te
051„alle.
HUNTINGDON, PA.
Wednesday, February 13, 1861
COUNTY COMMITTEE MEETING
The Democratic County Committee
are requested to meet in Convention
at the - Jackson Hotel, in Huntingdon,
on Friday the 15th Feb. inst., at 2
o'clock, P. M., to take such action on
the recommendation of the State Com
mittee calling a State Convention, as
may seem right and proper.
G-EO. JACKSON, Chairman.
Wm. STEw.uvr, Secretary.
TEE NEWS.
—The President elect will leave
Springfield for Washington on the 13th
inst.
The delegates to the Chicago con
vention from Vermont, comprising
many of the leading Republicans of
the State, met lately, and unanimously
protested against the adoption of any
of the proposed plans of compromise
before Congress.
TUE VIRGINIA CONVENTION.—The
Richmond Enquirer admits that not
more than thirty secessionists are cho
sen. The Richmond Whig publishes a
list of more than ono half of the dele
gates elected, with the remark that
" probably nine-tenths of them cor
dially approve of the final effort to re
store the Union and the Constitution
in the spirit in which they were estab
lished by the fathers of the Republic,
now progressing at Washington. Un
conditional unionists' and extremists,
on tho•tither side, will constitute very
small proportions of the convention."
The Alexandria Gazette says that the
action of Virginia "should have but
one effect at the North—and that is to
increase the feeling among the conser
vative men there in favor of a settle
ment of existing difficulties, and the
exhibition of an earnest desire to have
the Union restored upon just terms—
terms which will guaranty to the States
their rights, and protect them from a
hostile or aggressive policy."
—The Mormons are emigrating to
Washington Territory. The settlers
are indignant, and threaten resistance.
The snow in Vermont has been
five feet deep, deeper than it has been
in the past ten years, and has seriously
interrupted the mails.
A thousand mounted volunteers
are about to start from Texas, on an
expedition of extermination against
the hostile Indian tribes.
Three spans of the North Central
Railroad bridge, across the Susque
hanna this side of Harrisburg, was
blown down on Thum la e '.j r
- the coun ry. t altimore, New York,
Philadelphia, and other cities suffered
considerably.
The Latest News.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, P. M.—Vice
President Breckinridge says that the
election of Hon. Jeff. Davis, as Presi
dent of the Cotton Confederacy, is a
hopeful omen, indicating that re-con
struction of the Federal Union, and a
permanent settlement of our slavery
troubles is possible.
Ex-President Tyler states that the
great difficulty in reference to an ad
justment is that the Northern men in
the Peace Conference and in Congress
oppose in any way the acceptance of
any compromise which will recognize
the fact of property in slaves.
South Carolina is very indignant at
the manner in which Georgia and the
other States overslaughed the Palmet
to land in the Southern Congress.
THE TONNAGE TA-N.—Considerable
of our space this week, is taken up
with the bill introduced into the House
last week for the commutation of the
tonnage duties, and with an article
upon the same subject. There appears
to have been a revolution in public
opinion on the question of repeal with
in the last year, for it is now very evi
dent that there will be but little oppo
sition to the passage of the bill. We
hear men every day—men who have
been opposed ton repeal for political
offect---declare, that in justice to the
company—justice to our local county
interests, and to the future of our State,
demands a removal of an unjust tax
upon one of the greatest improvements
in the United States.
In the statement of the business of
of the road, we find that the increase
of freight earnings in 1860 over 1850,
was $535,672 82, and that much the
larger part of this increase is upon the
local freight. Every ton of this trade
is taxedby the State, so that just in
proportion as the business of the peo
ple residing on the Pennsylvania rail
road is increased, their burthens are
increased.. In addition to the taxes
on their property, which they pay in
common with the citizens of other
parts of the Commonweath, they are
taxed upon every barrel of flour, every
bushel of wheat, every ton of iron, every
package of goods, which they buy or sell,
Thus the profits to which, as enterpri
sing and industrious citizens they are
entitled, are diminished, and the cost
of what they consume is increased.—
The existing law imposing the tonnage
duties discriminates against all their
interests and retards their prosperity.
They are not upon an equality with
citizens who live upon other great rail
roads in the Commonwealth, and in
justice they can demand of the Legis
lature the repeal of a law so unfair and
illiberal.
A Few Reflections in Relation to a Bill,
Draftled an Act for the Commutation
of Tonnage Duties.
First. It is upon its face manifestly
fair, just, and equitable, for it places
all routes of public transportation upon
a perfect equality; so far as the same
can be effected by legislation.
