of this character will be returned with- These applications were invariably pres
out rho executive sanction. sod on the plea of promoting public con-
At the date of my last annual mess- yenience and the geueral prosperity, and
gee s proceedings were pending in the a Dumber of laws of this character were
'adopted. So far as these apply to cities
S7iprenie Court of Pennsylvania, to test
the right of the Franklin canal company and boroughs. their operation has been
to construct a railroad from the city of rather successful ; but when applied to
Erie to the Ohio State line. The decis- •• counties it has certainly been much less
ion of the court teas against the corium- so ; failing, entirely in some instunces,
nv on the iyaie point, and the opinion ' and in others lsading to violent contro
of Chief Justice LliOick :Lows most clear- veraies amongst the people, destructive ie
ly that the construction of their road waS to the value of the municipal 'bond thus
without' authority of law, but the prelim- created. Viewed in every respect, as
inary injunction prayed for by the cem- a mere question of ex iediency, Cie ex
plainaut o refused on the ground that perimetes 'already ma would seem to
the Commenwealth could not, under the weigh heavily against the pol . icy of
law, give security for costs. The effect such subscriptions; indeed, I have no
of this decision wee to place the privi- hesitation in saying that the aversion I
loges claimed by •the company within have always entertained towards this
the control of the Legislature. In antic- principle, and. especially its extension to
ipation of this result, I had suggests d counties, has been greatly strengthened
to the General Assembly the propriety by this experience ; and we should now;
of taking charge of these valuable rights, I it seems to me, as a prudeht people,
and so far as might be practicableovith- ptofit by this lesson and avoid the prac
out the exercise of an illiberal principle, lice in future. Always doubting the
render this important link of commuui- policy of such subscriptions, and de
cation, .between the seaboard and the daring my views freely against them, 1
great test subservient to• the interests have not felt required to interpose the
of the' ii r eople of Pennsylvania. The Executive prerogatilie against the judge
subject was considered, but was - not meat of tne people direetly interested in
finally disposed of. the question ; or, in other words, to
In May last I received a communica- jhdge for citizens of a particular locality
tion from the president of the company, on a subject relating merely to their Pe-,
covering the proceedings of a meeting
of
interests, or to resist the wishes
of the - board of directors, in which after their immediate representativee e
allusion to the action of the Supreme • In a communication addressed to the
- Courtianfl the Legislature, a number of General Assemblyin March,
.1852, on
propositions were submitted, indicating I this subject. I remarked, "that tne pow
the
willingness of the "company to pay' er to subscribe should never 'be exercis
certain rates of taxation for the unre- ed by municipal corporations, unleSs the
strained use of the road until after the inierests of the people repfesented by
coming session of the Legislature or.un- such authority are directly and certainly
til that branc!i of government should t-ct identified With the project on whiCh the
on the subject. 13-']loving that I had eo money is to be expended. The opera
right to make conditions with the coin- I ereunn of the principle may be quite
'patty or even to receive ,the money ble, When applied to the people of a
which they were willing, to pay, 1 de- city oa town, whose interests are identi
dined to entertain the proposition. The cat. hut when npplieJ to the people of a
relations of the company toward the county, it may not be so. On the con-
State, theta I re, have undergone no trary, it. ma y prove most unjust and op
change since the adjournment of the pressive—subjecting the people to bur-•
last Legislature, except that the Attor- I thens in the shape of taxes for the con
ney Generid has recently taken mean j etrnetioniof public .improvements, from
ures to obtam a final decree in the plea which they may never reulize benefit,
for an injenction and by writ or q uo direct or remote.. The people in one
warranty to revoke the franchise claim- section of a county may. derive Valuable
ed by "the company. • i advantages froin the construction of a
Recent ea-curer - ice at the City of Eric I public work. whilst those of another sec
evince an intensity of feeling among the !lion, equally taxed. for the payment of
people, seldom equaled on a question i the 'interest and principal of the debt,
of this I:ind, indicating not only the pro- so contracted,- May possibly realiZe no
priety, but necessity, for prompt lef.osla- benefit at all. It is to these effects that
tive action as IQ the rights of this comps- mat' be attributed the violent conteani
that have grown up itt certain counties
to which the principle has been extended.
