The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-01-13
Annual Message
OF TIE
GOVERNOR OF OHIO.
To the Fitty-Stcth General assembly, G
the Regular Session ContmeaciaJ
Jannary 4, 1864.

Gentlemen of the. .Senats. aud House of Re !
Pres<ntdttves
In compliance with the provision Of
our Constitution, which requires the Gov.
ernor to communicate to the General
Assembly the condition Of the State, and
recommend such measures as he may
deem expedient," | address youa
The condition of my health for the
past few weeks; and my present indispo-
sition, @ill account for the brevity of the
communication. at...,a
Your well known character for intclli-
gence and experience as Legislators makes
ut necessary, only, that you be put in pos
session of tho true condition OF. the at
fnrs OF the State, to enable you to adopt
such legislation as the welfare of our
common constituents demands. srs
t The past year has been one of severe
labor to all concerned in the administra-
toa of the government; and take
pleasure IN bearing testimony to the faith
full and vigIlant manner in which the Au-
ditor OF State, Secretary Of State, Comp
troller Of tho Treasury, Superintendent of
1.-THE State House, Superintendent of Pub.
+, lie Printing, and the Librarian, have sew
orally performed their respective duties.
regret that l cannot include the Attor-
ney General and the former Commissioner
OF Common Schools in this commenda-
ton. The School Commissioner, FORUM
ately for the State, resigned his Office on
the 18th day of November, land the place
is now filled by highly competent and
wcrthy man.
/ The duties Of the Executive are SO ar
,duous as to command every moment of
his time. TO demonstrats this, it is suffl-
sufficient to refer you to the, note of Pri
ivate Secretary Hoffman, herewith, giving
Il somewhat detailed statement OF the la
bors Of the office. In view Of the in
creased labor thrown upon this depart
tment, also upon the departments Of the
4 Auditor and Treasurer of State, conse-
quent upon the war, added to the fact
tnat the expenses OF living in this city
: have greatly increased within the past two
years. L recommend an increase of the
salaries OF. these officers. This increase
! should not be loss than fifty per cent
and to secure the benefit OF such increase
to the incoming officers, immediate action
during the frat week Of your session Ii
:
increase of salaries of any of the State
officers during the term for which they are
elected. l am aware that the people oI
Ohie have never favored high salaries tc
= their public officers but also well know
that they will chcerfully sustain us in fix
ing such rate of compensation as will ena.
: bic those in moderate pecuniary circum
! stances toi accept position of high trus
! and confidence. | also renew my recon-
} mendation of last year, for proper in
= crease of the salary of the Superinten
! dent of Public Printing. The duties o
this Office are highly important to til,
: State, and have materially increased with
c in the past year. The present rate o
r compensation is entirely inadequate t,
s the duties.
! Invite yonr special attention to tn
i Auditors views ON the subject of abolish
y ing the office of Comptroller of the Trea
i sury, and urge that your Finance Com
mittees thoroughly investigate the matter
So far as | am able to discover, Lean Sc
no practical good result from maintainin
II this Office. a
N During the early part of the preser
nlI year, an unusual degree Of excitemen
,s disorder and violence prevailed in man
, parts oi the State; to such an extent di
this state of lawlessness exist, as to max
III it necessary to send an armed force t
d send an armed force to several points
the State to maintain the peace. Th
: points of the greatest alarm and apprt
henslon were in the counties of Holme
- and Montgomery. To agreat extent tn
n causes of this unhappy condition of al
SC fairs may be attributed to political excite
* ment and party strife. am most happ
. to announce, however, that as the day ,
- election approached, the passions and pre-
y JUDGES OF the people became allayed; an
reason and Judgment thus left free to ac
quiet and order throughout the State W;
d the happy consequence; we have seldom
= If ever, had moro quiet and orderl
l- election. Copies of the several order
and other correspondence, relating to tn
,e important matter, will be found anon
the documents herewith, No. 13.
It will be seen that the main or prime
a. pal cause of the difficulty referred t
grew out of the effort on the part of til
officers and agents of the National Go
of ernment, to enforce upon our citizens II
ry military orders of the President of Il
b. United States orders deemed necessal
I'd by him to crush out and put down ii
ut rebellion. 1t was claimed, or pretendc
DO to be claimed, by those who resisted
of counseled resistance to the enforceme
Id of these orders, that they were uneonst
at tutional and void. Happily for US as
to nation and people, we had enjoyed
,g many years OF peace, that the question
m arising, touching the powers of the Pre-
20 ident when the nation is in war had be,
ii but little discussed by the present gene
Ill alton of people, and therefore not tho
n oughly understood by them. The Co
stitution has simply declared that ''tl
he President shall be commander-in chief
90 the army and navy of the United States
e- !, What commander-in-chief of the arm
nd and navy Of nation might do, or mig
Id not do, when that nation was at war
he maintain its very existence, the frame
ay of our Constitution wisely omitted to 8
IDS tempt to define. say wisely, for it
\ not in the province Of any one nation
earth to define the authority of the col