Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-01-15

Fe4oW eitizens of hte Senate.
.1. a.ss.E and House Of Representatives.
.a' Z welcome you, with great pleasure, to the
.-.. hrst session Of the General Assembly In III,
new State House.
....., In simplicity Of design, in harmony Of pro-
portions. and in massive sOlidity Of structure
Il staadS, and may it long stand. a monument
and symbol Of dear Faith, the veil ordered
., Institutions. and the enduring greatness Of the
a. people whose House It is.
-' 70 The year which has Just closed, has been
marked BY the steady advance Ofthe great State
rs " whose interests, for the present have been con-
n5 6dsd to our care. in all tie elements Of wealth,
wv. honor and power
The returns Of Agriculture, though less a.
bundant than in some more favored years,
have yet been sufficient to supply. abundanily,
cur wants at home, and to furnish large sur
plus for expectation. The products of Manu-
'facturing Industry have been steadily and
greatly augmented. the transactions Of Com
''-'a merce have multiplied in number and increased
il importance. Vast mineral treasures, hher-
20 comparatively inaceesSi ls, have been brought
By the extensions of Railroads. within the easy
reach Of enterpri Hs and made tributary to the
a4 general progress.
.. a While the development and enlargement Of
our material resources have been ensured BY
.- these and similar agencies, other instrumental.
.. lies have been actively employed in the pro-
motion Of the moral and intellectual welfare Of
.. the people. Public order and private rights
have been maintained by our enlightened and
impartial administration Of justice. Institutions
a G of education have diffused among the masses
'' the power Ofknowledge; institutions of benevo
.. lsnce have minstered 10 the children Of sorrow
the wise and noble charity OF the State; nsu
tons of Religion. sustained by the voluntary
contributions and ready sympaihies of the peo
pie, and made efficient by the selfdenyiug Ia.
bors Of teachers and ministers. have lent their
powerful support to public virtue and order
while they have enforced the obligations Of pr
yats duty. aud cherished the aspirations OF in
diVdual faith.
Nor are these the only benefits wqich demand
our grateful Acknowledgements Peace is the
opportunity Of progress, and peace, unbroken
hss prevailed throughout our borders. The
.., Pestilencs which, 10 former years, invaded and
desOlAted so many homes has not been PR
mitted to approach u.s. Health, in usual meas
ure, has cheSred our homes and animated our
lsbors.
FrSm this pleasing survey, it is my duty to
proceed to more detailed exposition Of the
g. coalition of the State.
The primary interests of Ohio connect them.
selves closely with the ownership and cultivS-
tion Of the soil.
d i The whole area Of the State, according to the
,a.g computations Of the Federal authorities, con.
tain 81. .964 square miles, or 1856 900 acres,
91s A little more than half century ago. not an
fA acre Of this area had been cleared for cultva-
"'' tion. or even reduced to private ownership.
less The Federal Government asserted an exelu.
sys proprietary title ia the whole, except that
portisn included in the Connecticut Reservation
"s The hardy pioneers, who pushed forward into
asl a the wilderness, were compelled 10 buy Of Ihs
Government or its grantees, the very soil
- which they suddusd. The whole burden Of
contributions for tbs support Of the State and
It's Institutions, was cast upon the land thus
.lTs purchased. The land OF the Government was
HA'H4l WnOHy SAounptI anu Tue V0nttouuons 0I tne
~ Government by grants Of land in aid Of public
improvements, were Insignificant 10 comparison
.lts With the enhanced value OF the ungranted
'o lands
" .,o1 Notwithstanding these serious disaivanta.
the prOcsss Of purchase and settlement has
rs gone ateadily forward until more than tWOlv,
n szillions of acres, Occupiedfor agricultural pur
Aossi, ald nearly thirteen millions more, elias,
,aed as nnoativatsa. have become private prop
- asty. and contribute to the public revenue.
e 'i ~, When. in 1909. Ohio became State Ia III,
lla American Union, every other Of the seventeen
'' members Of the cOnisdsracy was more pOpulOu
raland better cultivated. and six had larger areas
Now. although the number Of States has nCrsa
,y ssd to thirty-one. Of which nineteen are large
than Ohio. not one surpasSes her in the sxtsn
-.1- and variety Of her agricultural products,
A general OuIlias Of the gradual cOnVsrslol
ailofpnblic iuto private ownership. will rewar
attention.
Prior 70 I sos tie relurnsoflands held by in
diYidual prOprietors. are meagrs and uAaatis
b. factory. In 1910. the number Of acres thu
owned vas e,o53,i ,iol, In 1890 this quantity
30 had increased to ls.Sl9,Ols acres; ia 1880, su
o. timAiing the quantity for two counties frOr
.5aShieh there we're DO returns to i6, 1876, ,58s Q
. crss; and in 1855 to I5,29O,O83 acres. Thes
-. .~.al,.. .;vA af To vvn and N;lv la