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

ernmeDt, IN granting tneee lahoss ihtenoeu
equal benefits 10 nil parts of the State. The
terms Of the grants, however, wete origin-
ally construed as vesliDg the title 10 them in
the State for the use of the townships 10
which the sections sixteen were situated, or
for the use Of larger districts for which pro.
vision vas made by grants of lands not
within their limits. Whether this construc-
ton was correct or not, 1t may not now be
worth while 10 inquire. II has long been
acted on, and may perhaps be regarded as
settled. II defeats, however, to q certsin
extent, the equal intent of the grant; i'm.
poses great labor on the State and County
Auditors; perplexes the public accounts;
and embarrasses somewhat the general ope-
Jution of cur school system.
Upon examination Of the npportionment
among the counties OF the whole fund thus
distributed, / am satiefed that very little, II
any, cause of complaint would arise, If the
various divisions of the irreducible debt into
Virginia Military, United Stetes Military,
Section Sixteen, Section Twenty-niDe,
Western Reserve and Moravian, were con-
Eolidated into one fund, and the whole in
terest distributed among the counties in the
same proportion as the general School Fund:
The saving of labor and expense which
would be effected by this reform, end the
cleafness and inteilgibility which it would
introduce into our financial system, will, in
my judgment, warrant some compensation
. to particular counties, should it be found that
my are deprived by it of revenue, to which
they have just claim. The subject is GER
iaiDly Of sufficient importance and interest
to merit your careful considerations. and as
such recommend it to your attention.
The condition OF the Benevolent end Re
formatory Institutions is, upon the whole,
highly satisfactory.
The number remaining 10 The Asylum Tor
the Deaf and Dumb at the close OF the last
year, was l5s-Ot the close OF the preceding
year 100. greater number OF inmates
than the present cannot he accommodated
though, for want of room, many equally
needy and equally deserving with those no"
received, must be excluded. The expense:
of the past year were S25,123. end those o
the preceding year $2l ,432. A large par
of the increase was for necessary repair
and inn rovements beyond those Of ordinary
years. An appropriation of $24 500 is osk-
ed for 1860, end an urgentrequest for new
building is preferred. Nor should hesi'
tate to recommend new and enlarged struc-
tnres if the revenue from the levies OF las
year would warrant me in so doing. Shoul
you see fit to take measures for ascertainin!
ihe 555; iocaa;;oc2G ioca;;;;oc2 end fi2; of c17
and provide for the cost by the necessar.
levy, do not doubt that your action coul
be approved by our common constituents.
The number of inmates OF the lnstituto
for the B lind increased from l05 in 1858,
100 in 1859. The highest number whic
had previously enjoyed the benefits of tn
Institution was 70, in IS48. The constar
increase in the number of pupils, and thel
improvement, is the highest eulogy upon ii
management. The expenses in 1859 wer
$l8637; in 1868, $4,000. The appriatio
asked for 1860, in view of proposed en-
largement, is $26 500.
In the Asylum for. idiots, thirty Childre
have been received, supported end instructe
during the past yeer, at an aggregate eX
pense of $40 900 exclusive OF sums receive
tn account of paying inmates. The eXpen
ditures is certaiDl ly large, but it includes SON
payments Of debts incurred during the pre-
ceding year, and some for rent and insurance
for which no disbursements are made by tn
other Institutions. 1t should be remember
cd, also, that the expenses of en- osyur
d
larger in proportion than those of one re
for Idiots would be doubled, if its cspact
admitted Of it, and the outlay would rot b
materially increased. True economy re-
quires, in my judgment, the purchase of tn
site and buildings now rented, and the en-
largement of the latter.
The structure authorized in Hamilton
county, for the Idiotic and Insane, hes beer
recently completed. II is said to be very
commodious, and sufficiently large to ac-
commodate with facility five hundred, ant
upon necessity, six hundred inmates.
Board of Trustees he's been organized for itt
government, consisting of one member ap-
pointed by me, and two epPointed by the
Commissioners OF Hamilton county. Tha
county, therefore now constitutes the South
western Lunatic Asylum District, and the
Institution just organized is TO receive al
The idiotic and iDsane within its limits, to be
supported by county tux, and appropria
tions from the State Treasury, oqral iT
amount to the taxes collected in the county
for the maintenance of State Lunatic Asy
Iums. / am informed that no such county
tax as 10 described in the act is authorized Of
levied in Hamilton county. Some egsa
ton, therefore, will doubtless be necessary
to provide for its support.
Thus four Lunatic Asylums are now oper
in the State, capable of receiving few
more than twelve hundred inmates. Large
as this provision is, it is yet sadly certain
that it is not large enough. Not less than
thousand insane, needing the benefits O
such institutions, must still remain eithe
wholly neglected or iaadequnte!y provided
for.
cannot recommend, however additional
public provision. Judcious legislation reg
pleting County Infrmaries, and authorizing
private AsyIums, would, in my Judgment
afford all needed relief, and perhaps dimn
ish the large expenditures now borne by tn
State.
The number of inmates in each of tn,
three LuDatic Asylums heretofore organlz d
was less at the close of the last than at tn
Oleeo Of tho preceding yoor. Sufiicient rea
sons for the dimnution are assigned in tn
several reports. The fact, however, il muci
to be regretted, though compensated in par
by increased success in treatment. 1t ma,
be safely said, think, that these Asylum
were never in better condition than now.
The total expenses of the three Asylum
during the past year, were 1913, ,427, and tn
appropriations asked for 1860 are Sill $40
The general aggregate of disbursement
must be increased during the present yeai
by the necessary provision for the south
western Asylum. The striCtest ecopom,
will be necessary to bring the annual cost o
the four Asylums within limits satisfactor,
10 the people.
The number of boys remaining on tn,
State Reform Farm at the close of 1S5a IVA.