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VISIONS
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npSPOCTING.
tod and naC pp
rii U,1869-U
WjQCV. -
BOOKS.
>NAKIK.<
OCG,
• variety
I'iV.i. -Jvt..
& CO.,
texts, p.t„
:s.
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MoCKUM & XHSBN,
\' »L 8
3ST33W FIRM 1
\ FRESH A H RIVAL!
\GffiGOODS AT REDUCED PRICES!
»17H ahe &lat> to be able to
T T""- Inform the of Altoona and viaialty that
nrt*,in«t receiving a very large and fine supply of
WINTER GOODS,
iH.uchtiu Philadelphia for CASH, and at minced
I.rinv, »hd Hr< * determined to dispoM- of them hi the
L»dlei«t possible advance.
i»ur stock of.DRiiSS GOODS for the Winter is now
.•■miidfte. 1 consisting; hi part, of a full lino of
Black Silks, French Merinos, Drab and
Figured Alpacas, Wool Delaines, Figured
An-I plaiu Paramettoa, aud an entire new
*iyle of Figured Delaines,
Woolen Shawls, [Cloaking Cloth*, Hoop Skirts.
Balmoral Skirts, very cheap; a full and
Complete line of Woolen and Cotton Hosiery
And Gloves. Wo also invite special attention
fn our *tock of Domestic Ooodk, of which wo
Have a fall liiie, such as Prints. Qiogham*,
Muslins and and White I
Whirling, Canton Flannels, £&., at or near old ;
c Prices. Boots and Shoes for Men and Boys’ 1
Wear: Ladiaav Misses aud ChUdieus’Gaiters,
Fine and heavy Morocco and Goat Shoes. ;
N We: have also received a choice lot of Groceries,
Smdijw Coffee, Rngar, Tcim, Syrups, Ac., and !
A new and handsome stock of Queenswarc.J
Selected expressly fur this market.
Wy call the especial attention of all to the fact i
.list,weai;e now selling all kinds yf goods at the totcut •
rf.rt piio*. etriclbj f<r oath, reunites nf what th*v
>...? »/.♦. ! ;
4w*Sincfrply UiAnkiog the public for the liberal pat
i'<ia^heretofore b«*towed, we uioat respectfully invite, 1
■>**rybody, and particularly our friends, the Ladies, to ;
•tjj Httbtf MODEL and secure hanjuins while they are to :
. hail. . {DecSVtq JOHN LOWTHER & CO.
SAVE THE PER CENTAGE
! BY BUYING YOUU
CLOTHING FKOM FIKST HANDS.
TTINGEK: & TUCK, Manufacturers 1
Ij! of aid Wholesale and Retail dealer* in lleady-madi ;
> J.‘thing. iwonld respectftilly invite the attention of the \
i-iihlle to tfie following luctn in *efer*‘nce to their stock. ;
l-t. We manufacture our own good?. They are m;vde }■
v in our dwn Store, in Philadelphia, under our Immediate j
and we know they aye well made and can ho I
.rrantodj i
equad to the best,
..ud superior to the largest quantity of Ready-made cloth* <
mu in the market. ■,
Jod. Wejbuy our Cloths directly from the Importersaud ;
Manufacturers, consequently we save the percentage put i
o by middle men.
drd. Welsell our Clothing at a reasonable percentage
■>v-r the coht of our Cloths, thereby saving the purchasers
Clotbing v the percentage which must be added by those
olio buy frpm second hands to. sell again. We retail ou>
i Kithing at the same price which othei merchants pay
: >i- theirs ait wholesaled consequently those whp buy from
■h get their g-**U at the same price which other Clothiers
;i\v for theirs in the ; city, thereby wtvlng’-rtid ClnthiojV
centagf. .
We dtqres in • !
ALTOONAAND JOHNSTOWN,
olu-re may be had at the *ame figure- at which we
- el! them hjere in the. city.
If any person has been told, or imagines, that TuckN
More, in Altoona, is “-played out/ 7 let such person dn-ji
into his establishment* on Main Street, and examine his
.uod« and prices.
Wholesale House, No. 702 Market Street. Philadelphia.
Deo. 2,1863.—tf.
