Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-05
.0reteg)rl;a,p|.lIb):iIJt. i; phi
Inaugural Address Of Gov. COney,
Of Maine.

|
AUGUSTA, Jan. 4-GOvernor Coney was
! inaugurated to-day. He says the State of
Maine has furnished II, ,558 men, being more
than one-tenth OF her population. Five
| liregiments and one battalion of infantry still
remain In the service. The records of the
Adjutant General show the fact that of SOL
diers Maine furnished, S,446 perished, either
being slain in battle or died OF wounds re-
ceived, or disease contracted in the service of
the Government. He believes that some tes-
tinionial is due to the memory of the dead,
and equally to the more fortunate living,
in token of the States appreciation and
gratitude, and suggests that a monument
be erected IN honor Of the former, and med
ais, with suitable inscriptions, be struck
and furnished the latter, who have been
honOrably discharged. But this will not
satisfy the publicc conscience, for the duty of
the State is thus but part discharged.
There is one thing which can and should
be done, and that Is to enact law that no
soldier Of sober habits, incapacitated by in
juries received in the discharge of his du-
ties while in the military service, or his
FAMILY, who shall require aid from any city
or town, shall become paupers or subjected
TO any disability in consequence thereof.
The State expenditures for war purposes
amounts to $7357,573. The amount adj
Nanced by cities and towns for aid to the
families of soldiers, to January 1st, 1865,
was $7509, ,536, which has been refunded bv
the State or provision made therefor. ere
turns received from the cities, towns and
plantations of the State under the require
ments OF the law, show that they are in
debt not less than Sc, 6,556,1s3, which they
have paid for bounties, Altogether there
has been expended by the people of Maine,
for the support of the national cause, $l4,-
093,572, for which they owe to-day about
$l2,0O0000, saying nothing about private
contributions, which, through their liber-
ality, have continually flowed as freely as
water The State enjoys a high financial
character, its bonds having been sold in the
closest money market of the year within
one or two per cent. as high as the 7-3D
bonds OF the United States.
The Governor presses upon the consider
alton OF the Legislature the necessity, as
well as the value, OF a6hering to the policy
of gradually. paying off the public debt
through the instrumentality of the sinking
fund. He contends that the indebtedness
OF all the States, including all their munic-
ipalties, occasioned by war expenses,
should be assumed by the National Gov
ernment.
Arguing at some length the present con-
dition of national affairs, he takes ground
in support of the Presidents policy (?) for
the return of the revolving States to the
Union, to the spirit and purpose of which
conditions no loyal man would utter dis
sent. The restoration of the relations of
the revolted States to the Union on any
other basis than that OF limiting the
exercise of political rights to the
actually loyal people or one which
shall fail to secure recognition
OF the colOred race as freedmen, having
equal rights and obligations with the
whites, or omits to provide for their moral
and intellectual culture, so indispensable
to the citizens of a free State, cannot be
contemplated except with the protoundest
ALARM The objection to Investing the col
Ored race with the elective franchise grow
ing out of their ignorance, is one having
great force, utapplicable alike to the white
man of the same Intellectual condition. 10
obviate this there may be necessity for
poStponing their full investure with this
| right until they, in common with other ig-
nOrant persons, shall be fitted by education
for its exercise. The stimulus this would
give to the educational effort of both races
would be of incalculable benefit in main
tanning measure of security to the nation.
The Constitution of the Union should be so
amended as to limit right ofnatiOnal repre-
sentation to the legal number of suffrage in
each State, and define who shall be electors
in the States of President, Vice President,
and Representatives to the Congress OF the
| United States.