The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-01-15
GovERNoR,s MESSAGE.
and RAnreaenfatia,ns.

cen0tOVS HTsU ftcWeSeWt0tSVCS'
You are summoned, by the sui
frages of your fellow citizens, to tn
important duties of legislation, at
period of peculiar interest botH Il
State and National affairs.
The year just closed, has feel
strongly marked by prosperous anc
adverse circumstances. '..
nrrRosPECr.
Abundant harvests have fulfilled
the farmers hopes; almost upbroker
health has blessed our homes, and
animated our activities; Industry, in
every vocation, has successfully pur
sued its legitimate objects; Educa.
tiou, with steadily enlargiDg aims,
and powers constantly augmenting,
has prepared the youth for the duties
and responsibilities of citizenship ;
and Religion, unembarrassed by the
interference of the State with the
domsin of conscience, has fulfilled
it's holy mission of instruction in the
duties Of the life which now is, and
preparation for tho awards of tha,
which is to come. In short, no year
since the organization of the State
Government, has been more conspic-
uously distinguished by substantial
increase in all the elements OF real
wealth, permanent power, and true
greatness.
And yet, this year, so distinguished
by these circumstances Of prosperity,
has been marked, hardly less con.
spicuously, by the evils Of disordered
currency, prostrate credit, and i'm
paired fortunes. -.
Tho financial embarrsssments
which have affected the citizens Of
Ohio, In common with those Of the
whole country, have been augmented
in this State, by special and peculiar
causes. The criminal misconduct Of
q former State Treasury resulting in
a defalcation Of over half q million
of dollars, concealed from the people
by the false statements and repre-.
hensible contrivances of himself and
his successor in Office, deprived the
Treasury, at critical moment, ,ofthe
proper means of paying the interest
on the public debt, and of meeting
the ordinary demands of the public
service; while the failure Of a great
moneyed corporation, intimately con.
nected with the business interests OF
the community, suddenly discloses
the alarming fact, that a vast proper
ton of all the Immediately available
resources Of very many of the banks
Of the State, had been distracted by
the fraud of it's cashier in New York,
and converted into means for post.
poning, if not averting it's fall.
STATE CREDIT UNTMPAIRED.
1t is a most gratifying fact. and it
vel! illustrates the energetic good
faith which 80 honorably distin-
guishes the people of Ohio, that, not.
w..thstanding these embarrassing cir
cumstances, every obligation OF the
State has been punctually fulfilled,
and her banking institutions, with
very few temporary exceptions. have
performed their entire duty OF specie
payments, without evasion and with.
out delay.
The disorders and embarrassments
ofthe present time thus mnnfully en-.
must soon pass away
They may check for a moment but
canno. arrest the advancement OF the
State. Our fertile soil, our produc.
tive mines, and our varied industry, =
will evvu ivdi,ss P.~"..'. - ------
fences, and revive, in full measure,
our financial prosperity.
ouR INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES.
That you may clearly see the foun'
dations of this anticipation, permit
me to direct your attentitn II to q oriei
review of our industrial condition,
which will be more fully exhibited
by the reports Of the Commissioner
Of Statistics. and the State Board OF
Agriculture. ,.,
Ofthe 25, ,576, 900 acres which con
stitute the area of the State, accord
ing to the Federal computation, no
portion worth consideration, can be
classed as absolutely uncultivable.-
Only 10, 600, 900 acres, however, are
actually cultivated, and fthese, only
about /, 900, 900 acres by the plow'
while more than 5000, 900 yet re.
main to be brought under contribu'
tion to our power and wealth.
This whole area, with a trifiingI
exception, is reduced to individual
.ownership, and is divided among
about 270, 900 proprietors, excluding
the owners Of town lots. The average
quantity OF land held by each pro
prietcr, is estimated at about ninety
acres.
This division of the land into
small properties, promotes improve
,ment in methods Of culture, ,augments
production, insures individual inde'
pendence, and contributes largely to
the security Of public freedom. Eve
nv tendency in the opposite direc-
tion should be watchfully observed,
and wisely checked.
The value Of these properties as
assessed for taxation, is $435, ,oO2-
655, and that of town lots and chat
ties is, $413, ,626 ,426-making an
aggregate OF $Sl9,329,0s1. The
real value largely exceeds Vi ,Ooo'
100000.
POPULATION NEAR TWO AND A HALF
MILLIONS.
III o.oaapt pnpu ulatiOn of the State