Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-01-14

est duties Of the legislator, is TO surround 4
with all the necessary safeguards Of law.
The disposition OF the Public Works Of the
State will doubtless attract your attention.-
They are an annual charge upon the Treasury
Why this is so, whether because Of radical de-
fects in the laws relating to their management
Ito an unwise system Of toils--,o the want o
a proper economy in their repairs, or to a dam
aging competition of the more improved means
Of transportation, l will not now inquire.
That the question Of the disposition OF the
Public Works may receive that careful atten.
ton and revision which the interests involved
demand, ] respectfully suggest 10 you, the pas
sage Of joint resolution authorizing the COM
mission OF three gentleman OF enlarged expert
ence and capacity, whose special duty il shall
be to make thorough aud detailed examina-
tion of the entire subject, and that they report
to the Governor, at the earliest practicable pc
riod, such chat ges and notifications in our ca
nal laws as in their judgment are desirable to
lessen the expenses, or 10 increuse the income
so as al least to make our canals fully selfsus-
tanning.
If a thorough experience shall demonstrate,
that they cannot be made selEsustauing con-
stant agitation must be expected of the propo-
sition TO sell or lease them, so as to have the
State relieved Of their support
| suggest the appointment Of this Commits
sion, because Of my apprehension, and the
Legislature have not the time, nor the means
within their reach, during session, with so
many other demands upon their attention, TO
give so complicated aud important a subject,
that systematic, detailed and thorough investi-
cation which the interests involved, seem to me
to require.
Among the topics commenting the attention
Of our sister States, and worthy Of your present
consideration, is the measure Of encouragement
which State should hold out to her organized
and disciplined militia. The last two General
Assemblies enacted laws aud directed the pre-
paration of regulations, in order to perfect the
framework of the State militia organization, and
develop a symetrical aud we'll ordered system
which has been so far realized as to leave little
to be done but for you to determine 10 your
wisdom whether the State shall endorse the
sys EN- by its direct aid.
The Reports from the proper officers show,
that through the want Of such system hereto
fore, the State has lost more than 100000 10
value Of the arms received from the United
States. A proper State Arsenal, and such d.
rect aid to the citizen soldier, under stringent
limitations, as would practically defray the ac-
tual expense of keeping the arms in the manner
required by law, would it is believed, prevent
similar. Sacrifices in the future. aud be economi-
cal to the State. 1t would also command
small and well disciplined force, sufficiently
large 10 give weight TO the sanctions of law,
and prove a sufficient nucleus for any necessary
increase.
Other States have embraced the plan sug-
gested, and the counsels of the Fathers of the
Republic, unite with the concurrent action Of
The majority of the State Legislatures, 10 pro-
nounce well regulated militia, which is from
and of the people, 10 be one of the surest safe
guards for the enforcement of law, the maute-
nance of order, and the perpetuatioD of those
personal rights which are our ch eff reliance
and dear to every American citizen.
Every other State in the Union, except Flor
ida, has completed, or has in progress, geolog-
ical survey of her territory and would re-
commend 10 your early consideration, the COM
pletion of the geological survey Of this State,
which has been too long suspended. / doubt
Tot its importance TO the agriculture and mining
interests of the State, and TO the advancement
Of science will fully justify an appropriation for
its vigorous prosecution.
By the constitution, it is made the duty of
the Legislature to propose such amendments of
that instrument as in its judgment the public
welfare demands
Sufficient time has not elapsed since the adop-
tion of the Constitution 20 determine from its
practical workings all the notifications which
the public interests may require. Various
changes have been proposed, but owing to
causes to which | need not specially refer, none
of them have been approved in the manner pre-
scribed by the Constitution. The form of the
submitted at the recent election for
annual sessions Of the Legislature, in being cou-
pied with condition for biennial elections, is |
b -leved, to have prevented fair expression OF |
the opinion of the people upon the question of |
the expediency of annual sessios
invite your attention also to the subject of |
the unequal representation in both branches of |
the General Assembly resulting from the sys-
TEN Of single, dual and plural election districts,
provided by the constitution, for the purpose Of |
recommending to your favorable consideration, |
an amendment Of the constitution, establishing !
a uniform system of single election districts, |
which should be based solely upon population. |
Such plan Of apportonment, seems to me, to |
be alike required by logical regard TO the
theory of our form of government, the security |
OF the people at large against the undue con-
troll Of particular sections of the State, and for
the just protection of mnorites against the |
power oil maJorities in the more popuous coun-
ties.
~ 5SS5'Hp Hph'SAi pOSlAlOu vi OuI DtulC lDT-
ever Identifies her destiny with that of the great |
valley Of the West. Whatever may effect the |
growth or prosperity Of this highly favored re-
gion, must be Of interest to US. Among the |
objects which have long attracted the anxious
attention of the peolpe Of the West, and Nhich |
they justly regard as of paramount Importance |
to their material progress, is the improv
Of the Ohio aud Mississippi rivers aud our lake
harb ors.
invite your attention to this important sub |
ject for the purpose Of respectfully requesting |
your earnest application to Congress, to adopt |
such measures, and to make such appropriations
from the National Treasury, as will be commcn- |
surate to the removal of the distractions to
the navigation of these great highways, aud to
the needed improvement Of these important
depots Of western commerce
When we consider the magDitude of the re.
gion directly interested in the navigation Of
these rivers, and our western lakes, embracing
a territorial extent Of nearly 100000 square
niles--a territorial superfcies greater than the
entire extent of the original thirteen States,
eleven States and two territories,
md parts of three other States, with popula
Ion of at least thirteen millions, and but little
ess than one half Of the entire population of |
-he United States--We may well express our |
amazement at the unwise and illiberal policy Of |
Congress so long and perseyeringly persisted In, |