The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-15
Governors Message.
FellO,O.citissns Of he Senais


the first session OF the General Assembly
in the New State House.
In simplicity of Design, in harmony OF
Proportions and in massive solidity Of Slruc.
ture, it stands, and may Il long stand, mon.
ument and symbol Of the clear Faith, the
we'll ordered Institutions, and the enduring
Greatness the People whose House II is.
The year which has just closed, has been
marked by the steady advance ofthe great
State, whose interests, for the present, have
been cohfded to our care, in all the ele.
ments OF wealth, honor and power.
The returns Of Agriculture, though less
abundant than in some more favored years,
have yet been sufficient to supply sbundant-
ly our wants at home, and to furnish large
furplus for expectation. The products Of
Manufacturing Industry have been steadily
and greatly augmented. The transactions
Of Commerce have multiplied in number and
increased in importance. Vast mineral
treasures, hitherto comparatively inaccessl.
BILE, have been brought by the extension Of
Railroads, within the easy reach of enter
prise, and made tributary to the general
progress. a
While the development and enlargement
of our material resources have been ensured
by these aud similar agencies, other instru-
mentalities have been actively employed in
the promotion Of the moral and intellectual
welfare OF the people. Public order and pri.
Sate rights have been maintained by an en-.
lightened and impartial administration of
Justice. Institutions Of Education have
diffuscd, among the masses, the power Of
knowledge; Institutions of Benevolence
have ministered to the children of sorrow,
the wise and noble charity Of the State; In.
situations OF Religion, sustained by the vol
untary contributions and rcady symputhies
of the people, ond made efficient by the self.
denying labors Of teachers and ministers,
lave lent their powerful support to public
virtue nnd order, while they hive enforced
the obligations of private duty, and cherish
ed the aspirations Of individual faith.
Nor are these the only benefits which de.
mand our grateful acknowledgements -
Peace is the opportunity of progress, and
peace, unbroken, has prevailed throug hout
our borders, The Pestience which, in for,
mer years, invaded aud desolGted SO many
homes, has not been permitted to approach
us. Health, in unusual measure has cheered
our homes and.animated our abors.
From this pleasing survey, it is my duty
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 authors
ties, contaiUs 30,964 square miles, or % ,576,
900 acres. A little more than half century
ago, not an acre had been cleared for cult
valion, or even reduced to private owner
ship. -
The Federal Government asserted an tx
elusive proprietary title in the whole, except
that portion included in the Connecticut Re
serve. The hardy pioneers, who pushed
forward into the wilderness, were compelled
TO buy OF the Government, or its grantees,
the very soil Which they subdued. The
whole burden Of contributions for the support
of the State and its institutions, was cast
upon the land thus purchased. The land of
the Government WIS wholly exempt; and
the contributions of the Government, by
grants OF land in aid of public improvements,
were insignificant in comparison with the
enhanced value Of the ungranted lands. "a
Notwithstanding these serious disadvan
. tages, the process Of purchase and settle.
ment has gone steadily forward until more
ihon twelve millions of acres, occupied for
agricultural purposes, and nearly thirteen
millions more, cassed as uEcu!tvated, have
become private property, and contribute to
the public revenue. s7 H tt f"F'
When, in 1902, Ohio becume a State in
the American Union, every other of the
seventeen members OF the confederacy was
more populous and,better cultivated, and six
had larger areas. Now, although the nam
Der of the States has increased to thirty-one,
of which nineteen are larger than Ohio, not
one surpasses her in the extent and variety
other agricultural products. aa
"A general outline of the gradual conver-
sion O. public into private ownership, will
reward attention. aae
Prior to 1903 the returns of lands he Id by
individual proprietors are meagfe and unsat-
isfactory. In 1910, the number of acres
thus owned was 9,953,l0l. In 1920 this
quantity had increased to l3,3l9,043 acres;
ia 1880, estimating the quantity for two
counties sfrom which there were no returns,
TO 1914 so ,6S2 acres; in ls4o, estimating for
one county, to- 1870 28l acres; in 1850
to 23,9Sl, $50 acres; and in 1855 to 25220,-
OS3 acres. These quantities hre exclusive
OF Town and City lots. Nearly all, the land
in the State, it will be observed, has thus
become private property and subject to tax
alton. g1' al.
The facts disclosed by these returns sug.
pest question of the correctness OF the
Federal estimate of the area of the State
The difference between the returns of lands
forl855, and the entire area as computed at
Washington, is only 256,877 acres. 1t can
hardly be doubted that a larger quantity than
This is included within the limits OF the fiji.
;een hundred citiessqnd towns enumerated in
the Equaizatiun Report for 1858, and in
the cxemptions from taxation allowed by
law. There remained moreover on the 30th
of June last, according to the. statement OF
the Commissioner .! the General Land OF.
fee, which 1 herewith transmit, and to which
/ shall hereafter have occasion to refer. 49,.
b5s acres Of public land undispQsed Of with
in the State These facts render 1t highly
probable that the true area Of the State ex-
ceeds the estimate hitherto received Rs COR
rect. y ta'2t y,,g
However this may be. the gratifying fact
a certain that tederol ownership in Ohio
anproaches its termination, and that the
drafts upoi, her resources for the purchase Of
the soil have nearly Sceased. Henceforth,
the unembarrassed energies OF her people
NAV be directed to the fullest possible degel
opinent Of all her resources.
The General Assembly will cheerfully re-
cornize the dutyiof extending tosthe great