VOL. VII.
GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.
ra the Hanarahle the Senators and the 217ent1ers
of the House If 11 prtxntutires of the Gen
eral ..lsz4mbly : •
GENTLEMEN st the events of
the vcarjust closed present many caus
es o f j, and congratulation, and afford
abundant reason for thankfulness to a
beneficent Providence for his goodness
and mercy—our pro:Teiii:c and happi
ness, as a rsople, I regret to say, has
nu t been unalloyed. The general
growth of the country, the progress of
the alts and sciences, and. other causes
of moral all s,>cizd comfort, have not,
i t i true. be,m interrupted ; but the
i o .„ of vc ,tunb!e lives and property, by
the c asualties of elements, has been
unusual, Loth in number and extent, ;
and in ceimin sections d our Com
mowealth the afflictions of pestilence
and have a1. , 0 been sorely felt.
\or shoal/ We estimate lightly the
suflerin , Cnnt mar.ifestly exists among
the poor in 1111 r CilieS and towns. The
drotpJu: of the season deprived the
bushandartn, to some extent, of the
antic ipnted of his labOr, and
le—enel the means of human subsist
enee ; whilst the depression in the
niore;;;ry ,d bysiness Links has de
nilcci liiiierers and mechanics
of tip it Incans
01::111) tllll - 4
,rc:ttly enhan
cud in value, ;:t tLe 4lfll time. t'nnt
opportunitie: of eartlimz them are
gßatly 'Lie field for
charity is comc.inenCy witkr than
u-u,11: and. to nicet its reasonable de
mands on the pm-t of those ble.sscd
Irith ;timmi.n.ce. be to smltiln
the Citti•tion char:it.ter. and
131 V to 1:1.21.1L III:: continued bounty of
Ifen en.
Th r 1 1 .1. c.• Trea , nry for
tht•la•T I•re , ellud to Call
1:2 1:c:.:1 it that depao-
!L Ih, .
Ilo•lit
;:k.1 , ., VV. -.
MEM
1.-T.rly all 1, •
MEM
Tic. 7c:z7. , ...:-Ito receipts fc.r the fiscal
ve;:r of l!
111 the T.ll - ca,Ury, uu Clie
N. t:atounted to the
:tan ul. The ;re;;
. ,
pv . ,nr•al- the , acne pertuct, to the
2) leavint],r a I,al
-- "!! the ;'•::1.1 of November, of
MEI
e - Ntra,,rti!nacy payments con
t-tcd i,t 1i
1U V. t
~,,,,.
. :;i:- ~
1 .31 ; (, , ,,•1 1 ,.. ;;;;; ,1,, , _(((1,7(r(1. i G ; to the Con-,
-trvied(ol of 111 e nee,- railroad over the
AlL—limy nt:mlo.-.10 , , ;
to tlye-1,;(ymoot of delots (01 the puldie
t)f the I.(l'...ance
. Tteasury, a pot tiun
If, t h payment of the
("tzte Inc remainder to car
tuna detnau.l-.
The :;:nple or oiilinary cperations
ti;e for the same period, !
wele ;',11.0.•; - ,, to wit : the . roceipt•;,
o!' ae.(l the I.:dance
‘;t; th , :;Otit ui Novemher,
1 .
1 S.
from pen:tit:tent source:,
t, tier ,:tiu op.
o+l tltt.‘ Mate ticht, at “:1 all
nt the tit,i , hed lines of
12111
:• 1•
'"•
'cork`. excluding the l-ay
110 W NVOrkS and loans,
11Jtt. (1 to 4,1 it,:; 4 S 4 ; 1)(2..111g 41,-
tluin the receipt,.
be reg:irded as
iking of the 'creasury
dx e :tt,bii,liing the gratifying
=I
1!;.:1 the pre •: t orevenues
;... excood . the ortritrar2, or
-
1/ !! id .hle ev.pe:uliturt•', over a mil
::; aod that, riieved from
dtrt.and, for the construction of
Treasury cuuid
.! Y; . or mere of tlic Public
Lo, . It alit, be per-
111Z1 1110 11:Ct)11412. 11'0111 tile :7e
!gratin': inercaz.ing: 12'( ! r
:tgaare, in 1:",16, with the State tax
Lt ple!.ent taik.s, and the : , 11111C extent
.
inqu oven/ems in use, With nearly
2.: the I,rc, , t2Lt sottrc es of nevenue in
!•pvration, tl,e gross receipts amounted
t , tut little over pree and a hall mil-
No more. reliable estimate of the
11 , erati"ns of the Treasury for 1:555,
czal , it made, than is furnished in the_
rt , ults for 1554. The ordinary re
-I,:lpts Ma V Saf,..lv be intimated ,at a
milli ,n of dollars above the unaveida
b:e expenditures. A portion of this
txr, n , will be required to complete
the rew Portage railroad, and the
N i •Ath thanch canal ; and the remain
der should he faithfully applied toward
to, payment of the State debt.
The ag ,, re , -4te receipts on the
lic whrk, tar tne pa , ,t year, as reported.
