The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-01-12

care ana protectlOn OF the State Tn,
Legislature and the people will not be
surprised 10 learn that the appropria
tions necessary for their maintenance
must be increased over past years.
The principal reason for this is tbc
advanced prices Of supplies Of every
kind, and Of attendance and labor
| This is felt in every condition Cf life
and Of course our institutions cannot
4 be exempt from it. AS our people
thoroughly understand ana appreciate
this fact, tacy will find in it a full Jus
titication for the increased burthenr
you will thus be compelled TO impose
upon them. ] am satisfied they would
mot approve any attempt at economy
that would tend to cripple these insti-
tutions, or impair their usefulness.
D.. ONO PENITENTlARY.
The report Of the Directors and
Warden Of this Institution will be
found appended. The Prison has been
generally well managed, and presents
more favorable financial results than |
had anticipated; the expenditures
being S17,GSl q in excess Of the re-
coipts.
The records Of tho Prison continue
t. show decrease in the violation Of
its rules, and q consequent improve
ment in the conduct Of its inmates. -
Tbs is due in part to the provision for
reduction of time Of service. for good
behavior, and in part TO the fact that
this is made one Of the conditions of
pardon Yet | am satisfied that il can
DC even more promoted by asystem CT
liberal and retormatory treatment that
is rather in aid Of, than inconsistent
with firmnes and good government
In view of this l am inclined to be-
Iicvc that still more favorable results
would be attained, # these prisoners
could have access during two or three
hours Of the twenty -four, to books, pa
pcrs and periodicals, in apartments
with sufficient light and ventilation to
enab IS them to read with comfort, in
stead of spending it in cells, where,
though they have ight ard permission
OF books, they cannot experience the
comfort or derive the advantages they
would under other circumstances. if
lit would only incur additional labor
and expense, would not regard that
as q good objection. 1t may be that in
the present construction Of the Prison,
it is impracticable to introduce such al
improvement. If so, it is worthy of
consideration whether that difficulty
should not, at an early day. be obvia.
ted. l commend it to your consdora-
ton. .t ..,. .-.
.. .. PARDoNs. .....
| present the statement required by
law, showing the number OF pardons
granted during the fiscal year. They
number fOrty-iour; oil which twenty
six were granted by my predecessor
between tho 18th OF November and 1st
Of January, and eighteen by myself
during the remainder of the year. Du-
ring that time | have examined fifty
cases, of which seventeen have been
refused, and fifteen continued for fur
ther evidence and examination. About
forty cases are on hand, not completed
under the provisions Of the Statute.
AGRICULTURAL LAND GRANT.
By enactment last winter you ac-
copied the grant Of land for agricultu-
raj education, made by IN act of Con.
gress, approved July 2, 1862; ofwhich
early notified the Interior Depart
mcnt at Washington. The whole cor
rcspondence relating to this subject is
appended from which it will be seen
that the quantity Of good land in the
State subject to entry and appropria-
ton under this grant was so small (oply
so acrcs,) that | had no discretion But
TO elect TO receive the amount in land
scrip. Accordingly, on the 18th Of Sept
the commissioner forwarded to me
three thousand nlnc hundred and
thirty certificates Of scrip, for
"ono quarter section each, equal to
six hundred and thirty thousand acres;
being in full for the claim of the State
under the law. These certificates
were deposited in the State Treasury,
and the fund is subject TO such further
legislative action us you may deem
proper.
No more important subjectwill claim
your consideration than the proper
disposition to be made of this grant
Mingled with the counscls of earnest
and honest friends Of education, you
will, no doubt find the pressure of local
interests, the claims of existing insti-
tutions for additional endowment; and
possibly some not entirely disinlcrest-
cd in their character. Among these
it is no part Of my duty and 1 have
certainly no inclination to discriminate.
The Commissioners of Common Schools
has somewhat elaborately discussed the
subject in his annual report. Without
indorsing his views, | may bo permit
ted to say that the clear and torcible
manner in which they are presented
may well commend them TO your eX-
animation. lie is evidently embar-
rassed by the question of local innuen-
ces and in endeavoring to conciiate
them, falls into the error, as | think,
Of so dividing up the income of the
fund as to- incapactate either branch
for performing what will be required
Of it, or the whole from achieving the
usefullncss that might, by concentra-
ted effort, be accomplished. This is no
less to be avoided, in my judgment,