True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-01-16

N@9c tP.1 ~ tuS treasury - ~ soVOsOVV
But at the end Of twenty years this
debt is to be paid, and the disbursements
have been as follows
Principal L..........,..,..S 81. 600, 600
Interest for twenty years.. 100000
Paid out. ..s.s..,..s VI 4O0, OOO
Deduct amount received. $500. 600
Loss TO the State. ..$2. l0O. .00O
And this result is accomplished with
out any computation upon interest. which
must be paid semi-asnually-must be
collected year in advance Of its dis
bursement. and charged with per cent
ages to The Treasurer's collecting it, and
the expense Of its transmission to New
York. Such losses may be submitted by
State which cannot pay its debts, but
the people of Ohio would cheerfully SUBJ
nit 10 an additional tax OF three-iourths
Of mill with the knowledge that after
January. 1857, even that rate Of taxation
would steadily and largely diminish.
Such a system is adapted to special.
not 10 general interests, and can only
commend itselfto the approval Of those
who think that Ga public debt is pub
lie blessing" Public faith should be
kept to the people as well as to the credit
or. Many Of our counties and cities'with
other corporations, are deeply involved.
The present high credit Of the State which
has its origin in. and now depends upon
the puuctual payment Of the public debt,
is TO them Of great value. A proposition
to postpone the payment would tend TO
diminish the public confidence in The hilh-
erto untarnished reputation Of the State,
and thereby produce an ipjurioas effect
upon our private as well as our public
credit. There can be no more desirable
object than 10 see State, free from all
foreign liabilities.
The organization Of the Executive
branch Of our State Government into sep.
arate and distinct departments. indepen.
dent Of each other, has certainly many
advantages which il is unnecessary 10
enumerate. II is believed, however, that
it would be improved aud rendered more
efficient, if greater degree Of unity could
be impaired to the deliberations and &C
tions Of these divisions. This could easi-
ly be effected by requiring the various
Executive officers to meet together once a
month. or oftener il desired by the Gov
ernor, in Executive Council, to receive
and consider reports from their respective
departments. aid each other with advice,
and decide such action as will best tend 10
protect The public interests in cases Of de
liEquency or suspected malfeasance.
This Council might be authorized to
enquire into and personally inspect the
condition Of the Treasury at reasonable
periods, and 10 exercise such discretion.
airy powers in relation 10 the departments
generally, as it would be unwise and
probably unsafe TO entrust to a single
Executive officer. The union Of several
Executive officers into boards Of this kind
is not without precedent in this State.-
The Board Of Fund Commissioners, com
posed Of the Auditor, Secretary Of State
and Attorney General, has not only test.
ed the practicabiIity but the advantage
of snch arrangements. The people oI
those States which have adopted Execu-
tive Councils in the construction Of their
Governments, regard them, as / am told,
most important safeguards in the admin.
istration Of their Executive affairs.
The printing and distributing Of pub
lie documents designed to be laid before
the Legislature, is an object Of great in
terest to the people. The practice hilh-
crto pursued is neither favorable TO a
proper dispatch Of the public business,
nor wide circulation Of the information
they contain. They have usually been
printed very late in the session, and their
distribution confined to very few per-
sons. mostly the friends OF the Members.
| would respectfully suggest the pass
age Of law authorizing the Governor to
have printed, by the recognized public
printer, specified number Of the reports
made 10 bin by the several departments
Of the State Government, in time 10 have
the same ready for distribution at The
meeting Of the General Assembly. The
law should. like that providing for the
distribution Of The laws and journals.
specify certain officers and institutions,
to whom copies of these documents should
be officially transmitted. as soon as dely-
cred 10 the Legislature, leaving a rea.on- :
able number TO be distributed by the mem
bers themselves among their constituents
Such law, instead Of increasing. would
certainly diminish the expenses now in
Cured, as the matter would be printed
but once, and the contractors have ample
time to make the required arrangements.
The information designed to be communi-
Gated would then reach the people much
earlier. and enable them to make such
suggestions to their representatives as they
might think proper.
The initiatory measures which have
been adopted by the Secretary Of State.
to gather the statistics Of the agricultural
wealth and improvements Of the STATE,
render the report Of that officer for the
current year Of unusual interest, and de-
monstTstes the wisdom Of that provision
OF the Constitution which conlemplaies
the establishment Of a Bureau Of Slatis-
tics in connection with that Office. There
are few persons outside Of Ohio. who
fully realize the extent. and greatness Of
her natural resourcet.
With The view Of developing these re.
sources, and Of collecting and preserving
the information Of so much value to the
GaneYal hi,, ae .,all - ~ fha ,,a.,