer
produced by the self-reliance, energy anc
industry of her people.
The character of the government ha
tended to encourage these qualities, ano
has had an important agency in augment
ing the moral force of the people.
Personal security-freedom from VIC
lence and insults the primary and i'm
portant object of the establishment of al
civil government. The weak must be pro
tected from the aggression of the strong
Life is hardly desirable where it is not Sc
cure, or where it is constantly exposed t.
the fear of oppression and the apprehen
sion of wrong.
Our laws throw their shield around all
and grant impunity to none. In them tht
weak find refuge and support, and none
are so powerful as not to need their pro
lection. Under their equal operation al
enjoy the fruits of their labor in security
and peace.
Our comparative freedom from any
thing like monopolies, by which competi
ton is cut off, labor oppressed, and gener
Gus and ennobling rivalryis degraded, ha
encouraged our citizens to embark il
schemes of public and private improve
ment which, in society differently consti
tuted, would never have been underta
ken.
The grant of any special privileges ha
not only produced the evils inherent in ths
system, but has been the just cause of dis
satisfaction and uneasiness in the minds
of the people. They have naturally fell
that their rights had been abridged and
the rule of equality, which constitutes the
very foundation of human freedom, and
which should prevail in all legislative ac-
ton, has been violated.
The result, too, has always been unfor-
tunate, and demonstrated the folly of go,
ing beyond the limits of declaring and Sc.
curing the rights of individuals, and
Furnishing and redressing their wrongs.
Government has no right to interfere
with the pursuits of the governed. When
it assumes the power of discriminating
between different classes, it is usurping a
portion of sovereignty which the people
have never conferred. The exercise oi
talents and industry should be left within
the limits of general laws. No class OF
particular body Of mers should possess
rights of privileges not enjoyed by the
whole mass of the body polite.
| We are not accustomed fully tn consid