In the Suite of Ohio, where this dan
gerous practice also prevailed, a consti
onal propibition has been deemed neces•
I sary by the people, and munincipal sub
scriptions cannot note be made, even
with the ascent of those affected by the
pleasure. The experience of that State,
as I have It anted was alike against the
practice of making imProvelimnts iu
ails way, and hit in the end, it became .
netiiae ne 'through the disposition of
capitali,is and oth,rs to rely alone upon
municip d cog:or:via:is fur the means of
constructimr public Troproveimens. I
1, 11 d' cidediv of the:opinion, that a shni
bar decision would and should be made
ly the_ people of this State, when the
propper opporteni.y is presented. In
the 'mean time this insidious and
dangerous mode of contracfin,g debts
should be _ guarded against With the ut
most vieilance. I shall indulge the hope,
that ail fnufre applications fur legielauen
of ibis character, may be rejected by the
Generil
1 have long been of opinion that in
reference to all the subordinates of the
canal Commissioners, chanees should
not. be periodical and, prefixed, but
should be made as demanded by the ex
igencies of the publei service. The de
linquent in any of thel obligations of
duty should be dismissel at once, and
the ly guaranty of continued employ
ment s cold be found in the superiority
of the, services rendered the State. All
other riles for appointment and dismiss
al should be speedily - obliterates' front
the system. The
. present practice de- -
Fives the State, to
. a great extent, of
the benefit of that incentive to excel
'which actuates all men where character,
position and emo:tonteits are at stake.
01 course, nay. suggestions in reference
; to the importance of experience will not -e
be under-too as apylying, to a-I the
agents on the works ; - for instance, it
requires but little experience to make
a collector, but it has and always will
require this to render an agent efficient
I an the construction and repair of rail
roads and canals, to foresee exigencies
and -give harmonious direction to the
current operations of this complicate"'
I branch of public service. In short, the
management wants the applicetion of
business organizatiOn and principles.
A system of toeka should supplant the
use of check rolls, and the operations
he so systemized that the receipts and
expenditures of each mooth, as the sea
son passes by, could be announced to
the public.
Confusion, obscurity and redundancy
in our annual valuing of laws, vexatious
inroads upon pi - joule' debts, attempts at
the usurpationk4power, and consequent
strivings ;and litigation, are in-myopin - -
ion, the . legitimate fruits of oar system
of speciul and omnibus legislation. In
deed.- .the truth of these propositions is
too palpable to admit of argument. It
is manifested in every yehr's experience'
and in some instances; the gOeerilmenl,
its a consequence has been forced into
the humiliating position of becoming
litigant against her own creatures. lis
demoralizing-influrne is Marked anld
admitted on all hands, t.nd imperioustlsy
demands eiliment remedy. That -disa
It must be cliar to the impartial oh
remit., that the Legislature never in
tended, by any previous act, to author
ize the consiruction o' railroLd between
the Cit‘'o Eric and the Ohio line. In
deed the hiphest tribunal in the State has
express... d time opinion that no such au
thority can La found in the charter of the
Frank,i'n C a,al Company ; and, in my
Ebould hereafter be
ide on such conditions only, as wo,
protect ard advance the inter, st• of the
people of l'e,,h,vlvania, so far as they
may be iiiiroired in the subject. It to
Implicit., that Pennsylvania holds the
key to :his important link of connection
between the East and• the West, and I
tiros: sitat..igly say, that where no
principh. or amity or commerce is to be
violated, it is the right and the duty of
the State to turn her natural advantage,
to the pr.:motion cif the views and we;
fire of ho r own people.
