True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-01-07

can be expected therefore, from the States
three per cent. proportion Of their sales.
Not much land belonging to the State res
mains nnsold. The amount Of Surplus
Revenue unpaid by Counties, is reduced
to S206,340 ". The proceeds Of con-
Wet labor are absorbed 10 the support Of
the Penitentiary, aud avail nothing tothe
general Revenue. And the proceeds Of
the School and Ministerial Lands, as they
ocerue, become part Of the Irreducible
Debt, upon which the State is bound to
pay six per cent interest to the use for
which they were granted.
These facts admonish us that for the
expenses of the State Government, Of
the Public Institutions, and forlthe pay
ment Of thesState DEBIT our main reliance
must hereafter be upon the contributions
of the people, in the form Of Taxes. They
require us to husband every remaining
resource, and demand thestrictest economy
in every department Of expenditure.
Nomcans exist of ascertaining thequan-
tity Of lands remaining unsold, whether
belonging to the State, or held in trust
| recommend the provision Of such
means.
Isuggust, also, the cxpcdiency Of such
legislation as will expedite and ensure tho
reimbursement to the State Of the un-
paid 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 pro-
cecds Of all sales, past or future, should
be paid to the State, tobe applied in lay
ing out roads. This is the origin Of what
is known as the Three per cent. Fund.
The General Government has only accoun-
ted for the States proportion of lands sold
since the compact, and sold for money. In
my judgement, the spirit, ifnot the letter Of
the compact, entities the State to the
same proportion Of the sum which would
have been produced by the sale, at not less
than the minimum rate of dollar and O.
quarter an acre, Of all lands granted for
iitary services, or granted or reserved
to individuals, Companies, and Corpora
tions, for their own use and benefit. The
quantity Of such lands, according to the,
Commissioners statement, herewith trans
mittcd, is 1862, $40 acres. A large
sum, therefore, if my view of the matter
is correct, is due to the State from tho
General Government, and it is worthy Of
your consideration whether some measures
should not be adopted tosecure the recog-
milton and payment Of this claim. It's
equity is the more apparent, when it is
considered that of all the land States,
Ohio has been the least literally dealt with
by the Federal Government. Every other,
Of these States has received much larger
grants of land in aid of public improve
ments than Ohio. Nearly every other,
instead of three per cent Of the proceeds
of sales, has received FIVE. Minnesota and
all the new Territories, instead of one Sec
tion in each Township for the use Of
J schools, have received two. Ohio does
not complain of this liberality to other
, States aud Territories. BY her Senators
I and Representatives she has sanctioned it.
| She only demands justice for herself. 4
After your adjournment in April last,
: | received frum the late State Librarian
7 a very interesting report upon the boundary
j, between Ohio and Pennsylvania. made
under an appointment by my predecessor,
: in pursuance Of a resolution of former
S General Assembly. now lay the report
8 before you. 1t will be found to embody
It much valuable information concerning
l. our Eastern boundary, which is contin
;. uation from the Ohio to Lake Erie, of ,
C due North line, drawn from the Western
l. termination of Mason's and Dixon's lin,
c between Pennsylvania and Virginia. /
); will be for the Legislature to determin,
d what compensation, if any, shall be mad
> to the late State Librarian for this specia
rs service.
v. The Report of the Board Of Publ
&c Works will advise you in respect to th
n management Of the important public con
c. Germs committed to their charge, TIL
k usual drouth of the past season has great
n y hindered the navigation of the Canals
of in consequence Of which the gross rev,
tn nues have been reduced from $458,S
'c, SO in 1S54-5, to 1927, 1913 90 in lS25.(
Of Much the greater portion Of this diminr
ed ton appears in the receipts of the Milan
he aud Erie ''anal, the reasons of which al
by fully stated by the Board. The nett r.
We suit for 1866, is as follows as
M Nett Receipts AZ returned to 9s VI
+. the Auditor Of Stats....... S3SS,l63
W Dhbui sempnts for Rep rpg, Ntr' i
,6 supeTintendenre, 6c........ $i0l ,49S 90
Estimated amt. paid. but MT
'nJ pr pery charEea 10 this yr. s5,635 SO
mr. Making current expenses for
- 1866. .."........"....... $22o,60A
rat Showing Surplus of orlecelptS e5t
II over Current Expenditures $62,7o9
~. 1t is the opinion Of the Board ths
|ho notwithstanding the unsavonhle resul
,or ~ of the past year, the Canals cannot ia
me- me- under system Of energetic and econ
90 90 mical management, to yield . very co
md siderable nett revenue to the State.
niu respectfully commend their reasons
;la. support Of this opinion, and the sevel
nlv Suggestions of their Report, to your fay'
ajs able consideration. a''
Tho Report Of the Directors Of I
INV Penitentiary presents a clear account
suf. the condition Of that Institution. II
Ioro gratifying to find that the working Of
,icb Act Of April 8, 1855, concerning
any penitentiary, has fulfilled, In most 7
,ase poets, your judicious and benevolent
I'll tentions. Some notifications ara suon