Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-01-14
Governors Message.
Senator'S and Reprssehtaliuss:

Senator's and Representatives.:
You are summoned, by the sufrages Of
your fellow citizens, to the important duties
Of legislation. at a period Of peculiar inter-
est 10th in State and National affairs.
The year just closed has been strongly
marked by prosperous and adverse circum.
stances.
Abundant haryests have fulfilled the
farmers hopes; almost unbroken health
has blessed our homes and animated our
activities; Industry. in every vocation, has
successfully pursued its legitimate objects;
Education, with steadily enarging aims,
and powers constantly augmenting, bas
prepared the youth for the duties and res
possibilities Of citizenship; aud Religion,
unembarrassed by the interference of the
State with the domain of conscience, has
fulfilled IFS holy NIX of instruction 10
the duties Of the life n Nieh now is, and Of
preparation for the awards Of that which
is to come. In short, no year since the
organization Of the State Government, has
been more couspcuously distinguished by
substantial increase in all tue elements Of
real wealth, permanent power and true
grsataess.
And yet, this year, so distinguished by
these circumstances Of prosperity, has been
marked, hardly less conspicuousy, by the
evils of disorded currency, PROSTATE credit,
aud impaired fortunes.
The financial embarrassments which
have affected the citizens of Ohio, in COM
mon with those of the whole country,haye
augmented in this State, by special and
peculiar causes. The criminal misconduct
of former State Treasurer resulting in n
defa!cqton Of over halfa million Of dollars,
concealed from the people by the false
statements and reprehensibe contrivances
of himself and his successor in Office, de-
pryed the Treasury, at critical moment,
of tue proper means ofpaying the interest
on the public debt and of meeting the or
dinary demands Of the public service;
while the failure of Il great moneyed cor
poration, intimately connected with the
business interests Of the community, sud
denly disclosed the alarming fact, that
vast proportion Of all the Immediately
available resources of very many OF the
banks of the State, had been distracted by
the fraud of its cashier in New York, and
converted into means forpostponing, il not
ayerting its fall.
1t is most gratifying fact, and it will
illustrates the energetic good faith which
so honorablv ditiOguishGs the people OF
Ohio, Notwithstanding these embarrassing
circumstances, every obligation Of the State
has been punctually fulfIled,and her bank
ing institutions, with very few temporary
exceptions, have performed their entire
duty of specie payments, without evasion
and without delay.
The disorders and embarassments OF the
present time, thus manfully encountered,
must soon pass away. They may check
fort moment, but caunot arrest the ad'
vancement Of the State. Our fertile soil,
our productive mines, aud our varied in
dustry, will soon redress present inconye-
niences, and revive, in full measure, our IL
hancial prosperity.
That you may clearly see the tounda-
ton of this anticipation, permit me to di,
rect your attention to a brief review OF
our industrial condition, which will be more
fully exhibited.by the reports of the Com
missioner of Statistics, and of the State
Board of Agriculture.
Ofthe 25,576,96O acres which constl'
tutc the area the State, according to fed
eral computation, no portion worth con-
sideration, can be c!assed as absolutely
uncultivated. Only 100000 acres,
however, are actually cultivated, and of
these, only about 5OOO,OOO acres by the
plow, while more than 100000 yet re-
main to be brought under contribution to
our power and wealth.
This whole area, with tritiing excep
tion,is reduced to ndividuafognersbip,and
is divided among about 270,00 proprie-
tors, excluding the owners of town lots
The average quantity of land held by
each proprietor, is estimated at about nine
ty acles.
This division of thu land into small
properties. promotes improvement in meth
DDS ofculture, augments production n,insurea
individual independence, and contributes
largely to the security of public freedom
Every tendency in the opposite direction
should be watchfully observed and wisely
checked.
The value of these properties as assessed
for taxation, is $435t602, 655, and that
oftown lots and chattes is S4l3.626,4%6
making an aggregate of SS40,329,O6l.
The real value largely exceeds 100000
600.
The present population of the State,up-
on the best attainable data, is estimated at
100000 persons, of whom nearly all, ex-
cept the very young and the very old, are
actively engaged in pursuits which increase
Of preserve pubic and private wealth.
The efficiency of this vast hnman erer-
gy is enhanced almost beyond computation
by the machinery SO extensively introdu-
ced into every department of industry
The agricultural machines, put in opera
tion during the last few years, do the work
of more than 100000 agricultural labor
ers, and do it quicker better. and cheaper
than they could. 1t is difficult to make
any estimate even proximately accurate,in
respect to machinery otherwise employed.
1t is reasonably computed, however, that
the steam engines nlone, now in use in
Ohio. perform labor equal in quantity to
that Of more than half million men, aud