It mat b.• aid th..t a restliction that
would reTlire a break of railroad gauge
at the liar.y)r of Erie, would be the use
of an ilaberal principle. 'l' he-answer o,
that the lit.cessity hir a break of gauge
better en the Ohio line and the seaboard
exists, its a constquence of a difference
of width of 4i the New York and .Ohio
Roads. Th.: only question to settle,
therefore, relates lodie point at tvhich at
PhOtild ccur. I have been able to dis
cover no reasons, fouridrd in public pol
icy, why the break should be fixtd at
Buffalo, that do nut appjy with equal
force in -favor of Erie.. Tonnage and
passengers Can be- as well transhipped
at the latter, as at the former city.
,So far as crincerris the benefits to eith
er city, •incident to a transhipment, the
Idea is unwolthy of notice. But the
.1
fects of a break of guag,e, and one
quent transhipment east of Erie, upon
the busirp sis of that harbor. must be par •
alyzing, if not fatal. It would virtually
require shipments to be made' either at
Cleveland or 13nflaio. Scarcely less em
barrassing would this arrangement be
upon the interests of the Sunbury and
Erie road, or any other avenue that
may hereafter connect the lakes with
the city cf Philadelphia. •
It may ba that neio . .horing States,
possespl^ similar natural advantages,
would• give them away for our benefit,
but I have not been able to discover any'
fact in their former policy, to justify
such a conclusion. I shall await your
action with anxit
The sub•cripti3ns of the edits of
Philadt Iphia anal Pitttburg to the stock
of the Perinsvivan;n railroad, nod the
prompt payment of the interest on tho
same, together with the flwerini -, pros
pects of -that ireprevetnen., had the
feet of extroiling - th liidief that monici
pal aubscriptions could he safely made
to any simi'ar enterpri-e—th a t such
aubscriptioni were, in truth, what had
been alleged by some, a mere- loan of
the
_credit of 111- respective municipal
corporatiens, and that neither principal
nor interest would erg r he demand,-d.
The consequences of this plausible
and sednctire doctrine were promptly
manifested in the form of numerous ap
plications fur legislative authority to
municipal to sub•crihe to raihoad
cocks in var . , u. pntts of the State..
present General Assembly may be dis I can see no reason why the'power
tinguished and blessed for applying the totlesigitate election houses should not
axe to the root of the evil, and marking be confided to the commissioners of the
the, era of its final termination is my several 'counties, These officers 'are
sincere hope
A prolific source of mischief consists
in the practice of passing a number_ of ;
laws, entirely dissimilar in their charac
teristics, iii the same bill, or what is fa
tniliarly known as the 'Omnibus Sys
tem."l'he inevitable, and indecd, the
frequently lamented effect of this mode
of legislation, has been to facilitate the
passage of bills through the
-General As
sembly; and to secure the sanction of
the Executive without that- critical ex
amination so indispensable to a clear
comprehensiou of their true import.
In illuwatioa of the diffkulties which
the
_practice imposes upon this'bßnch
of the government, it is only n e ee t Ls).ry__
to state, that within two days preceding
the final adjournment of . the hist Legis
lature, no less than one hundred and six
bills were presented for Executive con
sideration, containing three hundred and
thirty-four different subjects. Some of
these bills contained as many as twenty
dissimilar items of legislation ; and, of
the-Se. sonic were not even indicated by
the transcribed title. -
'ln addition to the difficulty of ermine-
heading the 'impert of such a heteroge
neous mass of Matter, the Executive . Ire -
quently' finds himself forced into the di
lemma' of signing a law Winch his
judgement rejects, or-returning:another
which he really approves; .ISeither al
ternative, you will agree with me, is
in strict accordance with the mandates
Of the Constitution.. Great' inconven
ience also results to the people, under
this system, in ;the payment of the en
rollment tax upon private laws. In
bills, such ifs- I have already described;
may be found a number of items ; 13oine
taxable, and others not, and the bill
must be enrolled under its proper num
ber and title, 'and the tax be first paid.
