Year: 1860

able force of volunteers has been organized


and Differed, and, as for as practicable


disciplined This force now constitutes a


fitting nucleus for organization entirely


competent to all proba bic emergencies.


As law is the expression of the public force.


A body Of volunteer militia, not unneces-
sarily large, but well ordered and efficient,
is an important element Of police, and al.
fords, in extraordinary emergencies, neces.
sary guaranty of order and peace.


Much credit is due to many public spirit
ed citizens for their efforts, both as officers
and men, to promote reform and discipline
in military organization; and especially to
the Adiutant General and the Quarter


Master General for their unremitting labors
to that end. Their reports exhibit clearly
the present condition aud needs of the pub
lie service, and their suggestions will doubt
less, receive your attentive consideration.


invite your attention to the increased
expenses of public printing. This results
in part from defects 10 the act regulating
the subject, and in part from the mode in
which the reports Of the several Institutions
are prepared. The evil may he remedied
to a considerable extent, by authorizing the
Secretary Of State to prescribe the mode
in which documents shall be printed, and
also the mode in which the statements of
receipts and expenditures by the several
Institutions shall be made


All the official reports, directed by law
to be printed prior to the meeting of the
General Assembly, except those of the At.
torney General and the Commissioner of
Common Schools, delayed by the remiss.
ness Of county and local officers, have been
more promptly made than in any previous
year; and all, except that of the Auditor
of State which is in the hands of the prin-
ter, have been printed and are ready to be
laid before you. They will be transmitted
to each House without delay.


1t becomes my duty to lay before you, in
compliance with the request of the Cover
nor of New York, the Concurrent Resolu-
tions of the Senate and Assembly of that
State, condemning the African Slave Trade,
and protesting against the reopening Of
that inhuman traffic. The people of Ohio,
without distinction of party, and almost
without individual exceptions, unite in re-
probation of the traffic and its revival.


With these resolutions, / also transmit
for your information copies of letters ad-
dressed by the Governor of Virginia to
the President of the United States and to
myself, and of my reply to that addressed
to me.


doubt not, gentlemen, that l expressed
your own sentiments, as well as those of
our common constituents, when declared
my conviction that it is the duty of the Ex-
ecutive authorities of Ohio to exercise what.
ever power the law may vest in them for
the suppression of unlawful combinations
against peace and safety of other members
of the Federal Union; and that the people
of Ohio, while they will suffer no invasion
of their own territory, will countenance no
invasion of the territory of other States !;
but excepting from them the fuilment of
every constitutional obligation, will require
OF their own authorities the prompt per-
formance of reciprocal duties.


While we will not disavow just admira-
tion of noble qualities, by whomsoever dis
played, we must not the less, but rather
the more, earnestly condemn all inroads in
to States, not merely at peace with US but
united to us by the bonds of political I'M
ion, and all attempts to excite within their
boarders, servie insurrectiops, necessarily
tending to involve the country in the calami-
ties of civil, as well as servile war.


That a spirit of distrust and alienation
has arisen in the country, it were idle to
deny That it is not shared, in any great
degree by the masses in either section, is,
| trust, equally true. The people desire
Union aud Concord F.; not Discord and Dis.
nnion.


Claiming not absolute exemption from
blame in behalf of the free States, we can
not admit their liability to exclusive cen
sure.


In repeated instances, without pretence
of justification, the territory of Ohio has
been clandestinely entered, and peaceful in-
habitants, guilty of no crime bnt color,
have been cruelty kidnapped the Fugitive
Slave Act, necessarily repugnant to public
sentiment, and believed by large majority
to be unconstitutional in some of its con-
spicuous provisions, if not in its origin, has
been executed within her limits with circum.
stances of aggravation which could not
fail to excite the deepest feeling; and cases
have not been wanting where her citizens,
on lawful business in Slave States,
on mere suspicion of obnoxious sentiments,
have been subjected to espionage in dig
nity--to arrest and imprisonment. To these
particular causes of complaint must be
added the general grievance of the repeal
Of the Missouri Prohibition, msnifesting
the determination of large majority of
the ave-holding class to extend Slavery
National Territories,


Notwithstanding these causes of complaint,
and in confident expectation of their ulti-
mate removal through the influence of better
and juster sentiments, the peo-
pie of Ohio have held fast to the Consti-
tuition and to the Union They have ever
respected oil the rights of all the States and
Of all the citizens of the States. They have
never resisted with illegal force even the
execution of the Fugitive Slave Act by fed
eral officers acting under legal warrants.


Ohio has uttered no menace of disunion
when the American people have seen ft TO
entrust the powers of the Federal Govern
ment to citizens of other political views than
those of a majority of her citizens. No
threats of disunion in similar contingency
by citizens of other States will excite in
her any sentiments save those of sorrow aud
They will not move her from