Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-01-17

last session, in relation. to the settlement,
hadjnstmcnt and collection Of the dnes I'd
De State. assembled in this city in July,
1850. TO discharge fac duties conadcd to
Them. ~
Blythe terms of the Joint resolution. the
authority of the commissioners seems to be
limited to he detailed statement Of the un-
settled accounts of al persons heretofore
acting as officers or agents OF State. and
evidences of debt, delivered to them by the
kAu,litor Of State. They thoroughly -inves-
tigased such accounts and claims, and, as
far as practicable. haze settled the same in
pursuance of the terms. Of the joint reso-
luton The investigation required, in
some instances much labor, and the ex-
animation ola great variety or facts. The
settlements so made were, in my opinion.
such as the interests of the State rendered
necessary, and have upon examination
of them given my fall approval thereof in
writing. The report of their proceedings
is herewith laid before you.
In order that the citizens Of Indiana
should compete fayorably. with those Of
her sister States in the full and profta-
bic development of her mineral resources,
the last Legislature following out the
wise and enlarged policy demanded by an
increase in the number of our inhabitants
and friendly emulation with our sister
States, passed. an act reguiring a geolo-
gical reconnaissance Of our State prcparato.
~ to more full and extended examination
Of all her hidden resources. This survey
you placed under the fostering care OF the
able and energetic State Board of Agri-
CULTURE, who have, in their direction Of the
survey. fully sustained their well merited
character for discernment in plan. and
promptncss in the execution of work en-
trusted to their charge. Already with the
5000 placed by you at their disposal.
they have had nearly every county par
tally examined, and are really, through
their geologist. to report upon the most
important localities, minerals soils, DC,
meritlng more full and detailed cxamina-
tions. should the same wise AMI liberal
policy dictate further prosecution of
the work. and furnishthe necessary means.
The advantages of thorough geolo-
gical survey arc manifold. 1t will show to
our citizens and the world that we have
more than twenty counties. in which
good working coal can he developed to
any required amount; coal beds from
which oil can he extracted equal in quail.
ty AMI nearly in quantity to that of Brock
inridgc county, Kentucky; abundant de-
posts OF iron ore ut present worked sue
cessfully at a few furnaces. chiefly on. the
edge of orr coal field; and also on the same
coal field margin favorable locations for
sinking brine wells and boiling salt; vari-
Gus localities in which extended search may
develop lead and other metals-onc de-
post having recently been developed by
analytical research in the laboratory Of
the State Geologist as rich in the val
liable mineral cobalt, extensively used in
arts and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, farther
the examination and recommendation of
many valuable quarries. affording materi-
ais for building rock and road making.
with others atfording grindstones and whot-
stones Of excellent quality. and a good ar
ticle Of photographic stone; as well also as
numerous deposits adaptcl to the manu-
faetare Of fire brick. earthcnwarc, &C.
Besides all these important and practical
results. would more especially call your
attention to the chemical ANALYSIS of thir.
ty-three soils selected from different geo.
logical formations, designed to show tho
manner in which that important work
should be performed for every county in
Iudiana.
To enumerate all the adv antases which,
our State would secure, would occupy
more space than can be appropriately de-
voted to it, notwithstanding the vital ina
portance Of the subject to our whole CON-
munity. bnt it is confidently hoped enough
has been here sail to direct your attention
to a work alike useful and interesting to
the farmer. the mechanic, the engineer, and
many others, as we'll as to the general low
ers Of science.
Oar lamentcd man of science, of world
vile reputation. anil an ornament to our
State. our late State Geologist. Dr. David
Dale Owen, is lost to science and to us by
death, and it will inrlced be hartl to fili the
void thus occasioned. As. however, he
was occupied previous to the call male on
him by our State Do ri in the surveys of
Kentucky and Arkansas. he had not per-
sonally taken the field The work has
hitherto been conducted and reported bv
his brother, DIR. Richard Owen, whose re-
port is here submittcd to you with the me-
cessary maps. diagrams. tables of analysis,
etc.. connected Herewith. 1
1t is now seventy-one years since the
present Feleral Constitution was adopted,
and the United States formed into ono Ma
ton under its provisions. In that time.
under the benign influence of our Federal
Union, our advancement in all the elc-
ments Of national greatness and power. has
been unparalleled: and now in the very
zenith of our power. in the morning of our
national existence. with all fhe elements
of national and individual wealth in rapid
process Of development, we find ourselves
on the brink of disunien. anil. from the
high position we have hitherto enjoyed ms
power among the nations of the earth.
we seem about to fall into the fathomlcss
depths of anarchy and civilwar. AS one
OF the members of this great confc,leracy
OF States, 1t is orr imperative duty to care
fully and honestly consider the causes that
have so much disturbed our federal rcla-
tions. and if any remedy can be devised to
stay the progress Of disunicn. Indiana
should be willing to seize upon it at once.
and use that remedy to heal the s1;s<c,,s;ors