Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-01-08
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF THE
GOVERNOR OF OHIO


Cousttutlo8, Wnlen requires the Governor 70
to the General Assembly the
condition Of the State, and recommend such
measures - he may desm sxpeGient," I ad-
dress you.
The condition Of ny health for the past
few weeks. and my present indisposition, will
account for tbs brevity Of the communication.
Your WeIl-known character for intelligence
and experience as Legislators makes it neces-
sary, emily, that you be put in possession Of the
true condition OF the affairs of the State, to
enable you to adopt such legislation as the
Welfare Of our common constituents demand.
The past year has been one Of severe labor
to ell concerned in the administration of the
Government and take pleasure in bearing
testimony to the faithful and vigiIant manner
in which the Auditor Of State, Treasdrer Of
State. Secretary Of State. Comptroller of tsh
Treasury, Superintendent Of the Stats-Pouss
Superintendent OF Public Printing. and the
Librarian, have ssEeralIy performed their res
pective duties. | regret that cannot include
the Attorney GeBeral and the former Com
missioner OF Common Schools in this com
mendation. The SeheSl Commissioner, for
tunately for the State, resigned bis Office on
the IIth day OF November last, aad the place
il now filed by a highly coupetenr and
worthy man.
The duties of the Executive are so arduous
az to command every moment Of his time
To demonstrate this, it is sufficient to refer
you to the note Of private Secretary Hoffman,
herewith, giving q somewhat detailed state
ment Of the labors Of the ofics. In view OF
the increased labor thrown upon this depart
ment, also upon the Departments of the Audi
tor and Treasurer of State, consequent upon
the war, added to the fact that the expenses
Of living in this city have greatly increased
within the past two years, I recommend an
increase Of the salaries Of these officers. This
increase should not be less than fifty per cent;
and to sseare the benefit Of such increase to
the incoming officers, immediate action, dur
ing the frst week of your session, is necessary,
as the Constitution forbids the increase oi
salaries of any of the State officers during the
term for which they are elected. am aware
that the people of Ohio have never favored
high salaries to their public officers but l
also well know that they will cheerfully sus-
tain us in giving such rate of compensation as
will enable those 10 moderate peeuniaFy cir.
camstances to accept positions Of high trust
and confidence. l also renew my recommend
ation of last year, for proper increase of the
salary of the Superintendent OF Public Print
ing. The duties of this Office are highly import
ant to the State, and have materially increased
within the past year. The present rate ol
compensation is entirely inadequate to the du-
ties.
invite y0ur special attention to the Audi
tors views on the subject Of aboi ishing the
Office Of Comptroller of the Treasury, and
urge that your finance committees thoroughly
investigate the matter. So far az l am able
to discover, can see no practical good result
from maintaining this Office.
During the early part Of the past year, an
unusual degree Of excitement, disorder and
violencs prevailed in many parts of the State
to such an extent did this state Of lawlessness
exist, as to make it necessary to send an
armed force to several points in the State, to
maintain the peace. The points of greatest
alarm and apprehension were in the counties
Of Holmes and Montgomery. To great ex-
tent, the causes Of this unhappy condition oI
affairs may be attributed to political excite
ment and party strife. am most happy tc
anHounSe, however, that as the day for ths
election approached, the passions and preju
diess of the people became allayed and rea
son and Judgment thus left free to act, quiet
and order throughout the State was the happJ
conssqunee We have seldom, if ever, had 6
more quiet aud orderly election. Copies o
the several orders and other correspondence
relating to this important matter, will bG
found among the documents herewith, No. I3
It will be seen that the main or principal
cause of the difficulty referred to, grew out o.
the effort on the part of the officers and agents
Of the Notional Government to enforce upor
our citizens the military orders Of the Presi
dent Of the United States orders deemed ne
eessary by him to crush out and put down th'
rebellion. 1t was claimed, or pretended to bt
claimed, by those who resisted or counseIeC
resistance to the enforcement of these orders
that they were unconstitutional and void
Happily for rs as q nation and people, we haC
enjoyed so many years Of peace, that thi
questions arising, touching the powers of thu
President when the nation is in war, had beer
but little discussed by the present generator
of people, and therefore were not thoroughly
understood by them. The Constitution hat
simply declared that the President shall b.
Commander-in-C Chief of the army and navy o
the United States" What a commauder-in
chief of a nation might dc, or might not do
when that nation is at war to maintaia it
very existence, the trainers Of cur Coustitu
| tiOn wisely omitted to attempt to define.
say wisely. for it ia not 10 the providence 0
any one nation on earth to define the authori
ty Of the commsnder-in-chief of its army ant
navy this is the combined work of the civil
lied nations We must therefore study tn
laws of nations to fad out the limit and exten
of this officers authority. Thus viewing thi
question, and believing as did, that the seve
raj military orders issued by the President, o
under his authority, which in any way affecte
our State or its citizens, were clearly With
his power and discretion, and were highly ne
cessary and proper to maintain our goo
government, most cheerfulIy gave to the du
ly constituted authorities of the Nations
Government, assigned to duty within our Dor
ders, my aid and assistance as Executive of tn
State. 1t is extremely gratifying to be AbI
to believe, that in the exercise of official duty
have met the wishes of a very large major
ty Of the people of 0ais.
The financial affairs Of the State were neve
in better condition. Although we have &C
vaueed during the past year, for the Genera
Government, in the care Of sick and Wounde
soldiers, and in the payment of troops calIe
out to aid in the capture of Morgan and h
band, the sum of $l53,436 03, and have ri
duced our public debt, by payment from tb
Treasury, the sum Of $676,752 6s, there sti
remained in the Treasury, to the credit {
general revenue fund, on the 18th OF NoVsn
her last, the sum of S523,7 1856 81.
All taxes have been promptly and Cheerful
ly paid, exhibiting really smaller delinquer
list than ever before in the history of th