liV GEO. W. KOW72AV NEW SERIES. MESSAGE OF GOV. POLLOVK. Jo the Honorable the Senators nn.it .Members of the House of Represeniutires of the deneral Jssembhj: Gentlemen: A kind Providence has greatly blessed our Common wealth during the fiast year. No for eign war, no internal strile have interrupted or destroyed tiie peaceful quiet of our homes. All (be great interests of the people have been em inently prosperous. Theeaith, in rich abun dance, has yielded her increase to supply our vanls, and reward with her bounties the labor of the husbandman. Labor, in every depart ment of manufacturing and mechanical indus try, has been stimulated and encouraged. The ravages of disease and the horrors of the pesti lence have been averted from ns : arid whilst the crv of human suffering, from other States, has been heard invoking sympathy and aid, we have been blessed with health and permitted to arrjoy the comforts and happiness of social life. To Him who hath bestowed these blessings up on us, and upon whose care we are constantly dependent.should be ever paid the willing hom age of our grateful hearts. The r- port of the State Treasurer will exhib it to you, in detail, the operations of his depart ment. The results are inoie satisfactory ami encouraging than were anticipated. The receipts at the Treasury lor the fiscal year ending November HO, 18:55, including the balance in the Treasury on the Ist day of De cember, 1 SAT, ($! ,240,928 72) amounted to $6,631,402 83. Tim total payments for the same period were $5,385,705 52 : leaving a balance in the Treasury on the 30th November, IS.")"), 0f51,2T5,697 31. No loans, tempora ry or otherwise, were negotiated during the part fiscal year, as they were not required by the w ants of the Treasury. The receipts during the past year, from all sources, (excluding the balance in the Treasury on the first day of December. 1854,) were $5,390,474- 11. The ordinary expenditures for the same period, including the interest on the public debt, were $4,139,512 28, showing an excess of receipts over ordinary expenditures of $1,250,961 S3. The extraordinary payments fi>r the year were $ 1,246,193 24, as follows, viz :—To the completion of the new Portage rail mad over tiie Allegheny mountains, $44ti,762 12 : to the North Branch canal, $87,562 67 ; to the Co lumbia railroad, to re-lay south track, $ 133,- 100 Of); to the payment ol domestic creditors, $1,629 85; to tin- redemption ol loans, $310,- 550 60, and to relief notes cancelled, $260, 588 00. The balance in the Treasury w ill he required • for the payment of the interest on the State d-bi tailing due in February next, and for unpaid appropriations. The interest on the funded debt <>f the Commonwealth, which became due in February and August last, was promptly paid : and it is gratifying to state that the interest dm in February next will be paid with equal promptness. The credit of the State mav be regarded as firmly established, and with proper economy and a careful and honest management of her finances, an annual reduction of her debt, to a considerable extent, may be confidently ex pected. I here is dim fov the Treasury to the Sinking fund the sum of $335.01 1 39, to he appdied to tiie redemption of the relief notes now in circu lation, and to tlie funded debt ot the Common wealth. The greater part of trie funded d--bt bears interest at the rale of five percent, per annum: tin- balance hears a s'ill less rate of interest. But as the temporary loans, which by law are to be first paid out of the available nieansnf the Treasury, bear interest at the rate of six per cent., it lios h>-en deemed advisable, as a matter of economy, to apply the surplus revenues to the payment of those loans. When these are liquidated, (In* amount due and prop erly applicable to the Sinking Fund will tie paid, and its operation continued as directed by law. Notwithstanding the revenues for the last fmr or five yeais have largely exceeded the ordinary expenditures- of the government, vet in consequence ot the large and insatiable de mands upon the Treasury li>r the completion of the North Branch canal, the Portage railroad nnd other kindred impiovements, the public <i p bt, instead of being reduced, has been increas -Id. I his increase, \v ith the amount and con dition of the debt at different periods, will be in the following statements: Statement ot the funded and unfunded debt of the Commonwealth on the Ist day of Decem ber, 1851, as per rejxrrt of the Auditor Gen eral. Funded debt, viz : per cent, loans $2,314,023 51 f ' do 36,704,484 03 do 198.200 00 ■olal funded debt $39,216,707 54 1 nfundeddebt viz: belief notes in circulation 650,163 00 interest certificates outstanding 150.231 82 jF) do unclaimed 4,448 38 Interest on outatand ,n £ and unclaimed certificates, wlu-n 9,752 91 dottiestic creditois 82.932 74 fotal debt Dec. 1, 1851 40,! 