Second. The repeal of the tonnage
duties imposed upon the trade of the
Commonwealth, is demanded by the
highest considerations of public poli
cy, by the purest integrity, by the
clearest good faith on the part of the
Commonwealth.
Third. It is demanded by public
olicy, because it is a crushing burthen
upon all the business which flows
through one of the great arteries of
trade in the State. It positively ex
cludes from our State a very large
amount of trade, for the tax is so
heavy, that it finds a cheaper access to
the sea-board, through untaxed chan
nels of trade leading to cities in other
States.
It taxes raw material so heavily as
to prevent its transportation, in many
cases. and thus oppresses the industry
and skill, which would be expended so
profitably to our citizens, in converting
that raw material into manufactured
product.
It taxes certain classes of our citi
zens to the exclusion of others, dis
criminating at the same time against
those least able to bear it : surely, if
we discriMinate at all in taxation, it
should be the reverse of this: it should
be in favor, and not against, those
least able to bear it.
Fourth. The repeal of the tonnage
tax is demanded by the purest integ
rity, for it was originally imposed only
to protect the Main Line of the Public
Works from an anticipated loss of re
venues, which never in fact occurred.
The building of the Pennsylvania Rail
road, being in effect the same as ex
tending the Columbia Railroad from
Harrisburg to Pittsburg, produced an
increase of revenue on the Columbia
Railroad, exceeding in value that which
was lost to the Canal, so that the re
venues of the Commonwealth increased
instead of diminished by the construc
tion of the Pennsylvania Railroad;
and this reflection will be the more
striking when it is remembered, that
in 1846, when the Pennsylvania Rail
road was incorporated, the New York
Central, and the New York and Erie
Railroads, the enlarged Erie Canal,
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
were approaching completion, and
about to enter into competition with
our Main Line, the cost of doing busi
ness upon which was too great to meet
this competition, and its traffic would
necessarily have been reduced to a lo
cal trade, destroying its value as a
source of revenue.
If further reflection needs to be add
ed, you are reminded that the Main
• 1-I', 231 ...l b ., ab-"ftr-
tended to protect, and which, so far
from yielding a revenue, had always
proved really a heavy source of' ex
pense annually to the Commonweath,
has been sold by the State, and bought
by the Railroad Company. It, of course,
therefore, no longer needs protection,
though wholly unprofitable to its pre
sent owners, and the reason for the
tax having ceased, the tax itself should
be removed.
Further, the Company are willing
to pay to the Commonwealth taxes on
their property, and franchises to the
same extent, and in such manner as
will place their works upon an equality
with similar improvements; they de
sire to be placed upon this equality in
order to be able to transport as cheap
ly as others, and to make their proper
ty more beneficial to the public than
it can be whilst burthened with a tax
so heavy as to prevent, to a great ex
tent, the proper development of the
resources of' the State.
Fifth. The removal of the tonnage
tax is required by the purest good
faith. At the time of the purchase' of
the Main Line by the Railroad Com
pany, the then Executive of the Com
monwealth pledged his good faith, and
so far as he was able, that of the State,
for the repeal of the tax, and, in con
sequence of this pledge, earnestly re
commended its repeal in his annual
message of January, 1858.
Without this pledge, the Company
would not have bid for the works.—
They did Purchase, relying on the good
faith of the Commonwealth for the re
peal of' the tax, in accordance with
this pledge of the Government, giving
for the property much more than it
was worth to the Commonwealth or
any other party..
Sixth. The reduction of rates for
transportation, as required by the pro
visions of the bill, will aid in the de
velopment of the resources of the State,
and, of course, increase the value of
real' estate—thus directly benefitting
the citizens, and improve the taxable
values of the Commonwealth.
Seventh. The distribution of loans,
as proposed in the bill, will enable all
the roads (amounting in all to more
than 230 miles,) referred to, to be
completed within a reasonable time,
and thus add much to the taxable
value of property in the regions of
country that will be benefitted by de
veloping their resources.
The prosecution of the work will
give immediate employment to several
thousand workmen, and require large
quantities of iron and other material
necessary for construction, and it is
believed that no other plan can be
adopted for the speedy development
of the resources of the Commonwealth,
which will yield to the State so large
a return for the concessions asked for
in this bill.
