more extended throughout the world. He, therefore, who would destroy, weaken or impair this union, would be not only an enemy to his country, but to the best interests of mankind. Whatever is of the domestic or internal policy of each separate State, unconnected with the other members of the partnership, belongs exclusively to the administration of the State Governments. Whatever involves the rights and interests of all the members, belongs to the General Government, and each has the right to be heard. While all the rights of the slaveholding States, recognized by the Constitution, should be rigidly and in good faith maintained, it is equally the right and the desire of the free States to be exempted from all the evils and burdens which that institution imposes-consequently the General Government should be clear from all responsibility for the existence or maintenance of slavery or any traffic therein. The subject of the extension of slavery into the new Territories, is one of intense interest, and has for some time past agitated the whole country.

The interests of the free States, yea, the general interests of the whole nation, that higher motive, the love of liberty, and the yet holier claims of humanity and justice, all demand that these Territories, whether they remain as such or be admitted as States into the Union, shall forever remain uncontaminated with the blight of slavery. That Congress has the power to prohibit slavery from being introduced into the Territories of the United States where it does not now exist, there can be no rational doubt.

I would therefore recommend the passage of resolutions, pressing upon our Delegation in Congress the propriety and necessity of passing an ordinance forever excluding slavery from every foot of territory owned by the United States, before any portion thereof shall be organized and admitted as a State.

I would also invite your attention to the subject of the slave trade in the District of Columbia. That there should be even tolerated, at or near the Capital of this boasted free republic, a system of traffic in human flesh and blood-a system so revolting, that it cannot be permitted within the borders of the slave States themselves, is a blot and a stigma upon our national escutcheon, and ought, forthwith, to be wiped out. I would therefore recommend the passage of resolutions, requesting our Delegation to use their exertions and influence to have the slave trade in the District of Columbia, immediately abolished.

Remembering always that we are indebted to Divine Providence, whose goodness has been so bountifully bestowed upon us in our growing prosperity as a State, I implore the blessing of that same Omnipotent Being upon all your councils and measures for our future welfare. SEABURY FORD.

COLUMBUS, Dec. 31. 1849.

REPORT

OF THE

STATE HOUSE COMMISSIONERS,

FOR 1849-50.

To the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

The Commissioners appointed pursuant to the act entitled, "An act to provide for the erection of a new State House," passed Feb. 21, 1846, hereby present their annual report.

The General Assembly at its last session, appropriated the sum of $50,000 for continuing the work upon the building, and early in the spring preparations were made to prosecute the work. The railroad to the stone quarry had before been so located as to terminate on the surface of the ground overlaying the quarries, and the point at which the railroad terminated at the quarries was from twelve to twenty feet in perpendicular height above the stone to be raised and transported. This great elevation was found difficult and expensive to overcome; and in addition to the expense of elevating large blocks to such a height, it was attended with great delays. The Commissioners, therefore, early in the season gave their attention to this matter, with a view of devising the most effectual remedy, having at the same time regard to economy in the future working of the quarry. The plan adopted was to cut a track for the railroad upon an easy grade, so as terminate at or near the bottom of the quarry, that the cars might be loaded with despatch, thereby avoiding the delay and cost of elevating the stone to the height above named.

This design made it necessary to construct about two thousand feet of entire new track, varying in depth of cutting from a surface grade to about twelve feet, and mostly through a solid lime rock, traversed at intervals by veins of clay, sometimes of considerable thickness and depth. This cut was completed in July, and the new track laid down upon it; since which time the road has been used, and has been found to answer fully all the purposes intended.

The expense of this cut, together with a new superstructure of timber, and the requisite repairs of the other part of the road, amounts to the sum of $6271,32, which may be charged among the permanent expenses of the work, as no further outlay will be required upon this branch of the service than a small annual cost for repairs.

At the close of the last season the basement walls were but partly raised, and as far as the work had then progressed, the materials were

carried up by the laborers in barrows; but by the middle of the present season, the work had so far advanced as to render that mode of elevating the building materials both diliatory and expensive; and the Commissioners, by the advice of the Architect, procured a steam engine, with the most approved machinery for raising the stone and mortar, and upon a fair test of the engine and machinery, the Commissioners are satisfied that this mode of raising the materials is the cheapest that could have been adopted, as the engine can, when the work is finished, be sold for nearly if not quite its original cost.

With a liberal appropriation in money, and the requisite convict labor, the work may now be prosecuted with all facility to its completion, as all the preliminary expenditures and arrangements have been permanently made.

The stone quarries have been extensively opened, and at a considerable expense; means have been provided for draining the quarries by a pump, so that stone can be obtained at a lower depth than at any former period, yielding a greater amount of large stone than it was possible heretofore to obtain. The railroad track now terminates at the bottom of the principal quarry. Cranes and dericks have been erected for elevating the stone, and machinery provided which reduces the expense of transporting the stone and other materials. The expenditure thus made will answer for all the purposes in the future completion of the building.

The Commissioners herewith communicate a report made to them by Mr. West, the architect of the building, which contains information in detail, of all other matters connected with the work committed to his care. And the Commissioners respectfully ask the special attention of the General Assembly to that part of Mr. West's report, relating to the employment of the convicts on contracts with private individuals: and believing that the system of hiring the convicts by contracts with private persons is subject to abuse, and is inconsistent with the true interests of the State, the Commissioners recommend to the General Assembly, that such measures be adopted as will terminate the existing contracts, as early as the same can be done consistent with the legal rights of individuals.

The account in detail of the whole expenditure during the past season, together with the vouchers for the several sums paid by the Commissioners, duly filed and numbered, have been deposited in the office of the Auditor of State, as directed by the act above recited. The accompanying recapitulation of the account exhibits, under appropriate heads, the amounts expended since the last appropriation. All of which is respectfully submitted.

December 2, A. D. 1849.

W. A. ADAMS, President Board Com'rs.

REPORT

OF THE

ARCHITECT OF THE STATE BUILDINGS, MADE PART OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

1849-50.

To the Commissioners of the New State House:

GENTLEMEN-The time is now approaching when you are required by law to make your Annual Report to the General Assembly. I have prepared three drawings to be submitted in connexion with that Report; and in putting these drawings into your hands, I would say a few words about the present condition and future progress of the work. The drawings are plans of the first and second floors, and a perspectiveview, showing the general appearance which the building, when finished, will present from the streets surrounding the public square.

The lower story, or basement of the building, is now erected. The whole of this story has been arched with bricks in the most substantial manner, and the spandrels filled up and levelled off ready to receive the tiling which is to form the floor of the next story. From under many of the principal arches the centres have been removed, so that the members of the Legislature may see the manner in which this part of the work has been executed. The present height of the building is about 14 feet above the surface of the ground: the Rotunda wall, and some of the walls adjacent, have been carried up to the level of the floor of this room, a height of about 20 feet from the ground.

The mortality in the penitentiary during the prevalence of the cholera having deprived me, for the most of the season, of the chief part of the convict labor which the act of last winter appropriated to this work, I have not been able to carry up the exterior walls higher than the basement. Depending almost entirely upon the convicts to cut the stone with which these walls are to be faced, their sudden withdrawal forced an almost entire suspension of this branch of work for some weeks during the middle of the season. Many of the best workmen having fallen victims to the disease, it was impossible, with new hands, to make up in the autumn for the time lost during the summer. After the cholera ceased, a small force was furnished by the directors of the penitentiary, and there is now employed a gang of about 25 men, tolerably well trained in the use of the chisel. This number will be able, during the winter, to cut a considerable quantity of stone, ready