Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-01-15

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the education of the. people. No per
sons better deserve the, esteem and sun
port of1the State and the people than the
teachers of youth, No essential
modi6cationssef the present school law
are, IN my Judgment, demanded by the
general sentiment. except such as will
increase its efficiency without augment
ing it's There is. however. a
prevailing opinion, that, under present
circumstances, Township Libraries may
be substituted with advantage for Dis
trict Libraries; and I would further sug-
gest- that the library at each. county seal
.ek<dldHbe made County Library, and
supplied as far as possible with the pub
lished documents of the. State and Ma
tionala Governments. For the supply Of
the State Documents you can make the
necessary provisions; a little attention
on the part of Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress will insure a full sup
ply of National Documents.
The beneficial results of the act re-
quiring the public reports to be made to
the Governor, and printed in advance
of the meeting of the Legislature, sug-
gests a further application of the same
principle. The Constitution requires
the Governor to- communicate to the
General Assembly at every session, the
condition ofthe State, and to recommend
such measures as he may deem expedi-
emit Itaiso requires him tosee that the
laws are faithfully executed. To ena-
bic him the better to fulfill this %injunc-
tion,h he is. authorized to require infor-
nation in writing from the officers of
the Executive Department upon any
subject connected with the duties of their
respective Offices. Would it not be we'll
in order to- give more complete effect to
these4eonstitutional provisions, to re-
quire the Boards and officers in charge
of the different departments of the pub
lie service to report their transactions
and conditions quarterly to the Cover
nop2 Such an enactment would con
centrate in the executive Office full infor-
nation, accessible to the people, con-
cerning the public interests, while it
would enable the Governor to fulfill his
constitutional obligations with more sat
isfaction to himself and with more ad-
vantage to the State. 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 some semi-annually.
It would conduee greatly to the intro
duction of order and responsibility into
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 en-
bracing all the transactions of the fiscal
year, and the other reports only those
ofthe preceding quarter.
Permit me now to invite your atten-
ton to afew topics intimately connect
ed with the public welfare, but not dis
cussed in any of these reports.
The state of the law in relation to
Married Women deserve your consider
alton. Our legislation is already hon.
orably distinguished by its provisions in
that behalf; but much remains to be
done. Many of the beneicient provi-
sions of the civil law might be transfer
red, with benefit, to our code. 1t is diff
ficult to perceive any reason why a wife,
allowed to sue separately from her hus-
band should be allowed to sue in the
nance of her next friend. Instances not
unfrequently occur of gross oppression
through the absolote control given to
the husband over personal estate, and
particularly V household goods.
can perceive no valid reason why the
wife may not be allowed a property in
personality, and especially in goods per
tanning to the house, and protected il
the possession by sufficient and summary
remedies. These are but samples of the
needed reforms in this direction. ]
commend the whole subject to your bes'
reflections.
Defects in the laws regulating prac
tees in criminal cases often give rise t.
serious embarrassments in the admins
tration of justice, and occasion great ex-
pense and inconvenience to the countie:
Immediately concerned. 1 suggest tn,
expediency of revising and codifyins
those laws.
The ~inadequacy of judicial compensa
ton is much complained of. High sal
aries are inconsistent with the true idei
of a republican government; but fai
rewardsfor skilled labor are'due for pub
lie as well as for private service. Per
haps the best test of proper compensa-
ton is the disposition of thoroughly
competent persons to take and hold of
fee at the compensation allowed. Triet
by this test it must be admitted that tn,
salaraies of Supreme Judges, and, il
some parts of the State, of Common
Pleas Judges, are insufficient. Learne'
and able Judges of the Supreme Cour
have resigned their places because una
Bile to serve for the compensation allow
ed; and in some of the counties it is i'm
possible to induce men of large expert
ence, learning and requirement to accep
Judicial positions. In considering thi
subject, it may be well to remember tina
the whole amount of the salaries of al
the Judges of. the Supreme Court ant
Common Pleas Courts is less than tn
annuaIeost of the three Lunatic Asy
lums/ &-t
Clleged abuses Of the elective fran
chise will probably claim your attention
The right. of suffrage is sacred. 1t is tn
right to vote which makes the citizen
sovereign. II, is-the right which of al
nolitical rights is to be most scrupulous