Eighth. The fourth section of the
bill provides for the more speedy ex
tinguishment of the debt due the Com-
monwealth for the Main Line. It pro
vides for the payment of the entire
debt and interest by the 31st day of
July, 1890. Whereas, under existing
laws and contracts, the amount due
the Commonwealth, July 31st, is four
million three hundred thousand dol
lars. The payment of principal, as
proposed, together with the difference
in interest, to the Commonwealth,
combine advantages too great and too
manifeat to require argument,
The Result in Virginia
The Baltimore American, which has
throughout this secession controversy
used its influence in behalf of the
Union and has been largely instru
mental in preventing Maryland from
taking immediate steps to separate
from the Union, uses the following
language in reference to the Virginia
election. It is worth while for our
people to consider the deep significance
of these sentiments, coming as they do
from a leading representative of the
most moderate and most conservative
portion of the Southern people.
Enough is known of the Virginia
election to indicate with apparent cer
tainty the temper of her people. It
will be remembered that the geograph
ical position of this glorious old State
is alone sufficient to give peculiar im
portance to her voice and counsels in
the present crisis. Excepting Mary
land, there is no slave State in the
Confederacy, where vital interests are
more directly mixed up with the set
tlement or prolongation of this contro
versy—which has at last reached a cli
max—than the Old Dominion. She
has a wide and indefensible border on
the separating line, and she has been
one of the largest losers by Northern
fanaticism. Whatever pretext may
be urged in favor of secession by any
one, or all of the Gulf States combined,
it is past all controversy that Virginia
has more wrongs to redress than all of
the seceding States put together. Un
der these circumstances, the influence
of her latest vote cannot well be over
rated. Her Commissioners to the
Peace Congress meet the representa
tives from the Northern States with
fair demands; they are instructed to
' state her wrongs plainly, and to de
mand the acknowledgement of her
rights firmly. And the emphatic en
dorsement, writted on the back of her
resolutions—which resolutions include
terms of settlement satisfactory to all
her sisters on the Southern border—is
this last avowal of her unflinching loy
alty to the Union.
We do not see bow it is possible for
the North to resist the appeal. The
guand old warrior does not dash his
gauntlet in the face of his unfaithful
kinsman. But while he acknowledges
and elaimsbrotherhood with those who
have done him much injustice and in
jury, he plainly enough insists upon a
fair settlement. He does not talk any
balderdash about the "haughty roar
of his cannon," but he asks Ihr a peace
treaty in definite terms, and in tones
that will not be misunderstood. lie is
great enough to dispense with threats
and bluster, because he has not, at this
late day, to earn a reputation for
knightly prowess, It is impossible
that this appeal should be made in
'AI" r^ - 17CITri LV
notice iu connection with this Virginia
election. The gentlemen who have
been defeated aro the unconditional
secessionists; those whose policy was
all summed up in the single scheme of
separate and " sovereign" State action.
Among them there might be found
sonic whose plans looked to a recon
struction of the Union upon a new ba
sis, as it is impossible to say how flr
humon maddess may not go. But the
delegates elect, on the other hand, are
not unconditional Union men. If the
Northern politicians should fancy that
this result is a practical submission to
unredressed - wrongs, for the sake of
peace and Union—a quiet acceptance
of evils that may not be averted by
secession and war—they will make a
fiital mistake. In common with all
her sister States, whose interests arc
identical with her own, Virginia de
sires to adhere to the Union, with a
Constitution about whose provisions
and compromises there shall be no sec-
tional discussions. There could never
be a fairer opportunity offered for the
Northern States to cement such a
Union as all these border States will
stolid by for all time. And there could
not be a more ihtal perversion of a
glorious opportunity than for the Free
States to misconstrue this pacific over
ture.
IMPORTANT BY TELEGRAPH.
Five New York Vessels Seized
SAVANNAH, Ga., Fob. 9.—Thc State
authorities, under direction of Gov.
Brown, seized five New York vessels
yesterday, as follows : Brig W. R.
liibby, brig Golden Lead, bark D. Col
den, bark Murray, schooner Julia Hal
lock.
CHARLESTON, Feb. 10.
A dispatch from Savannah, received
to-day by Gov. Pickens, states that
the New York vessels seized by the
Georgia authorities were released on
the announcement from New York
that the muskets seized at New York
had been given in charge of Mr. La
mar.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.
A company of dragoons arrived hero
yesterday, and a body of marines
Caine in this morning. With these ad
ditions the available military force now
stationed in the district numbers about
eight hundred men. Gen. Scott is en
ergetic in his preparations for the de
fence of the capital.
The Morin Tariff Bill.
WASITiNOTON, Feb. 10.
Judge Douglas has announced that,
while ho does not like that provision
in reference to the warehousing sys
tem, ho will vote for every clause in it
that looks to the protection of the in
terests of Pennsylvania.
Tennessee Overwhelming for the Union
The election for delegates to the
Tennessee Convention, called by Gov.
Harris, took place on Saturday. Suf
ficient returns have been received
showing that Andrew Johnson, and
the patriots who co-operate with him
in the House, Emerson Ethridge, Nel
son, Brabson, Quarles, and others,
have been splendidly sustained. It
does not always happen that, they who
light the effigies of an honest public
man do all the voting.
The Peace Congress
The Crittenden and other measures
of compromise proposed by Congress
have been under discussion, and sev
eral new methods of adjustment have
been proposed—ono by Mr. Guthrie,
and another by Mr. Reverdy Johnson
—but it is not likely that any result
can be attained for, several days,
though it is extremely probable, as
things now look, that it will end fa
vorably.
" The Confederated States of North
America,"
A Provisional Government Established.
—Hon. Jeff. Davis Elected President.
—lron. Alex. LI Stephens, Vice Pres&
ident.
MONTGOMERY, Ala., Feb. 9
The Congress last night, in secret
session, unanimously agreed on the
Constitution and the creation of a
Provisional Government. A strong
and vigorous Government will go into
immediate operation, with full powers
and ample funds. No proposition for
compromise or reconstruction will be
entertained.
The Convention proceeded to the
election of the Executive officers of
the new Government, with the follow
ing result :
For President of " the Confederated
States of North America," lion. Jeff.
Davis received the unanimous vote of
the Convention.
- - -
For Vice President, Hon. Alex. H
Stephens was elected.
FROM WASHINGTON
[Special Despatches to The Prese.J
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.
Speech of Mr. Kellogg of Illinois.
Mr. Kellogg, of Illinois, made a most
conciliatory and able speech in the
- House this morning, in support of the
propositions offered by him in the
House several days ago. When ho
declared himself ready to cut loose
from party, and unite with his Col
league (Mr. McC'emend) in saving the
Union, that gentleman, who has here
tofore been his political foe, stepped
forward and took his hand, and this
striking incident brought down the
galleries in a perfect storm of applause.
Mr. Kellogg's speech is regarded here
as most-important, inasmuch as he but
lately visited Mr. Lincoln, and is one
of the representatives of the President
elect in the popular branch of Congress.
:Mll. KELLOGG'S REMARKS
Mr. Kellogg, of Illinois, said that if
the country is to be saved, parties and
platforms must be sunk and buried in
oblivion. He cared for no party and
no ph.tform in the face of the momen
tous crisis before them, and his princi
ple of action in this dread emergency,
would be that the Union Must and shall
be preserved, no matter at what aban
donment of party or platform, so long
as there would be no abandonment of
honor and conscience. The questions
at issue were such as might easily be
settled, if they were approached with
deliberation and calmness, and with
feelings free from the trammels and
prejudices of party. Let this be done,
and peaceand harmony would be once
more restored to the distracted coun
try. Revolution, unfortunately, is a
fact—history has recorded it. Six
St;-tla--tritritgteeeirit" - rtg -t etdittrarit ,
have withdrawn their light and bright
ness to set—unless, indeed they return
as legal States—to set in that darkness
forever which disloyalty to truth and
freedom must ever engender. The
time has come when all men, North
and South, must combine to save the
Union, sinking out of sight, for the
time at least, all abstractions which
had hitherto prevented them from
clearly seeing the proper course which
/ay- before them. Let them do this,
and the sun would not rise and sot five
times until peace was restored. Har
mony will once more spread her wings
over this great nation, and still the
glorious old stars and stripes will wave
as bright and free as ever, not a star
erased, not a line tarnished on the
bravo old flag. [Applause.] What
were the difficulties which prevailed,
and whence did they spring? The
real difficulty was not as to the retur
ning of fugitives from labor; for in his
State, and in all other States where
the question had been tested, every
fficility had been given to the execu
tion of that law. Mr. Lincoln had
declared in one of his speeches that
the South was entitled to an efficient
fugitive slave law. How, then, could
they establish any charge upon this ?
No, it was a mere bagatelle, and had
really nothing to do with the present
difficulties, which threaten the disrup
tion of the Union. The question was
easy of solution. The difficulty has
arisen from a conflict of opinion be
tween the people of the North and of
the South relative to the institution of
slavery, the one believing that it was
a blessing to the slave—and a benefit
to the master, while the other, the
North, were taught to regard it as a
moral and political wrong; and this
conflict of opinion would continue to
exist as long as the Government shall
last. Fifty years ago it was generally
conceded, South as well as North, that
slavery was wrong; but since then
educational and political training had
greatly changed the current of men's
feelings with regard to the question,
and now the opinions of the people
cannot be changed. They might leg
islate till the tide ceased to flow, and
yet the South would believe that sla
very...was right. They might legislate
till the sun grew tired of his course,
and yet the Northern mind would re
tain the belief that slavery was a mor
al and political evil. This was a sub
ject on which it was useless to legis-
I late. Now, the proposition introduced
1 by him, several clays ago, was to
amend the Constitution, as our fathers
have before us. How was tiro ques
tion in 1820 settled? A remedy was
at once applied. A line was drawn
between the slave and free State's,
saying that north of that lino slavery
should not bo, but south of it slavery
might exist. The result was that
peace was restored to the country—
an undisturbed peace of thirty years—
during which time the country devo
ted itself to the development of their
natural resources, Ho further ex
plained his proposition, believing it
would be the opinion of the American
people in six months. He did not
talk to politicians; they arc joined to
their idols—let them alone.
In further response to a question
ho was for his country in all its parts.
Ho did not care whether his proposi
tion was found in the Brechinridge,
Douglas, or Republican platform, m
any country. [Appiaitsc."
An Act for the Commutation of Tonnage
Duties.
Whereas, By a provision of the act
to incorporate the Pennsylvania rail
road compahy, approved the thirteenth
of April, eighteen hundred and forty
six, and a supplement thereto, approved
the twenty-seventh of March, eighteen
hundred and forty-eight, a tax or duty
was imposed on all tonnage loaded or
received at Harrisburg, Pittsburg, and
intermediate points, and carried or
conveyed on the railroad of the said
company more than twenty miles,
which said tax was intended to corn-
pensate for any probable diminution
in the receipts of the Main Lino of the
public works, (then owned by the
state,) by reason of the construction
and operation of the said railroad.
And whereas, It was provided in the
third section of the act for the sale of
the Main Line of the public works,
approved the sixteenth day of May,
eighteen hundred and fifty.seven, that
if the Pennsylvania railroad company
should become the purchasers of the
said works, the said company, in addi
tion to the sum of seven millions five
hundred thousand dollars, ($7,5U0,000)
the price limited by the said act, should
pay the sum of one million five hun
dred thousand dollars, (1,5UU,000,) in
five per cent, bonds of the company, and
that thereupon the said company, and
the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount
Joy, and Lancaster railroad company
should, in consideration thereof, be
discharged by the Commonwealth for
ever from the payment of all taxes
upon tonnage or freight carried over
said railroads, and the said Penn
sylvania railroad company should be
released from the payment of all other
taxes or duties on its capital stock,
bonds, dividends, or property.
And whereas. It was subsequently
decided by the Supreme Court of this
Commonwealth, that while the Legis
lature, had full authority to repeal the
provisions of the said act, by which
I the said tonnage tax was imposed, yet,
inasmuch as part of the said last-men
tioned section in the act for the sale
of the Main Line placed all the property
of the said company beyond the reach
of the taxing power, it was therefore, to
that extent, unconstitutional and void.
And whereas, It was the clear inten
tion of the Legislature, by the said act
for the sale or the Main Line, in case
the said the Pennsylvania railroad
company should become the purchaser
of the same, to exonerate and release
the said company from further liabili
ty for the payment of the said tonnage
tax, and for the additional considera
tion therein named, all other taxes; and
as the said tonnage tax now falls indi
rectly on flour, grain, cattle, iron, min
erals, and other domestic products,
transported on one line of improve
ments, while similar 'products trans
ported ou other lines are exempt from
the same, and as the reason ibr the
imposition thereof ceased to exist on
the sale of the works it was intended
to protect, the right of the State any
longer to demand the. payment of the
said tax is denied, and said demand
has led to the litigation between the
State and the company, and will prob
ably involve the parties in litigation
with citizens of other States, to the in-
of
memo, IN Ile 1 duty
eminent to encourage and protect, by
all lawful means.
And whereas, The said company has
proposed a compromise and final set
tlement of the question, by paying in
to the Treasury, in commutation of
the said tonnage tax and in" discharge
thereof, such additional sum semi-an
nually, over and above the instalments
principal and the interest on its
debt to the State, as may be required
to make said payments amount to four
hundred curl sixty thousand dollars
(8460,000) annually, until the year
eighteen hundred and ninety, at which
time the entire balance of the princi
pal and interest shall bo paid in full;
and by paying, also, in addition to the
said semi-annual instalments, all other
taxes on their property to which they
may hereafter be made liable under
the general revenue laws of the State,
and agree to make reductions for tran
sportation of local trade, as hereinafter
provided, and to aid, also, in the con
struction of certain lateral railroads,
the completion of which is essential as
a means of facilitating the settlement
and improvement of valuable districts
of the Commonwealth yet undevel
oped.
