Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-01-19
Fcllou- Citizens of the Senate
and Ho,sxe of ReDresez,fof;,,es

xCStOu-Ot<t<eSeo " HfS A'e"o@c
and House of Representatives.
appear before you to take the oath. which
the Constitution preseribes, as necessary quail
ification to perform the duties of the Chief Exc
cutive office of our State. to which l have been
called and avail myself of the occasion now
presented, to express my grateful thanks 10 my
fellow-citizens, for the favor with which they
have been pleased to look towards me. and in
compliance with a usage sanctioned by the ex-
ample fmy predecessors, TO declare. briefly, the
principles which will guide me in the discharge
of my official trust.
Nv immediate predecessor has communicated
to you the condition of the State, with the emf
nent ability and fidelity that have characterized
all of his official acts
l NAV well congratulate you upon the graft
flying evidences he has furnished of the growth
and greatness of our State. The history of no
other Political community has been marked by
more wonderful progress in all the elements
of d benifcent civilization. Our condition is at
once prosperous, commanding and happy.
Little more than half century has elapsed
since we passed from territorial to State gov
ernment The number of our inhabitants did
not at that time exceed fifty thousand. The
State was al that time almost an unbroken will
derness. What have We not accomplished
since?
We nave CIedttu dHu UP ChNiA AHotltu-
tions, and monuments of public spirit and social
enterprise, which in other countries have been
the work of centuries. Our population has in
creased fifty fold, and we rank among the first
States ofthe Union, in wealth, and dignity and
power.
We have cleared the forest from many millions
of acres. reclaimed the soil from the dominion of
nature, and subjected it to such course ofpro6t-
able husbandry as to supply an annual surplus
of agricultural products OF not less than nifty
millions of dollars in value. We have erected
numerous aud wealthy towns and cities, and
opened excellent thoroughfares in every part of
the State. When almost in our infancy, COM
paratively poor, and with an untried credit, we
projected and speedily completed the consrue-
fion of our extensive system of canals, and slack
water navigation in our interior rivers, at cost
of over fifteen millions of dollars. We have
built. almost entirely by private capital. more
than three thousand miles in length of railroads,
at cost of over one hundred millions of dollars,
which have greatly augmented the public
wealth, largely contributed to equalizng the
value of lands in different parts of the State, and
vigorously encouraged the development OF near
ly every branch of useful employment. We
have invested largely and proftably in mines,
and mining, and in manufactures, all OF which
branches Of industry give promise of such a
steadily increasing prosperity, as viii perma-
pentlv nraserre To Ohio her Mace in the front
rank Of the mining and manufacturing States of
the upion. Our Commercial and navigation in
terests have kent eoual mace with out agricultu-
raj m;p;no and manufacturing.
We have done more. We have adopted a yigi
lant and humane confinement and discipline for
the y;c;ous. have erected asylumes for the unfor.
4unate which challenge the admiration of the
world. have endowed Colleges and universities
nnn,eyousIv and literally. and Organized sys.
tar, If scl;,ols for edncatipp the youth of the
60 rh;oL i ;ns,lv onr greatest nr;de
m.
such are some ot our triumPnsi 10 Wnal
causes are we, under tne iaVof OF FroSidehce'
chiefly indebted Tor them! -,
Our geogaphlcai posluon' giving 70 US milo
and healthy climate, equally removed rom tne
severe cold of the North, and the intense heat
of the South, and peculiarly adapted to vigorous
labor in every form; the diversified character OF
the surface of the State, divided into rpiands
and iowlands, hill-ranges and intervening val
leys. ayily.timbered tracts and naked Prai-
ries' which alternate IN manner the most Ia
woraoie ior the productive interests of lie; the
extent and unsurpassed fertility OF our SOIL
yieiaing 'h Perection, nearly al tne agricuitu-
rai staples the most vaiuea oy civilized commu,
mites; our exhaustless mineral treasures, and
natural iaciiities for commerce ana navigation