True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-01-16
cessluI in folilhnr he ohihdts of thalr es

i'd advance in the price OF provisions, thl
appropriations made for their suppof
have not been adequate to meet theirex
pepses. To keep them IN operation, th,
Board Of Trustees have been compelled
to contract heavy debts. for the statemen
Of which | refer you to their report
These debts are due principally to trades
men and others who have furnished 2rovi
sions for the inmates of these institutions
They are. therefore. entitled to YOU
early consideration, and as prompt pay
ment as. is consistent with the interests O
the State. 9Ha :
The two Lunatic Asylums at Newbure
and Dayton have been completed, and
opened for the admission Of patients with
in the past year the foImer on the 5th
of March, and the latter on the lst o.
September. The cost Of erecting and
furnishing these institutions has greatly
exceeded the amount appropriated. IL
the opinion Of the Board Of Trustees the
interests Of the State required the compile
tion OF the buildings, and to do this they
have contracted heavy liabilities.
All must approve the humane motives
which have multiplied institutions Of this
character throughout eur country. They
are, however, attended with great expense,
and, therefore, should not be increased
beyond the clear demands Of humanity
and justice.
The Report Of the State House Com
pissioners will advise you Of the process
onthe work under their charge during
the past two years. Il is to be regretted
that the means placed at the command Of
the Commissioners by the late Legisla
ture were not sufficient to have the Halls
Of the Senate and house Of Representa-.
tives ready for occupation by the present
General Assembly. The sums so far ap
propriated for the erection and compile.
ton Of the New State House amount to
$685. 575.
Every department Of the State Cove ru
'ment is deeply interested in the speedy
completion OF this building. The health
and convenience Of the General Assembly
and of the Judicial and Executive Off
GERS. and Of the people doing business
with them, as also the safety Of the pub
lie records, demand that every proper ef
fort should be made to prepare it for oc-
cupation within the shortest practicable
period.
Under these circumstances, the Com
missioners felt it to be their duty. even
after the appropriations were exhausted,
to continue operations on the heavier por-
lion Of the work. The liabilities thus in
CURED, beiug chiefly due to contractors
and mechanics, will receive, l trust, your
early consideration.
The affairs connected with the Penten-
tiary have been conducted during th e
past two years with unusual care and sue
cess. From the Reports Of Directors
and Warden it will be seen that the re-
ceipts Of the Institution from the labor of
convicts and otherwise have been more
than adequate to meet all its expenses.
Although the number Of convictions
for the last year is considerably less than
that of the year previous, it is generally
believed that the dimensions Of the pre-
sent building will not be sufficient much
longer for the accommodation ot all the
criminals Of the State. ,.
A large proportion Of those who are
convicted Of crime in this State. belong
to that class Of persons who are usually
denominated '.juvenile ofspders," the
most of whom, under suitable manage,
ment and care, might be thoroughly re-
claimed, and returned to society as use
full citizens. The erection Of a House Of
Refuge and Correction, therefore, would
be much preferable, in my judgement. to
any enlargement Of the present establish
ment. OF the six hundred and six con-
victs now in the Penitentary, one hun.
dred and thirtys six are under the age of
twenty-one years. The youthful offender
should never be placed on an equality Of
treatment with the confirmed criminal, or
compelled to resume the career Of life un-
der the odium that always necessarily at
taches to "Penitentiary convict"
l called the attention of the General
Assembly on a former occasion, to The
disorganized condition Of the militia Of
the State. TIE present Constitution pre-.
scribes different mode for the election Of
general and field officers from that con.
tanned in the former, and repealed all laws
and parts of laws that in any way couAic.
ted with its provisions. The terms of the
officers chosen under tie former Consti-
tuition have nearly all expired. and there
is no law through which the vacancies can
be supplied or the requirements Of the
present Constitution be carried into effect
All elections that have taken place since
the adoption Of the present Constitution,
having been held and conducted under
the provisions Of the former, and in put
suance Of the laws that were thus repeal
ed, are, in the opinion of lhe Attorney
General, illegal and void. If such be q
correct Interpretation of the present Con.
stitution, there are no general or field Of.
ficers in the State. and the whole system
has been rendered almost entirely useless
The public arms are 10 danger Of being
lost. They are scattered over the State
and many Of them ia the hands Of per
sons. who, in the opinion of the Attorney
General referred 10, are in no way con
nected with the militia Of the State.
| A well regulated militia system is al
most essential to the preservation Of al
efficient military spirit among the people
Standing armies in time Of peace arr
viewed with great distrust in all Republi
can Governments. and it is upon an intel
ligent and we'll organized militia that WI