And whereas, In the opinion of the
Legislature it is expedient to accept
the said proposition, and to relieve all
agricultural, mineral and industrial
products, and other property passing
over any railroad, canal or slack-water
navigation in this Commonwealth,
from the payment of tonnage tax or
duty to the State; therefore,
SEC 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania in General As
sembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the
authority of the same, That if a majorityof
the directors of the Pennsylvania rail
road company, who, for the purpose of
this act are hereby vested with all need
ful authority, shall at a meeting called
for that purpose, resolve to accept the
provisions of this act, and shall au
thorize the execution of a written con
tract under its corporate seal with the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to
pay into the State Treasury on ac
count of its indebtedness to the Coin-
111011WCalth, by reason of the purchase
of the Main Line of the public works,
on the thirty-first days January and
July in every year, until the thirty
first day of July, eighteen hundred
and ninety, inclusive, such sum, in
addition to the interest on its bonds
owned by thi State, and in addition
to its annual liability to the State on
account of purchase money for said
line of improvements, as will increase
each semi-annual payment on account
of said debt and interest to the sum of
two hundred and thirty thousand dol
lars, (8230,000) and the aggregate of
all such payments to the sum of thir
teen millions five hundred and seven
ty thousand dollars, (18,570,0000 and
shall agree to pay, on the said thirty
first day of July, eighteen hundred
and ninety, into the treasury the bal
ance then unpaid of the principal and
interest of said bonds, and shall furth
er agree to reduce its local charges
for the transportation of grain, flour,
cattle, iron(, ninerals and other prop
erty, as hereinafter provided ; and if
the said company shall in the manner
aforesaid, on or before the first day of
July next, make and enter into with
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania a
written contract to that effect, and
shall on or before said day deliver the
same to the Commonwealth, by de
positing the same in the office of the
Auditor General, then and in such
ease, and in consideration thereof, the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall
not'at any time hereafter lay, impose,
ley or collect any tax or duty upon,
or in respect to freight or tonnage pas
sing over the said Pennsylvania rail
road, or the Harrisburg, Portsmouth,
Mount Joy and Lancaster railroad,
or any part of them, or either of
them, unless a like tax shall at the
same time be imposed, laid or levied
upon all other railroads or tail-1
road companies of this Commonwealth;
and all laws imposing taxes or duties
upon freight or tonnage upon the
rail
roads, canals or slackwater navigation
companies, for the use of the Common
wealth, be and they are hereby repeal
ed, and no further or other proceedings I
shall be had or taken on the part of
the Commonwealth to enforce the col
lection of any tax or duty, or obliga
tion given therefor, or judgment re
covered, or obtained in pursuance of
any existing laws ()atom - rage carried or
conveyed on the railroad of said Penn
sylvania railroad company, or on that
of any other company incorporated by
this State; and the said companies
shall be, by the proper officers of the
Commonwealth, exonerated, released
and relieved from every lien and lia
bility to the State on account thereof.
SEC. 2. That from and after the pas
sage of this act, all railroad, canal and
slackwater navigation companies in
corporated by this State, and liable for
the payment of taxes or duties on -Wil
-1 nage, imposed by any laws heretofore
enacted, shall make a reduction of their
charges for transportation on their lo
cal freight, as fixed by their respective
toll sheets, on the first day of Februa
ry, one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-one, equal to the full amount of the
tax or duty chargeable upon such freight
or tonnage by the laws aforesaid ; the
present Winter Rates between first
day of December and the first day of
May, shall be considered as fixed at
90 cents per 100 lbs. for first class, 75
cents per 100 lbs. for second class, 00
cents per 100 lbs. for third . class,
and
40 cents per 100 lbs. for fourth class;
Summer Bates between the first day
of May and the first day of December
in each year, shall be 73 cents per 100
lbs. for first class. 60 cents per 100 lbs.
for second class, 50 cents per 100 lbs.
for third class, and 40 cents per 100
lbs. for fourth class, on all trades car
ried between Philadelphia and Pitts
burg, and a failure on the part of eith
er of said companies to make such re
duction, shall render the company so
neglecting liable to the Commonwealth
for double the amount of the tonnage
tax heretofore chargeable against them
—and every such company shall, with
in thirty days after the passage of this
act, under a like penalty, file in the
office of the Auditor General, under
the oath of the President or other
proper officer, a toll sheet of their rates
of charges Ibr transportation of local
freights, upon the first day of Febru
ary-, one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-one, accompanied by a statement
of the reduction to be made in,_nursu—
ance of this act, and the .iiirrates as
so reduced shall be the highest fates
le transpor
tation of such freight and tonnage by
any company acceptin , , the provision
of this act. Farther ,
the Pennsylvania
railroad company shall riot at any time
charge or collect rates on any descrip
tion of freights from any eastern or
seaboard cities to Pittsburg, higher
than the gross rates charged or collec
ted from same points to any point west
of Pittsburg. Nor shall the said Penn
sylvania railroad company at any time
charge or collect rates on any descrip
tion ot'freights from Pittsburg to Phila
delphia, Baltimore, New York or other
seaboard cities, higher than the gross
rates that may be charged from any
point west of Pittsburg to the same
points on the same description ofproper
ty. The local rates from Pittsburg or
Philadelphia to stations on the line of the
Pennsylvania railroad shall at no time
exceed the gross rates charged through
between Philadelphia and Pittsburg;
nor shall local rate between any two
stations on the road between Philadel
phia
and Pittsburg exceed the through
rates as made from time to time under
the provisions of this act, nor shall the
rates charged to any local points ex
ceed those charged to any point of
greater distance in the same direction
from the place of shipment. And fur
ther, all shippers of western products,
under through bills of lading, from
any point west of Pittsburg, by river
to Pittsburg, to the seaboard cities,
shall have the privilege of disposing of
their property at Pittsburg, by giving
timely notice, before its arrival at that
point, to the transfer agents of the
Pennsylvania railroad company, and
by delivering up their through bills of
lading, thus releasing the Pennsylvrt-•
nia wilroad company from all liability
on tfa , ount thereof If the property
is not sold at Pittsburg, the owner,
consignee or shipper of said property
shall have the right to deliver the same
to the transfer agency of the Pennsyl
vania railroad company at Pittsburg,
and forward the same within ten days
after its arrival at Pittsburg, under
the conditions and rates of the original
through bill of lading.
Sac. 3. That the Pennsylvania rail
road company shall be liable to taxa
tion for all State purposes, and the said
company shall pay the same rate of
taxation which is now, or may hereaf
ter, be imposed by any general law
operating upon all other railroad com
panies incorporated by this Common
wealth. The semi-annual instalments
of the said sum of Thirteen Millions
Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand
Dollars, ($13,570,000,) and the balance
of the said debt and interest so to be
paid into the State Treasury as is here
in provided, are hereby pledged to,
and the same shall be applied only to
the payment and extinguishment of
the principal and interest of the funded
debt of this Commonwealth, and to no
other purpose whatsoever.
SEC. 4. That for the purpose of de
veloping the resources of the State,
the Pennsylvania railroad company is
hereby authorized and required to loan
a sum equal to the tonnage tax accrued
on said road between the twentieth
day of July, 1858, and the passage of
this act, to the Cbartiers Valley rail
road company ; the Pittsburg and Steu
benville railroad company; the Fay
ette County railroad company, (be
tween Greensburg and the Youghio
gheny River;) the West Pennsylvania
railroad company, (between Blairs
ville and Butler;) the Ebensburg and
Cresson railroad company; the Bed
ford railroad company, between Hope
well and Bedford; the Tyrone and
Clearfield railroad company, and the
Philipsburg and Waterford railroad
company, (between Philipsburg and
'Brookfield;) the Tyrone and Lock Ha
ven railroaid company; the Mifflin and
Centre County railroad company, (be
tween Lewistown and Reedsville;) the
Cbambersburg and Allegheny railroad.
