Page images
PDF
EPUB

to this quantity may be added five hundred and fifty thousand acres in the counties of Hancock and Hardin, lying east and adjoining the counties of Putnam and Allen, making an ag gregate of three millions five hundred and fifty thousand acres, lying upon the line and in the vicinity of this Canal. We have not the means by which we can ascertain with perfect accuracy, the quantity of lands which may have been sold in the tract above described, but from the best information we possess, the quantity of public lands remaining unsold in the above mentioned counties will rather exceed than fall short of the above estimate. This however, may be ascertained with more precision at the General Land Of fice. The length of Canal line as located from the southerly boundary line of the Piqua district, to the Maumee Bay, is one hundred and twenty two miles.

Besides the immediate sales of the Government Lands above alluded to, which would be induced by the construction of this line of Canal, the public lands in the state of Indiana, lying upon the western boundary line of this state, which have not as yet been offered for sale, would be much increased in value, and command an enhanced price when they shall be brought into market.

We have no data before us, by which we can ascertain the quantity of public lands in the vicinity of the other line of canal, and for this must beg leave to refer to the records in the General Land Office.

Another consideration we think deserving of noticethe legislature at the present session have deemed it expedient entirely to change the revenue laws of the state, abandoning the system of classing lands for taxation, and adopting that of an ad valorem assessment. This we have deem. ed the more necessary, that the lands lying in the vicinity of the Canals, the value of which will be greatly increased, may be charged with tax in proportion to their enhanced value. The lands owned by the United States, although exempt from taxation, and not subject to be charged with tax until the expiration of five years from the time of sale, would, nevertheless be enhanced in value, in an equal ratio with the lands owned by resident proprietors.

This Legislature will not for a moment harbor the suspi cion that the Congress of the United States, sharing liberally (as must necessarily be the consequence) the benefits and advantages to be derived from the accomplishment of these Canals, will feel a willingness to do so at the entire expense

of the state of Ohio, which has so long and so profusely poured her treasures into the national coffers.

We are therefore unwilling to entertain a doubt that Congress will co-operate with us in the prosecution of the enter prize in which we are about to engage, by granting to this state such quantity of the public lands in the vicinity of the respective lines of Canal as will answer the demands of jugtice and promote as well the interest of the Union as of the state of Ohio.

Resolved, That our Senators and Representatives in Congress be requested to use their endeavors in their respective branches to obtain a grant of the public lands to this state, for the purposes mentioned in the foregoing memorial.

And Whereas, the Canal Commissioners have also examined and leveled the Grand river and Mahoning route from Lake Erie to the Ohio river in the eastern part of this state, and found it a practicable and favorable line for the con-struction of a canal, but as about thirty miles of this canal must necessarily pass within the Commonwealth of Pennsyl vania, and is considered as forming a part of the contemplated national canal, from the waters of the Atlantic to the Lakes, it is not embraced in the present canal system of this stateTherefore,

Resolved, That our Senators and Representatives in Congress be requested to forward by every means in their power the examination and location of the said Grand river and Mahoning line of canal by the National Government, at as early a period next season, as may be found practicable.

Resolved, That his Excellency the Governor be requested to forward as soon as he may find it convenient-a copy of the report of the Canal Commissioners, and also a copy of the foregoing memorial and these resolutions to the President of the United States, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Uniten States, and also to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress.

February 8, 1325.

Secretary of State's Office,

COLUMBUS, OHIO, MARCH 11, 1825. I certify the foregoing Acts and RESOLUTIONS to be correct. copies of the original rolls remaining on file in my office.

JER. M'LENE, Secretary of State.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

18

An Act to provide for laying out and establishing a

state road from Circleville, in the county of Pick-

away, to Lancaster, in the county of Fairfield,

[ocr errors]

Q

122

county,

ib

ib

An Act to divorce Mary G. Mackey from her husband
John Mackey,

ib

An Act to confirm and legalize the sale of a certain
tract of land, made by the administrator of Will-
iam Byers, late of Scioto county, deceased, to Da-
vid Mitchel, of said county,

An Act for the relief of certain road commissioners,
An Act authorizing a revaluation of school section
number sixteen, in township number six and seven
in the sixteenth range in Gallia county,
An Act for the relief of Nicholas Whitenger,
An Act to authorize Silas Bingham and his associates
to erect a toll bridge over the Hockhocking river,
An Act to authorize the Wayne, Medina and Cuyaho-
ga Turnpike Company to vacate a part of their
turnpike road, and to repeal a part of the act incor-
porating said company,

An Act to amend the act, entitled "an act, defining
the limits of the corporation of the town of Zanes.
ville,

An Act to incorporate the Literary society of St. Jo
seph's,

An Act to improve the Grand river and Trumbull
county free road,

An Act to incorporate the Union Berea Society, in
the township of White-water, in the county of
Hamilton,

An Act to provide for the erection of bridges, and im
provements on the road between Cynthian, in
Shelby county, and St. Mary's, in Mercer county,
An Act for laying out and opening a road from the
eastern termination of the road from the foot of the
Rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, to Elyria in Lo.
rain county,

An Act for the relief of Benjamin Sells and others,
An Act making a special appropriation of the three
per cent. fund, to be laid out and expended in the
county of Trumbull,

An Act to authorize John Reynolds and his associa-
tes to drain a certain prairie,

An Act to enable the trustees of the original surveyed
township number three, in the eighth range, in
the county of Washington, to revalue certain school
lots therein named,

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »