The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-01-12

sums invested in them; their extent and
their magnitude; their business relations.
and the large revenues collected and dis
bursed in their administration, justify the
solicitude always felt by the people con-
cernins their condition and management
The Constitution confdes their superin-
tendance and control to Board of three
members; and to secure the constant ad-
vantage of judgment improved by expert
ence, through the constant presence of
some members who have served for con-
siderable periods, assigns three years as
their term of Office, and requires the elec-
tion of one member each year. The au-
thority, entrusted to the General Assem-
bly,, to prescribe the powers and duties of
the Board and its several members must, |
in my judgement, be limited necessarily
by its nature and object. So limited, it is |
an authority to prescribe the powers and
duties of the Board in general superinten-
dence and control, and not an authority
to divest the Board of these Constitution
al functions, it is an authority to pres
cribe the powers and duties of it's several
members in subordination to the Board,
and not an authority to constitute each
member an independent Board, in sepa-
rate and substantially uncontrolled charge
of the whole or part of the Public Works.
If not SO limited, the authority Of the Gen.
eral Assembly over the Public Works is
clearly unlimited. 1t may restrict the
superintendent of the Board TO the
Walhonding Canal with its Insignificant
revenue Of seven or eight hundred dollars
year, and give to some one member the
, entire management of the rest 1t may
r abrogate the Constitutional Board of
three members, and substitute three Leg
islative Boards of one member, giving in
charge 10 each just as much and jnst as
! little of this great and important property
as it may see fit. | cannot think that
+ such construction of the Constitution
can command itself to your Judgment, and
= l therefore venture to rccOmmeud the
e reconsideration of those provisions of the
= act of the last session which divide the
r Public Works into three sections, and,
e excluding virtually all superintendent o:
# the Board, commit each section in APP
d pointmcnt Of officers, disbursement OF
|, moneys, and general management, 10 q
: single member. :.
In this connection, the system of re-
e pairs and payments on those works should
= receive consideration. Under the act OF
h the last session, the member in charge oi
@ each section, appoints the Engineers
n assigned to it. These Engineers certify
l. claims for work and materials to the mem.
Der in charge, upon these certificates
- draws his check on the Auditor for pay
IF ment; and the Auditor is required, with
y out further evidence of tie claim, to issue
his warrant for the amount upon lht
;, Treasurer. No fact has come to my
= knowledge exciting suspicion that thi
=, large discretion in the expenditure of tht
is large sums appropriated for the Publi,
:, Works has been abused, but it is certain
"a ly worthy of consideration whether tn
=, principle of checks and limitations upol
.Ir disbursements which has been applied il
nc other departments of expenditure ma
ot cot be properly introduced into this.
$. The extraordinary floods of last sum
r. mer were attended by disastrous conse
n queEces to the canals. So Numerous an
lis extensive were the injuries to the souther
t. portion Of the Ohio Canal and on tn
n Hooking Canal that it was impossible t
a. nuke the repairs necessary to navigation
and consequently to revenue, without cor
ia siderable expenditure beyond the sum
m appropriated to that purpose In thi
b. emergency l did not hesitate to advis
ri quired, prompt repairs and payment Q
,e. far as the money could be spared froi
.al the Treasury, by drafts in excess of th
,r. appropriations. l do not doubt you
Ii. approval of what was then done, or tb;
ch provision will promptly be made for I'll
of drafts drawn in this emergency; but I
TO- guard against the recurrence of simils
,m exigcncies, Recommend that contil
in gent fund be provided by law, from whic
ar expenses made indispensably necessary
IN, unforeseen contingencies of this characte
ed may be regularly paid.
The expenditures on the Public Worl
to have, daring the past year, again exceet
I'm ed the revenues, and the question of the
ed future disposition must necessarily d
nd mand your attention My own views u
zee on this subject have been sufficiently state
he in former communications The polio
IN of sale in proper sections, for adequa
nd prices, under such guards and restriction
rs as will ensure the con ntinued use of Il
at canals for the purposes they were desig
BILE ed to serve, and exclude the control
M the interests now competing with the
will probably best fulfill the wishes of
nd majority of the people. Neither publ
ion sentiment, however, nor sound policy re
are ommend sale for less than their re
,g- value, nor measured by one or two yea
ofdisas;er, but ascertained by thi rough e
yn- animation of all the determining circur
gs. stances, or without such limitations
nts will ensure, beyond any probable CO
na- tipgency, the ends of their construction
lri- The agricultural progress of the Sta