company, (between Chambersburg and•
the point of connection with the-Bed
ford railroad near Hopewell ;) or their
successors or assigns, id sums propor
tioned to their respective lengths be
tween the above disignated points, by
purchasing their bonds respectively
from said companies, payable in twen
ty years, with interest, payable semi
annually, secured by a first mortgage
created for the purpose on their prop
erty, real and personal, and franchises
acquired, and to be acquired the said
companies are hereby respectively au
thorized and empowered to create and
issue suchbonds,and secure the payment
thereof by such mortgar , es,by and with
the consent of a majority of their respec
tive stockholders present at a meeting
to be called for that purpose, of which
notice shall be given, as provided by
their charters or by-laws, respectively;;
said bonds, and the mortgages given
to secure the same shall not exceed in
amount the sum required for the cost
of the superstructure of bridges, the
rails, cross ties, chairs and spikes, and
laying the track of the said roads re
spectively—and the proceeds of all the
said bonds so secured, shall be exclu
sively applied to the said puipoks—
and the said purchases of bonds shall
be required to be made of each of the
said companies in instalments after
sections or said roads, respectively, of
the length of five miles from each end
as hereinbefore designated, shall have
been duly and properly graded, and
the masonry completed, and after the
said grading and masonry shall have
been approved by a competent civil
engineer appointed by the. Governor
for that purpose—and who shall be
paid for his services by the said coin
paides receiving aid under the provi-.
sions of this act—and when each sec
tion of five miles so graded from each
such end of the said roads respectively,
shall have been so completed, and such
certificate so given, then the pro rata
proportion of the said bonds shall be
purchased, and so continued from time
to time until the amount payable to
the said companies shall be exhausted
—and the sum paid upon the comple
tion of the said sections as aforesaid
respectively, shall be exclusively ap
propriated and be used for the purpo
ses above mentioned upon the section
for, and in respect to, which tho pur
chase is made—and for no other pur
pose or portion of said road whatsoev
er—Provided however, That if either
of the said companies shall fail to
grade and prepare fbr bridges, super
structure, and laying of track - at least
one section of five miles at each of such
end of its road within one year—or
the whole of their respective roads
within three years from the passage
1 of thiA act, any such company so m
Jleaultshall lon T er have_any right
to demand or require any further pur
chase of their bonds as aforesaid, and
the' Stuns which any such defaulting
companies would have been entitled
to demand in payment of their bonds,
shall be added pro rata to the pur
chases to be made of such of the said
companies as Shan comply with the
provisions of this section.
SEC That if any stockholder or
stockholders of any railroad, canal,
or Azekwater navigation companies
shall be dissatisfied with, or object to
any of the provisions of this act, then
it shall and may be lawful for any suit
stockholder or stockholders, within six;
months after the passage of this net,
to apply by petition to the court of
common pleas of the county in which
the chief office of the said companies
may respectivley be held—to appoint
three disinterested persons to estimate
and appraise the damage, if any, done
to such stockholder or stockholders,
and whose award, or that of a majori:
ty of them, when confirmed by the
said court, shall be final and eoncla:
sive. And the persons so appointed
shall also appraise the share or shares
of said stockholders in the said compa
ny at the full market value thereof',
without regard to any depreciation in
consequence of the passage of this act,
and the said company may, at its elect
tion, either pay to the said holder the
amount of damages so found, or the
valuo of the stock so ascertained, and
upon payment of the value of tho
stock as aforesaid, the said stockhold
ers shall transfer the stock so held by
him to said company, to be disposed
of by the directors of said company,
or bo retained by them for the benefit
of the remaining' stockholder.. And
all laws inconsistent with the provi
sions of this act, be and the same aro
hereby repealed.
WEARING RUBBER SnoEs.-J€The ten,
deiiey of India rubber shoes is to make
the feet cold, and in such proportion
to endanger the health; hence they,
are useful only in walking, when the
ground is muddy, or slushy with mel
ting snow,-in these cases they aro in,
valuable, and there is no equal substi
tute. Two rules should be observed,
whenever it is possible; when rubbers
are on the feet, persons should keep
moving, and remove them on entering
the house, if it is intended to remain
over a few minutes. If the rubbers
have been on the feet several hours,
both shoes and stockings are necessa
rily damp by the condensation and
confinement of the perspiration ; there
fore, all, shonld be removed, and the
naked foot . held to the fire until warm
and dry in every part;- if, then, a pair
of dry stockings are put on, and a pair_
of warm, loose slippers or shoes, there
will be a feeling of comfort for the re
mainder of the day, which will more
than compensate for the trouble taken
to say nothing of the ailments averted.
But it must not be forgotten that as
India rubber shoes are impervious to,
water from without, and ought to be
worn in muddy weather, and only then
while the wearer is in motion, so lentil-.
er shoes, rendered impervious to water, :
by blacking or any other means, should
be like India rubbers, used temporari
ly, and when walking in mud or slush.
For common purposes the old fashioned .
leather boots and shoes are the best,
if kept well blackened, with several
renewals of dry soclis during the day;
if the fret sweat profusely. As cold
and damp feet are the avenues of death
to multitudes every year, a systematic
attention to the above suggestion
would save many a valuabk life.