14,236 39 ment showing the indebtedness of the Com monwealth on the l>t day of December, 'e, as per Auditor General's report funded debt, viz: f( P' l " cer, t loans $532,104 93 do 39,064.609 97 / do 388,200 00 T (| o 100,000 00 — §4o ' oS^l4 90 belief notes iu circulation 494,361 00 Interest certificates outstanding 24,857 21 Do do unclaimed 4,448 38 Inter,-St on outstand ing and unclaimed Certificates, when funded 1,870 97 Domestic credi tors' certificates 2,707 61 Balance ol tempo rary loan ol April 19,1853, 560,000 00 Balance to tempo rary loan of May 9, 1854, 450,435 67 Total unfunded debt and temporary loans 1,538,680 S4 4i,623,595 74 To llte.se should he added the follow ing relief notes, not included in the "relief notes in cir culation,viz : Relief notes made by the Lancaster Bank, not charg ed on State Trea surer's books. $25,000 00 Relief notes put in circulation Sep tember, 1854, and not redeemed De cember 1, 1854, 50,000 00 Total public debt Dec. 1,'54 41,698,595 74 Do do ml 40,114,236 35 Increase of debt in 3 years 1,584,359 35 I he lunded and unfunded debt, including un paid temporary loans, on the Ist day of Decem ber, 18.)-, the close of the last fiscal vear as per report of the Auditor General and State Trea surer. was as follows, to-u it : Funded debt, viz : 6 percent loan $516,|54 93 5 do 38,903,445 54 4i do 388,200 00 4 do 100,000 00 Total funded debt $39,907,800 47 1 Unfunded debt, c iz : Relief notes in circulation 258,773 00 Interest certificates out sanding 29,157 25 Domestic creditors 1,264 00 Balance of tempora ry I of April 19, 1853, 525,000 00 Balance of tempora ry Joan of May 9", ISSI, " 346,000 00 Total debt Dec. 1, 1855 41,097,984 72 Do debt as, above stated, December 1,1854, 41,698,595 74 Do do do 1855. 41,067,994 72 Decrease during the year 630,601 02 I his statement exhibits the gratifying fact that during the fiscal year ending November 30, iH:>5, the indebtedness of the Common wealth has been reducd $630,601 02. During the same period large appropriations and payments were made for the completion of the new Por tage railroad, re-laying the track of the Colum bia railroad, and for oilier purpose*. These de mands upon the Treasury were, without.the aui ol loans, promptly paid. Refusing to undertake any new schemes of internal improvement, limiting all appropria tions to the actual demands of the occasion, practising strict economy in all departments of the government, and holding the receiving and disbursing agents of the Commonwealth to a ri gid accountability, will greatly reduce the ex penditures, and, under ordinary circumstances, leave annual surplus of the revenues to be ap plied to the redemption olth* public debt. The estimated receipts and expenditures f>r the current fiscal year will be presented to vou in the report of the Slate Treasurer. The re ceipts front tiie usual sources of revenue, above the ordinary expenditures, may exceed the sum of one million and a half of dollars. These es timates may-approximate the tine r suit, but cannot be relied upon with certainty. By the thirty-eight!) section of the act of the tot!. April, 1845, entitled "An Act to provide for the ordinary expenses of government, the repair of the canals and railroads of the Slate, and other claims upon the Commonwealth," the Gover nor was authorized to cause certificate? of State stock to lie issued to all persons or bodies corpo rate holding certificates tor the payment of in terest cm the funded debt oft he State, which fell due on the first day of August, 1842, the Ist days of February and August, 1843. and the Ist days of February and August 1844, in an a mount equal to the amount ol certificates so held, upon their delivering up said certificates to the Auditor General. In pursuance of the authority thus given, certificates of Slate stock to the amount of four millions one hundred and five thousand one hundred and fifty dollars and twenty cents, bearing interest at the rale of five [em cent, per annum, [layable senu-annuallv, on the Ist Hays of February and August in each year, and redeemable on or after the Ist dav of August, 1855, were issued. The minimum period fixed hy law for the redemption of these certificates, expired on the first day of August last. No provision has been made for their re newal or redemption. Although by the terms of the act authorizing these certificates ol State stock, as also by the conditions of the certificates issued in pursuance thereof, the time of payment, after the expira tion (if the minimum period, is optional with th debtor—the Commonwealth—y, j a t j, )e rt ,_ gardlo the credit of the State require* that pro- vision should be made for their renewal or re demption. I o redeem these certificates a loar would become necessary, and as a lone cannot !