NEW GOODS.
lipder-signed would respectfully in-
JL form jho citizens of Altoona and surrounding coun
try' shat ha ha-just returned from the Easi, wh-re he has
f>*en selecting his stock of
FALL’ AND WINTER GOODS.
which, for style, quality and price, cannot be surpassed In
:ois neck ojT country,- Hie stock is much larger than
Vretofore, and as It is quite an object, in these exciting
«-;ir times, (or every one to purchase where they can get
The Best Goods and at the Lowest Prices,
:i<‘ would attff that he can find will sell as low, if not a
hrtle lower than anyother house in this place- He wishes
to call ahd see bis stock before purchasing elsewhere,
•*' he feels confident he can offer inducement* which will
»‘ fy competition. His stock consists of
1. .VDIES’ DRESS GOODS of ever)-description,
MEN i[ND BOYS' WINTER WEAR.
LADIES AND MISSES' DRESS SHOES,
IMEN ASP BOYS' BOOTS AND .SHOES,
| MEN’S UiLF HOSE
WOMEN’S Xli(D MISSES’ WOOL HOSE,
JUTS AND CAPS, -;
RLKApaRD; AND rsULKACHED SIUSUN.
GINGHAMS AND HEAVY DRILLINGS.
He will sail Ladies Sewed. Heeded Bootees at $1.50(2)1.75
Kip Pegged.' ~i. .! 1.37@1.50
Men's Boots, 2.75^3,50
JJALMORAL BKIRT& very low.
GROCERIES.
White aud Brown Sugar. Rio Coffee*, Syrups, Teas, Ac.’
• ud everything that is, usually kepi in a Dry Good* Store,
-ud »* cheap a* tb6 cheapest. J. A. SPRANKLK.
Altoona, Oct. 7.1803.
CITY DRUG STORE.
DU. E. H. RKIGART would respect
fully announce tip the citizens of Altoona and sur
rounding country, that he baa recently purcluu&d the
brug Store of Berlin i Co„ on Virginia Street, opposite
F rjes* Hardware Store.'
His Drugs are Fresh and Pure.
• ndhe hope* by strict, attention to bnsinw, to merit a
-hare of public patronage.
Pal) and examine hi 4 stock. lie on hand.
DRUGS,
MEDICINES and CHEMICALS,
I'INE TOIt£T SOARS, PERFUMERY, BRUSHES,
GLASS, PVTTT, jPAINTS. OILS. VAR SIEVES,
CARBOS OIL AND LAW'S.
yOTXOHS, CIGARS,
~-y frtry article utuaUy kept in a Fir.*(-cUus Drug Stare.
PURE WINES AND LIQUORS
for modlciunl ut^
OOMBBIIO GRAPE WIKK— V p ItK— VVAKHANTED.
PHYSICIANS' PBESLKIPTIONS
■.Turttßlr compor,iiilrf, at all hoars (if t!i(* ii(i> nr ntgbl
-lttooß»,»9pt. 80,1*63.
I Yictoi*y, *W on I
I ’ pHK Subscribere would respectfully
I £_ aqooaocd to th«L citizen* of Altoona and vicinity.
I that they but* juit returned from tJie Kast with their
I FAlIt ANP WINTER STOCK OF
I JHATS & CAPS,
I BOOTS Sc SHOES.
■ Their stock of 14ATS & CAPS hav* been »«*
I i lected with great care, wod with the'View of totting all
R who mjtyftvw them With their patronage* Their line of
L Boots sod Shoes is complete.
I Their T.Anivjr MISSES* and CHILDREN'S SHOES
I are of Cttj make, sad warranted. Thdr Balmoral Shoes
I for Ladies sad Misses, arc Just the thing for wet
I weather and saving health
| Thauktal to the public for their very liberal patronage
K heretofore, they hope to merit a eontiimaoce of the same.
I Store en MJuK ST. next door to Bowman** Exchange
I Hotel. 83)tIT‘r & MANX.
I Altoona, May 12. XSQB. .
'PEAS ! TEAS! TEAS!—FIiITCHEY
I U selling Teas superior to any ever offered iu Al
toona..■ They; are free jot adulteration* coloring, or mix
ture of any kind..
Boston ceagkebs—a large
supply of these :deltelous crackers Just received
«ud for sale by FRITCBKV.
\fACB3SEEL— NOS. 1,2, ANX> 3,
■IM. in all aind package*, new, apd each package
warranted, jqkt received ana far vale low bjr
‘ VKITCHKT.
