The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-01-17
INhHGHRALuADDRESS

thefConStitutibn of Communicating by mes
age 10 The General Assembly the condition
! of the State, and of recommending such
measures AS he deems expedieut, has been
performed tsthe present seszion by my pre-
decessor, Gov. Cox, in manner SO thorough
and comprehensive that II do not feel called
upan To enter upon discussion of questions
touching the administration of the State
GYvsrpmpt.l tFV3lE II
/ / lcs1 ttinh of 20 tetdr rsvaSd br tlf
faithful Ierformance Of The duties Of the
lsoflice- which IL am about to assume, than
that which, believe, my immediate prede-
cessor is entitled 10, eI6oy,-ths knowledge
that in the opinion of his fellow citizens OF
| all parties, he has, by his culture, his ability
and his integrity, honored the office of Gov
ernor of Ohio, and that he now leaves it
| with a conscience satisfied with the dis
| charge of duty. y,
/ congratulate the members of the Gener-
al Assembly, that many of the questions
which have hitherto largely engaged the al
tention of thelaw.making power, and divid-
ed the people of the State, have in the
progress Of events, either been settled, or in
the general Judgment of the people, been
transferred for investigation and decision TO
the National Government. The State debt,
taxation, the currency and internal improve
ments, for many years furnished the promi-
nent topics of discussion and controversy N
Ohio. In the year lS45 the State debt
reached its highest point. 1t amounted to
| $40, 0IS ,5I5.61, and, in the same YER, the
total taxable property of the State was $I36,-
| 142, ,666. With a disordered currency, with
business prcstrated, with labor often insult
ficientIy rewarded, the burden of this debt
was severely felt, and questsons ip regard to
it naturally entered into the partisan strng-
| giles of the time Now the State. debt is
SlI, ,O3I, 94I.56 the taxable property of the
State amounts to 81 ,l9S, 754, 799 snd there
is no substantial difference of opinion among
the people as to the proper mode Of dealing
with this subject. az '''t't', - - 20
State taxation was formerly The occasion
of violent party contests. Now men Of all
parties concur in the opinion that as gen
eral rule every citizen ought to he taxed in
proportion to the actual value Of his proper
| ty, without regard to the form in which, he
| prefers to invest It I and differences as to
the measures by which the principle is
practically applied, rarely enter ihto politi-
cal struggles in Ohio.
Party conflicts and debates as tn State
laws in relation 10 banking and the currency
constitute a large part of the political his
tory of the State. But Che events Of the
last few years have convinced those who are
in favor of a paper currency, that in the
| present ccndilien of the country it can best
be furnished by the National Government,
either by means of National banks or In the
form of legal tender treasury notes. State
| Legislatures are therefore relieved from the
consideration of this difficult and perplex-
ing subject. ss7sa
Internal improvements made by State au-
| thOrity, SO essential TO growth and prosper
| ity in the early history of the State, no
longer require much consideration by the
General Assembly. Works of a-magnitude
too great TO be undertaken by individual
enterprise, will hereafter be, for the most
part, accomplished by the Government Of
the Nation.
The part which patriotism required Ohio
to take in the war to suppress the rebellion,
demanded important and frequent acts. OF
legislation. Fortunately the transactions
of the State growing out Of the war have
been, or probably can be, closed under ex-
isting laws, with very little, if any, addi-
tiOnaI Legislation. ~ ~ ere r-d
If not mistaken as TO the result of this
brief reference to few of the principle sub
ects of the Legislation of the past, the pres
ent General Assembly has probably a better
opportunity than any of its predecessors to
avoid the evil lOf too much legislation. E1-
eessive legislation has become great, evil
and i isubmitto the judgnento Of The Gener-
| al Assembly the wisdom of avoiding it,
One important question of principle, as
old as our State GvFernment, still remains
unsettled. All are familiar with the con-
ficts to which the policy of making dis
tinctions between citizens in civil and polit-
ical rights has given rise in Ohio. The first
effort of those who opposed this policy was
to secure to all citizens equality Of civil
rights. The result of the struggle that en-
sued is thus given by an eminent and hon
ored citizen of our State; e3-iit
+" The laws which created disabilities on
the part of negroes in respect 10 civil rights
were repealed in 1919, after an obstinate
contest quite memorable in the history o.
the State. Their repeal was looked upon
with great disfavor by large portion of the
people, as dangerous innovation upon q
Just and well-settled policy, and a vote in
that direction consigned many members o.
the Legisla ure TO the repose of private life
ButI am not aware that any evil results
!Sr'lneu a Apese epH.'nens, " y, I,aS n.L:,: -.
sro'' Wa we ~ :, neue W .ne ~
| vs. y, n" .no GSns 'Ss eS "a" 10y, - :.
p,"{ 'ai. ~ ~, .ds .d' ,oi ~ o9ns,s
| f W Jus. " o .Ie.. a'u .i,' spo oss
", tne eeW",SeS Na enas ~ one s;iii neeer'sln{ ~
PalyT'n on'o' "ou'u 'e "ini'e :" aDau-
| uon H. -.......-- .--,,t ... f..A
An tffOrt to secure to all citizens oqual
political rights, was made IN the State Con-
s'itutional Convention of 1851. Only thir-
- ~ ~, ,,o,ad - ;,s f.ror anJ :, !.
bIa tLsi loss tban one tenth Of tbe vo-
80 ~ St.,o would ,bon Loyo ,o,o1' =,
s,r;,,a H. ,,,,,rd +. ,.h;,e ont IF ths Go,,.,;
s'',:a., '"e VI ''o oo--1'-
'1.
| Inc last "sheial EssemDiy suom1Veu te
tDe people proposition 10 amend the Ststs
constitution SO as 10 aooiish uis'inStions ii
| p'llt'cal rfghts paseu upon coior. Inc pro
position contained several clauses not peru
eent TO lss mann purpose, upder wh'ch,
adp1eu':lt was peieYed ny MANY tnats nn'
number OF whlte citizens VINO would DC dis
iranchlsed would De much greater lnaii tn'
un amber 81 col0red citIzsns who would of
allowed Inc right ol suffrage. iNotwith-
stnndlpg The proposition was thus hamper
ed 1t re ce'Ved 2l69S. votes, or nearly iorty
hve per cent. OF all the votes cast IN 'n'
state IhH result shows gr'at progress IL
puollc sentiment since Inc adoption OF tn'
Constitution OF lo'i, and inspires ihe 'rieno'
ol equai ront,cai r,Shts win connden
nope that IN ion, when inc opportunity i
gwen TO the people, ny me provisions ol LII .n'
Constitution, 10 call Gonstitalionai ~, Son-
ventIon, tue organic law OF me Sta'e WI OF
20 amended as To sec ire IN ONO 10 ali lne
governed an equal voice IN government.
Bu. whatever reasonable doubts may b,
entertained as 10 the probable action of The
poo,,Ia of Ohio on Tho ouest;or of an ertcn