The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-01-11

HeCesfury tOT INC 70 say moro Lnan
formally to recommend this appropra. I.
tinn. s+t ar-i ,yf .r.-,f /
The Institution for the Education Of
the Blind presents a case for an ap-
preparation which l do not we'll see
how the General Assembly can refuse.
The Central Lnnatic Asylum is also
in q condition in which an early ap-
preparation for extensive repairs seems
to be the better economy.
/ take occasion bore 10 call attention
to the various and somewhat loose sort
Of accounting by some of these insti.
tutions. Ought not the Legislature to
prescribe uniform system? think
its Committees must occasionally cx-
pefience both delay and uncertainty
in examining these accounts. 1t may
be observed that, in several of them,
there is an exact equality Of tho sums
of the receipts and expenditures, with
out any balance. If this indicates o
determination, skillfully, to exhaust
the appropriation, whatever it may
be, it is certainly poor encourage
mcnt for the Legislature to give q
margin over tho close estimate, for
casualties and contingencies. This
allowance should always be made in
the appropriations; but the institutions
certainly should not feel under any OBJ
legation to expend any more money
than if the margin had not been grant.
ed them. =; '1' ia ~ 81
All changes in this kind of laws
should be avoided, ii possible. But it
does seer, doubtful whether the whole
system Of purchases by these institu-
tions ought not, like other claims, to
pass through the Auditors office. o ioo
1t is observable, also, that several
of them in their reports treat The pro.
Tcecds of their own sales (under the
head of Receipts from other sources, ,
as their own, and not as the States
funds. But section 10 of the act TO
establish the independent Treasury of
the State of Ohio, seems to settle this
question. 1t is not new one. Tho
Controller ofthc Treasury and COM
mittee Ofthe General Assembly have
repeatedly discussed it. 1t ought
to be repealed or else complied
with. .-.l..t ,....rt.
The Northern Lunatic Asylum,
whose various difficulties seem to have
perplexed both the General Assembly
and the late Governor appears now
those difficulties having been re-
moved or reconcied) 10 be working
harmoniously and efficiently. ''' =
1t will be observed that the report
of the. Directors of this institution at
tributes a certain increase in the cur;
rent expenditures account to my ad-
vice, that they should advance this
sum from that fund to the Special In
provemcnt Fund, This is trlc. The
circumstances ard reasons which in
duced that advice were these: Upon
the request Of the Board, visited the
institution at the meeting Of its .Trus-
toes, 10 aid, so far as could in recon-
cling the difficulties and controver-
sizes before alluded TO. This duty was
promptly and most pleasantly perform
ed, since there were very slight diff
cplties to be settled. That task over;
upon looking into the general condi !,
tion ofthe institution and the special
Improvements, which were, by an act
of the General Assembly, placed under
the Governors control, 1 then found
the entire building stripped OF its old
warming arrangements and the new
apparatus unfinished, and without ad,
equate funds in its proper appropria
tion for its completion, In this con-
dition Of things, could not hesitate
in recommending TO the Board this
diversion of that amount Of their own
funds to this use. And they prompt
ly agree to this proposal. Had we
not done so, if cold weather had set
in atits usual period, theseunfortunate
recipients of our caro- and bounty
would have been either frozen or de-
stroyed by diseases, consequent upon
their exposure and sufferings.,
| may also add that neither this de-
lay nor exhaustion of the special build
ing fund, seemed to be, in any wise,
the fault of the very able and efficient
Superintendent in charge of this work
and expenditure Mr., Blackburn, of
Cleveland. His report Of this work
will be found 10 the Appendix. ,n4..o
Upon tho examination made by me,
1 find these improvements well done
They are now completed, and though
from my poor skill in mechanics, |
am not able to have very clear opin.
ions ofsdch matters, yet am inclined
(unlke some of fthe Trustees apparent,
ly) to hope for the most favorable ro.
suits from this new patent for the
heating and ventilation of the build
ings, ., n h1gsla efJ -q.f,r.
The General Assembly will notice
the statement and application in this
report Of the Trustees in regard to the
non payment and retention in the
State Treasury ofthe salary ofthe late
Superintendent. The facts Of this
case are these: DR.. WV. Wythes, a
"ctizen" of Pennsylvania, before ac-
quiring an dictatorship" in Ohio, was
appointed Superintendent Of this In
stitution. During the controversies
in the Board, an objection was made
TO his eligibility and a suit was insti-
tuted against him, in pursuance of the
purpose of this objection. The legal
disability ofthis gentleman was alleged
to arise from Section 5, Article XIV,
of the Constitution of Ohio: mo per-