Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-01-15

capacity of the different soils which compose the
surface of the State, and the ply laws and in
huences by which that productive capacity is de-
termined.
In accordance with the provisions of an act Of
the last session, nave caused to be printed the
Reports of the Auditor and Treasurer of State
ofthe State House Commissioners, of the several
Boards Of the Benevolent Institutions, of the Di-
rectors of the Pententisry, and of nearly all the
other officers and Boards Who seem to fall within
its requirements. These reports are now ready,
and subject to your disposition. The long delay
in printing the Reports of the Public Officers after
the assembling of the Legislature, and the conse-
quent want of necessary information relating to
public affairs, has, heretofore, proved most seri
Gus obstruction to legislative business. I con-
gratulate you upon tine almost complete removal
of this obstruction under the salutary operation of
the act of the last session; and suggest the ex-
tension Of the provisions so as to embrace every
officer and board having charge of any depart
ment of the public service not now included by it.
refer you to the Reports of the State Auditor
and State Treasurer for full information concern
ing the financial condition of the State
The State of the Public Debt, the amount and
distribution of Taxation, and the uses Of revenue,
will necessarily engage your careful attention.
The Debt of the State had its origin in Internal
Improvements. Nearly the whole of it was con-
tracted to defray the cost of the State Canals and
to provide for subscriptions in aid of Turnpikes,
Railways and Canals, projected and controlled by
companies. Whatever may be thought of the pol
icy of these undertakings, no one doubts the duty
| of the State 10 fulfil with scrupulous exactitude
her duties to her creditors. On this subject, hap
PLY; there is no diversity of opinion in Ohio.
To pay the interest of this debt; to reduce and
finally extnguish the principal; to provide for the
necessary expenses Of the State Government and
Public Institutions; and to defray the charges of
County, City, Township and District administra-
tions, are the legitimate objects of taxation. To
insure responsibility for the disbursement ofrev-
enue, and thereby promote economy, the Consti-
tuition strictly enjons that no money shall be
drawn from the Treasury except in pursuance of
specific appropriations made by law. The faith
full observance of this provision should be ensured
by your care.
1t is the duty of the Public Officer to disburse
appropriations, honestly, economically, and sole
ly to the purposes to which they are applicable.
He has no right to go beyond them, either by
overdrafts upon the Treasury or by contracts in
behalf of the State for work to be done supplies
to be furnished, within the time for which the ap
preparations are made; nor, unless specially au-
therized, has ne any right to contract any other
obligations of any description which will require
future appropriations. The Constitution con-
templates the payment of each years expenses
out of each years income. 1t sanctions no debts
for the expenses of year to be paid by ncreas-
ed taxation the next.
twill be seen on reference to the full and able
year, in the absence of the salutary check of an
annual legislative session, the expenditures in
several departments of the Public Services greatly
exceeded the amount properly applicable to them,
and that large debts thus contracted, the
payment of which cast upon the revenues for
the service of 1885,
The amount of these debts has not been precise
ly ascertained.. The amount actually paid during
the year was S5l7 ,3I3 65; and the balance unas-
certained is estimated by the Auditor at $lOO,OO0
making an aggregate of debts to the amount of
S6I7, 81 IS, which should either have been paid
out of the revenues of 1856, or should not have
been contracted at all.
The effect of this anticipation of revenues will
be clearly presented by the following statement:
The balan nomiualy in the Trea-
sury on the 18th Nov. 1856, ac-
cordins to the report of the late
Auditor of State was 703,575 ,0s
To this sun should be added the
Bank Taxes due in 1854 5, but
received in 1866 $l80,96l,20
Less this sum refun
ded as having been
illegally collected 60,lS0.43 1l9,760.77 |
Mixing the Total ap-
parent means on
18th Nov 1855 S23 .350,85 |
Frum which in order
to ascerI ain the real
cash means, should
be deducted the
amount Of debts of
lS54-5 pd in '55-6 SIT 1885
And also the uuss-
certained balance
of such debts 100, 1000 90 6l7.37s.65