>< effected, in the present financial condition of the country, on terms more favorable to the State than those on which these certificates were is sued, T would recommend that authority he giv en to issue the bonds of the Commonwealth in renewal of said certificates, heating interest at the rate of five per cent, per annum, pavabb semi-annually, and redeemable on or after thi expiration of twenty years: and that the bonds he issued with coupons or certificates of interest attached, in sums equal in amount to the semi annual interest thereon, payable on the first days of February and August in each and every year, as may be designated. This change in the form and character of the certificates, it is be lieved, will be so advantageous to the holders, without increasing the liabilities of the Com mon wealth, as to induce a witting and prompt exchange, at a premium, for the bonds proposed to he issued. r he cotui itiori of (he public works, their gen eral operation, and the receipts and expendi tures for the last fiscal year, w ill be presented to you in the report of the (.'anal Commissioners. Ihe aggregate receipts at the Treasury fifuJi til- public works, for the vear November Were $1,91-2,376 71. The aggregate expenditures, including ordinary and extraor dinary payments, for the same period, amouri to $ 1,838,79 T 10, showing an excessuf receipts, over ail expenditures, of '$ 103,185 93. The extraordinary payments for the same year, (including $ 133,100 00 paid for re-huiltT ing the Freeport aqueduct) w ere $690,427 78. The ordinary expenditures were $1,148,303 40. Aggregate receipts, as above stated $1,942,376 71 Ordinary expenditures 1,148,363 40 Net revenues for the fiscal year 794,013 31 This balance exhibits a small increase in the net revenues, as compared with the n>-t reven ues ot 1854: anil notu illistonding the withdraw al of the tr anspoi tat ion lines from the main line of the canal, tiie aggregate revenues for the fast year have exceeded th<* revenues of 1854 hv more than twenty three thousand dollars. From the abundant crops of the past year, the improved condition of the monetary affairs of the country and thegenraf revival of business, a large inciease in the revenue for the current • ear may be confident!v expected. Hie sum of $101,125 25, has been paid info the J reasury by the Pennsylvania railroad coirqi any and other railroad companies, as the t**S:i tonnage passing over their roads. This aaKiY'r largely exceeds the sum paid bv the same com panies in !854. I lie Delaware division exhibits a satisfactory result. fhe total r> c< ipts w-ere §392,(>73 42 : expenditures, $(>0,097 Stj : -bowing a to t reve nue of $332,57 D sti. If all oni lines of im pioveinent exhibited a similar balance sheet, the people would have |.ss cause of complaint arid more confidence in the geiieial operation of tlie system. There has been a large increase in the busi ness and tonnage of the Columbia raiiiond, and a corresponding increase m the receipts there from. Ihe operations of this road for the past year have been highly satisfactory. The ope rations of that part of the main line from the Junction to Pittsburg, including the Portage railroad, do not aarsent so favorable a result.— I he receipts have greatly diminished, and were not siiliicieiit to meet (lie ordinary expenditures, fhe revenues from the main line do not equal the receipts .it the previous years. Ihe causes of this reduction are apparent, and some < f them have been referred to and enumerated. It is but just to add that the expenditures on this line have been much diminished by the avoi dance of some o| the inclined planes on the Portage railroad. I regret to inform you that the railroad to avoid the inclined planes on the Allegheny mountain track, las not been completed as was confidently anticipated. The delay in the completion of this work has occasioned much inconvenience to the business of the main line and a loss to the revenues of the Commonwealth. The expenditures have largely exceeded the or iginal estimates for ifs construction ; and al though the sum of $277,730 00 was aporof rio ted at the la-t session of the Legi.-latnie for the completion of this work a sum covering the estimate of the engineer—yet after the expen diture (if the whole amount thus appropriated, the road is unfinished : and to complete it, and pay the debts contracted, the further sum of $ 1 7/,57 3 66, as now estimated by Ibe engineer, will be required. Either the estimates have been very carelessly made or large sums of mon ey uselessly and extravagantly expended in the prosecution of this improvement. As aiding the business of the main line, reducing still fur ther its expenditures and relieving the Treas ury from these constant demands, the announce ment of its early completion w ill be hailed with pleasure by every citizen. Although the completion of the North Branch canal, before the close of navigation, was cer tainly expected, yet this expectation has not been realized. The efforts of the present Su perintendent. Mr. Maffit, during