Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-01-17
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlemen of the Senate,

ata NJ Nse g Representatives.
In accordance with the requirements o
The Constitution, and the biennial system
Of legislation which has been thereby estsb
blished, yos have assembled IN your ofici'
al capacities to take into Consideration the
condition Of our pubic AFFAIR." and to pre-
pare aad pass such laws as the experience
of the last tive years and the interests and
wants of the people may appear to demand.
The first year of the biennial period which
has just elapsed, was attended with the
various trials and vie:ssitudes incident to
all humaA associations. The extraordinary
drought that prev allied throughout this and
most Of the other States Of the Union oe-
easioned very general failure of the
crops, and the consequent reaction that oc-
CURED in the monetary affairs of the ooun-
try caused much solieitude, and retarded,
to some extent, the progress of public as
well as individual improvement.
The great abundance and rich returns OF
The last year, however, fully compensate
the deficiencies Of ito predecessor, aid al
ford ample cause for gratitude to that be-
Inefficient and allwise Being who directs all
things for the best, and whose goodness
and favor are apparent in the still increas-
ing happiness and prosperity of our people
In complying witA the provisions OF the
Constitution which make it my duty to
communicate to the General Assembly the
condition of the State, "and to recommend
such measures" ns in my Judgment may
tend to promote the public welsre, in
vte your attention, In the first place, to
tho accompanying reports Of Of the several
State officers. They have been prepared
with much care and ability, and contain
full and detailed exposition of the opera
tioHs ans present condition Of their tespec-
tive departments.
l entered upon the duties OF the chiei
Executive office of the State, under an in
preston, which subsequent experience has
only tended to- strengthen, that the great
laxity of practice prevailed in certain
branches of the public service, from which
serious evils might possibly result. The
laws regulating The administration of these
Branches had been adopted under circum-
stances widely different from those which
now surround us. and the few simple safe
guards that were formerly deemed sufficient
sould be no longer regarded as adequate to
the varied and greatly increased business
entrusted to their cnre. Our county and
other local organizations, especially, were
without those limitations which are neces-
sary in all public institutions.
This state of things could not fail, II
continued, to exert an unfavoraele and de-
morslizing influence on the affairs of Gov.
ernmsnt; and / availed myself of the ear
!iest opportunity that was afforded me to
recsmnena such legislation in reference to
this subject as was most likely in my 1udg-
ment TO effect the Required reformation. -
Nvch has certainly been accomplished, but
the failure of tho General Assembly to
adopt and carry out my suggestions more
fully, has retarded the matter, and imposed
on me the necessity Of again calling atten-
tion to the subject.
took occasion in my former message to
develop with unusual minuteness, through
comparative tabular statements, the financial
action of every department of the State,as
we'll as Of the local governments, for the
previous ten years; land now propose to
continue the exposition to the present time.
refer you with equal confidence and
pleasure to the last two reports OF the Au-
titor Of State for any information you may
desire in relation to our financial AFFAIRS
The untiring industry with which that Of
6cer has attended 10 his public duties, and
the care and fidelity which he has always
displayed in guarding the Treasury of the
people, constitute his administration al
epoch in the history of our financial trans
actions. .. .-.
Frsm these reports. it appears that the
State Treasury has been the recipient o
the following revenues during the past two
yeats: