The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-01-09

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ing.
SOLDIERS cLAiMs.
BY act of the last General Assem-.
bly,, the further receipt Of soldiers
claims, for back pay and bounty, was
stopped on the FIRST Of June, and on
the first Of October the business re-
manning unsettled was transferred to
the Adiutant Generals Office, and the
Bureau Of Soldiers Claims closed
The report Of Royal Taylor, the com
missioner, is appended hereto, show
ing that the business Of his ofIitc was
faithfully performed, and all the
books, records and papers properly
turned over to the Adjutant General
as provided by law. | should be
glad to be able to report the same Of
JAS. @. Wetmorc, Esq, Of the Wash
iugtou agency, In June last / felt
il my duty TO make some structure
upon acts of his which appeared to
me designed to defeat the object of
the law for tho sake of personal
profit, by creating the impression that
the cessation to receive new claims
included also the cessation to prose-
cute gratuitously the collection Of
those already received. The CORES
poudence on this subject was followed
by the resignation of the agent on
the frst Of July, when | directed the
Adjutant General TO assume the du-
ties of the agency, and save tho ex-
penso ofa separate office, for the short
time il had still to exist. For this
purpose General Cowen proceeded to
Washington to receive the transfer of
the Office aud its archives, but was
unexpectedly met by refusal to dc.
liver possession of the records aud
papers. As the duties of the agency
was identical 10 character with those
Of the commissioner of claims, whose
office was in the Capitol, and as | had
then, md have now, no more doubt
of the right Of the State to the re.
cords there than to those of the ex.
ocutive office here. | directed legal
proceedings to be instituted to obtain
possession of the books and docu-
ments. My view Of the duties Of that
agent is that like those of all others
officers of the State government, they
were administrative only, aud the
State itself was the responsible prin-
cipal to which the soldiers entrusted
their claims aud look for the perform.
auce Of tho trust, the agent being
strictly the omploye Of the omploye
of the soldiers.
Tho local Court Of tho District oI
Columbia, before which the case was
brought, hold, however, that the
agent was the agent Of the State only
for the purpose Of receiving a salary,
aud that the archives of the Office
and record books furnished by the
State are the agents personal proper.
ty. Dissatisfied with this decision
the Adjutant General has, with my
approval, appealed to the Supreme
Court of tho United States, where
the case will soou be heard aud do.
cidod.
IMMIGRATION.
Tho laws of the State provide for a
Commissioner Of immigration, whose
duty is to use all proper means to turn
the tide of immigrants toward oul
own borders, aud to spread informa
tion of the resources Of Ohio. Foi
two years no appropriation has been
made for this office, aud tho law i.
practically dead letter. 1t may vel
be doubted whether the offico estab,
lished in this State could be of real
benefit, but there can be no question
that a careful compilation of fact;
aud statistics with regard to the re
sources Of the State, aud the advan
tages it offers as homo to the immi-
grant, would bo most useful, II to
thiscould be added u complete geologi'
cal survey OF the State in detail
showing not simply tho large general
features which are already pretty vel
known, but tho minuter facts of is
geology aud natural history, the ad.
vantage would DO felt by both our
present citizens aud in attraction
hithcr of desirable classes Of new
comers. Valuable essays on special
parts of these subjects have, from
time to time, appeared in the reports
of the Board Of Agriculture, aud il
independent publications, aud it is
thought that no great expense would
be incurred in bringing together and
completing such an exhibit OF our
resources as has been regerred to-
A very respectable horticultural
society has called attention to tn,
necessity of a full Investigation o
the nature and habits of insects whiel
often commit great ravages upon th,
orchards aud fields of the country
They represent with apparent reason
that the labor of such an investiga.
tion can not DO undertaken by indi
viduals, and that public adyantag,
requires that It be done at public cost
As a part of the complete survey o
tho Geology and Natural History o.
the State. the topic is worthy Of you
attentions and ain persuaded tina
such work, carefully performed
would bo a most profitable invest,
mcut of the cost by tho encourage
mcut aud assistance Of our great com
! mouwealth, is tho act which the
have committed officially in our hands
aud in tho hope that under the Di
vine Providence your labors win b
so gracions'y directed to that end,
welcome you to your legislative du
ties.
j. d. Cox, Governo,