the past \oar, to complete and put in successful operation this canal, deserve the highest commendation. Ev erything that skill, energy and industry could accomplish has been done. The labor to be performed was great, and rendered more diffi cult ami perplexing by the imperfect and fradu lenf construction of the old work and some por tion of the new. The large quantity of rocks, trees, stumps and roots placed in the bottom of the canal, and the defective material used in the embankments, suffered the wafer to escape almost as rapidly as admitted, and rendered a re-const ruction ofthe work, in manv piaces, in- ' dispensable necessary. Tts successful comple tion, it is hoped, will soon he announced. it will appear by tbe report ofthe Commit tee of IVays and Means made to the House ot Freedom of Thought and Opinion. BEDFORD, PA. FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. 1; 1836. | Representatives in 184-9, that the entire amonn necessary to complete and put in operation th unfinished portions of this i una! was estimate" at the sum of $ 1,106,03 i 00. The amount ac tually expended on the work since that period as appears from the reports of the Stiperinten dent, Engineer and Canal Commissioners, i $1,857,377 52, being n excess of expenditure: over the original estimates of $751,3+0 52: an< the canal not yet in operation. With such fact before us—>uch evidence of mismanagement an< t reckless expenditure as the history of this caria shows, it is not matter of surprise that the Com nrionu ealth and people are burdened with deb j and taxniion. In pursuance of the act of the Bth of Mat j last, providing for the sale of the main line o the public works, after giving the notice re quired by law, I caused the sine* to be evposec to public sale, at the Merchants' Exchange, ii tlte city of Philadelphia. \o offers were madt and consequently the works remain unsold.— Sealed proposals fir the "sale or lease of tie triain line," were subsequently invited, as di rected by the seventeeth section of the said act, and the proposals received are herewith subinit tee to the Legislature lor their action and final disposition. Having on a firmer occasion presented mv ! views of the propriety and policy of a wrle oi i tins branch of our public improvements, a repe tition of the sentiments then expressed becomes unnecessary. In relation to this subject mv opinion has not changed. On the contrary the experience of the past, and a careful examina tion of the question in its economical and fiolifi cal relations, have strengthened and confirmed it. I hat the State should, long since, have been separated from the management and control of these works, the history of theii construction and management clearly demonstrates. Public policy and public sentiment demand this sepa ration ; ami every consideration of present and future interest requires their sale. Thy late financial embarrassments of the country the imperfect character of some of the provisions of the hill authorizing the sale, together with the adverse influence ofrival interests, defeated the recent attempt to sol I. These difficulties have been, or can be, removed ; and a sale vet effec ted on terms amply protective of the rights and interests of the people, and at the same time just and liberal to the purchasers. Io reduce the State debt and relieve the peo ple from taxation, are objects worthy the earn est and anxious consideration of the Legislature. To accomplish these objects speedily and cer tainly, a sale of the whole or j art of our public improvements becomes important and necessary. The rw euut'.c"of the State, under the present system of management of the public works, are but little more than sufficient to pav the inter est of her debt, and the ordinary expenses of the government. A sale of these works, for a fair consideration, and upon terms just and liberal, would constitute a beginning in the process of liquidation 1 hat would free our Commonwealth fiout debt and her people from consequent tax ation. in every measure calculated to produce these desirable results, I w ill cheerfully co-op erate with the Legislature. fhe currency of the State, in its relation to ' .inking institutions, and their increase, is a sub ject that demands careful and intelligent con sideration. J rom the notice given of numer ous intended applications to the Legislature f>r new banks and an increav ' f hanking capital, this subject will doubtless !>>■ presented to. and strongly urged upon your attention. Shall the number ot hanks and tin* amount of banking c.