MEMORIAL To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled. The Memorial of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, Respectfully represents: That this State having recently created a "Board of Public Works," and placed under its general superintendence the entire system of her internal improvements; and believing the principles upon which the Board is organized, to be such as will, in all respects, best promote the public interests; this General Assembly would suggest, that the future appropriations by Congress for the completion of the Cumberland Road, within this State, might, with the strictest regard to propriety, as well as to the policy of both this State and the Union, be placed under the control and direction of this Board, and the work hereafter prosecuted under its supervision, and by its agency: That the execution of the westward portion of this road has, within the last five years, advanced with a slothful tardiness, is a fact known not only to the people of the State, and to the traveling community of the whole country but is a fact which has been officially communicated to Congress in the late Report of the Secretary at War, and the appended documents. It would not comport with the dignity of this General Assembly, and it is, therefore, not the object of this memorial, to ascribe this tardiness to any derilection in any department, or to the delinquency of any officer of the General Government. The Secretary's Repert discloses the numerical insufficiency of the Engineer Corps; and the appended documents attribute the dilatory execution of the work to other causes, which, doubtless, contributed much to the result. But it is believed, that there are still other causes existing in the very nature of the system pursued, and of the agency employed. It cannot be doubted, because the experience of all time has proven, that expenditures of public money are made with a severe economy, and that public agents in all the departments of service, discharge their duties with greater fidelity, when those expenditures are made, and the officers act, in the immediate presence of a vigilant people, who are to be affected by such economy, and to whom such agents are di rectly responsible. Distance impairs the force of responsibility, as it ob scures those infinite details in the public service, in which are always to be found the effects of inattention and waste, and, consequently, shields delinquency from exposure. The Cumberland Road is a national work, and the national faith stands pledged for its execution. The appropriations by Congress will be specific, and, therefore, the most fastidious expositor of constitutional powers will not question the authority of the Federal Government to place such appropriations, for such an object, under the control of a State, within whose limits the expenditure is to be made; as it is evident that, in such a case, there is a resort to no novel power; for the direction of the appropriation would remain unchanged, and no other consequence follow, than the substitution of one agency for another. Impressed itself with these considerations, this General Assembly respectfully suggest thern to the just judg ment of the National Legislature. 1st. Resolved, That our Senators in Congress be instructed, and our Representatives requsted, to use their influence and exertions to accomplish the object of the foregoing memorial. 2d. Resolved, That His Excellency, the Governor of this State, be requested to forward a copy of the foregoing memorial to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each of the Senators and Representatives in Congress from this State. WILLIAM MEDILL, Speaker pro tem. of the House of Representatives. March 14, 1836. ELIJAH VANCE, Speaker of the Senate RESOLUTION Directing the Librarian to take charge of the State House. Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That the State Librarian shall have charge of the State House, and furniture thereof, until the first Monday of December next; that he cause the same to be opened and aired, as often as once in two weeks, until that time; and immediately preceding the next session of the Legislature, to cause the rooms, windows, and carpets thereof, to be properly prepared for the reception of the members; and that immediately after the adjournment of the present session, he shall make an inventory of all furniture and property in the State House, and file a copy thereof with the Auditor of State. WILLIAM MEDILL, Speaker pro tem. of the House of Representatives. March 14, 1836. ELIJAH VANCE, Speaker of the Senate. STATE OF OHIO, SECRETARY'S OFFICE. COLUMBUS, May 9th, 1836. I certify that the foregoing Acts and Resolutions, are correct copies of the original rolls, remaining on file in this office. C. B. HARLAN, Secretary of State. 119 ....... 446 522 220 Crawford, to confirm certain acts 99 527 38 44 ..... 374 CHURCHES, (Acts to incorporate) Freewill Baptist, Huron Quar- ................. Freewill Baptist Society of New 23 199 478 First Baptist Society of Fairfield, 484 in Madison, Geauga county,... 555 ....... 121 388 Second Ten Mile Baptist church, caster, 98 96 First Presbyterian church &c. Presbyterian church of Beals- Presbyterian congregation in Carrollton, Presbyterian church of Monroes- 290 78 182 43 Presbyterian church of Hebron, 483 Lutheran and German Reformed company, church &c. of New Rumley, 82 FAIRPORT Aqueduct ComPANY- ed Presbyterian congregation German Reformed church of First Cumberland Presbyterian 270 150 To increase the capital stock of, 88 |