Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-01-15

- AEN
handed. ofthe sum Of $50. COO from the sink
Ina And 10 he general rstsnus: sad the act
.sssk Of Apdl N, 1855. authorised similar transfsn
- The smOuas Of s554. SOC 81. Under ibis
hats ass transfers hsys been made oths Gensr-
al revenue aud TO The canal fund ts The amsuntl
lofS1eO. 600. The natural consequence ofAa
Legislation and fhis practices, has been the alb
sorpdOn Of the sinking fund balances in the
general expenditures. Thus, according 10 The
report Of the late Auditor. Jssrs was. on the
l5lh November, 1856. an apparent balance 10
~ the credit osihs sinking fund Of 1851. 400 O6.
Bat il must be observed that this balance con-
r stitu,sd part Of the general bsIsnee Of s7o3,'
$40 o., said by The Auditor tObs "WEit-
4, ing legislative appropriation. /" to the discharge
Of Temporary Ousl'uding liabilities" and "tO
the necessary expenditures Of 1866. Il
have already shown that the payment Of the
debts ofI854-5, incurred for current sspenses.
more han absorbed az that was washable Of
e. t, this reputsd balance. In like manner the
-p' present Auditor reports a general balance to
the credit Of the sinking fund, on the 18th Of
November, 1856, OF s48l TAG 06; while the
same officer reports the general total balance
on that day, including the sinking fund bal
ancv, a. $40. SGT so. of which only the sum Of
S50.96O So WAS then aVailtbls; and this svm
constituted The only fund for the payment Of
go current demands Of sserY description upon the
Treasury.
.s In view Of these things l think il my duty
to recommend the levy of a sufficient rate upon
~ E the grand lst to rIStsrs to the sinking fund
" + the sums which have been transferred from il
OF in any way devoted to other uses, and to
increase il to the full extent Of the constitution,
~ al requirement. Aud l also recommend such
tu g legislation as will insure the future reservation
of the entire fund from every use except tina
of paying the and principal Of the pub
lie. debt and the safe Investment Of that par
.yss speedily applicable 20 the reduction Of tn
principal. until wanted for that purpose.
osN asn , The chief sources of cur public income ar
aa.s' the grand lsViss; charter taxes Of banks; pro
80 ,Oseds Of public works, collections Of surplu
revenue loaned 10 counties; sales Of school an,
ministerial lands held in trust; sales Of landI
SoAi granted to the StAte in aid Of improvement,
&c and otherwise acquired; dividends Of stocks
s-asa convict labor; payments by the General Gov
r eTRnsnt on account Of the three per cent fund
tus . and licences and auction duties.
Some Of these sources of revenue ars uearl
sa exhausted; others were nsvsr productive, an
the recsipIS from others are in the nature c
lOans rather than OF income
Only abSuI forty thousand acres OF land il
1 Ohio jet reHsin the properly Of tho Genera
G0YsrAmsnt. Very little more can be sXpecteC
t~hsrS(ore, from tho States three per cent
proportion Of their sales. not much land be
longing TO the State remains unsold. The a
mount Of surplus Revenue unpaid by Countie
q reduced to Ss06 $40, n. The proceeds Q
Es convict labor are absorbed in the support q
aas the. Penisntisry, and avail nothing to tn
General Revenue. AAd the proceeds OF Oh
School and Ministerial lands as they accrue
become part Of the Irreducible debt upon wLicI
The State iS bouhd to pay six per cent. inlsres
: TO the use for which they we're granted,
These facts admonish us that for the sxpen
WI ses of he State Government, of the Public In
s- situations and for the payment o the State Deb
,ssd our main reliance must hereafter be upon thI
,s'ls contributionS Of The people in the shape Of tax
,!ss. heyTequire ,us to husband every remain
- tsa ing resource, and demand the strictest econo
..tg my in every department of expenditure.
No means exist Of Ascertaining the quantit,
Il. of lands remaining uAsold. whether belonpin,
to The State or held in trust. l rscommed th
provision Of such means.
as suggest, also, tbs txpediency of such legs
laIion as will expedite and insure the REIN
burSeDent TO the State of tina unpaid balance
of surplus revenue y~stremaiuing with the coun
Ties.
''f+ q When Ohio came into The Union, she rclin
5fr ,qui.hsd The right to tax The lands cfths Unitsc
.astst States within her limits. in consideration, a
is,.a mODg other things, that notlsss than three pei
-aF cent, Of the proceeds sf all sales, past or futur,
should be paid 10 the State to be applied in lay
ai % ng ont roads. This is the origin Of what il
known a. the three per cent fund. The gsner
al Government has only accounted for tn,
States proportion Of lands sold since the com
sftss pact and sold for money. In my judgement
eA the spirit, Il not The lsttsr of the compact, en-.
tIs titles the State to the same proportion Of the
p sum which would have been produced by ,hs
sale. at not less than The minimum rate Of
iN7 ldsllsr and a quarter an acre. OF all lands grant
ed Tor military services, or granted or reserved
~ 70 individuals, companies. and corporations fol
their own use and bens6t. The quantity O
! sueh lands, according to the Commissioner,
statement. herewith transmitted, is 1852, sac
se' acres. A large Ium. therefore, Il nv Wow q