Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-01-11

OF the extraordinary benefits arising, directly
and indirectly, from these institutioDs--w h.
cut oyer.estimating their profits ltor. the
best Of them will not be found, 10 the long
run, very prolitabe,) aud without treating
this class, or its property, differently from
others-the General Assembly, should un-
dertake q system of proper legislation,
which should do justice to them and the peo'
pie.
The subject has many and intrinsic diff
culties. The principle of combinations by
all such interests; their unslcepiDg ylgl-
lance their great powers Of seducing all au-
thorities, from the County Auditors twho
tax them, up to the Congress Of the United
States (which ought to regulate them,) by
the little thing of free pass to self and
family, are by no means to be overlooked as
amopg them. Perhaps a reasonably severe
penalty against the giving or receiving a
free pass in the case of officers, would be a
good law. | should thind it would be ac-
ceptable to the railroad companies, for they
are really oppressed and tyrannlzed over in
this way. Whether it would so well suit
the Auditors and Congressman, is more
doubtful
AGRICULTURAL LAND GRANT.
The Committee appointed by the late
Governor, under the authority of the Act
passed April i5, 1865, after careful examl
nation and consideration, has made its re-
port. 1t will be duly submitted to you in a
special message. beg leave to say, that
having in the first instance, q very different
view of the matter, am now persuaded
that, all things considered, this Committee
has decided upon the best course which the
State can now pursue in the premises. L
commend to the General Assembly a care
ful consideration of this excellent document.
Upon the question of manual labor, in
volved in this subject, | am less clear. Our
reason, experiences and prejudlces seem all
at fault in relation to it. This much, how
ever, is reasonable in my judgment, viz /:
that there is no use in either colleges OF
schools to teach the mere manual dexterl-
ties of Agriculture-as plowing, hoeing,
spading, chopping, and the rest-but it is
the intelligence Of the principle to be work
ed at and wrought out, which this educa
tion is to impart. As much manual labor
at least must he maintained as will serve
definitely and familiarly to exemplity, illus
trate and put into visible practice, with its
results, the scientific truth, new or old, upon
which they must rest.
MILITARY AGENCIES.
| scarcely know what to say, or advise, in
regard to our Military Agencies.
Supposing that the cessation Of the war
would soon put an end to the necessity of
these agents, and being firmly convinced OF
the policy of closing all war expenditures,
as rapidly as possible, with the war itself,
and of coming immediately and severely
down to a peace establishment before such
officers and expenditures shall become
chronic through mere continuance notlii
ed all these agencies 10 prepare Tor an early
close Of their duties, and some OF them
specifically required to do so by the FIRST oil
January. But it now chances that the
Sanitary Commission, whose officers have
been dong amongst other kindnesSes to the
soldiers, an excellent service, in gratuitously
collecting these claims has determined t.
close out all their business. This misfortune
| (fur such it is, has thrown an increased bust
ness of this sort upon our State agents
and in several of them their duties Of this
! kind are greatly increased instead OF being
| diminished, as was anticipated. The sol
diers-just at home, in debt, and, many Of
them, unpaid and desperate in their feelings,
as in their hnances-are thrown into the
traps and under the devices of a set oil
sharpers and swin1lcrs, the likes and equals
Of whom were perhaps never seen upon the
earth before; God grant they never may
again. mean the claim agents OF our
chief cities of rendezvous. L know very
well how unjust and imprudent. .as genera
truth, is all broad denunciation of whole
classes. Aud | know, and take pleasure IL
stating, that there are many very honorable
exceptions to this character amongst thl'
profession of brokers.
Meantime, unless Congress or the States
do something for our unfortunate volunteers
their fates, under the influence and contro
of these private agents, are plain enough
Congress, whose sole business it is seems Il
be occupied with what it may consider NOR,
important and grander schemes of useful
ness to the world, if not to their country
This makes it necessary for Ohio, evel
under the unjust weight of her other load
of taxes, borne for the general or nationa
al welfare, to see that some plan is devised
and put promptly in execution to remed.
these evils.
/ If, therefore, any legislative action shal
follow this recommendation, great care ant
| wisd. n ought to be used to prevent on
own agents from committing these frauds
which they are called into power to prevent
PAY AGENTS.
The gross AMOUNT of allotment money re
ceiyed by these agents from Ohio soldiers
and paid into the treasury, is So, 465, 702 s
of which, as has already been stated, 81
43I, ,433 -, or more than one-haf Of tn
entire sum, were collected during the yes
1865, and that too with loss to the Stat
J of only one hundred dollars $l00). Thi
! loss resulted from one of the agents recei'
! ing, in q moment Of great hurry, counter
felt note. As the necessity for these officer
5 no longer exists, it is presumed that tn
s General Assembly will legislate accordingl.
NATIONAL GUARD LAW.
: Much complaint has been made again
the militia fine OF four dollars of the enro
. ment and other operations Of the act {
March 81, 1864, ito organize and dsciplir
the militia Of Ohio, and ihe amendatol
act, passed April IL, 1865.
= This fine, it really seems to me, now til
J, the war is over, like all other military e
s peuditures and displays,) ought to be grea
r iy reduced. 1t was right enough ye
, ago, but thank God and our brave army,
b year has made happy change for us all,
t. we have only the sense to improve it.
!!e THE SOLDIERS HOME.
70 The question is, in some respects, nj
= one, and like all novel experiments of su
u magnitude, it will naturally and necessar
i, disclose tho truth, that many arguments