THIS ALTOONA TRIBUNE.
Jl. VcCSUM. -., - . ~ ' . h. C. DESK,
£MTOKB Ay D PEOPRIKTOBS,
I'er i.nnuoi, (payable iuvariilily in ari.aoco,) $1 SO
All papers discontinued at the exptratlon of the time
pan! if»r.
(ERMS OP AI>VERHaiSO
4 1 insertion *1 do. 8 do.
Pour lines or less £ 26 ' * $ 50
On« Square, (8 lines), ;><» > 75 \ 00
Turn •■ a<i •>. } 1 (,0 m 1 so - 2 oo'
•• (24 " ) ISO-. 2 00 260
Over three wee.* and less tiuil) three months. 2S cuts
per square for each insertion.
3 month*. 6 months. 1 Tear.
>ix lilies or leu* # : 1 6b ; $ 3. 00 s*s 00
One aqnare ; 2 60 4 00 T 00
Two “ 4 00 6 00 10 00
Three- •* , !5 00 6 00 12 00
>'«wf 6 00 ! 10 00 14 00
Half a column 10 00 14 00 20 00
Ohe column 14 00 25 00 40 00
Administrators and Executors Notices ..... 1 75
Mfrchatifs advertising by the year. three squares,"
with liberty to change ;■
Professional-or Business Cards, not exceeding 8 lines
with paper, per year. .. 6 00
Communication* of a political character or individual
interest, will be charged according to the above rates..
Advertisements not marked with the number of inser
tions desired, will be continued till forbid and charged
according to the above terms.
Business notices five cents'per line fgrovery insertion,
notice* exceeding iqn lines, fifty cents a square
Choice Igdcttg.
J DIROE FOR A SOLDIER.
IS MEMORY Op OEN. PHILIP KEARNEY.
1 Close hia eyes, his done!
j N What to him is friend or foeman,
1 Rise of moon, or set of snn.
Hand of man, or kiss of woman 1
Lay him low, lay him low.
In the clover or lathe spayr!
What cares bo J he cannot know
Lay him low.
Growler did not answer. So I kept on.
“ But for our immense armies in the field,
and navy on the water, this rebellion would
have succeeded What then ? Have vou
ever pondered the future of this country iu
such an event? Have you ever thought
of your own position ? of the loss or gain
to yourself t How long do you think we
would be at peace with England or France,
if the nation were dismembered, and a
hostile Confederation established on our
Southern border? Would our war taxes
be less than'now? Would life and prop
erty be more secure ? Have you no in
terest in our great army and navy, as well
as I and any other member of the Union ?
Does not your safety as well us mine lie
in their existence ? Are they not, at tills
very time, the conservators of everything
we hold dear as men and citizens? Who
equips and pays this army 7 Who builds
and furnishes these ships? Where does
the enormous sums of money required
come from 7 It is the nations work—the
people aggregate in power and munifi
cence, and so irresistible in might—uncon
querable. Have: you no heartswellings of
pride in this magnificent exhibition of will
and strength ? No part in the nation’s
glory 7 ' No eager hand helping to stretch
forth ? * " w
GBCyWLEK’S INCOME TAX. j Growler was silent still.
; As Ufitix uviv, be fongUt his fight.
Proved his truth by his endeavor ;
Let him sleep in solemn night.
.*leep forever and ever^
Lay him low, lay him low.
In the clover or the snow?
What cares he ? he cannot know
Lay him low
FoM him in his country's stars,
Roll the dram and fire the volley!
What to him are .ail our wars ?
What but death bcmockiug-folly ?
Lay him low, lay him low.
In the clover or the snowi
Whin cares he? he cannot know
Lay him low.
Leave him to God's watching eye ;
Trust him to the hand that made him.
Mortal Jove weeps Idly by;
1 God alonehaa power to aid him.
Lay him low, lay himdow,
In tb ; clover-or the snow :
’ What cares h»? he cannot know
Lay him low.
Jitort
by T. s. abxhuh.
My neighbor Growler, an excitable man
by the way, was particularly excited over
his “Income Tax,” or, as be called it, his
“ War Tax.” He had never liked the war
—thought it unnecessary and wicked ; the
work of politicals. The fighting of brother
against brother was a terrible thing in his
eyes. If you asked him who began the
.war t —who struck at the nation’s life ?
if’self-defence were not a duty ?—he would
reply with vague generalities, made up of
partisan tricky sentences, which he had
learned without comprehending their just
significance.
