The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-15

and energy with which the lnbors Of The
iarm are executed, and in the increased pro
! duction with which they are rewsrded ~.
respectfully submit TO your considera
ton the propriety of increasing the fund:
set apart for appropriation by the State
Board and County Societies to Premiums
for excellence in production and manage
ment, and Of making such other provision
Tor the increase and diffusion Of agricultural
knowledge as your own experience and OBJ
servation suggest. -s- 'r Z 81 fre.a-sts.
The proportion of our population and o
our means engaged in Mining, Mechanica
and Manufacturing Industry, is steadily anC
largely increasing. These pursuits of In
dustry supply,s great market, constantly be
coming greater, for the productions OF fagricul
ture. Care should be taken that the iinan.
cial burdens of the State be not permitted tc
press, in disproportioned measure, upor
! them. l- r+. ..r..r.. ,.-'.f
| have already referred TO the growing ex
tent and Importance of our Commerce. Nc
inconsiderable amount OF Revenue is colec.
ted by the General Government, from duties
upon the direct importations of our mer.
chants from foreign countries. The Treaty
Of Reciprocity with Canada has enlarged
the field and stimulated the activity of mer
camille enterprise, especially in the northern
part Of the State. And the great interchange
OF commodities with our sister States and
between different parts ofuur ou Common
wealth, give continual employment to large
resources and active energies. Wise lcgis.
lation is never employed in arresting the
development or in cramping the activity OF
commercial intercourse. t.,.-.- ... ..-'
Among the instrumeutalities by means of
which intercourse is carried on between
different parts of the STATE and different
sections ofthe country, Railroads may now
be regarded as the most important. The
rapidity and ease of transit by rail gives to
that mode of conveyance a decided prefer
ence over every other; and the enumber who
commit their lives and property to the skill
and fidelity OF Railroad conductors and 9TH
er employees, already vast, becomes, hourly,
greater. The number Of miles of Railroad
in actual operation in this State in 1855,
according to statement made by the late
Secretary OF State, was 2593. The present
number is about two thousand eight hundred
These Railroads have cost ibout ninety mil
sengers are annually carried upon them; and
their gross receipts are not less than six
millions of dollars year. 1t is doubtless
within bounds to estimate the probable in
crease ior the next ten years, in extent, cost,
transport ton and income, mt one quarter the
present amounts This vast interest affect
ing vitally so many other interests, has
grown suddenly to its present dimensions,
without system, without general organizr-
ton, and in some important respects, without
due responsibility. The benefits of Rail
roads are such, and their safety and pros
perity are so identified with the safety and
prosperity of the people, that no proper
protection or support should be withheld
from them; while the dangers from misman.
agement are so great that no reasonable
precaution against it should be omitted
| respectfully recommend, therefore, the
organization OF u Board of Railroad Commits
sioners, with power to exercise general
supervision over the construction and oper-
alton OF the several roads, and required to
report from time TO time to the Governor,
for the information of the General Assembly,
n full statement of their condition and man.
agement. cannot doubt that the salutary
influence of such legislation would be
speedily manifested in the increased value Of
the roads, and the greater security of travel.
ers and freighters. #sa AZ ar#.a.
A sound currency and secure exchanges
are not less important to the intercourse of
society than safe means oil transportation
In almost all, and perhaps, in all civilized
communities, the currency is composed Of
coin and of circulating notes, convertible
into coin, supplied either directly by the
Government, or by Banks, organized under
its authority. In this State the powers,
functions, duties and liabilities OF Banks have
been defined by law; sometimes by special
laws under the names of charters, and some
times by general laws, amendable and re-
pealrble ut the pleasure of the Legislature.
Whatever difference OF opinion may exist
upon the abstract questions relative to mix
ed currency, none, apprehend, will be
found among PRACTICAL men in regard to the
certainty that such currency will continue,
for an indefinite period, to constitute the ac-
tual medium Of purchase and sale, in this as
well as in every other State OF the Confed'
eracy. Certainly, no power, less ample than
that of the Federal Government, is compe-
tent to the etfec,ual exclusion OF such notes
from circulation as money; and no present
indication suggests any probability that that
power will be; exercised for that purpose.
While opinion, upon this point, thus ap'
proaches unanimity, the public Judgment, in
this State, remains divided upon the question,
whether the franchise otbanking shculd be
limited to defined number of institutions.
or extended to all who are willing to give
the required securities and guarantees against
abuse. Ihavc, upon a former occasion, ex-
pressed my preference for the most liberal
extension of the franchise, with such restric.
tons up0nits exercise as will eleetually pro-
tect the community against mere paper
money currency.
The act to incorporate the Bank of Ohio,
and other Banks, passed April IL, 1856, and
submitted to the people in conformity with
the provisions of the Constitution, on the
second Tuesday Of October last, not having
been approved by a majority OF all the cleo
tors voting at that election, has failed to be-
come a law. More recently the Supreme
Court OF, the State has unanimously decided
that the actto apthorize free banking, passed
March 81, 1851, but supposed by some to
have been abrogated by the new Constitu
ton, remains in full force, unaffected by any
PROVISION OF that instrument. submit t.
your better judgment whether sound policy
does pot suggest the expediency ,of obsery.
ing the practical operation of this act, ant
Of SO amending it from time to time, as may
be necessary to protect and secure the in.
terests Of the community, without invoking
the decision Of fshe people upon new bank