Ono patty inter, steel in this legislation
may pay his shire, another will rel;.,se
to do so, and a third on seeing- the
amount of the tax, concludes that' he
can livC without the law ; and thus it
has,h;.en no uncommon thing for persons
to be forced to pay tax on lan's in Which
they have no into in order 'o avail
themselves of what the Legislature had
expressly granted. Such a stare of.al
lairs'isscarcely consistent with dig
nity oft great .State, .and ceitainly de
mandS an eflicitnt remedy.
Some of my predecessor.i . luve urged
the. General Assein - bly to change this
system. and in several previous commu
nications, I suggested the propri ,
ely and juslice of passing each proposi
tion separately, at -least so far as the ob
jects were dissimilar. But the evil
atiil exist-, and 1 am deeply sensible of
the d tit u:ty c't L'te apithcatMii of a
prompt un.l ellectual remedy must al-.
ways present to the General Assembly.
After Innen reflection -on the dagintude
Of this evil, its vexations inro i:s-upon
pity tie ri,;:ifs, and its demorailzing ten
dency upon the interest of the people,
and the more elevated purpose:.
• lation, 1 have iiterinined to co-epelote
wkli the General Assembly in the appli
cation of Most etii,:ient Means Which
their wisdom may devise for it - slew°.
val ; but in the mean time, ns.a restrain
ing part 'of the law making, power, I
must beg to be indulg •d in clatining the
privilege of considering each sabjecr-of
legislation separtte'y, and on its own .
•inerrs, ai contemplated by the spirit of
the Constitution: Henceforth, there
fore.; bilk containing zi variet'y of subjects
of b:gislation dissimilar in their charac
ter rs,r) purpose, cannot receive the same
tion of the present Executive,
Another :branch of the evil, and it
possib:e a still greater' one, consists of
special and local legislation. It is to
this practice that we are mainly indebt
ed foran annual volume of lAws of most
unseemly dimensions, and lira s.eparale
code for nearly every Ideality in the
'Suite. The remedy for this must be
found in the adoption of few inure gcn;
.eral. laws, and the rigid administroion
of those already in existence. Special
acts, you will agree with me, should in
no instance be passed where the object
can be reached under general laws.
The law'M 1791 and its several sup;
plements make provision for the creation
arid amendment -of corporations fir lite
rary 'charitable and religious purposes,
and to
. create-beneliciary soCletleS and
tire engine and hose ciunpanies, through
the instrumentality of the Attorney Gen
eral and the Supreme t_ourt, The act•
of the thirteenth' of October, IS2i, ex
tended this power to the courts of the
several counties. The acts of ltn36 and
P.33§ make provision for time association
of indtviduals, through the inArUmental
ity of the Attorney General and the
Governor, for the,purpose of manufactu
ring iron from mineral coal. In addi 7
tion to these acts, the law to encourage
manufactui ing, passed in I`dl9, and Its
supplements, provide for associations
4 kEor the purpose of manufacturing woolen,
cotton, flax and silk goods, or for making
iron, glass, sail, paper, lumber, oil from
rosin, mineral paints,•artificial slate, and
for printing and publishing' ; and the
supplement of 1553 extends its provis•
ions, In a modified form, to the business
of mining of almost every description.
(J the subject of erecting new town
ships and
.incorporating, boroughs, the
courts have unlimited power ; and in
the trotter of selling real estate, the
property of minors, by guardians, .exec
utors or others, acting in a liducirry ca
pacity, the act of .iast session on this
subject will, in .ny opinion, rich every
imaginable case. Its provisions should
not be infringed. for the subject belongs
most legitimately to the courts,
usually fittniliar with the localities, and
can readily determine what arrangement .
would hest Suberve the,convenience of
the electors. In addition to 'the fact,
which will not be disputed, • i l that this
business receives but partial cOnsidera :
lion in the Legislature, it is objection
able, because of the great space. it annu
ally occupies in the journals and laws.