; Growler came in upon me the other day,
flourishing a square piece of blue writing
paper, quite mqyed firms his equanimity.
“ There it is! Just so much robbery!
Stand and deliver is the word. Pistols or
bayonets. Your money or your life !”
I took the piece of paper irom his hand
apd read:
Philadelphia, September, 1863,
Richard Growler, Esq.,
Dr, to John M. Bilkt,"
f.‘ Collector for Internal Rename for the Fourth
District of Pennsylvania. Office,Vl7 Chestnut St.
ff For Tax op Income, for the year 1862,
as Iper return made to the Assessor of the
District.... $43 21
*• Received payment,
i JOHN D, RILEY', Col.”
i“ You’re all right,” I said, smiling.
J“l’d like to know what you mean, by
all right!” Growler was just a little
offended at my way of treating this very
serious matter—serious in his eyes, I mean.
“I’ve been robbed of forty-three dollars
add twenty-one cents/’ he continued.—
“ jDo you say that it is all right ? A min
ion of the Government has put his hand
into my pocket and taken just so much of
my property. Is that all right ?”
i“ The same thing may be set forth in
very different language.” I replied. “Let
me state the case.” '
|“ Very well —state it!” said Growler,
dumping himself into a chair,, and looking
as ill-humored as possible^
j“ Instead of being robbed,” said 1, “you
have been protected in your property and
person, and guaranteed all the high privi
leges of citizenship, for the paltry sum ol
forty-three dollars and twenty-one cents as
yopr share of the cost of protection.”
Oh, that’s only your way of putting
the case,” retorted Growler, dropped a
little from his high tone of indignation.
Let me be more particular in my way
of putting the case. Yonr income is from
the rent of property I”
“ Yes.”
j‘ What would it have cost you to de
fend that property from the army of Gen.
Lap, recently driven from our State .by
national soldiers 1”
ALTOONA, PA,. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1864
“ Cost me !” Growler looked at me in
a kind of maze, as though he thought me
half in jest l >”
Exactly ! What would it have cost
you ? Lee, if unopposed, would certainly
have reached this , city, and held it; and
if your property had been of use to him, or
any of his officers or soldiers, it would have
been appropriated without so much as say
ing—by your leave, sir ? Would forty
three dollars and twenty-one cents have
covered the damage ? Perhaps not. Pos
sibly. you might have lost one-half to two
thirds of all vou are worth.’'
Growler was a trifle bewildered at this
way of putting the case. He looked puz
zled.
to oo
•‘You have a store on South wharves?”
said I.
Yes.”
What has kept the Alabama or the
Florida from running up the Delaware and
burning the whole city front ? Do you
have forts and ships of war lor the pro
tection of your .' If not, who
provides them? they are provided and you
are safe. What is your share of the ex
pense for a whole year? Just forty-three
dollars and. twenty-one cents! It sounds
like a jest'.”
“ There was no power in you or me to
check the wave of destruction that was
launched by patricidal bands against us.
If unresisted, by the nation, as an aggre
gate power it would have swept in desola
tion over the whole land. Traitors in our
midst, and traitois moving in arms against
us, would have united to destroy our beauti
ful fabric of civil liberty. The govern
ment, which dealt with all good citizens
so |dodly and gently, not one in a thousand
felt its touch beyond the weight of a
feather, would have been subverted ; and
who can tell under what iron rule we
might have fallen for a time, or how many
years of bloody strife would have elapsed
liefore that civil liberty which ensures the
greatest good to numbers would have been
again established i But the wave of de
struction was met—nay hurled back upon
the enemies who sought our ruin. - Wc
yet dwell in safety. Your property is
secure. You still gather your annual in
come, protected in all your rights and
privileges by the national arm. And what
does the nation assess to you as your share
in the cost ot this security ? Half your
property! No—-not a farthing of that
property! Only!a small per ccntage of
your income from that property! Just
forty’three dollars and twenty-one ceuta/
Pardon me for saying it, friend Growler,
but 1 am more than half ashamed of yon.”
“ And seeing the way you put the case,
I am more than half ashamed of myself,”
he answered, frankly. “ Why, taking your
view, this is about the cheapest invest
ment I ever made.”
