The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-01-03

our soil are clements of pros perit
strong enough to breast the adverse cur
rents Of business adversity which hav
been bearing down upon che ceuntr
with such force during the past tw
years.
On the Goth of November last, Hon
Isaac Welsh, Treasurer of State
after lingering illness, departed this
life, leaving a vacancy which L filed b.
tue appointment of his son, Leroy W
Welsh, Mr.. Welsh'was near the expira
ton OF his second term In this responsi
bic and honorable Office, which he fillet
with great efficiency and to the entir,
satisfaction of all who had BUSH witt
that department. He was an unassum
ling, intelligent, and honorable man, ant
Won the respect and confidence of all
who knew him.
| Our State benevolent, reformatory
and penal Institutions are, in the main
In dourishing condition, aud fulfilling
the wise. purpose Of their creation.
The Penitentiary Is unusually crowded
but the reports OF the Warden and Diree
tors make q gratifying exhibit respect
ing the general health, discipline, and
financial management, showing a sur
plus OF earnings for the year Of about
twenty thousand dollars over and above
lits current expenses. A very consider.
able number of the convicts are serving
under sentences for offenses which, il
seems to me, might be punished as well
in our county jalls. Men are serving
out sentences tor petty burglaries and
forgeries, generally committed under
the stress of necessity, in which little
| items OF clothing or provisions, or small
sums OF money, only, are involved. Ii
is d question worthy of our considera.
tion, whether there should not be grades
In forgery and burglary, as there are in
larceny, SO that petty offenders, who
| have not given evidence OF being hard
| ened In crime, may be imprisoned in the
county jails, instead Of the Penitantiary
My Immediate predecessor calledJ The
| attention of the General A Assemhly to the
matter OF inequality in sentences lo the
Penitentiary, fully indorse his views
on that subject, ana invite you TO con-
slider the great Injustice frequently done
to men and women who are more un-
| fortunate than criminal, by the unequal
| sentences pronounced by the Courts.
The peculiar temperament or condition
| of the Judge, or the attendant influences
in community, as frequently mould
| the character Of the sente nee as the cir
cumstances of the case. Men are serv-
| ing under sentences OF thirty
years for precisely the same
crimes tor which other men are sery-
ing terms of three years, There should
be some mode of amending the errors OF
| Courts in this matter. or course, the
pafdoning power can rectify the irregu-
larify; butt il would be better to remove,
as far as possible, che necessity for the
intefposition OF executive clemency. IL
is a matter worthy OF your earnest con-
! sideration.
| The work OF construction on the Ger
tral Ohio Hospital for the Insane has
progressed satisfactorily during the past
year, and is now so lar advanced as to
justify the opinion that the editiee IN W
be completed and made ready for the
| reception of patients by the middle OF
November next. The Comm ssione is of
| Construction estimate that, in addition
70 the uneXpended balance Oh hand o.
tormer appropriations, which, on No
vember 15Lh, 1875, amounted 70 the sum
of Sill ,232 80, there will be required to
be appropriated to pay reserves on con-
tracts completed, and to meet the de-
mands for work yet to be placed under
| contract, the sum OF $2l0,eU0. They also
estimate that the sum OF $50, 900 will he
| required to furnish The necessary furni-
ture Tor the building, including the fix
| lures and furniture Tor the bakery, lauA-
| dry, and other domestic departments,
making the gross sum Of $3.50 090 to fin
ish and furnish the building. The actual
| amount paid out in the construction OF
| the Hospital building from the COM
mencement Of the work to November
18th, 1875, is $1,001, ,276 05. Add the an
expected balance OF S1l1,2S 95 TO tho
| $220, 900 additional asked i0r TO complete
the edlfice, and the result is tAe sum of
81, 49,, ,6J9 as the total cost OF the struct-
| ure Wnen completed. Aa4..
1 seriously question the wisdom OF
building State institutions OF such un-
| wieldy proportions and at such ener.
| nous cost. 1t is one of the growing
evils OF the day which should be curbed
\ by legislation. Considering its size and
character, this is not an expensive
building; but the same money expended
on three or four smaller Institutions,
properly located, would in my judgment
have much better subseryed the inter-
ests of the insane. In appropriations
for tnture public buildings, this is a
| matter worthy the Consideration of the
structlon. and tine officers under them,
have been faithful and energetic,
and they have pushed the mammotfl
structure toward completion at q speed
worthy Of hearty commendation.
| The Constitution places tue power OF
\ appointment of boards of State inslitu.
tlons in the hands OF the Executive.
] Although the ';adyice aHd CONSENT OF
\ the senate is required to Confirm and
make binding the action OF the Governor,
He is, nevertheless. hefd Responsible to
| the public ior the Official character Of his
app0inIees. He SHOULD, therefore, have
gre ater range to his power for removal.
Undef the laws as tnsY exist, the Gov
ternor is utterly poWerless TO get rid oil
an incompetent or immoral appointee in
many of our institutions. The law gen.
orally authorizes removal ''tor cause"
and then speclties the cause to be}finan-
cial turpitude. He may be immoral, in
competent, or wasteiut, but II some fnan-
cial delinquency can not be proved
against him, he can not be touched.
Think the Governor should have power
| to suspend members or boards, and all
6ther appointees (except judicial OF the
Executive, Tor cause ewhloi he may deem
sufficient( not political )--being required
to report his action and his reason there
for 10 the Senate, Immediately, If in ses-
sion, and ii not in session, within ten
days after the commencement Of the
next session OF fJthe General Assembly,
for its approval: the suspension to be-
come an absolute removal, if concurfed
In by the Senate. aT 444 t,rs
A recent decision of the Supreme
Court, putting an INTERPRETATION uDon