The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-01-18

Laws cannot be too explicit in defining an
enforcing proper accountability of all per
sons acting in public capacity. I respect
fully recommend that as part of any law yo
may enact on this sabject, provision be mad
regulating public contracts. to apply as we
to local as to State administration. as
The appropriating of public money by
public officer to his private use. should be Wis
tied with the most exemplary puRishment.-
1t should avail nothing in what form it ma
be done, whether by means of Learning, depos
, iting. or~otheFwise. ! The gist Of the offenc
should be the expectation or hope of the off.
Ger of receiving a private benefit from the aci
He should be prohibited from tampering will
the public funds n any way, and restricted il
their USE to the demands of his official du les
Ali perquesites should be denied him. IF th,
salary be inadequate to the responsibility o
labors Of the, particular Office, let itbe incre IS
ed TO compensatory maximum. r Leave M
pretext fo- an ahuse of his trust The sa-
credness of private and public property ia tn,
life of a arepublican form of government, ant
one of the very highest duties of the legislator
is to surround it with all the necessary safe
guards of law
1 The disposition of the Public Works o
the State will DOUBTLESS attract yoara ihtteh-
ton. These Works are no longer selE-sus-
tanning They are an annual charge upon the
Treasury. Why this is SO, whether because
of radical defects in the laws relating to their
management-to an unwise system of tolls
TO the want of a proper economy in tn cir re-
pairs, or to dop,eing competition Of the
more improved mra Is uf transportation,
will not no" inquire. ''-
That the question of the dispo ,ition of our
Pnblic Works may receive that careful atten-
tion and revision which the Interests involved
demand. respectfully suggest to you, the pas
sage OF Joint resolution authorizing the com
mission of three gentlemen of enlarge1 expe-
rience end capacity, whose special duty it sh
be to. make a thorough and detailed examina-
ton OF the entire subject. and that they re-
port TO the Governor at the earliest praciica-
bic period such changes and modificatians in
our canal laws, as in their Judgment are desi
rableo TO lessen the expenses, or to increase
the income, so at least to make our canals
fully self .ustaining.
1t thorough experience shall demonstrate
that they cannot be ma ,e self uitaiming, con-
stant agitation must be expected of the prop
osition TO sell or lease them, so as to have the
State relieved of their support.
l suggest the appointment of this Commits
members of the Legislature have rot the time,
nor she means within their reach, during a
session, with so many other demands upon
their attention, to give to so complicated and
important a sIhject, that systematic detailed
and thorough investigation which the interests
involved. seem to me to require 1a sFs1 .r5
Amoag the topics commanding the atten.
tion of our sister States. and worthy of your
mr. ont on III fla r.
eouragement which State should hold out
10 her organized and disciplined militia The
last two General Assemblies enacted laws and
directed the preparation of regulations, in
order to perfect the framework of the State
militia organic ition. and develop syn1metri-
cal and we'll ordered system, which has been
so far realized, as tosleave little to be done
blti for you to determine, in yo1r wisdom,
whether the State shall endorse that system
by its direct aid. @ A--s
Fhe reports from the proper officer show
that through the want of such system here
tofJre, the State has lost more than $500. .000I
in value of the arms received fro N the United |
States. A proper State Arsenal, and such
1irect aid 10 the citizen soldier, under strin |
gent Ii nitations, as would practically defrav |
he actual expense of keeping he arms in the |
manner reqnired by law, would. it is believed.
prevent similar sacrifices ia the future, and be
economical to the State. 1t would also com
nand small and we'll disciplined force, suf
icIentiy large to give weight to the sanctions
IT law. and prove sufficient nucleus for any |
necessary increase.
Other States have embraced the plan sng.
rested, and the cennsels of the Fathers of the
Republic, unite with. the concurrent action OF i
he ma jority of the State Legislatures to pro-
lounce well regulated militia. which is from
md of the people, to be one of the surest safe.
Guards for the, enforcement Of law, the main
enance Of order and the perpetuation of tho se
'ersonal rights which are Our chief reliance
nd dear to every American citizen.
Every other State in the Union, except
florida, has completed, ,-er has in prog, ess, a
geological survey of her territory; and would
commend to your early consideration. the
ompetion of the geological survey. of this
'tate, which has been TOO long suspended
doabt not its importance to the agricultural
nd mining interests of the State and to the
dvancement of science. will fully jlstify an
ppropriation for its vigorous prosecution.
BY the constitution, it is made the duty of
he Legislature to propose such amendments Of
hat instrument, as in its Judgment the public
1elfare demands. .I-F sa.,, g., iei.,a
Sufficient time has not elapsed since the
doption of the constitution 10 determine from
s practical workings all the notifications 8
Inch the public interests may require. Vari-
US chahges have been proposei, but owing {
causes to which l need not specially refer !
one OF them have been approved in the t
lanner prescribed by the consultation The :
'rm of the proposition submitted at the re- 4
ent election for annual sessions of the Legis :
lture, in being coupled with condition for
lennial elections, is believed, to have preven- 8
I'd a fair expression Of the opinion of the .
eople upon the questions of the expediency I
annual sessions .H=tas-i7--44- - ln
submit the question to your consideration i
sspectfully recommending an amendment of the e
Dnstitutioa, providing for limited annual sess. p
ms and annual elections 75 a. s25 i
i ivite Jour attention also to the subject of
,e unequal representation in both branches a
the General Assembly. resulting from the z
stem of single, dual and plural election dis a
lets, provided by the constitution, for the b
lrpose of recommending to your favorable .
'nsideration. an amendment of the constitu- "
on, establishing a uniform system of single !,
ection districts, which should be based solely $
pom population Such plan Of apportion- q q
ent, seems to me, to be alike required by a Ct
gical regard to the theory of our form of
overnment the security of the people at {;
rye against the, undue control of particular "
clions Of the s ate. and for the just protection
rninorities against the power Of maiorities q
the more populous counties; 5if q ga7oI to
The geographical position of our State forever identi-
her destiny with that of the great valley of the West
hateyer may affect the growth and ery of this III
shly favored region be of interest Among Ia
objects which have Iona attracted anxious alien r.
OF the people of the West aud which they ustly re.
I'd as OF paramount Importance to their material pro- nh
Is the improvement of the Ohio aud Missssippi A.
'ers, and our Lake harhors. 90 ~. = iWgFla - ~
invite atten ion to this important subject for the f.
rpose of respectfully requesting your earnest applca