The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-01-14

buttons of the People in the form of
taxes. They require us to husband ev-
cry remaining resource, and demand
the strictest economy in every depart
ment of expenditure.
No means exist of ascertainiug the
quantity of lands remaining unsold,
whether belonging to the State, or held
in trust. I recommend the provision of
such means.
suggest, also, the expediency of
such legislation as will expedite and en-
sure the reimbursement to the State OF
the unpaid balances of surplus revenue
yet remaining with the counties.
When Ohio came into the Union, she
~relinquished the right to tax the lands
of the United States within her limits,
In consideration, among other things,
that not less than three per cent. of the
proceeds of all sales, past or future,
should be paid to the State to be ap-
piled In laying out roads. This is the
origin of what is known as the three
per cent. fund. The General Govern
ment has on.y accounted for the States
proportion of lands sold since the com
pact, and sold foc money. In my
judgement, the spirit, if not the letter
of the compact, entities the State to the
same proportion ofthe sum which would
have been produced by the sale, at not
less than the minimum rate of a dollar
and a quarter an acre, of all lands gran
ted for military services, or granted or
reserved to Individuals companies and
corporations for their own use and ben
eft. The quantity of such lands, accor-
ding to the Commissioners statement,
herewith transmitted, is &c 642 $40
acres. A large sum, therefore, if my
view of the matter is correct, is due to
the State from the General Government,
and it is worthy of your consideration
whether some measures should not be
adopted to secure the recognition and
payment of this claim. lis equity is
the moro apparent when it is consider
ed that of all the land States Ohio has
been the least literally dealt with by the
General Government. Every other of
these States has received much larger
grants, in aid of public improvements
than Ohio. Nearly every other, instead
of three per cent of the proceeds of sales,
has received five. Minnesota, aud all
the new territories, instead of one Sec
tion ia each township for the use of
schools, received two. Ohio does not
complain of this liberality to other States
and Territories. By her Senators and
Repres natives she has sanctioned it.
She only demands justice for herself.
After your adjournment in April last,
I received from the late State Librari-
an a very interesting report upon the
boundary between Ohio and Pennsylva-
MIA, made under an appointment by my
predecessor, in pursuance of a resolution
of a former General Assembly. 1 now
lay the Report before yo2. 1t will be
found to embody much valuable infor-
nation concerning our Eastern bounda-
~, Which is a continuation from the
Ohio to Lake Erie, of a due North line
drawn from the Western termination of
Mason and Dixon's line between Penn
sylvania and Virginia. 1t will be for
the Legislature to determine what COM
pensation if any shall be made to the
late State Librarian for this special SER
vice.
The Report of the Board of Public
w OTkS Will duElse JUu iulIy III ISSpSCb
to the management of the important
public concerns committed to their
charge. The unusual drought of the
past season has greatly hindered the
navigation of the Canals, in consequence
of which the gross have been
reduced from S468, s3l,93 in 1915 to
1927, $1,000 in 1876. Much the
greater portion of this diminution ap-
pears in the receipts of the Miami &
Erie Canals, the reasons of which are
fully stated by the Board. The nett
result for 1866 is as follows:
Net receipts as return
ed to the Auditor of
State -----------. S5oO,4o3,S2
Disbursements for re-
dence, Gc.!....... s4O1 ,4ss,OO
Estimated amt paid,
but not properly
chargeable to his
year .......... 75.s33,56
Making Current Ex-
penses for 1856. S225, 664,A
Showing a surplus of
Receipts over cur
rent expenditures of $62, 100 45
1t is the opinion of the Board that,