The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-01-13
VOLUME XT. NO. 9.

serves Inquiry whether somo additional linn.
itations may not be uscfuly imposed on the
powers now exercised by tho township
Boards of Education.
The interest Of tho Irroducble Debt
arising from sales of School Lands. is now
distributed among tho counties according
to their respective interests in such lands.
In the counties it is again distributed among
the townships in proportions determined by
similar considerations.
1t cannot be doubted that tho Federal
Government, in granting these lands, in
tonded equal benefits to all parts OF the
State The terms of tho giants however
were originally constructed as vcsting tho
title to them in tho State, for tho use of the
townships in which tho sections sixteen were
situated, or for the use Of larger districts.
for which provision was mado by grants of
land not within their limits Whcthcr this
construction was correct or not, it may not
now be worth wEilo to enquire. 1t has lone
been acted on, and may. perhaps, 10 rc
garded rs settled, II defeats however, to a
certain extent, the equal intent of tho grant
imposes great labor on tho State and
County Auditors; perplcNos tho public ac
counts, and onbairasses somewhat tho gen.
eral operation Of our school system.
Upon examination Of the apporticnment
among the counties, Of the whole fund
thus distributed, am satisfied that very
little, If any, cause Of complaint would
arise if the various divisions of the IRE.
ducible Debt into Virginia Military,
United States Military, Section Sixteen,
Section Twcuty.nine, Western Reserve
and Moravian were consolidated into one
fund, and the whole interest distributed
among the counties in the same proportion
ms the general School Fund. The saving
of labor and expense which would be
effected by this reform and the clearness
Rnd intelligibiity which it would intro
duce into our financial system, viii IN my
Judgment, warrant some compensation TO
particular counties, shoulI it be found
that any are deprived by it Of revenue, 10
which they have a lst claim. The sub.
Jcct is certainly OF sufficient importance
and interest 10 merit vour careful consid.
GRAFTON, ana as such recommend it to
your attention.
The condition Of the Benevolent and
Retormatory Institutions is upon the
whole highly satisfactory.
The number remaining in tie Asylum
for the Deaf and Dumb at the close of the
last year, was l58 at the close Of the
preceding year l5O. A greater number
oi inmates than the present cannot be ac-
commodated, though for want Of room,
many epualIy needy and equally deserv-
ing with those now received, must be ex-
cluded. The expenses of the past year
were 20, 1913, and those Of the preceding
year 2l,432. A large part Of the in.
crease was for necessary repairs and i'm.
provements beyond those OF ordinary
years. An appropriation of "a, 500 is
asked iorl $50, and 40 urgent request for
new building is preferred. Nor should
hesitate to recommend new and en-
larged structures if the revenue from the
lcyes OF last year would warrant me in so
doing. Should you see tit 10 take meas
ures for ascertainng the best location and
plan OF such structures, and provide for
the cost by the accessory levy, | do not
doubt that your action would be approved
by our common constituents.
The number OF inmates Of the institu-
ton for the Blind increased from lO5 in
1855, to 100 in 1859. The highest mum.
ber which had previously enjoyed the
benefits of the Institution was 70, in 1913.
The constant increase in the number of
pupils, and their improvement, is the
highest eulogy upon its management
Tho expenses in 1859, were 1887 in
1858 IS, ,2o2 The appropriation asked
for ls60 in view of proposed enlarge
ment, is 26, 500,
In the Asylum for Idiots, thirty chill.
dren have been received, supported and
instructed during the past year, at an az
gregate expense Of 10000, exclusive Of
sums received on account Of paying in
mates. The expenditure is certainly
large, but it includes some payments Of
debts incurred during the preceding year,
and some for rent, Insurance, for which
no disbursements are made by the other
Institutions. 1t should be remembered,
also, that the expenses Of an asylum re-
ceiving few inmates must necessarily be
larger in proportion than those of one re.
ceiying many. The number in the Asy-
lun, for Idiots would be doubled il its ca
pacity admitted of it, and the outlay
would not be materially increased. True
economy requires, i'll my estimation, the
purchase of the site and buildings now
rented, and the ea!argemen. of the latter.
The structare authorized in Hamilton
county, Tor the ldiotic and Insane, has
been recently completed. 1t is said to be
very commodious, and sufficiently large
10 accommodate with facility FIVE hun
dred, anG, upon necessity, six hundred
inmates A Board Of Trustees has been
organized for its government, consisting
of one member appointed by me and two
appointed by the Commissioners of Ham
ilton county. That county, therefore,
now constitutes the Southwestern Luna.c
Asylum District, and the Institution Just
organized is to receive ell the idiolc and
insane within its limits, 10 be supported
by county tax, and appropriations from
the State Treasury, equal in amount Of
the taxes collected in the county for the
maintenance of state Lunatic Asyums. -
am informed ihal no such county tax as
is described in the act is authorized or
levied in Hamilton county. Some iegis.
lation, therefore, viii doubtless be neces.
sary 10 provide for its support.
Thus four Lunatic AsyIums row nrc
open in the State, capable OF receiving A
few more than twelve hundred inmates -