The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-01-12
TREASURER OF STATE.

Longview Asylum imbroglio, and
the rate of interest.
TREASURER OF STATE.
Upon the creation of the vacancy
in the office OF the Treasurer of State,
Hereinafter more particularly set
forth) / appointed, in the place oil
Goodwin V. Dorsey, removed, Mr..
William Hooper, leading merchant
and distinguished fnancier of Gin
cinnati He having most generous
| ly accepted this appointment Tin sole
consideration of the extreme exigency
in which this difficulty had placed
the finances and credit Of the State,
he was duly qualified and entered
upon the duties of the Office upon
september 25, 1865.
This conduct of this gentleman
deserves, and, i trust, will long re
ceive the grateful acknowledgment
by all public spirited citizens of the
State. 1t was really Il very great
favor to the State and all its people.
There are few men, if any, in Ohio
! (having the proper qualifications for
such an olllce-in its then circum-
stances great trust-and with the
rank and character equal to the fur
nishing the security required) who
would have relinquished their own
private affairs and pleasures to ac-
cept these heavy duties and RESPONSE
biities fora time SO brief and honors
so doubtful.
The Governor thinks that VIC
ought to retrench our expenses and
come down from war to peace, and
then says; ...
Notwithstanding this truth, how.
ever my Judgment and feeling unite
in the conclusion that the last places
in which we ought to economize in
this strictness and severity, are in
the asylums and schools for the
unfortunate OF our kind and country
We must, on no account, starve OF
stint the insane, the idiotc, the blind,
the deaf and dumb, or the impoycr.
ished, manned, invalid soldier, 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 and
spirit Of this advice demands that our
benevolent purposes and appropria-
tions should actually reach their OBJ
jects, and ought not to be taken adj
vantage of and misapplied to other
uses, or TO the unjust emolument Of
their agents.
The huildiug upnn the now Deaf
and Dumb Asylum has progressed
as rapidly and favorably as the at
tendant difficulties (speciicd in the
report of Architect) would admit
The plan seems to be one of the most
complete, commodious and elegant
in this or any other State, and the
quality of the work is excellent, al
most beyond comparison with any of
our other public buildings.
The wing for the school is so far
completed as to be ready for an ap-
preparation to furnish it. The ne
cessities of this institution have been
so repeatedly and urgently pressed
upon you, in this regard, that it is
scarcely necessary for me to say
more than formally to recommend
this appropriation.
The Institution for the Education
Of the Blind presents a case for an
appropriation which l do not well
see how the General Assembly can
refuse The Central Lunatic Asy
lum is also in condition in which
an early appropriation for extensive
repairs seems TO be the better econ.
Jmy.
The report of the Directors and
Warden of the Ohio Penitenuary
seems to be satisfactory. In addi.
ton to suggestions OF improvements,
and of amendments TO the law there
in contained, (Which seems to me
propcr,) | beg leave to add others.
The law now grants citizenship
upo@a certificate Of good conduct in
the prison merely / doubt the wis.
dom of this cnfranchisement. Good
conduct in their position is, Of course,
most desirable, and rewards, even to
convicts, is a better system Of gov
ernment than punislIments. But may
not too high a price be paid for that
sort of good conduct? AS the law
now stands, the most cool and cruel.
the most crafty and irreclaimable
thief, burglar, cOunterleiter, perjurel
or murderer, becomes citizen by
simply observing such little, but nee
cssary, rules OF prison discipline, as
not throwing bread crumbs, speak
ing, laughing, DC. These are for
bcarances which men of these kinds
OF temperament can the most ready
practice And that alone, after The
most infamous crimes, and without
the least proof of repentance or re-
formation, they are made full citi
zens. While honest minde and i'm
pulsivc natures, whose crimes, per
haps, arose from angry passion alone
and who have had no stain upon thoil
truth or honor, are forever debarret
from testifying in courts, or voting
at elections, simply because Of th'
artlessness and playfulness Of theil
natures. And when it is remember
ed that the existence of this law mis-
leads the public upon this subject
that it has become so common as Il
be an almost universal condition
made by judges, prosecuting attor
lneYs and others, TO their recOmmen