American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1856-01-17

economy, is certainly entitled to respectful
consideration. But | think il may we'll
be affirmed. that, in this instance, the ar
gumeutfro economy is not valid. With.
out taking into tho aceount the costs
to the State OF the mischief arising from
the delay Of needed legislation, 1t must be
rememberedthatthe accumulation. through
two years, of business demanding the at
ten;ion of The General Assembly, will re-
quire protracled sessions for its due consi-
deraJion. The time neeled for two annual
sessions is not, necessarily, greater than
that required for biennial session. The
argument from expense, therefore. may be
readily obvi1ted by a proper limitation OF
duration, AMI the question of preference
may be reduced to a simple choice, ire
spective of expense, between limited an
nual sessions, and unlimited biennial with
occasional extra sessions, My own jail -
ment is so thoroughly satisfied upon the
whole m1tter, that | cannot hesitate to re-
commend au amendment Of the Conslitu-
lion. providins for limited annual sessions.
Your first and most earnes! attention,
gentlemen, will doubtless he directed TO
the important matters within the imma-
diate sphere of your legislative powers;but
You cannot forget that you represent a So
yereign State Of the American Union, third
Of the thirty-one, in wealth, AMI power,
and population, and second to non in pa
triotic devotion to tho welfare of the whole
Country. The appointment of a Soma
tor to reprosan. the S.ate in ono branch OF
the American Congress devolvesupon you,
and in making this appointm mt you will
necessarily be required to consider tho ia
lerests Of Ohio as a member Of the Union
Foremost among these interests is tho
preservation Of the Union itself. Establish
cd by the wisdom Of our Fathers for the
sublimest and noblest political ends. do.
sceads to u5 as n slcro |. trust. Tn Ter its
benign influence our country has steadily
advanced from strength to strength, an |
from greatness 10 greatness, extending her
borders, charging her resources, and aug
men!ing hJr power, until the name of A
merican citizen has become n nobler dis
%tinction than was the name Of Roman citi-
zen in the proulcst days Of that mighticst
republic ofautiquity. 70 maintain the in
tegrity OF this Union; to defend the Con.
stitution which is its bond; and to guard
against all invasion from whatever quarter
those American Institutions which the U
Mon and the Constitution secure to Us, have
ever been, anil | trust will ever be, &C
knowledged as sacred obligations by the
people OF Ohio.
CherishinS these sentiments and evel
prepared to give full proof of unwavering
fidelity to them, til not only our duty tc
insist that the interests ofOhio shall be du
ly regarded in the administration Of the
General Government. Few States con'ri
butte so largely to the national revenue
as our own. Tho people of Ohio hav,
paid 10 tho Fe leral Government or to it
grantees, for the soil which they occupy
and cultivate, moro than thirty millions o
dollars. OF the Ievenuo derived from du
lies va contribute necessarily in proper
ton to our Numbers. AS the population
of our STATE is about one-tenth of the en-
tire population of the Union, we pay aSou
one-tenlh of that revenu'. Is entire q
motnt for the last year exceeded sky mil
lions Of dollars. The proportion Of Ohi'
Was Of course six Millions.
While We have thus pail for tho very
soil we live or, an amount which no othc
people has ever pull ua Ter like circrm
stances or under any circumstances, an
while wo still contribute thus amply an
freely to the auauNl fevonue, it is npta'
agreeable reflection thnt Of all the Safe
in which tha General GJvernmnt has rs
serted a proprietary right to the soil, Oai
has received the least in grants Of Ian
for education, improvement, an | o.her Xix,
purposes; anil that while millions are ex
pended for the protection AL benefit o
Commerce on tbs Coasts Of the RpIhlic
the property an lives OF or W p4opl
arc expose to continual peril AM enor
nous loss upon oar Riyars al oar Lake
for the want of comparatively insignificant
appropriations for the improvement Of thci
channels and harbors. The injustice o
unequal grants of lands is perhaps hsyon.
remedy; but it will bo our own fault il on
Rivers and lIarborS continue to ba thu
neglected.
While in these aud m,ny othor impor
tant details of administration the interest
of our own State are deeply affected b
the action Of the National Government, "
are even moro vitality concerned in til
great principle by which that action an
the progressive development of our coun
try are regulated and controlled,
AS man is moro than his circumstances
as freedom is better than wealth, as right
are more important than institutions, it be
comes us to look well to tho fundamentt
ideas which determine the character c
Government and tho course Of its practic;
operation.
The basis Of American Institutions is til
Democratic principles of equality anon
men. They rest upon the solid f%oundatio
of popular consent. The primary object
of their establishment are the defence an
protection Of personal rights, If they ia
to secure these ends, it is the duty Of til
people who established to amend or chang
them. To organic, and administer go,
eminent upon these principles, is the tru
work of republican people.
While the Democrats idea thus sonst
tutes the basis of American Institutions, v,
rious exceptions, under the pressure
real or supposed cxigencies, have been az
!, mitted to its universal application. Anon
these slavery, the creature Of d~espotisl
and the deadly opposite of democrac,
r claims baleful pre-eminencc.
When our country asserted her ind,