“ You certainly get more for your money
than in any other line of expenditure.—
Yesterday I had a letter from an old friend
living in the neighborhood of Carlisle.—
The rebels took from him six fine horses,
worth two hundred dollars a piece; six
cows and oxen ; and over 200 bushels
of grain. And not content with plunder
ing him, they burnt down a barn, which
cost him nearly two thousand dollars.'—
But for {he army raised and equipped by
the nation, in support of which you and I
are taxed so lightly, we might have sijfr
fered as severely. How much do you
think it cost in money for the protection
we have enjoyed in this particular in
stance ?”
“A million of dollars, perhaps?”
” Nearer ten millions of dollars. From
the time our army left the Rappahannock,
until the battle of Gettysburg, its cost to
the government could scarcely have been
less than the sum I have mentiobed. Of
this sum, your proportion cannot be over
three or four dollars; and for that trifle,
your property, maybe your life, was held
secure.” j
“No more of that, if you please,” said '
[iSDEPKVDKNT TV EVKETTHING. j
Growler, showing some annoyance. “Yon
are running this thing into the ground.—
I own up square. I was quarreling with
my best friend. I was striking at the
hand that gave me protection. If my war
tax next year should be a hundred dollars
instead of forty-three, I will pay it with
out a murmur.”
“ Don’t, say without a murmur, friend
Growler.” \ ;
” What then?”
“ &iy gladly, as a means of safety.”
“ Put it as you will,” he answered,
folding up Collector Riley’s receipt, which
he still held in his hand, and bowing him
self out. "
Not many days afterwards, I happened
to hear some one grumbling in my neigh
bor’s presence about his income tax
Growler scarcely waited to hear him
through. My lesson was improved in his
hands. , Insignificant phrase, he ‘‘pitched
into” the offender, and read him a lesson
so much stronger than mine, that I felt
myself thrown quite into the shade.
“ Yod have been assessed fifty-eight dol
lars,” he said, in his excited way—“fifty
eight dollars! One would , think, from
the noife you make about it that you bad
been robbed of half you are worth. Fifty
eight dollars for security at home and pro
tection abroad ! Fifty-eight dollars as
your share in the cost of defence, against
an enemy that, if unopposed, will desolate
our homeland destroy our government!
Already it has cost the nation over a
thousand millions of dollars; and yon are
angry because it asks for your little part of
the expense. Sir, you are not worthy the
name of an American citizen I”
‘‘That’s bard talk, Growler, and I won’t
bear it!” said the other.
“It’s true talk, and youTl have to bear
It!” was retorted. “Fretting over the
mean \ittle sum of fifty-eight dollars!
Why sir, .1 know a man who has given his
right arm in the cause; and another who
has given his right leg. Do they gruni
ble ? No, sir! I never heard a word of
complaint from their lips. Thousands and
tens of thousands have given their sons,
and wives have given their husbands—
sons and husbands who will never more
return! They are with the dead. Sir,
you are dishonoring yourself: in the eyes
of all men. A grumbler over this paltry
war' tax —for shame! ,
J turned off, saying, in my thought
“So much good done! My reclaimed
sinner has become a preacher; of righteous
ness.” - ’
A Slight Mistake. —We don’t believe
the followidg anecdote has ever been prin
ted, and it is too good to be lost;
One.day—no matter when—an honest
Hibernian strolled into one of our church
es—no matter where—on communion Sun
day ; and at the invitation (for “all in
regular standing, &c.,” he being somewhat
verdant in matters of this kind, thought
he would stay too. Accordingly he re
mained in his obscure pew, and waited to
see how the waters would move. Boon a
venerable man approached him and proffer
ed him the bread and'cup. -He took a
generous slice of the former,' and the good
man passed along. Going back to the
desk, a request was made, if any had been
omitted in the distribution, they would rise.
What was the deacon’s astonishment to
see the occupant of the stranger pew rise,
and with a peculiar beck of the finger,
motion him that way. Obeying the sign,
he walked towards the beck oner, who rose
as he approached, and shading his mouth
with his hand as he leaned half over the
aisle, said in a subdued tone—“ Have you
any chaze 1” «
Tbe horror stricken functionary started
back, without answering, and the stran
ger was left to his own reflections upon
the deficiency of the entertainment.