lam aware; however, that it has been
suggested that the laws of the United
States provide: that the places ,for hold
ing the elections for •Mentbcrsl of Con
gress shall be fixed by Abe . Legislature
of the several States, and that, therefore,
the end in view cannot be attained. In
answer to this objection, it may be re
marked, that the Legislature. having in
outer instances delegated doubtful pow
ers, such as the right to make paper
money, it is scarcely necessartY to raise
the question of the right to delegate a
function so expressly conferetL
A large number of the laWs of the
last session consist of - special acts to in- -
- corporate companies to construct plunk
roads. The object, right and proper in
itself,,Might it
,seems to me, be reached
by a general law, authorizing the asso
ciation of nay number of citizens to con
struct three highways on proper condi
tions. •
• In former communications I have held
the doctrine, that but fittle•legislation of
any kind was essential to the ends of
mere busiOss' enterprise—to promote
objects understood by •all and within the'
reach' o - moderate means ; and thati most
certainly, whatever in:ght be deemed
expedient should be ireneral in its char-.
acter. That the Legislature had no.
moral! right to grant special advantages
to one citizen and deny them to another;
and I have declined to approve any act
on this subject, where the •cerporaters
were not made liable in their indiVidual
estates for the - debtsfof the corporation.
. It is my duty.to inform you that EA:Y.2B.-
311:o( 'the reli-f issues of May, b-11,
are still in existence, and continue to
pollute the channels of circulation. Un
der the provision of the act of April last
-5121,S 12 of these *notes of a less de
nlsininationtham five dollars, have been
•cancehed, and the whole.,:unnunt can.
under this law, be til ifnately extinguish
ed. ' Prat the process - has not been so
rai_id as was anticipated; nor is it suf-.
ficieiftly so to meet the• demands of the
pubic weal. I respectfully suggest ,
.
therefore that the law be so amended as
to make it the duty of the State Treas
urer to retain 'from time to time, as near
as practicable. t le amount of relief notes.
access try to m( -t the entire demands of
the sinking fund. I also rt commend
the repeal of the act of April hq, 1611),
authorizing the re issue of thiS currency.
' .. The f ccurrences of •the Vast :year
greatly strengthen the views I. expressed
n my. last annual message, "on the sub
ject of the. cut ruilcy. The' dangers of
an hill ited paper ystein.have been ino,t
strikingly inainfiestel in ;he experience
of a number of the surroundin.l States.
and nothing, in my- opirinn, saved our
inetropoli4, and po-zzikity uther parts of
' the :tares, from the Zow,etinenced ar,
severe contraction of the currency, but
our rest agricul ural and mineral pro.
dictions, and , the unusual high prices
which these commanded is foreign mar
lit t!. .
I have always held the doctrine, that
our country, like all other. nitist'l have a
system of currency ; and - whilst, there
fore, I letve resisted the excessive . in
crease of banking capital, I have sotiolit
to uproot, entirely, the system we have.
Twit it•is the best that the wit ° of man
'could devise, is not bel,eved, our is iit
probable that the authors of this. palier
system., enjoying the exeefumcc, tvotild
have entailed this evil upon: us. But
we have it,•nnd the best we can do islto
mitigate ltd consequences whilst it en
dures, and throw it ofl by degrees. I
t) el ieve that the Penns y lvania . system of
paper - money,'resting on a specie baqs,
and small as it is, Mid the individual lia
bility pf the stockholders, as s 1 fe as ally . 1
oiher. l I prefer it vastly to the lose
plan'existing in some of the neighbiring .
States; or the 'scheme of free .banking
adopted in other sections of the Union.
That the system of banking that ar
thorizes the emission of • small paper as
a medium of circulation, must entail etil
consequences upon the country, has been
too ch•arly demonstrated by our own cx-.
perienc e to need - elucidation.by argument.
