The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-01-20
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
WILLIAM DENNTSON,
GOVERNOR OF OHIO.
Feliotc. Citizens IF the Senate
and House Of Reprcsentatipes

rsbary QualihcatlOn TO perform tho duties OF
tho Chief Exeuctivo Office of our State, TO
which havo been called and avail myself
of the occasion now presented, to express
my grateful thanks to my fellow ctizons, for
the favor with which they have hcen pleased
to look towards me, and in compliance with
n usage sanctioned by tho example of
my predecessors, to declare, briefly, tho
principles which will guido mo in the dis
charge OF my official trust,
My immediate predecessor has communi.
Gated t. you the condition of tho State. with
tho eminent ability and fidelity that have
characterized all of his official acts.
| may we'll congratulate you upon tho
gratifying evidences he has furnished of tho
growth aud greatness of our State. The
history of no othor political community has
been marked by moro wonderful progress
in all the clements ofa benofcent civilization
Our condition is at onco prosperous, com
manding and happy.
Little moro than half century has
elapsed since We passed from territorial to
q State government. Tho number of our
inhabitants did not at that timo exceed fifty
thousand. Tho State was at that time
almost an unbrokou wilderness. What have
VIC not accomplished since?
Wo have created and reared up civil in.
stitutions. and monuments of public spirit
and social enterprise, which in other coun-
trcs hnvo boon the work of centuries. Ou-
population has increased fifty fold. and wO
rank among tho first States of the Union, in
wealth, and dignity and power.
We have cleared tho forest from many
millions OF acres, reclaimed the soil from tho
dominion of nature, and subjected it to such
a course of profitable husbandry as to sup.
ply TN annual surplus of agricultural pro.
ducts of not less than fifty millions of DOL.
lars in value. We hnvo erected numerous
and wealthy towns and cities, aud opened
cxcolcnt thoroughiaros in every part of the
State. Whom almost in our infancy, com
paratiVcly poor, and with an untrod credit
wo projected and speedily completed the
construction of our extensive system Of
canals, and slackwator navigation in our in
terror rivers, at o cost of over fifteen millions
of dollars. Wo havo built. almost entirely
by private capital, more than throo thousand
miles in length of railroads, at cost of over
ono hundred millions of collars, which have
greatly augmented the public wealth, largely
contributed to cqualizing tho valuo Of lands
in different parts of tho State and vigorous
ly encouraged tho development of nearly
every branch of useful employment. We
havo invested largely and prolitably in minot
and mining. and in manufactures, all OF
which branches of industry give promise oi
such Steadily.Increasing prosperity, as vii
permanently preserve to Ohio her place r
tho front rank of tho mining and manufac
turing States of tho Union. Our CONNER
cial and navigation interests have kept oqua
paco with our agricultural, mining ant
manufacturing.
We have done moro. Wo havo adopted {
vieilant and humane confinement and dis
cipliro for tho vicious have erected asyumt
for the unfortunate which challenge tho sd
miration of tho world hnvo endowed col
lcges and universities numcrously and lib
orally, and organized system of school
for educating tho youth of tho State, which
is justly our greatest pride.
Such are some of our triumphs. To wha
causes arc wo, under tho favor of Provi
dence chiefly indebted for them?
Our geographical position, giving to us
mild and healthy climate, equally romovot
| from the severe cold of the North, aud tn
intense hoat Of the South, and peculiar
adapted to vigorous labor in evory form
tho diversified character of tho surface O
the State, divided into uplands and icwlandf
hill. ranges and intervening valleys, hoayily
timbcrod tracts and naked praircs, whicl
alternate in a manner tho most favorabl,
| for tho productive interests of life tho ex
tent and unsurpassed fertility of our soil
yielding in perfection, nearly all tho agri
cultural staples tho most valued by civilzot
communities our oxhaustless mineral treas
uros, and natural facilities for commerc
and navigation, which by tho genius an,
enterprise of the people have been SO boun
tifully tributary to our wealth and power
have boen SO potent and indispensable
agencies in the production of our marvclou
growth as not to be overlooked in howovo
summary review of its causes.
But rs inviting as they have been to labo
and capital and thoir multiplied auzilaries
thoy would have boon comparatively ineffuc
tual in popuating and enrichng our State
and in securing to us tho social advantage
for which we nre so ominently distinguished
but for the moral assistants afforded in thu
wiso provisions of tho organic act, unde
whose bonign auspices the foundations o.
our territorial organization wcro laid, nnC
which Incorporated into our State Consti
tuition as fundamental principles Of govern
mont, have boen most effective in moulding
our institutions, and by furnishing the chart
in directing tho progress of our legislation.
1t WAS appropriate that tho ordinance o
1887 should have been tho last, as it wal
the crowning gift, of the Congress of th
old confederation to tho country. Nobl
did its framors illustrate, in its matches
provisions for guarding tho rights and pro
NOTING the huppiness of tho people, thoi