The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-01-16
THE INAUGURAL.


Governor elect Allen then took the
oath of Office, it being administered
by Chief Justice White. He then
proceeded to deliver the following
address in very labored and slow
manner:
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
officer Of the State.
I have taken the oath, and shall
earnestly seek to perform the prom
ises it exscts.
At the opening of your session, my
predecessor, in his annual message,
submitted to you general statement
of the condition of the several ex-
ecutive departments of the Govern
nent. He likewise made such sug.
gestions as seemed to him necessary
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 a special
message.
The Constitutional Convention,
now in session, will no doubt COM
plete its important labors and sub
NIT the result for ratification by the
people during the current year.
Should such ratification be OBJ
tanned, your next session will be one
of extraordinary labor. You viii
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 deem
it unnecessary to alter in any very
material particulars, the existing
laws, at your present session.
But there are some legislative acts
which will, i believe, attract your i'm
mediate attention. These are the
acts by which taxes are imposed and
appropriations made. Even if you
were now convened under ordinary
circumstances, you would, I believe,
feel it to be your duty to reduce ex-
isting taxes and appropriations; for
it is evident to all men that the in
crease Of taxes and public expendi-
ture has for some years past been
much beyond the actual and rational
necessities of the public service.
But, gentlemen, you are now con
vened under ordinary circumstances
A few months ago, that undefinable
but tremendous power, called mon
ey panic impaired a violent shock to
the whole industrial and property
system of the country.
The well considered plans and cal
culations ofall men engaged in active
business or in the exertioa Of active
labor, were suddenly and thoroughly
deranged. In the universal business
anarchy that ensued, the minds of
Of men became more or less bewil-
dered, 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 a farmer A
manufacturer, a merchant, mechan-
ic or laborer, who did not feel that
he was less able to meet his engage.
ments, or pay his taxes, than be had
before. The distressful effect of this
state of things was felt by all, but it
was more grievously felt by the great
body of the 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 essen
tial to their well-being, while 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
honorable to the whole American
people.
It is in the midst ofthis condition
Of things that you are now convened
and it is manifestly the duty
Of the Legislature of the State |
to aferd the only relief which it has
the constitutional pOWeS to afford, by
the reduction of the public taxes, in !