The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-15
WHOLE NUMBER 9Sl

| mihtid- ne knoWn existence OF an organ
lied public force, competent to the enforce,
ment Of law and the defence Of right, Il
among the surest guarantees Of order and
security. In all emergencies requiring mill
itary force, the States ofihe Union must reIvi
on the patriotism of their militia. A wise
regard TO these considerations dictated
the provisions of our State Constitution
relating to this subject. To carry out these
provisions and give them due effect. Ieaisla.
ton is Indispensable. For the want Of n
the Militia of the State is in danger of total
disOrganzation; the public arms, valuable
property, ore exposed to dang and loss; and
! In contingencies, not impossible, various
public interests may suffer serious detriment.
venture to express the hope that the ne,
cessary legislation on this subject will con.
stitute one of this General Assembly to the
approval Of their constituents.
take great pleasure in laying before you
the Report Of the Commissioners appointed
under the act OF April T. 1856, providing
Tor the establishment of the Ohio Reform
School. The act required that two of the
three Commissioners should visit three of
the principal RefOrmatory Institutions OF the
United States, and institute sll necessary
observations and inquiries, and that oil should
unite In reporting the result to the Legisla-
ture. The Commissioners have more than
executed their trust. Instead of two, oil
have visited, not three only, but all the prin-
clpGl Institutions of our own country; and
one of their number, at his own expense,
has visited the principal institutions in Eu.
rope. Their Report exhibits the fruit of
their !ntendel researches and inquiries, and
commends itself to your most favorable re-
gard. The documents collected by the Com.
missioners and now placed at your disposal,
embody nearly everything that is known con.
cerning Re(ormatory Schools. For these
services no charge has been made against
the Treasury beyond those incident to lit
eral execution of the law; and more than
one-third of the appropriation remains un.
expended. 81,
The Report of the Commissioner of
Common Schools has not yet been received.
1t will probably be ready by the Goth inst,
at which time it has been heretofoge requir-
ed, and will be promptly laid before you,
In the mean time need not remind you of
the indispensable necessity Of adequate
Public Instruction to the welfare and security
ofsociety. No public investment is so safe
or SO fruitful Os that which is made in the
education of the people. No persons better
deserve the esteem and support Of the State
and the People than the Teachers of our
youth. No essential notifications of the
present school law are, in my judgement,
demanded by the general sentiment, except
such as will increase its efficiency without
augmenting its expense. THERE'S, however,
u prevailing opinion, that, under present
circumstances, Township Libraries may &c
substituted, With advantage, for District
Libraries; and would further suggest that
the Library at each County Seat should be
made County Library, and supplied as far
as possible with The published Documents of
the State and National Governments. For
the supply Of the State Documents you can
make the necessary provision; little at
tention on the part of Senators and Repre-,
sentatives in Congress will ensure full
supply OF National Documents. u.
The beneficial results of the act requiring
the Public Reports to be made to the Gov
ernor and printed in advance ofthe meeting
of the Legislature, suggest farther applica-
ton of the same principle. The Constitu-
tion requires the Governor to communicate
to the General Assembly at every session
the condition OF the State, and to recommend
such measures as he may deem expedient--~
1t, also, requires him to see tina THE laws
are faithfully executed. To enable him the
better to fulfill this injunction hes authorized
to require information in writing from the
officers of the Executive Department upon
any subject connected with the. duties of their
offices. Would it not be we'll, in
order to give more complete effect to these
constitutional provisions, 10 require the
Boards and Officers in charge of the differ
ent departments of the public service, 70
report their transactions and condition quar-
terly to the Governor! Such an enactment
would concentrate in the Executive Office
full information, accessible to the people,
concerning all the public interests, while il
would enable the Goyeraor to fulfill his con-
stitutional obligations with more satisfae,
ton to himself and with more advantage to
the State. Is Would it not be we'll, also, to
prescribe an uniform rule in respect to the
times for making all reports! At present
some are required to be made at the close of
the fiscal year; some at other periods; some
biennially; some annually and seme semi. I
annually. 1t would conduce greatly to the
introduction Of order and responsibility into Z
public affairs, if all reports should be re-
quired to be made on the twentieth days Of
November, February, May, and June, of /,
each year; the November report embracing,
all the transactions Of the fiscal year, and
the other Reports only those of the prece-
ding quarter.
Permit me now to invite your attention
to a few topics, intimately connected with
the public welfare, but not discussed in any
of these reports. F.s< &: ~, fss
The state Of the law in relationto Married
Women deserves your consideration. Our
legislation is already honorably distinguish.
ed by its provisions Of the civil law might be :,
transferred, with benefit, to our code. tits
difficult TO perceive any reason Why q wife,
allowed to sue separately from her husband,
should be required to sue in the name of her
next friend. Instances not unfrequently
occur of gross oppression through the abso- y
lutte control given to the husband over per- |.
sonal estate, and particularly over household
goods. can perceive no valid reason why 1
the wife may. not be allowed property In
personality and especially in goods pertain
to the house, and protected in the possession
by sufficient and dsummary remedies. These
are but samples Of needed reforms in this W
direction. 1 Icommend the whole subject q N
your best reflections. M
| Detects in the laws regulating practices :
ia criminal cases often give rise 70 serious "
embarrassments in the administration Of
justice. NJ and occasion great expense and
inconyenience to the counties immediately
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