The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-01-11


make proof of its efficiency for good.
Upon examining the reports oil the various
institutions you will doubtless observe con.
siderable differences in amount and value OF
information, and in modes of treatment.
have heretofore suggested, and now rene"
the suggestion, that the several Superln
tendents or President OF Boards oil Irus'ees'
be REQUIRED to meet al least once year Tor
consultation upon plans oil management
and on mode Of making up reports. 90
not doubt that such consultation VIII pro-
mote economy in administration, and secure
much clearer and better statements OF It's
theory, history and results.
| The administration Of the Penitentlary
during the last year was eminently success
full. While the number Of convicts increas'
ed from Cos TO S53, exceeding the number
of available cells by 1853, ond compelling
the use of the chapel and hospital as convict
quarters, the iudcious discipline OF the pris-
on was such that industry, order and health
prevailed in unusual degrees within its walls.
! 1t was impossible, at once, to lind profltaoIe
employment for so numerous body oil
prisoners, and yet, though expenditures me-
cessarily increased with numbers, they were
exceeded by the earnings OF the yesr. The
two additional buildings directed by the last
General Assembly are nearly completed, at
a cost considerably reduced by the employ.
ment OF convict labor in portions OF work.
When finished they will supply seventy five
additional cells. But the number will still
be far too small, and il prisoners still con-
tinue to multiply at the present rate, the dis
proportion already inconvenient, must soon
| become dangerous.
! Under i1ini resolution Of your predeces'
sors appointed Commission OF three cit
izans 10 enquire into the expedieucy of fur
ther cnlarging the present prison, or con-
s,ructing new one in some other part OF
the State. Their report, presume, will
!, soon be submitted to you, and 1t will be Tor
vou TO determine what action is required by
: the public Interest.
have thought it my duty to exercise the
; power Of pardon somewhat more sparingly
I than most of my predecessors. No light
t reason has been consciously permitted TO in
; duce interference with the verdict OF juries
Y and the sentences Of courts. Still the mum
= Der OF cases in which ! have felt myself
v bound to interpose has not been very small.
= In some, the innocence Of the prisoner
= hes been made manifest; in others, mitiga'
I
d which, if known, would have abAted the rigor
: OF the sentence, ard in others clear evidence
:, Of reformation and exemplary conduct IN
J prison, with other circumstances seemed tc
d require nv action. A report will be imme
dately laid before you, stating fully eacf
n case of pardon, with the reasons which de
o cided my Judgment. ,
h The state OF the law in respect to the col
q lection, SAFE keeping and disbursement o
!, revenue, will necessarily command your at
r tention. The first consideration, withou
$ doubt, in every discussion concerning public
p moneys, is safety. If safety can be combn
n ed with gcneral convenience and advantage
few will question the wisdom of the comb
nation. Such combination in my judy
n mept may be obtained By providing Ior tht
d payment of ell dues TO the State. in coin ol
= notes of the specle paying banks OF Ohio
d bv authorizing the selection OF repositories
= by the State Treasurer, under suitable
Q ! guOYds and restrictions, and by requiring am
= pie and unfuestionabIe security lor promp
!. payment of all deposits, on demand, in spe
q Gle or specie notes. No interest should be
= taken on deposits except for the State. All
n use OF public moneys by public officers, and
e all attempts to secure in any way, private
= advantage from the deposit. or other dispo
n sition OF public fands, should be strictly pro
v hibted under the severest penalties.
e Such a system will approach as nearly to
= the Independent Treasury of the Federal
e Government as due regard to the weliare
= of the people will admit; and much nearer,
in nv opinion. than the system recently
D adopted. The act of 1858, BY which that
. system was introduced, contains many useful
? provisions; bu: their value is greatly impair
ed BY its virtual sanction of the receipt o.
! whatever the several County Treasurers
| may chose to take in payment Of taxes; by
) the absence OF alt provision in relation to
the exchange of funds; and by its omission
, to require bonds tothe satisfaction OF State Of.
/ ficers for the safe keeping and transfer of mo
news belonging to the State. In the practical
; execution OF the act the County Treosurers
have generally received for taxes whatever
! was current in their counties, and in some
instances, it ia said, checks OF individuals on
Banks in their vicinity, and have made such
exchanges Of the funds received for coin or
other funds, es the public interest seemed TO
reutlire. That in this action they are gov.
erned by considerations Of public conven.
ience and public duty, is not questioned
The action itself, however, reveals the de-.
fective character Of the law. When bank
notes ere received in payment OF taxes, and
retained in the Treasury, the banks issuing
them, whether foreign or domestic, are made
I the real repositories Of the public fuDds,
without interest and without security. So,
{ when checks of private citizens are re.
r ceived, those citizens, so long as their checks
! ore held, are constituted such repositories
The virtual requirement by the act OF the
exchange of currency for coin, and the VII
tuaI permission of the exchange of currency
: for other currency can hardly fail to give
d, occasion TO dangerous dealing with the pubs
. lie funds. The eet, therefore, seems to me-
e to fell OF its intent. Under it deposit
system Of the most unsafe description may
e grow up, and the use Of the public funds for
, private benefit can hardly be ptevented.-
e Everything must depend on the integrity OF
. the State and County Treasures.
e see no way Of escape from these Difficult
b ties, except by substituting for this system
t OF indirect deposits and hazardous exchange,
! a throughly guarded plan for the direct de-.
5 posit OF oil moneys received; without ex,
change with selected repositories, from
s whom ample securities have been taken; or
e by the adoption. in full, of The Federal sys
J. TEN, providing for The appointment of Sub.
8 Treasurers, requiring from them ample bonds
;, and prohibiting the receipt, for public dues,
= OF anything but coin, OF al most, specie notes
p OF Ohio bonks. Even such notes could not
+ be received without constituting the banks,
. to the extent of such receipts, public depos-
tories with security. OF two such alterna.
, tives as these, it can hardly be doubted that,
under existing circumstances, the former