A Shell Bark .Lawyer.— Jim If ,
out West, tells a good yarn about a “ shell
bark lawyer.’t His client was up on two
small charges. “Frivolous charges,” as
shell-bark designated them (forging a note
of hand and stealing a horse.)
On running his eye over the jury he didn’t
like their looks, so he prepared an affidavit
for continuance, setting forth the absence
in Alabama of a principal witness. He
read it in a whisper to the prisoner,' who,
shaking his head, said:
. “ Squire, I can’t swear to that doky
mint,”
“Why?”
“Kase hit haint true.”
Old shell infuriated and exploded loud
enough to be heard throughout the room.
“What, forge a note, an’ steal a boss,
an’ can’t swear to a lie! Rang
nal fools!”
And he immediately left the conscien
tious one to his fate.
«TCultivate your own heart aright;
remember that “ whatsoever a man soweth
that shall he also reap.” Do not begin
fanning by building an expensive house,
nor erecting a spacious barn, till you have
something to store in it.
tSf Ladies, let your hair,i teeth and
complexion be false, if necessary, but let
not your hoods be false; falsehood are
inexcusable.
The Governor Message.
To the Smote and Home of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:
Gestusuxn The past year haa afforded ns
new cause of thankfulness to' the Almighty for the
moral and material; blessings which he lias be
stowed upon us. , • ’
The balance in the Treasury Nov.
30, 1862, jwa5...... *2,172,844 10
Receipts during the fiscal year end - ,
ing Nov. 30,1863. 4,289,451 65
Total in Treasury for the fiscal year
ending Nov. 30, 1863 6,462,295 75
The payments for the same period
have been .....1 4,314,96^05
Balance in Treasury, ‘November
30,1863.......,....'. 2,147,331 7^l
Ihe operations of the Sinking Fond during tlie
last year have been shown by my Proclamation of
the Bth day of September last, as follows:
Amount of the debt of the Common
wealth reduced.,,.... *954,720 40
As follows, viz:
Coupon Loan Act, "
May, 4, 1862...;. *IOO,OOo 00
Five per cent .. 790,000 00 f
Four and one-half
per cent..,. 63,000 00
Belief notes cancelled 968 00
Domestic, creditors’
certificates.......... 13 00
Interest of certificates
paid 27 90
Amount of public debt of Penn
sylvania, as it stood on the Ist
day of December, 1863 $40,448,213 82
Deduct the amount redeemed at
the State Treasury, during the
fiscal year, ending with Novem
ber 30, 1863, viz : :
Five percent.stocks, $888,499 78
Four and one-half per
stpcks 63,000 00
Belief notes..... ' 109 00
Domestic creditors’
certificates 8 26
$961 617 <H
Public Debt Dec. Ist, 1862 $39,496,’596 78
Funded debt, viz:
Six per cent, loans... $400,630 00
Funded debt, viz:
Five per cent, loans. 35,709,986 46
Funded debt, viz:
Four and one-half per
cent, loans 268,200 00
.. . ... $36,378,816 45
Unfunded debt, viz:
Belief notes in circu
lation... $97,251 00
Inter’st of certificates
outstanding 15,356 63
Inter’st of certificates
unclaimed. ' 4,448 38
Domestic creditors’
certificates: 733 33
$36,496,596 78
Military loan, per act of May 15th,
1861 $3,000,000 00
Total indebtedness $39,496,596 78
By the act of 15th May, 1861, authorising the
militaiy loan of $3,000,000, a tax of one half
mill was laid on real- and personal property, to
fnmish a fund for redeeming tbe same. ’ I recom
mend that the commissioners of the sinking fund
be directed to invest the proceeds of the tax in
State loan, so that it may be drawing interest, to
be in like manner invested, or that they should
apply such proceeds directly to the purchase of
certificates of the military loan, and cancel such
certificates as shall be purchased.
Although onr finances are still In a healthy con
dition, it is necessary to invite the serious atten
tion of the Legislature to the consideration of the
means of maintaining them unimpaired in future
By the act of 12th June, 1840, it was provided
that the interest on State Idans should always bo
paid in specie or its equivalent, and that whenever
the funds in the Treasury should be of less value
than specie, the difference in value should be as
certained and certified to the Governor, who should
thereupon issue his warrant to the agents or banks
authorised to pay such interest on behalf of the
Commonwealth, to allow such difference to parties
receiving the interest, or at the option of the parties
to pay the same in specie.
