Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-01-14
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
: TO THE
RIFTY-SEC0ND GENIAL ASSEMBLY OF OHIO
AT The Adjourned SESSION. commencing Jan. s 50.
Fsllow Citizens Of ,he Seaots.

Fsllow Citizens Of fhe Sen0ts.
and Of the House Of Representatives.:
welcome you. with great pleasure.
to the FIRST session Of the General Assem-
bly, in the New State House.
In simplicity of Design. in harmony
of Proportions, and in massive soIidi'y
Of structure. it stands. and may it long
stand, monument and a symbol of the
dear Faith. the well ordered Institutions,
and the enduring Greatness of the Peo-
pie whose House it is.
The year which has Just closed. has
been marked by the steady advance of
the great State. whose interests. for the
present, have been con6ded to our care.
in all the clements OF wealth, honor and
power.
The returns of Agriculture, though
less abundant than in some more favored
years, have yet been sufficient TO supply
abundantly our wants at home. and To
furnish large surplus for exporiaiion-
The products Of Manuiaciurin Industry
have been steadily and greatly aug
uen.ed The transactions oi Commerce
have multiplied ia number and increased
in importance Vast mineral treasures.
hitherto comparatively inaccessible,
have been brought by the extension Of
Railroads, within The easy resch cI en-
terprise and N ade tributary to the g"re-
raj progress.
While the development and enlarge
ment oe our m iteIial resources have been
ensured by lhese and siniiar agencies.
so.her inslrumentaliiies have been active
ly employed in the promo ion IF the
moral AMI intellectual welfare of the
peopie. Public order and private iigh's
have been MAINTAINED by our e. lish.ened
ard impartial administration OF Justice
q Institutions of EIucatior have diifus-d
au,cng the masses the poser Of Kl0wl-
edge Institutions OF n.-vol, nee have
miuistered TO the children OF sorrow the
wise and noble charity of the State; In
stituiians of Reii !sion. sustained by the
voluntary contributions and ready SYM
paih.es of Tire people, and m sde efficient
by the self denying labbrs of teachers
and ministers, have lent their powerful
support 10 public virtue and order. while
ey have enforced the obligations of
private duty. and cherished the aSpira-
tions Of individual faith
Nor are these The only benefits which
demand our grateful acknowled gmenis
Peace is the opporiunity of progress. aud
peace. unbrUken. has prevailed TIN lough
out our borders The Peslilence. which,
in former years, invaded and deSolaIed
so many homes, has not been permitted
TO approach Us. Hralth, in unusual
measures, has cheeled our homes and
animated our la5ors.
From this pleasin, survey. it is my
duty 10 proceed TO more detailed ex
position of the condition of the State.
The primary interests Of Ohio connect
themselves closely with the ownership
and cultivation of the soil.
The whole area of the State. according
to the computations of the Federal au.
thoriti-s. contains 49, .964 square miles.
or a5 SIG. 26O acres. A little more than
half a century ago not an acre of this
area had been cleared for cultivation or
even reduced to private owner-hip.
The Federal Government asserted an
exclusive proprietary lille in the whole.
eIcepi that portion included in the Cor
necticul Reservation The hardy pio-
neers, who pushed forward into the viii
derness. were compelled to buy OF the
Government or its grantees the very soil
which they subdued. The whole bur-
: then of contributions for the support Of
the State and It's institutions. was cast
upon the land thus purchased. The
land of the Government was wholly ex
empt; and the contributors of the Gov
eminent by grants of land in aid If pub
lie Improvements were in>i igni6cant in
comparison with the enhanced value of
The ungranted lands.
Notwithstanding these serious disad-
vantages the process of purchase and
settlement has gone steadily forward
until mole than twelve millions of acres,
occupied fer agricultural purposes, and
nearly thirteen millions more, classed
ss uncultiyaied, have become private
property, and contribute 10 the public
revenue.
When, in 1902. Ohio became State
in the American Union. every other of
the seventeen members of the confede-
racy was more pOpulous and better cul
tivated. and six had larger areas. Now,
although the number of the States has
increased 10 thirty -one. of which nineteen
are larger than Ohio, not one surpasses
her in the extent and variety of her az.
ricuItursl products.
- general outline Of the gradual con-
version of public into private ownership.
will reward attention.
80 Prior to 1893, the returns OF lands held
by individual proprietors are meagre and