It is believed, therefore, that it is the true
policy of this and all the St ates, i to -re
strict the paper circulation to note: , . of a
large denomm:ition. Those oC a small
demorninin inn should be gradually with
drawn from circufathm, in order to make
room for the vast a:!ce;sions of the pre-.
cious metals from' California and. Au
stralia. In vain shall we seek to dissem
inate coins throughout the country, and
induce their circulation at points remote
from the Atlantic cities so long as small
paper is permitted to exist. if notes of
the denomination of live dollars were
withdraw n from the•channels of circula
tion, the vacuum thus created would be
rapidly filled with gold and silver and so
also those of a greater nominil value.—
put so long as this paper medium is per
mitted to circulate, it
.will be iMpractica
ble to induce the general di - flitsion" of
coin. The . people enquire why it
is, that with the vast inereaieof gold
. so
little is seen,- . The answer is., that bank
notes always intervene. ..The trader,
merchant and others retain the coin and
pay out the paper; and the only remedy
is to be found in the removal of the latter: I
There is, perhaps, no principle applicrt•••
le to this question better ,settled, than
that rabid' proves that two kinds of cur
rency, differing in value will not circu
late together. The least valuable will
constantly be obtruded, whilst the more
precious will be displaced. The grad
ual withdrawal of the °smaller denomi
nations of paper, presents to the mind.
- the greatest -practical . reform that can be
applied to our system of currency. The
exchange of one paper system for another,
and The incorporation .of restrictions on
thiz or that point of • the one we have,
although often right and necessary, can
never eradicate the evil.
I would not, however, be understood
as favoring a very sudden alteration in
our system of currency, regarding, as I
do, all violent changes in the policy of
government as unjust and oppressive.
All . the business arrangements of the
country are based upon our present plan,
and it is so interwoven with the general
affairS of life asfo forbid its withdrawal.
But the beginning should be made, and .
we should. prepare :o throw off a system
which will in the future, to a greater
extent, perhaps, than in the past, render:
'our country tributary to her rivals, and.
make our people hewers of wood and
drawers 'of water" to other nations. No
other reform in the political-policy of this
nation, 1 sincerely belie ve„ wou:d have
such a direct tendency to promote all
the great interests of the American peo
ple.; A practical, safe, and. efficient
mode of carrying out this work, is to be
Mond in the gradual extinguishment of
bank notes of a small 41enominati.on.
'Phis . reform, how - ever, to be cor u pic.te,
and to give the people the full benefit of
its salutary effects upon our commercial
operations With other mations, must be
common to the whole c‘amtry. 'The
efforts of a single- member of the Con
federacy, however tholough and well
directed, can achieve but partial success . .
Even in a local point of view they can
scarcely exercise a controlling influence.
rod instance, vacuums in the, channels
of Paper circulation in one State are too
liable to be
. supplied by the issue:
others, interdicted•thongh the circulation
of the latter may be, by pftzitive laiv.
These considerations have suggested the.
importance of a simultaneous action by
the' Stai , s on the stibj-ct, and it .has
occurred to my mind, that a convention
of delegates from eacb, appoill c . c: by the
respective legislatures, might be a good
mode of directing public attention to tie
subject, and securing efficient action.
In the .ineantithe our Sta:e can take
the:lend inikis work, as she can also
carefully restrict the evil terplewies of
.
the, present system, by .requiring the
institutions now in exist , nce to niake
more frequent settlermws, and render
MOT 3 efficient her present sys!ein, by
confining the amount of banking capital.
as a basis of paper i;'sues, to the hoovest
poibt consivent with ,the demands of
legitimate business.' I believe th,• a•nounl
we [law li ire comAs nil to this standard.
and that the best ikeres•s of the people
reqolre that it shou na: be-
exiensire, ener4i tic. an I hi2h
ly a. e beirg iii all
pa li of.the country 10 advance the inter
ests of agriculture, by the thi,se.nin :nun
of •correct information coneerninir
great pursuit, and in this vedy I;estilw
upon the fanner theldessings of a scion..
tisc, as well as a greatly refitted practi
cal:unders:anding of the noble *orl: in
whieh)te is eni.:ng.ed.
l'eniNylvania, so eminently an af - rri
cultural Siaie. and therefore so cleeplV,
interested, cannot be indifferent to the
tm.Uits of this cnterpriza. Iler best rn•
ergies may . wisely be exercised to secure.
