Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-01-17

Government of the United States, free from
tolls or other charge whatever, for any prof.
perty Of the United States, or persons in
heir service, passing through the same. y
These lands were accepted by the State of
Ohio with this condition. They have been
sold, and the proceeds have been applied to
the purpose Of the grant If these canals
are sold, or pass out of the hands of the
State, hoy is this promise 70 be fulfilled to
the Gene2al Government?
On the most Of the canals, and especially
on the Muskingum improvement, there are
outstanding leases Of water power by the
State, for ninety-nine years. renewable for
ever; and in some instances there are con-
tracts; in lieu of former grants, in perpetui-
ty. These contracts impose obligations on
the State that must be met. How chall
these vested rights be protected ii the State /
dispose of her interest in these works?
1t is urged that If the canals are sold they
will be ultimately controlled by the Railroad !
Corporations Of the State, the effect of
which will be to 30 diminish transportation
on the canals as to result in their virtual
abandonment; the effect of which, in turn,
would be to create such monopoly in the
railroads as to materially increase the tariff
Of transportation, and conflict with the well
established policy Of every commercial State
to multiply rather than TO lessen the ayen-
ues Of trade. Even if the support of canals
shall impose small tax, it is worthy of con-
sideration whether the incidental benefits TO
the counties not upon or adjacent thereto,
by reason Of lesser rates of transportation,
might not more than compensate for the tax.
There are thirty six counties in Ohie, on,
or contiguous to our public works. leaving
fifty-tw0 counties dependent mainly upon
rivers, lakes or railroads for their avenues to
market. The canal counties are mainly those
that were without natural outlets to a mar
ket. 1t is instructive to note their present
position in regard to population and wealth:
BY the census Of 1850. the thirty-six canal
counties have population Of l,l53, 2S6;
while the ffty,tF9 other counties have q
population of L. 1901 The thirty-six
1853, ,492 on the tax list. The fifty-two other
counties have an aggregate of $40, 263, ,767.
As large portion Of this value in the
canal counties has arisen from the existence
of the canals, so their destruction would
seriously depreciate the same, and the basis
of taxation being correspondingly lessened,
the burdens of the public debt, and the or
binary expenses Of the Government would
remaining property Of the State. Whether
a sale can be made on such terms as will
secure to the people the full use of these
pub lie works, is question which addresses
itself to the careful consideration of the
General Assembly.
The report Of the Board of Public Works,
and the Auditor III State contain many fact,
connected with this subject that will aid il
your investigations. So large an interest
involving so important questions Of public
I policy, & such vast pecuniafy results Sfloult
not be disposed of without the natures
consideration. After giving the subject my
i earnest attention, l am constrained to repea
my former recommendation, and suggest thu
| passage of a joint resolution authorizing the
commission Of three gentlemen Of large ex
perience and capacity, whose special duty i
shall be to make detail Examination of thu
entire subject, and report to the GOverno
at the earliest practicable period, sucf
changes and notifications in our canal laws
d in their judgment may be desirable, II
j lessen the expenses, or to augment the in.
4 come SO as at least, to make the canals self
sustaining.
MILITARY.
I invite your special attention to the Re
port of the Adjutant General. The subjec
of our State should not fill place in an Ex
ecutive Message merely because the Consti
tuition enjoins upon the General Assembl
the necessary legislation to render it effective
1t demands more considerate attention.
. The Report referred to presents a clear an
> practical outline of the system establishe
. by law and regulations, the burdens unde
which it struggles, and the necessity OF lei
islative action in its behalf
: The organized militia of the State nun
: bers at present little less than twelve hun
: dred men. These are uniformed, armed an
. equipped, and are for the most part in
commendable state of discipline. The vi
! organized militia, subject to be drafted IL
military duty in the event OF instruction
n invasion, amounted, in 1859, to 26O, 900 mel
. and the entire disposable force Of the Stat
8 at the present time, is about 2S5,OOO abl
bodied men. .
' The Constitution requires the enrollmel
!. of all white citizens, residents OF this Stat
It being eighteen years Of age and under, for
It five years of age, in the militia. The law
y March 81, 1857, provided for such enro
II ment ! but so much of it as relates to tn
. the revival of the repealed sections
i. | lHc pEtbcub py otCiij \ oAAA oAvA1~
!, has received the favorable notice of Office
Of the army, and military, men OF 9th
States; but no system can work successful
unaided by the State. The experimer
wherever tried, has failed.
The citizen soldier is necessarily subject
ic to continual expense. By existing la'
as the State shares no part OF the burden
K maintaining our present militia system.
We The bill which passed one branch Of the &c
Or eral Assembly at its last session, PROPOSE
d an allowance to each well disciplined CO.
at ,,any, of certain annual sum for the ca
nd and keeping of the public arms, is. in
ce right direction. But submit, with grt
It's Difference, whether the basis Of that
:. should not be enlarged, both as it rega,
Ok the sum to be appropriated TO each compal
ge and the number of the uniformed milit
Of to be aided. Certain it is, that two, tho
an and Of mili$ia-the estimate upon VIII
'ce the sum in that bill Is bssed-is num-
ny greatly dispfoportioned to the extent q
be population of the State. -. NJ,
SO BY the theory of our Government
ST. general defense is entrusted to the mill
,se Il is your duty to determine to what ext
lge that theory shall be practically observed
lid Ohio. Aniajority Of the States have M
An liberal provision for the support Of Il
in, While it would be unwise TO burden
in people with taxes for large military apI
OF priations in time Of peace, 1t would be eq