Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-01-23
Inaugural Address of Gov. Hayes.
Gentlemen of the Senate aud House of
Representotices, and Feliow- citizens.

The duty devolved on the Gov
ernor by the Constitution of commu
nicating by message to the Genera
Assembly the condition of the State
and of recommending such measures
as he deems expedient, has beer
performed at the present session by
my predecessor, Governor Cox, in s
manner so thorough and comprehen-
sive that l do not feel called upon to
enter upon a discussion of questions
touching the administration of the
State Government.
can think of no better reward for
the faithful performance of the du.
ties of the Office which I am about to
assume, than that which, l believe,
my immediate predecessor is entitled
to enjoy-the 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 Governor Of Ohio, and that
be now leaves it with a conscience
satisfied with the discharge of duty.
congratulate the members of the
General Assembly that many of the
questions which have hitherto large
ly engaged the attention of the law
making power, and divided the peo-
pie of the State, have, in the
progress Of events, either been set
tied, or in the general Judgment of
the people, been transferred for in
vestigation and decision to the Ma
tional Government The State debt,
taxation, the currency and internal
improvements, for many years fur
nished the prominent topics of dis
cussion and controversy in Ohio. In
the year l845 the State debt reached
its highest point. 1t amounted to
so, 0,0lS,5l5 67, and in the same year
the total taxable property of the
State was SI56, 1866. With dis
ordered currency, with business pros
trated, with labor often insufficiently
rewarded, the burden of this debt
was severely felt, and questions in
regard to it naturally entered into
the partisan struggles of the time
Now the State debt is Sll,031, ,94l 50.
The taxable property of the State
amounts to 81, ,13S,754,i 10; and there
is no substantial difference of opin-
ion among the people as to the prop
or mode of dealing with this sub
ject.
State taxation was formerly the &C.
casion of violent party contests
Now men of all parties concur n the
opinion that as . general rule every
citizen ought to be taxed in pro-
portion to the actual value of his
property, without regard to the form
in which he prefers TO invest it; and
differences as to tho measures by
which the principle Is practically ap-
plfed rarely enter into political strug-
giles in Ohio.
Party conflicts and debates as to
State laws in relation to banking and
the currency constitute large part
of the political history of the State.
But the events of the last few years
have convinced those who are in ia
vor of paper currency, that in
the present condition of the country
it can best be furnished by the Ma
tional Government, eitherby means of
National Banks or in the form of
legal tender Treasury notes. State
Legislatures are, therefore, relieved
from the consideration of this diff
cult and perpleXing subject.
Internal improvements made by
State authority, SO essential to growth
and prosperity in the early history of
the State, no longer require much
consideration by the General Assem-
bly,. Works of a magnitude too great
to be undertaken by individual en-
terprise, will hereafter be, for the
most part, accomplished by the Gov
ernment 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 un
der existing laws, with very little, if
any, additional legislation.
If not mistaken as 10 the result Of
this brief reference to q few of the
principal subjects of the legislation
of the past. the present General AS
sembly has probably better oppor-
tunity than any of its predecessors
to avoid the evil OF too much legisla-
tion. Excessive legislation has be-
come great evil, and 1 submit to
the Judgment of the General Assem-
bly, the wisdom of avoiding it.
| One important question of princi-
pie, as old as our State govern.
ment, still remains unsettled. All
are familiar with the conflicts to
which the policy of making distiuc,
tions between citizens in civil and
political rights have given rise in
Ohio. The first effort of those who
opposed this policy was to secure tc
all citizens equality of civil rights
The result of the struggle that en-
sued is thus given, by an eminent
and houored citizen of our State:
"The laws which created jisabili
ties on the part of negroes in respect
of civil rights, were repealed in the
year lS49, after an obstinate contes
quite memorable in the history o.
the State. Their repeal was looked
upon with great d,sfavor by larg'
portion of the people, as a danger
Gus innovation upon just and we'll
settled policy, and vote in that di
rection consigned many members o
the Legislature to the repese of pri
vate life. But 1 am not aware tina
any evil results justified these appre
tensions, or that any effort was eve
made to impose the disabilities. Oh
the contrary, the new policy, if
may call it so, has been found 81
consistent with justice to the negroe
and the interests of the whites, tina
no one--certainly no party--in Obi