By the act of 11th April, 1862, it was provided
that for the purpose of paying in specie or its equiv
alent, all interest that should thereafter be due bv
the Commonwealth, as required by the act of 12th
June, 1840, the several banks who should avail
themselves of the provisions of that act, (of llth
April, 1862,) and who should refuse to redeem
their notes in specie, on demand at any time within
ten days upon or after the time when such interest
should bedofhe due, should thereafter, when re
quired by the State Treasurer, by notice in writing,
pay into the State Treasurer, in proportion to the
capital stock paid in of each bank their ratable
proportion of such premium for gold or Its equiva
lent, as should have been actually paid by the
State.
By tee act of the 30th January, 1863, It was
provided teat tee State Treasurer should exchange
with the banks any amount of currencv sufficient
to pay the interest on the State debt &lling due on
the first days of February and August, 1863,' for
the same amount of coin, and should give to th e
banks specie Certificates of exchange, not trans
ferable, {dodging the faith of the State to return
said coin in exchange for notes current at the
time, on or before tbe first Monday of March, 1864,
such certificates to bear interest at the rate of 2}
per cent, per annum.
Under tee provisions of the act of 1862, certain
banks paid into the State Treasury $140,768 30 as
an equivalent for coin for tbe payment of interest
on tee public debt.
Under tee act of 1863, specie certificates have
beep given to tee banks, amounting in tee whole
to $1,968,904 97, which, with the accruing in
terest, will fall due on the first Monday of March
next.
As the provisions of this act were of a temporary
character, the only acts now in force on the sub
ject are those of 1840 and 1862, above mentioned, 1
under which it will be the duty of the State an
thorities to pay the interest on the Ist February,
1864, and thereafter,' Hi coin or its equivalent, and'
look to the banks that may be liable under the act '
of 1862 for reimbursement of the premium pakTby
the Commonwealth; . ' j
In the faceof all difficulties, this Commonwealth,
actuated by a sentiment which does its people
honor, has: hitherto paid its interest in coin or its,
equivalent. :
Existing circumstances make it i necesaaty to
consider now die fidr extent of her Just obligations, '
EDITORS AND PROPRIETOR
The exigencies of the times have compelled the
Government of the United States to issne large
amounts of Treasury notes for circulation, which
are not redeemable in coin, and which mm the
great mass of oar circnlatingmeduim.
It is onr doty as a loyal State—it is our interest
as a State whose welfare, and even safety, depend
emphatically upon the maintenance of the credit
and the saccess of the military operations <if the
genera] government—to do nothing to impair its
credit 01 embarrass its measures. Oh the contrary,
we owe it to ourselves and to our posterity to give
an active support to its efforts to quell the mon
strous rebellion which is still raging, and thus re
store peace to our distracted country,
It is our own Government, and we could not,
without gross indecency, attempt to refute its cur
rency in payment of taxes and other debts doe to
the Commonwealth.
In 1840 the case was very different. The diffi
culties then arose from the suspension of specie
payments by our State Banks, mere local and
private corporations, and the State very property
by the act of that year, intended to provide against
loss to its' creditors by reason of such suspensions.
An exigency like the present could not then have
been foreseen by the Legislature, and it is to be
inferred therefore that they coaid not have intended
to provide for if.
We derive our system of public loans from
Europe, and the true" extent of onr obligation is to
be ascertained by referring to the known estab
lished practice of European governments prior to
the dates when onr loans were effected. I mean
of course such of those governments as were held
to have maintained thein national credit.
It is believed to have been the uniform practice
of snch governments to pay their interest in paper
currency, however depreciated, during a legalised
suspension of specie payments. Ah observable
instance of this is afforded by the course of the
British Government, which daring .twenty-five
years, from 1797 to 1822, during which the bank
was prohibited by law from paying out coin for
any purpose, paid the interest on its public debts
in bank notes, which during a great part of that
time were at a heavy discount, some times amount
ing to SO per cent, or thereabout. Their necessi
ties then were no greater than onrs are now.
