Certain principles are laid down in this address. One is that every citizen ought to be taxed in proportion to the actual value of his property. Another is that too much legislation is an evil to be avoided. A third is that equality of civil rights justly belongs to all citizens, notwithstanding the vote at the recent election to the contrary; and a fourth, that representation according to voting population is a sound principle, and the people of Ohio must stand by the Fourteenth Amendment to the National Constitution. The Democratic legislature were endeavoring to withdraw Ohio's previous ratification. This admirable address needs no further comment.
Governor Hayes took an active part in the State canvass of 1868, being assisted by Hon. James G. Blaine, who spoke with marked effect in Columbus, October 9th.
At the session of the legislature in November, 1868, the governor delivered his first annual message.
Fellow-citizens of the General Assembly:
Upon your assembling to enter again upon the duty of legislating for the welfare of the people of Ohio, the Governor is required by the constitution to communicate to you the condition of the State, and to recommend such measures as he shall deem expedient. The reports of the executive officers of the State, and of the heads of the State institutions, are required by law to be made to the Governor on or before the 20th day of November of each year. Since that date, sufficient time has not elapsed for the publication of the reports, and I shall therefore not be able, at the opening of your present session, to lay before you a detailed exposition of the affairs of the various departments of the State government. It will be my purpose in this communication to invite your attention to a few brief suggestions in relation to some measures which are deemed important, and which may be considered and acted upon, if you think it advisable, in advance of the publication of the official reports.
The financial affairs of the State government are in a satisfactory condition. The balance in the treasury on the 15th of November, 1867, was $677,990.79; the receipts during the last fiscal year were $4,347,484.82; making the total amount of funds in the treasury, during the year, $5,025,475.61.
The disbursements during the year have been $4,455,354.86; which sum has been paid out of the treasury from the several funds, as follows, viz:
| General revenue fund | $1,518,210.35 |
| Canal fund | 14,939.39 |
| National road fund | 18,829.36 |
| Sinking fund | 1,472,226.33 |
| Common school fund | 1,426,868.80 |
| Bank redemption fund | 16.95 |
| Soldiers' claims fund | 3,781.68 |
| Soldiers' allotment fund | 482.00 |
| Balance in treasury, November 15, 1868 | 570,120.75 |
| Total | 5,025,475.61 |
| The amount of the public funded debt, November 15, 1867, was | $11,031,941.56 | |
| During the year, the redemptions were— | ||
| On the loan of 1860 | $14,650.67 | |
| Of foreign union loan of 1868 | 191,166.00 | |
| Of domestic loan of 1868 | 136,088.13 | |
| Of loan of 1870 | 157,361.33 | |
| 499,266.13 | ||
| Debt outstanding, November 15, 1868 | $10,532,675.43 |
Small temporary appropriations are required as promptly as practicable for each of the following objects, the existing appropriations having been exhausted, viz: Expenses of the Presidential election; expenses of the General Assembly, trustees of benevolent institutions, care of state-house, gas for state-house, expenses of legislative committees, binding for the State, and the new idiotic asylum.