Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-09-08
L Z T T e r
HON. RALPH LEETE
TO
GOVERNOR HAYES.
The Governors Speech Reviewed.
IEoNToN, July 9th, 1863.

IEONTON, July 9th, 1869.
To Hon. Rutherford B. IEuyc8, GOUclHO
Of the State Of ohio:
SIR-The extraordinary speech deIiv
cred by yourself before the Republican
State Convention, upon your re-nOmin
alton for Governor, seems to demand
something more than a passing notice
Had the charges made by yOuTSelt
against the transactions of the Fifty,
eighth General Assembly of the State
been made by some eager and aspiring
politician, in the excitement of an i'm.
prOmtU speech before a large cOnven.
tiOn, they might not have deserved the
treatment I propose to bestOw upon
them.
The respect entertained for your pri,
vate character; the reputation you had
earned iii the late war as a brave soldier
and sEillful commander of forces; indie.
pendant OfyOur exalted position as Chief
Magistrate of a great State, all combine
to give force and credit to your state
ments of fact, and declarations of Opin.
ion upon public affairs.
You have aFraigned the Legislative
branch of the State government for a
reckless expenditure Of public money,
and for acting in bad faith generally to-
wards the people.
As one of the members of the Fifty
eighth General Assembly, having my
share of responsibility for its acts, l feel
called upon to Tepel your attacks upon
that body, and to compare some of your
principal charges against the Legislature
with your own official recommends
ti0nS.
You state that "they (the General AS
sembly) created between thirty and for
ty new offices, at q cost to the people for
salaries, fees and expenses, of at least
5000 per annum." They did not crc-
ate any such number Of offices as yOu
state, nor at any such cost. They did
create five additional judgeships, three
of which were in Republican, and two
in Democratic districts They also pro-
vided for an Inspector of steam boilers,
whose salary should be 3, 600 a year.
In your last annual message, I find
the following recommendation: 81 sub
NIT to your consideration the impOr-
tance of providing for a thorough and
comprehensive geological survey of
the State. Many years ago a partial
survey was prosecuted, under many diff
ficulties and embaTrassments, which
was fruitful Of valuable results. 1t is
beyond doubt that such work as is now
practical to carry out, will, by making
the mining, manufacturing, and agricul-
tUral resources of the State, lead to their
development to an eXtentwhich will, in
a few years, amply reimburse the State
for its cost"
Pursuant to this recommendation, Mr..
Lee, of Delaware, introduced bill, pro-
viding for a geological survey of the
State. 1t authorized the appointment
by the Governor, of one principal geOlO-
gist and three assistants. This bill pass
ed, and is the law Of the State and you
have made the appointments under it.
The annual cost of this survey will be
IS, 800, unless the Legislature shall mod
ify the law. know OfnO other offices
created by the Fifty-eighth General
Assembly than those above mentioned;
unless you intended to include the addi-
tiOnal trustees of the Reform School for
girls, all of whom serve without pay.
Permit me further to call your atten-
ton to another recommendation in
your message, which is as follows:
''Ihe interest Of common school edu-
cation, i'll my opinion, will ne promoted
by the early adoption of county super
intendency, as provided in q bill on that
subject now pending in one branch of
the General Assembly. l therefore
earnestly recommend the consideration
and passage of the bill"
Had this bill been passed i'm pursuance
of your recommendation It would have
created eighty-nine new offices, at Il
yearly cost Of not less than two thou
sand dollars for each superintendent.
That bill was fully considered, but the
General Assembly did not deem it cXpc-
dient to pass it.
When You state that "siXty or seven
ty different acts We're passed, authorlz-
ing debts to be contracted amounting
i'm the aggregate to more than S25, 600,
0O0, and that they passed