The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1860-01-10
Inaugural Address of Gov. Dennison


ciples that will guide him.
Before doing so he at some length traced
the progress Of the State, which had increased
fifty fold in population, and now ranks among
the first States Of the Union in wealth, dignity
and power.
Causes of Our Grotcth.- Our Biographies
position, the diversified surface of the State
the extent and unsurpassed fertility Of our soil
our exhaustless mineral treasures and nstura
facilities for commerce and navigation, ant
the enterprise Of our people, were cited as the
potent agencies In the production Of our mar
vsllous growth.
The Character Of the S,ate.-The ordinance
OF 1877, in framing the groundwork and es,
tablishing the fundamental principles Of civil
and religious liberty, being the basis of the
laws and constitution, hs declared that the
people had been true thersto-and the pledge
Of the ordinance on the subject of education
had been faithfully redeemed.
The legislation of Ohio, he declared, had
never been marred by prescription for religious
opinions, nor any political privilege denied
because of the birthplace of the citizen
The inviolability of the person of the inhabi-
tant has always been defended, and the habsa,
corpus and trial by jury maintained as the
bulwarks Of personal liberty. In the faithful
observance Of her contracts, the State has
furnished an example Of the sacred regard in
which all obligations should be held by the
citizen, while BY refusing, under the most SOL
emn sanctions, to appropriate private properly
to he, use without making just compensa-
ton in money to the owner, she illustrates her
wise purpose Of protecting the property rights
Of the citizen against whatever invasion to his
pscuniary damage.
The Anti-slavery Feature of our Institutions
The distinguishing feature Of the ordinance
was, that the first solemn dedication of ma
tionsl territory to the rights of human free
dom-the first national declaration, in prac
tioal form, oondemnatory of slavery as 80
cial institution.
Radical Change Of Fiscal Affairs Required.
The existing legislation on the subject of the
fiscal relations Of our State and local govern
ments, without requiring radical change,
needs better adjustment of details. Our
taxes for State and local purposes are very
burdensome, and made more onerous on ac-
count of the large amount Of taxable property
that escapes the viglence of the Assessor.
The laws should be more searching, 80 as to
subject all the non-exempt property, of what
ever description, to its just proportion Of the
burdens of taxation.
respectfully suggest the expediency of a
thorough revision Of the laws relating to this
entire subject, and particularly Of those more
directly affecting our local governments, to
the end, not only Of limiting the amount, but
of better defining the scope and purpose for
which taxes may be levied, to which may be
added, the requiring more specific publica-
ton Of the public expenditure in our cities.
Accountability of Public O6isers.-Laws can
proper accountability Of all persons acting in
public capacity. respectfully recommend
that, as part Of any law you may enact on
this subject, provision be made regulating
public contracts, to apply as well to local as to
State administration.
The appropriating public money by pub
lio officer to his private use should be visited
with the most exemplary punishment. 1t
should avail nothing in what form it may be
done, whether by means of loaning, depos-
itiug, or otherwise. The gist of the offense
should be the expectation or hope of the
officer Of receiving private benefit from the
act. He should be prohibited from tampering
with the public funds in any way, and re-
stricted in their use, to the demands Of his
official duties. All perquisites should be
denied him. If the salary should be made
quate to the responsibility or labors Of the
particular Office, lot 1t be increased to com
pensatory maximum. Leave no pretext for an
abuse of his trust. The sacredness of private
and public property is the life Of republican
forms of government, and one of the very
highest duties of the legislator is to surround
it with all the necessary safe guards of law.
The Public Works--A Special Committee
Thereon Recommended The disposition of
the Public Works Of the State will doubtless
attract your attention. These Works are no
longer self-Sustaining. They are an annual
charge upon the Treasury,
That the question Of the disposition Of our
tion and revision which the interests involved
demand, ! respectfully suggest to you the pas
sage Of a joint resolution authorizing the com
mission of three gentlemen Of enlarged expe-
rience and capacity, whose special duty it shall
be to make thorough and detailed examina-
ton of the entire subject, and that they report
to the Governor, at the earliest practicable Pc
riod, such changes and notifications in our
canal laws, as in their judgment are desirable
to lessen the expenses, or to increase the in
come, so as at least to make our canals fully
self-sustaining.
If thoroug Oh experience shall demonstrate
that they can not be made self-sustaining, con-
stant agitation must be expected of the pro-
position to sell or lease thsm, so as to have the
State relieved Of their support.
suggest the appointment of this Commits
sion becauSe Of my apprehension, that the
members Of ibe Legislature have not the time,
nor the means within their reach, during
session, with so many other demands upon
their attention, to give to so complicated and
important subject, that systematic, detailed
and thorough investigation which the inter-
ests involved seem to me to require.
The State Miliha.--S6OO, 900 on the arms of
the United States received by this State has
been lost. He recommends precautions against
similar sacrifices in the future.
Geological Surrey Of Stats.-The survey 10
recommended to bs restored.
Amendments Of nsituton.-Limited an
nual sessions and annual election are recon-
mended; also, for the establishment of q uni
form system Of single election districts based
solely upon population.
Western Interess.-The improvement by
Congress Of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers,
and eur lake harbors, 10 recommended TO pro-
mote the safe navigation of the same. =
The unwise and persistent illiberality Of the
National Legislature in refusing such aid is
animadverted upon.
Sustaining our proportion of burden of ma
tional expenditures, but few Of them are made
for the interest or welfare Of the West.
A prompt and liberal aid is urged upon
Congress, for improving and securing prac
tically, FREQ from tolls, the navigation around
the Falls Of the Ohio.
Ohio Loyal to the Union.-In the name oil