Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-01-17
GOVERNOR ALIENS INAUGU.
RAJ.

Gentlemen Of the General ASSEMBLY
The events of October have made
it my duty to appear before you, and
in your presence, to take the oath
prescribed to the Chief Executive Of
ticer of the State.
l have taken the oath, and shall
earnestly seek to perform the prom
ises it exactS.
NO GENERAL SUGGESTIONS.
At the opening of your session, my
predecessor, in his annual message,
submitted to you general state
ment of the condition of the several
executive departments of the Gov
ernment. He likewise made such
suggestions as seemed to him neces-
sary and proper.
If at any time during your session
the public interests should, in my
judgment, require me to do so, I will
submit to you some additional sug-
gestions in the form of special mes
sage.
MUCH LEGISLATION TO BE AVOIDED
The Constitutional Convention.
now in session will no doubt com
plete its important labors and submit
the result for ratification by the peo-
pie during the current year.
Should such ratification be obtain
ed, your next session will be one of
extraordinary labor. You will then
be required to revise the whole body
of the general laws of the State, and
by appropriate notifications, adjust
those laws to the requirements of the
new Constitution.
For these reasons, you may not deem
it necessary to alter in any very ma
terial particulars, the existing laws,
at your present session.
EXPENDITURES AND TAXES MUST BE |
REDUCED!
But there are some legislative acts
which will, l believe, attract your |
immediate attention. These are the
acts by which taxes are imposed and
appropriations made. Even if you
were now convened under ordinary |
circumstances, you would, | believe,
feel it your duty to reduce existing
taxes and appropriations; for it is ev-
ident to all men that the increase of |
taxes and public expenditures has
for some years past been much be-
yond the actual and national necessi-
ties of the public service.
But, gentleman, you are now con-
vened under ordinary circumstances.
A few months ago that undefinable
but tremendous power, called a mon
ey panic, impaired a violent shock to
the whole industrial and property
system of the country.
The well considered plans and cal
culations of all men engaged in ac-
tive business, or in the exerticn of
active labor, were suddenly and thor
oughly deranged. In the universal
business anarchy that ensued, the
minds of men became more or less
bewildered, so that few among them
were able distinctly, to see their way,
or know what to do or what to omit,
even through the brief futurity of
single week. All values and all in
comes were Instantly and deeply de-
pressed. There was not farmer. a
manufacturer, merchant, mechan-1
ic, or labOrer, who did not feel that
he was less able to meet his enrape-
ments, or pay his taxes, than he had
been before. The distressful effect
of this state of things was felt by all.
but it was more grievousiy felt by
the great body of laboring people,
because it touched them at the vital
point of subsistence. Many of these
men were unable to find that regular
and remunerative employment so es-
sential to their well-being, whilst
some of them, especially in the large
towns and cities, would have suffered
for the want of the nutriment upon
which the continuance of life de-
pends, but for that prompt humanity
and charity so characteristic of, and
80 honorable to the whole American !
people.
Itsis in the midst of this condition !
,f things that you are now convened; {