|>- ital be increased and if so. to what extent and in what localities? uie questions of absorbing public interest. W ithont desiringto assume a general and un compromising hostility to nil banks, or to an increase of panking capital, I cannot discover the necessity that requires, or the circumstances that would justify tin* inroiporation of all that may he demanded from the Legislature. The incorporaiioii of new, or the ivcharter of old and solvent banks, w hen indispensably necessa ry and clearly demanded by the' actual business wants of the community in which they mav be located, should not be refused*, under no other circumstances should their incorporation be per mitted. i he necessity for increasing the number of banks should be determined more by the actual wants of legitimate trade, than by the number of applications and the wild fancies of stock job bers and speculators. I lie sudden and unnec essary expansion of tile currency should lie avoided, and whatever tends to produce such a result ought to be discountenanced anil preven ted. Tn tlie creation ofbanksthe true interests of the State and people should he consulted : and a just and honest discrimination, as to number, localitv and the demands of trade, be exercised by their representatives. Public sentiment does not demand, nor do public or private interests require, the creation of numerous hanks. In the present condition of the finances, and in aid ot the revenues of flu* state, (in addition to the taxes now imposed by law) a reasonable premium should be required to be paid bv all banks or savings institutions that may hereafter be chartered or re-chartered bv the Legislature. As appropriate to this subject, and immedi ately connected with it, I cannot forbear to ex press my disapprobation of a practice that has heretofore obtained fo some extent, of using the names of members of the Legislature as corpora tors in bills pending before tlu-m for incorpora tion rd banks and other companies. Such a prectice is pernicious, and cannot be too strong ly condemned. It perils the independence of the legislator, exposes him to unjust suspicions, and stamps with selfishness, at least, his legisla tive action in the premises. Legislation should be free, even from the appearance of improper motive: and every undue and corrupting iuHit enw, inside or outside the legislative halls, should be resisted and condemned. It is a cause of more than ordinary congratu lation, that agriculture, the first, as it is the no blest pursuit of'man, has, in its progress of de- ! | velopement, vindicated its own importance, an • assumed, tn public esteem, the honorable pos t ion to which it is so justly entitled. Const it t. ting, as it does, the substratum of our great rm chanical, manufacturing, and commercial int rests, it should ever be regarded as the chu source of state and national prosperity. Firs in necessity, it is the highest in usefulness ofal ; the departments of labor, sustaining and promo ting, if. their varied and multiplied relations all the other industrial interests of the country 1 Our financial and commercial prosperity, i iargely dependent upon the success of agricul tural industry. An interest so important should receive th encouragement of all classes ol citizens. ,N< longer a mere art, an exertion of physica sir.'rigid, it has reached the dignity of a science and to its p:ogress and improvement trie peoph and their representatives should cheerfully con tribute. State and county agricultural societies have done much to promote this cause, and bv their agetitcy much valuable information hai been collected and diffused. Much yet remaini to he done. More information is demanded More efficiency in the collection and diffusion ol useful knowledge is required. To secure this result, the establishment of an agricultural bureau, in connection with some of the depart ments ot state, would largely contribute. The importance of such a bureau, proper!v organiz ed, as an aid to the advancement of agricultural knowledge* and the success ol agricultural in dustry, cannot easily he over-estimated. The subject is earnestly commended to vour attert t ion. By an act of the last session, an institution designated as the ♦•Farmers High School ol Pennsylvania;" was incorporated. The char ter was accepted by the trustees, and the insti tution duly organized. An eligible site for the college has been secured in Centre countv, and 200 acres of valuable land donated to the trus tees, lor the use of the institution, bv Gen. Jas. Trvin of that county. The citizens of the coun ty, with a liberality highly commendable, have pledged and secured to the trustees, for the use of the college, ten thousand dollars in addition to the land donated. This liberality shows that the farmers of Pennsylvania fully appreciate the importance ul such an institution, and will support and sustain it. The course of instruc tion will be thorough and practical. Scientific and practical agriculture, with the usual bran ches of academic education, will he taught, and the effort will be 1o make good farmers, good scholars, and good citizens. \\ hi Ist individual liberality and energy have done much and will do more for this institu tion, an appropriation