-its: success. Already 'much has bee n
accomplished iii the. way of removing
prejudices hi.retofore extensively cli r
'shed against anv•system of attrrieultural
education. and by the extinguishment of
doubts as to the utility, or.even the prac
ticability, cf applying the principles of
science to the business of fanning.
The belief that thes'e principles can
be so applied, I art gratified to perceive
is rapidly gaining popular favor. In-
deed, the experiments which have been
made in this country and in Earcipe,
clearly establish the utility of scientific
farming, and in both the necessity fur
such a system is.manifest. is
• A proper understanding of the con- •
stiment elements of the suiltlie
in
(luence of these in the- produCtion of
vegetable matter—the means of main
tattling these elttinents in their original
strength—the nature of stinnibints for
the soil, and their proper use—the 5u , 111-
ity of seeds, rind the breed of animals,
italic up the main features of this sys
tem. These Subjects will constitute an.
agreeable, rind I have no doubt, a highly
advantageous study fur the farming civil.
munity. •
In my last annual message I suggested
the propriety of appointing an Agricul
tural Chemist, to be_ paid •a moderate-,
salary ; and whose labors should be given
to the State and county societies. I still
entertain the opinion -that such ah officer,
surrounded. by proper opportunities,
could render great service to the cause
of agriculture. •
The utility of establishing an agricul
tural college, with a inoeld farm attached,.
wherein the principles of .a scientific
cultivation of the sod and manual 1 ibar
in that pursuit 'would be joined to the
usual academical studies; has been
strongly urged upon my attention. Such
an institution and system of education,
it is believed,' would at the same
improve the physical and moral condi- .
tion of the professional and mercantile
classes, and promote the social and
tellectual sentiments of the agriculturist,
mechanic, and laborer, in addhion to thee,
.vast benefit it would confer upon "hell
pursuit of the. farmer. These considera
tions, and, others which will doubblyss
he presented by the advocates of the.
proposed institution, will command the
subject to, your favorable. consideration,
It-is believed that such an institution can
be successfully ttvnized under the
auspices of the State and county societies. ,
A highly-useful institution has recent
ly been organized at Philadelphia. under
thesauSpices. of lib,•ral and patriotic citi
zens of that city and vicinity, in pur
'suance of an act of - last session, named
The Polytechnic College of Pennsyl
vania;' in whiCh the education of youth
in a practical knowledge of mining, man
ufacturing, and mechanic arts, is united
with the ordinary literary studies.—
Surely as much can be done to impart a
practical understanding of the puruit.of
the farmer.
Within a .few years past the general
government ha& expended a large surri
of monOn the construction of a dry
dock at, the Philadelphia navy yard,
With a railroad nttached, to facilitate the'
operation of raising and repairing ves
sels. A survey of the. Delaware-river
has also been made, which justifies the
opinion that there is a sufficient depth_
of water in its channel to admit Vessels
of a large cliiss with tntire safety. The
• location of this yard, on the bank of the •
Delatvare. in the southern
_part of: the
county of Philadelphia, acct.issable frorri
all points, surrounded by a vigorous ft ,d
flourishing population, and t r essed with
a healthy cliinait, gives to it adiantages .
: not surpasst'd t•,: .) , those surrounding the
! navy yards of any other section of the
'•Union. There is, then. no reason why
it should nut receive a full share of
patronage from tee g'overnment. Why
it has not been so favored, I shallnut at
this 'rime attempt- to learn, but that the
fact has 13,•en the cause of regret and
complaint among the people of Philadel
phia and other pails of--the Suite, is A
circumstance which cannot h.. disguised..
