The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-01-10

mark that the opinions OF such an officer {
are always worthy of great respect, snd {
that the special amendments which he
indicates seem to be most jualcious.-
| am pleased to have his opinion that
the law is so generally good as to need
but slight amendment. Changed in
laws should never be made, except for
weighty reasons.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
In addition to the facts already pre-
sented and iuterable from the forego-
ing statements in regard to the finances
of these institutions, think it useful to
make some general observati ms upon |
them. In the first place, being of the
fixed and clear opinion that it is the Sc
rous duty of all OF Us IN the State ana
nation, at this time, to come promptly
and severely down from war to peace,
and from war prices and expenditures
to the simplest and plainest economy,
compatible with peace and the heavy
burdens of war debt, which peaje must
always bear. Retrenchment, so often
a pretcxt of demagogues, has become
with US (if we would protect our inter-
es,s or maintain our houor) an inl era
tive, overwhelming necessity. Not
withstanding this truth, however, my
Judgment and feeling unite in the CON
clusion that the last places in which we
ought to economize In this strc'n"as
and severity are those asy lurns and
scho OILS tor the unfortunate Of our kind
and country. We must, on no ac-
count, stirve or stint the insane, the
idiot,c, the blind, the deaf and dumb,
or tile impoverished, manned, inv :li3
solli r, who has spent his substance,
shed his blood or wasted his health to
save us all from ruin. Upon The other
hand, again, the very principle aud
spirit of this advice d mands that our
benevolent purposes aud appropriations
should actually retch their o jacts, and
ought not to be- taken advantage OF and
mlsapplicd to other uses, or to the un-
Just emolument Of their agents; and in
the exact proportion that the State,
amid thp. present condition Of her imam
ces, shnll be bountitul to the beneficial
rivs ot thcs. finds, ought it sternly H.
exact of its officers the more strictly
faithful economy and integrity in their
due application OF them. do not know
that there is in these reports any ev-
idance of puticular looseness of action
or of accounting by these officers. But
the occasion is such the highuess Of
our prices, the PC lie of our expenditures
and the Irregularities arising f'om these
conditions and from the heeai ss public
opinion in regard to them-all aAmon-
ish US of the wisdom; nay, the necvsai'
ty OF our .uakins this happy change
from war to peace, an opportunity oI
promptly and bfavely returning tc
consonant ideas and habits. think
the Legislature ought to investigate
aud scrutinize, by committee or other
wise, every account Of Every officer l.
all the departments qfthe Government
and to devise and initiate new system
of economical though efficient admins
lrAtlon of its tax and financas, whioI
&1ull include no trace in form, ~
stain in spirit, of those bad moral
which the war has spread 30 widely
among our officers and people.
With these simple ami general prop
ositions, applicable to all other depart
mants, as well as to our institutions o
benevolencc, proceed again to more
specific and and detailed statements an'
Recommendations.
The bulilng upon the new Deaf an'
Dnmb Asylum has progressed as rapid
" and favorably as the attendAnt dit
tiunltles (sprcldod in the report OF tn
| architect) would admit. The plaI
seems to be one OF the most complete
com,nodious and elegant in this or an,
| o1her State, and the quality of the vol
ia excellent, almost b yond comparison
with any other of our public buildings
= The design and execution, alike, d.
t great credit to M. Blackburn ant
= again evincs the uncommon judgman
!, and disc, limitation of our late t5overno
. in his selection Vf this Architect ant
/ Superintendent.
r The wing fol the school is so ia
E completed as to be ready for an appro
i p. iation to furnish it.. The necessiLie
e of this institution have been ST. repeat
c e,lly and urgently pressedsupon You
: in this regarA, that it is scarcely neces
: sary for me to say more than to formal
: ly recommend this appropriation.
The institution for the education q
the blind presents case for au sppro
;, priation which | do not well see ho,
the General Assembly Can refuse. Th
: Central Lunatic Asylum is also i'll
: condition in which an early appropria
ton for extensive repairs seems to b
! the better economy.
y I take occasion here TO call attentio
:. to the various and somewhat loose SO,
: of accounting by some Of these iustitu
y tions. Ought not the Legislature +
+ prescribe uniform system? | thin
1 its Committees must occasionally expe
: rience both delay and uncertainty il
examining these accounts. 1t may b
!. observed that, in several of them, ther
e Is an exact equality of the sums Of tn
4 receipts and expenditures, without an
I balance. If this indicates determina
9 tion, sklllfully, to exhaust the appropri
' alton, whatever it may be, it is certain
= ly poor encouragement tor the Legis
n lature TO give a margin over the clos
= estimate, tor casualties aud contingnen
i cies. This allowance should always b
! made in the preparations; but the in
n situations certainly should not feel un
t der any obligation to expend any NOR
8 money than if the margin had not bee
/. granted them,
All changes in this kind OF law
: should be avoided if possible. But
4 does ssom doubtful whether the systet
v of purchases ought not, like othe
a claims, to pass through the Auditor
!, office.