The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-01-14

nearly eXhausted; others we're never pro- {
luctive, and thereceipts from Others are in t
he nature Of loans rather than of in
come. & Il
Only about forty thousand acres ofland
in Ohio yet remain the property of the I
General Government, Very little more
can be expected therefore, from this States
three per cent. proportion of their sales.
Not much land belonging to the State re-
mains unsold The amount of surplus
Revenue unpaid by Counties, is reduced to
$206,349.77. The proceeds of convict
labor are absorbed in the supportof the
Penitentiary, and avail nothing to the
General Revenue. And the proceeds of
the School and Ministerial lands as they
accrue, 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 >tate Government, of the
Public Institutions, and for the payment
of the State Debt our main reliance must
hereafter be upon the contributions of the
people in the form of taxes. They re-
quire US to husband every remaining re-
source, and demand the strictest economy
in every department of expenditure.
No means exist of ascertaining the
quantity of lands remaining unsold, wheth-
er belonging to the State, or hsld in trust.
l recommend the provision of such means.
suggest, also, the expediency of such
| legislation as will expedite and ensure the
reimbursement to the State of the unpaid
balances of surplus revenue yet remain
| ing 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-
ceeds of all sales, past or future, should
be paid to the State, to be 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 ac-
counted for the States proportion OF
lands sold since the compact, and sold
for money. In my Judgment, the spirit,
| if not 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 quarter an acre, o
all lands granted for military services, o.
1 granted or reserved to individuals, com
panies and corporations for their own us
e and benefit. The quantity of such lands
r according to the Commissioners state
+ ment, herewith transmitted, is 1O,642,5 ,54t
S acres. A large sum, therefore, if m
, view of the matter is correct, is due t
t the State from the General Government
: and it is worthy of your consderatio
: whether some measures should not b
n adopted to secure the recognition and pay
: ment of this claim. Its equity is tn
X more apparent when it is considered tina
i of all the land States Ohio has been tn
IS least liberally dealt with by the Genera
It Government. Every other of these State
: has received much larger grants in aid c
Il public improvements than Ohio. Nearl
e every other, instead of three per cent. c
the proceeds of sales has received five
y Minnesota, and all the new tcrritorie:
Is instead Of one section in each townshi
e for the use of schools, received two. Obi
s. does not complain of this libcralty t
=, other States and Territories. BY he
e Senators and Representatives she ha
s. sanctioned it. She only demands justic
Of for herself.
9 The Report of the Directors of tn
le Penitentiary presents clear account {
IT the condition of that Institution. 1t
B. gratifying to find that the working of tn
N act of April 8, 1856, concerning the Per
le itentiary, has fulfilled, in most respect
}. your judicious and benevolent intentions
a. Some notifications are suggested by tn
D. Directors which deserve attention: VI
in rious other suggestions of this Repol
l. will doubtless attract your notice, an
+, especially those which relate to the AZ
5, counts, Receipts and Revenue, and to tl
le impolicy of employing convicts upon th
it New State House. or otherwise outsid
l. of the Penitentiary walls.
of In pursuance of the Statutory prov
,e sions in relation to insane convictS, in tn
20 absence of any proper accommodation
g for such persons within the Penitentiar.
l. I have suspended the sentences of 81
Iy prisoners, ascertained, upon inquiry, to b
of insane, and have directed their transfer
s. the Asylums of the Districts within whic
lie they were respectively convicted.
er For the annual history of the Lunati
al Asylums and of the Asylums for the De;
d, and Dumb, and for the Blind, and for a
: account of their condition at the close {
le the year, l refer you to the reports of tn
D. several Boards of Trustees entrusted wit
IS their management. These Reports wi
of be found to contain many very interestin
is facts. and many judicious and importan
v practical views | do not doubt that 20
E. will cheerfully respond to the proper de
mands of these Institutions, to the fu
~ extent permitted by just regard to tn
!! financial condition of the State, and
70 other equal claims upon the Treasury.
70 is gratifying to observe that the expense
of each Institution dnring the year, hav
H.