- No considerations of public.. interests,
•w kich I have been la. to discDver,
would seem to demand this policy.
.. Nothing. in Inv opinion, is (rained by it
in economy. efficiency, or skill in - the
; construction of vesse . 's. The materials
can'fie as conveniently and cheaply pro
-cured at Philadelphia ai":fit any other
point in the country, and her . rrwchanics.
stand ;IS high asjin_-;;_ot.kers. ire point of
skill and efficiency i._ tn — ill — tfie branch.es
of 02,i.: - , lousiness.-and pre eminent in the
construction o f sieam machinery. I feel
justified. therefore, in entertaining the
hope that a more equal distrikution of
patronage shall hereafter distinguish the .
action of the department at Washington.
The: consolidation of the city. and
county of Philapelphia into one muni
cipal ,-rovericine it. is a sulj-ct that will
be p'essed uf on, your consideration
duriteg. the p esent session. Without
desiring to express an opinion on the
pohcy of the iii-astrri.', I may say, that I
r-gird it as iova;cin.,; vat considerations
connected with the .e‘eltare odour m -rJ-
P.):.:z, Unii COI1S.4p10111.:y to the State at
I Irae, and as such it should, as I have
tio doubt it will, cumin end proinjit and
anxirris coosideration.- '
11) :Ye long. I):•iieved Cult tit.: loins of
the' ; 4 0..ite blionid be cont.ololitied into
three or four iclasses. and be under the
direct con rol'Of the treasury department
at 11;1141S141r2". T4e books are now
kept at the Ranh of Where
alie loins are transferred, reissued, end
CUL up into any ;shape to suit the - wishes
(11 Lll. , holder; for which service that
,inst'itu 4 dlai 'is clainiin,a very beavy•
'yeariy Compensation. There e.oold he
n whatever, I am co .fi len',
in ex 11 inging now coupon bonds lor the
cer iticates of loin now ouistancEng,
without any average exteesion of- the
maturity of the lost=, at the cost of a
lei); thousand dollars. Indeed, on this
point I am entirely certain - that the ex
change cdn be made a source of profit
to the State above all expenses. This
accomphsh , d, and the interest can be
paid at the Treasury..and the whole
btisiness of that department rendered
the more-simple and safo.
The • financial year ico umences arid'
closes on the last day/If Ndvember, and
the appropriation and; school year on the
first of June. The effect of this arrange
ment beget confusion' in the - bus:-
ness of Itite several departments of goy-,
eiennent. Indeed, so completely is this
the case, that it is (rite impossiole for a
person not familiar with the subject to
comprehend their .operation. 1 suggest
the propriety of commending, the fiscal
year for all put poSes on . the first of De
cember. This wand bring the, Canal,
School, and Auditing Depart
merit, into harmonious action, and ren-i
der their actions concurrent and simple./
I have never felt willing to see our
fundamental law change fur light -or
diitibtful reasons, but i sincerely beli e v e
tliat•w hen the•proper time arrives it will.
be. wise so to amend the Constitution as
to require that each latV shall be passed
in a separate- bid, and receive nut less'
than a majority of votes of each House
on a call of yeas and nay§; to provide
that all laws of a public nature shall .be
general in their character and apply to
the entire State ; that municipal corpo
rations, vested with all the power the
Legislature could confer, should not
hare the right to become subscriber
to or holders of .the stuck of other cot - -
Torations ; to' intrrdict the creation
debt for any purpose except war; to
unite some other functionary with the
( ;oyernor in the exorcise of the pardoning
poWt T. e,
In compliance wit to provisions of
the 55th section of the last general ap.
propriation law, .d rectify-lite Governor
to soil and conyt' to trie State arsenal
property' in Juniper street, Philadek
phia,7 conditioned that the. sum of thirty '
thousand dollars should be obtained Iv'
11