by the State, in such sum as the legislature may deem proper, would not only aid and encourage this laudable enterprize but would be an honorable and just recognition of the important interests involved. The la ws now in operation regulating manu facturing and other improvement companies, are in some of their provisions too severely re stiirtive, and should be modified. Legislation on these subjects Ins heretofore tended to res train the investment fit capital—.check industry and curb the energy of the people in the prose cution of those enterprises that aid the develop ment of our immense resources, and contribute so largely to the wealth and prosperity of the slate. Liberal and judicious legislation—en couraging individual enterprizt—inviting the investment ot capital and stimulating the vari ous departments of manufacturing and mechan ical industry, would greatly promote the inter ests ot the people—increase our revenues, and give to the commonwealth the prominence and position, in the sisterhood of states, to which the character of tier citizens and her illimita ble natural resources justly entitle her. To this subject your attention is invited. ! he report ot the superintendent of Common Schools will exhibit to you their condition and the general operations of the system through out the commonwealth, during the past year.— io the valuable and useful suggest ions of the report, I would earnestly ask the attention of the Legislature. Theoperation and results of the system as de tailed are highly interesting. Our uducational system is slow ly but surely conquriug toe preju dices and gaining the confidence of the people. I mier tiie fostering care of liberal and enlight ened legislation its ultimate triumph is certain. VV hen the system was first introduced, it was supposed that it could be perfected and enforced into general and vigorous operation by the mere willol the Legislature. Experience has prov en that in this, as in every other great social and moral reform, time and that consent which arises from a ladical change in tile popular mind, were required. This slow process of the acclimation ol tne new svslem to our social and moral atmospiiere, has been in operation lor nearly twenty years; and it is now evident that tlie period for another effective interposition of legislative aid and authority in favor of our no ble system of common schools, has arrived. In whatever lorm this obviously proper and neces sary interposition may present itself, if calcula ted to promote the great purpose in view, it shall receive my cheerful support. Alter a careful examination of the subject, it is my clear conviction that the system is now prepared for and requires increased efficiency in its general supervision increased qualifica tion in its teachers, and increased means of sup port. The experiment of the count v Superintenderi cv wherever faithfully carried out, has not dis appointed the expectations of the advocates of that measure. The improved condition of the schools, and the greater efficiency of the system, clearly establish lite propriety and utility ol such supervision. Fhe official visits of an of- j ficer ol the school department to some of the 1 counties ofthe State, in connection with the County Superintendence, have demonstrated that the voice ol pulic authority 1o sustain, and the presence of an official agent to encourage, have largely contributed to excite and maintain the deep interest now felt by the public in our TER.TOS, 8 5 I'KR YEAR. l ' I educational progress and itriprovement. 1 The most marked improvement recently el '* j lectefl in the system, has been in its corps of teachers. With almost unparalleled disintei estedness and devotion to the noble cause ;i\ ! which liiey are engaged, the. common school teachers ot the Slate, have in almost every I' county been using ail the means and appliances within their power, tor selt improvement.— >, These efforts, so creditable to tbcin, haw been • : highly beneficial in their results* and clearly s prove the necessity, and point with unerring - certainty to the establishment of State Normal schools. Teachers' meetings for a day have ,J ! given place to institutes for a wetk : and these ' - again to numerous Normal meetings continuing ' irorncne to three months. At every step in : this progression, it has become more apparent that petmanent institutions, with their proper ■ professors and appliances, which nothing hut 5 the poM ei* oi the State can provide, are deman ded by, and would meet the wants of the sys ( tern and the occasion. f j Jo conceding this boon to our children, thro' their teachers, we are encouraged by the exam ple of*other countries, and the experience of the pa>t. It is a te.tiaikable fact, that no State ot our 1 nion, nor nation of the old world, has perfected its system of public instruction, | without schools tor the professional training of ! teachers, established and supported by the pub lic authority and means: and it is no less remark able, and still more encoiuaging, that no such I institution has ever yet been abandoned. From j i'l ussia, whose experience 111 this regard, is that i of a century and a quarter, to that of our young sister Michigan, whose existence is as of yester day, the Normal school has been tried through : out Christendom with unvarying sncess. This result is in full harrr.onv with the laws jof mind and of human society. Teaching is a high and honorable profession; and no profession i has more arduous and complex duties to perform —no ohegreater responsibilities to meet—and : no one operates on, or with, such valuable and interesting material. The most thorough pre paration is, therefore, requisite; and as the du ties lobe performed are not only 1 delicate, and moral or leligious feelings and | rights of the citizen, no source is so safe, no au ' thority for their discharge so free lrom suspicion or bias, as the State. Teachers trained by the j State, and representing the vitality of its repub licanism, will be the firm support and sure guar antee of its republican equality. It is time also that the teaching mind should reseme its true place in the schools. in the : communication of knowledge, to he elective, j mind, in sympathetic contact, must act upon mind, and with living, speaking energy, leave its impress there. The Great Master himself thus trained the school which was to reform a world. But nowthoioo/r has too much intrud ed itself between the teacher and tile taught.— The teacher has too much become the mere ex | ponent of the printed page, and the mind of the i learner the impressed copy of the text. In thus saying, the value and importance of books, as a | means of knowledge, are not intended to be overlooked or decried; but the uses of agencies have their limits; and when w*e find the book I usurping tbe place of the teacher, to the injury of the mind of our youth, we should restore each to its proper position—require from each the performance of its appropriate functions, and thus confer upon both the lull measure of their usefulness. As .m expedient to supply the place of reg ular Normal schools till established, and as a valuable auxiliary to them when in opeiation, the Teachers' Institute would be of unquestion able value. It would bring together the teach ers of a county under the best influences, lor consultation and improvement, and exhibit them before their fellow-citizens in their pro per professional character. A portion of the means ot the State, or nl the respective counties, applicable to educational improvement, could not be more profitably applied* than to the en couragement ot the meeting of at l-a>t one such institute, annually, in each county. An ex periment ol thiskiiui recently made in the coun ty of Chester, is said to have been eminently successful, and strongly indicative ot the wis dom ol the measure. Jf, in addition to these, or similar measures, the Legislature si ouki feel warranted—and the measure has all the sanction to the annual State appropriation to common schools, 1 believe that all will he clone which tin* patriotism of the peo ple's representatives can now effect; and 1 do net hesitate to express the opionion that the time has come for this prompt, full and decisive action. Let the integrity of the system, in its great purposes and objects, be maintained: and if changed, changed only to render it more el tic ient, and to increase its power lor greater usefulness. Whatever else may distinguish your present session, it -s hazarding little to pre dict. that more honor and bnefit will result from the perfection ol the common school system of education, than from any other exercise of your legislative powers. The poxi mortem examination of the body of Mi-s Ida Morgan, who died at the office of Dr. Eirierv, Broomfield street, resulted in finding that she died from the inhalation of cholrofbrm, though in a good stateof bodily health before tak ing it. The chloroform had changed her blood to wafer. She had inhaled it at a previous time, and had felt had effects from it. The chlo roform in the present instance was pure, and the usual quantity was given on a sponge. One ap plication did not produce insenibility,aod at the patient's request the sponge was again placed to her nose. Alter a third application she attemp ted to get up, but failed, and her head rolled to the side of the chair. She was then placed upon a lounge, breathing heavily, but soon her hreating became more easy. She never spoke after being removed from the chair. The ver dict of the Jurv w as, that she came to her death by chloroform; that it was a pure article, pro perly administered, but cautioned the public, against the injudicious use of it.— Boston Post. VOL. XXIV, NO. -2:1.
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