Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-01-13

|
rule has been to refuse interposition in such
cases. 1t deserves consideration whether
the exercise of this discretion, especially
in cases of Indictment for obtaining good.
by false pretenses may not, with advantage
be regulated BY law. ai
Its with great satisfaction that 1 again
direct your attention to the State Reform
Farm. Two years since an establishment,
in this country was an untried experiment
IL is. no longer an experiment, but a sue
csss' That it is so is due, first of all, to
the prudent and yet liberal legislation Of
your predecessors and yourselves; but in
no less degree to the fidelity, discretion,
energy and enconomy which has character
ized the administration of the Acting Com.
missioner and his associates. In obtain
1 ing largo results from expenditures CON-
paratively small; in method of accounts,
and in full and clear exhibition of its work
ing and condition, this Institution may
juzlly be proposed as a model to similar
establishments. .-y ..-.s 5,.,,s l~i,e ,
The whole number of boys committed
to the Institution is forty-eight, of whom
fourteen have been honorably discharged,
and one has escaped. One hundred and
twenty can be accommodated in the three
family buildings already erected, and the
three similar buildings soon to be con-
structed will admit one hundred and twen-
ty more. The number of buildings can
be increased indefinitely as wanted at very
moderate costs but it Is not probable that
any others than those now contemplated
will be needed for several years. c.vH
1t has been suggested that the farm and
family system adohted in this Institution
may be usefully introduced in the care and
education of deaf mutes, and the sngges-
| ton merits careful consideration.
No financial interests more important
than those connected with the Public
Works demand your care. The immense
sums invested in them, their extent and
magnitude; their business relations, and
the large revenues collected and disbursed
in their administration. justify the solici-
tude always felt by the people concerning
their condition and management. The
Constitution confides their superintendent
and control TO Board of three members
and, to secure the constant advantage of
judgment improved BY experience, through
the constant presence of some members
who have served for considerable periods,
assigns three years as their term of office,
and requires the election of one member
each year. The authority, entrusted to the
General Assembly, to prescribe the pow
ers and duties of the Board and its several
members must, in my judgement, be limit
ed necessarily by its nature and Object
So limited, it is an authority to prescribe
the powers and duties of the Board in gen
eral superintendent and control, and not
an authority to divest the Board of these
Constitutional lunct ons; it is an authority
to prescribe the powers and duties of its
several members in subordination 10 the
Board, and not an authority to constitute
each member an independent Board, in
separate and substantially uncontrolled
charge of The whole or a part of the Pub
lie Works. If not SO limited, the autbori-
" Of the General Assembly over the Pub
lie Works is clearly unlimited. 1t may
restrict the superintendent of the Board
to the Walhonding Canal.wi,h its insignifi-
cant revenue of seven or eight hundred dol
lars year, and give to SOME one member
the entire management of the rest. It
may abrogate the Constitutional Board Of
three members, and substitute three Leg
islative Boards Of one member each, CIV
ing in charge to each just as much and
just as little of this great and important
property as it may see fit. | cannot think
that such a construction OF, the Constilu-
ton can commend itself to your judgment,
and therefore venture to recommend the
reconsideration of those provisions of the
last session which divide the Public Works
into three sections, and, excluding virtual
ly all superintendence of the Boald,- com
init each section in appointment of officers,
disbursement of moneys, and general man.
agement, to single member.
The expenditures. on the Public Works
have, during the past year again exceeded
the revenues. and the question Of their flu
ture disposition must necessarily demand
your attention. My own views upon this
subject have been sufficiently stated in for
mer communications. The policy of sale
in proper sections, for adequate prices, un-
der such guards and restrictions as will
ensure the continued use of the canals for
the purposes they were designed to serve,
and exclude the control of the interests now
with them, will probably best
fulfill the wishes of a majority of the
people. Neither public sentiment howey
er, nor sound policy recommends sale for
less than their real value, not measured by |
one or two years Of disaster but ascertain
ed by thorough examination Of all the de-
circumstances, or without such |
limitations as will ensure, beyond any
probable contingency, the ends of their
l think it my duty again 10 recommend
TO you, the repeal of the act allowing in
terest atthe rate of ten percent. 1t would |
be far better, in my Judgment, to leave the
subject Of interest without regulation than
to regulate it in such way as TO encourage
usury, embarrass enterprise, and impoycrish |
industry.
Ny opinions, fully communicated to you
at your last session, in respect to the just
claims of this State upon the Federal Gov
ernment, as well as in respect to the proper |
interest of Ohio in the due administration
of that Government, and, especially at this |
time, in its action upon the momentcus
question of Slavery, remain unchanged and
need not be restated. 2ro.5- o. salsss