The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1856-01-24
sba7ii GOVERNOR CHASE,S
Inaugural Address.
Delivered January LII, 1855.

call me to their service Ia tue capacity Vi
Governor vi The Otate. ,}..f r4ta,a-s
Before entering upon the discharge ol
the duties To which am thus summoned
1 am requireu oy the fundamental law t.
take an oath or affirmation to support the
Constitution ot the United States and o
thls State. and To take also an oath OF OF
flee. J-a .4t t.a alg ia9.g
La. compliance with veneral usage
not cstabilsned, indeed, by the Consa.u
ton, bat Recommended by the exam
pieeoi All my predecessors, now appear
petore you Tor the purpose OF taking upon
myseu The soicmng obligations whlen The
Constitution Imposes; ol declaring, briefly
the general principles by which, in nv
judy tie conduct OF public affairs
should be regulated, and OF indicating
some OF their more obvious applications.
The Cyns.iLtutional duty OF commune
eating to the General Assembly the con-
dition OF the Stale, and of recommending
measures by him deemed cxpelent. de
vowed upon my predecessor, WHO has
accordingly iatd before you lhea reports
of the several State officers, accomplished
BY such accommodations as seemed |.
him most likely to promote The puollc
welfare.
90 Tire duty, which usage imposes upon
me- requires no debated exposition ol
elaburate uiscusSlon. -r...r .--s.- s...
In tue discharge OF that duty shal:
speak with dliii 1ence, but Win trankness.
A prulound sense OF defective information
anu limited ABILITY viii iOroid presump-
LIou wnle gratltude To the feope, as
deep as II is iervent, ior the generous con
tidence which their su1raSes evince, viii
constraln the. lrreslstloly, hoL only 10 the
best exer;Ion OF all my f.cui,lcS III then
service, but to the plaInest deciarauon Vi
the views of public policy, wnicn. iuves
tisatlon and reflection have led me IL
adopt, subject always Lo The corrections
OF reason and experience.
If may not hope for general concur
renee In these views, lmay at least ex-
peci, from the intelligence and justice ol
The people, candid consideration and im
par lal judgment.
The sovereignty OF the People is the
distinguishing characteristic oI our Insti-
tutions. The People constitute the State.
Government is nothing but The admins
tration OF the affairs vi Lne People by the
agents of the People, sc ec.ed i'll such
manner and invested with such powe. 5
as are best adapted, in their jud sment, to
the security OF their own hts, and the
advancement OF their own Interests.
10 the successful working ot such in
stitutions two condltitIon, are indespensa
bic. The first is, persoaabireedom; the
second is official responsibility. With III,
personal freedom, inyiolabiy secured to
every. individual, there may be com
munNy Oh privileged saperiors and deg-a-
ded dependants; but there cannot be, in
the true sense ot the word, "a People -
Withou; responsibility, constantly exac-
ted aud vigorously enforced, the servants,
of the People are but Too apt TO become
their masters. Eternal vigilance, it has
been we'll said, it the price OF Liberty.
o. In our own Ssate personal freedo n is
guaranteed by the fundamental law; AM
the re pensiellty OF pabilc servants is Sc
cured by the paruuoa OF governmental
powers, Oy sTiet limitations or authority
ana Ny tfeQutnt tlSCtlonS.
10 you, Senators and Representatives,
belongs exclusively the tuaction of legis-
lation. No part of this power, and no
control Whatever over your exercise of it,
IS confided to the Executive. To him be-
longs the duty OF Recommending to your
consideration such measures as he NAV
think best adapted to promote the public
welfare; but there his duty ends. The
rest is yours. - ." H2'R ''a9t @i@ ja =4'
70 secure individual right against in
vaslon;to furnish adequate remedies for
the redress of injuries; to proyiie the
means anu difuSe the benefits D educa
tim; 10 rescue, from unhappy destin-s,
those CHI dren of sorrow, the deaf, the
dumb, the blind and insane; to define the
just course and limits OF individual ana
associated action, TO develop the aresourr
ces, spratect The interests, aud defend the
honor OF the Slate; to maintain the pub
lic faith, and make provision for the dis
charge of the public oblg lttons: -thest
are some of the high duties which the
Constitution of the State and the choice
OF the + op'e devoive upon you.
For the supply CT the means neccs <ary
to the due performance Of these du les
and to the proper administration of tie
State government. the patriotism of the
people may be safely trusted; but they
willjustly require that no more revenue
be collected than is indisprnsably necess-
airy to these ends; and that clear accounts
be rendered of its faithful application 10
proper public purposes.
The burdens OF taxation have become
very Srlevou-. Reform, both in measure
and in mode, is universally demanded;
and earnestly invoke your most serious
attention to this important matter. A.
far as possible. the aggregate of tax .tion
should be reduced by the introduction OF
rlgld economy into every branch of the
public service; and the greatest care should
be taken to apportion its burdens equally
upon all non exempt property of every
description, by whomsoever held. No
favor and no disfavor should be shown
towards one description of property or
class Of owners, rather than towards an
other. aF aa
Under instructions issued by the la'e
Auditor OF State, the Statutory right of
each citiz to deduct his debts from his
credits, in listing his property for taxation.
has BEEN denied. la issuing these lnstruc-
tions, the late Auditor was governed,
doubtless by respect for decision of
majority OF the Judges of the Supreme
Court, by which the section of the act
x.yl,. ,..Ix Ill