Among onrselves, at the present time, Massa
chusetts (whose debt is believed to be very small)
pays the interest in coin. Ohio and Indiana pay
in currency. In New York it is not known what
will be done. Her Legislatnre, by concurrent res
olution, ordered the interest to be paid in coin to
foreign stockholders, in April last.
At the present rate of premium on gold, the sum
necessary to pay on on amount sufficient to dis
charge the annual interest on the State debt wonki
be more than $1,000,000, and to meet this, ad
ditional taxation to that extent would be unavoida
ble. The demands on the Treasury for other
necessary purposes must probably bo snch as to
render it imprudent to throw any part of this ex
penditure on the existing surplus. To borrow
money from year to year to pay the interrat on
past loans would, of coarse, be wholly inadmissi
ble. To leave the act of 1862 in force, and at
tempt to throw the payment of this large premium
annually on the banks, wonld be not only flagrantly
unjust, but quite impracticable. I recommend the
whole subject to the careful and immediate con
sideration of the Legislature. Some legislation
ought to bo had on it before the close of the'present
month. In my opinion the Commonwealth will
have fulfilled her obligation by providing for the
payment of her interests in the currency of the
Government. If the Legislature should think fit
to continue to pay it in coin, it will be their duty
to levy forthwith the heavy taxes necessary for
that purpose. 1 I roust in passing observe that the
plan adopted by one of the States of paying'eoiii to
foreign, and currency to domestic loan holders,
appears tome to be wholly unwise, and founded on
no legitimate principle.
At the close of the last session, nineteen bills
renewing the charters of certain banks for another
period of five years were presented to mo. Of these
1 have (for reasons which will be hereafter com
municated) withheld my signature from one and
approved the remainder. I have been led to sign
them by the consideration of the banks of the Com
monwealth pay a large revenue, nearly $400,000,
which the States can ill afford. to lose,, and that in
the present condition of the country it would be
impolitic to drive so much capital out of active use
or force it into new emnloyments.
If the National Banking system afford sufficient
inducements, capital will voluntarily take that
direction. It is proper to observe that the charters
of most of the banks' in question expire at an early
period, which in consequence of the invasion of the
State, during the last summer, they could not have
been reasonably expected to give the necessary
notice of renewed applications for re-charter,
I recommend an extension of the time dnring
which the banks are now relieved from penalties
for not paying tbeir obligations in coin.
The increased expenses of living invite atten
tion to the salaries of our public officer?. Thorn
of the Secretary, of the Commonwealth, Auditor
General and State Treasurer, and of the Cletka in
their employment are, in my opinion, too low, \
especially as the exigencies of the times have great- ■
ly enhanced the labors, and responsibilities of aIL
and in case of the beads of those departments, en
force a constant attendance at Harrisburg, which
was not formerly required.
*954,720 40
#117,780 33
Under the Act of 16th April, 1868, and its snp
element passed 22d April, 1868, the Adjutant
General, Quartermaster General and Commissary
General have been acting as the Board of Military
Claims. They have, up to this rime, approved
claims to the amount of f 160,416 18, and others
have been already presented to the further amount
of #332,120 29, which have not yet bran acted on.
Under the Act of 22d April, 1863 (P, L. 629,)
the Courts of Commoh Pleas appointed three ap
praisers to ascertain the damage done in the
counties on the Southern border fay the militia
called into service in September, 1863, by the
Anderson Cavalry, in the same month, and bv
the rebels in their raid on the 10th and 11th of
October, 1862. ,
The appraisers have not yet completed the per
formance of their duties, When their report stuU
have beeh made to the Court of Common Pica*
and affirmed, in whole or in pact, by that eoort, it
will be the duty of the Governor to claim thh pay
ments Of the amounts from the General Govern
ment, and on failure to secure the same, then to
report to the next Legislature, recommending each
action as he may deem just and proper.
The expenses of the Transportation and Tele
graph Departments during the past year has been
as follows;
Paid (out of appropriation made by
Military Loan Act, of 1861)... .f 13,668 87
Unpaid (the appropriation being ex- -
iuwsied)... 15,764 79
Outstanding liabilities, estimated:**.,. 5,000 00
6O
These expenses have been mainly tacarrretLin
keeping op the heceHsary correspondence pf tiw
military departments and in the of
sickandwotmded and the dead bodies of
tmteers, as will be seen by the report irfthe Chief
of . Transportation, herewith communicated. 1
NO. 47.