1, 7; the Canal Corn nil, , ioners, amount
1 -, / the rum ZtnB ; and
thu expenditurez; to tho :sum of z.1,101,-
;' l O 54 ; a balance of
I, from which, b.iwcver,
I,e clult.cttAl tile .•,:um of ..37,900, prop
eliatr,cable to the scar, fbr new
kcomotiV . t:s.and tither unavoidable ex
peliditurcs—thus reducing the net
.. ... .. _ . . , . . . . - . . -
. , . .
. . , .. . .
~.. „ .
~. . .
.
.. . ,
.
..., • :
. ..
..,:........-:
,
..:.
..
---.-,..- .::.•
' -- - - :URN::- - - -. . - •
.:
....
•._ , . . ...
..,
.......: .. .
il.
... .... .. .
. .
._
..S- -.. •
...,..,..; ~ .., ~ ..
.. ...
. . .
.
• ~..... ...
_ ...: .
.p•.
...
...1 •,_. ~..! • . . . . ,
. ,
. • . .., •
profits- to *;736,608 31. If w . e add to 1 themselves in the:Way of the attain
this •:`.131,000 received.frorn the Penn- 1 metit of this'end. The old work con- .
sylvania railroad company flu. the threc i-structed some twelve or fifteen years
claimed tux, which is claie'd by . some zi-! Fince, as well: as some sections of the
a part of the income from the public new located on the hill bide near the
works, we find a net revenue of.-...*5:67,-. , margin of: the .river, when tested by
000, a sum equal to the interest :cm the. admission of Water, turned out to
seventeen millions of the five per cent. be porons, and totally insufficient in
debt of the State. The aggregate re- its material and -limitation. In -some
ceipts were ,557,121 less than for, the. instancesrocks; roots,trees, andsturaps
year 1553, and the reduction in ex
pr:mirtures amounted to over *1:59,-
257,000. The withdrawal of the husi
nesi, of_the'rem , psyhania railroad from
the Portage road, readily. accounts fur
tl:i; difference.
Viewed in every aspect, this exhibit
i gratifying. Few similar systems of
improvement in the_country, can -pre
sent a more favorable. picture. Some
of them, in other States, have recently
been reduced to.a condition of virtual
insolvency. The increase of business
on the State works for the last two
years. has exceeded our anticipations ;
and hut for the necessity which seem
ed to exist for a reduction in tolls to
meet surrounding Competition; the
revenue would have been largely in
creased. The general movement now.
on ft - )ot amongst railroad companies,
to advance these rates, !nay perhaps
relieve the State to some extent in this
respect.
The Delaware division makes , a
most
,gratifying. exhibit. The gross
meeeila , counted : -- z:165,:327 07,.and the
expenditures :'. , 159,738 G 7, showing a
net profit of 0 , ,'_4,•S ; a sum equal
to the interest on six millions of: the
public - debt, and -to percent. pa the
origiaal cot of the work, including
the expenditures: lhr new locks.
The Not th 13ranch canal and the
Colambia tail road also present favor
able results. The business and tolls
on the former have increased with
marked rapidity, and the management
ua betli these branches, bears the
marks of skill and economy. 'The ex
pense,: on the ,Illerd:any Porta , e road
'shave been largely reduced, and the
business bet er regulated than at any
former peliod. As a whole, I feel
cou,trained to say that the condition
of the public works has been improved
during the last year, in nu other par
! .
tultairto 'so valuable an extent, as in
the matter of contr.acting debts, which
it scans has b'yenalMost entirely avoid
ed. The ofileers ou the respective
report taut they have paid all
eNpenses ; ann . ,iorlo of them go so far
as to say to the Canal Board that they
wi!i be personally-responsible for any
debt- that may hervafterbe discovered.
This is tru!:, a great relbrin—lbr no
thintz has cost the State so much as the
permcious practice of making debts
on the public works ; I still think it
should be interdicted by positive law.
-In my last message I gave my views
at length as to the principles and rules
that should control in the management
of the State improvement:, and I need
not repeat them in this. I would re
• spectfully suggest, however, that so
touch ef the lacy as binds the Canal
Commissioners to a fixed rate of tells
for the whole season, should be. re
pe;.ded. The officers directing the op
erations of the public works, it set;rcs
to me, should be left free to meet 11:e
exigencies in trade and commerce, 'as.
they May arise. •
The work on the Mountain railroad
has progressed slowly, and it is obvi
ous that it-will not be fully completed
belere the summer of 1855. I must
confess myself sadly disappointed
to the time and money consumed in
the constyuction of this work. The
expenditures, -ince 1 came into office,
Have greatly exceeded the whole
amount estimated as necessary to.
complete - the line; and yet it is • but
justice to say, that the Pennsylvania
railroad lying parallel with it, has cost
a still larger sum per mile.• ' •
. I have endeavored, during my ser
'ice, to guard against the' CollimenCe
ment of schemes of this or any other
character, to entail future liabilities
on the Treasury. This ought to be .
the settled' policy of the State. No
new improvements should be under
taken, upon any pretext whatever.
The payment of the debt, and that on
ly, slaiu . ld absorb the surplus•revenues
of the Treasury. If this policy he
pursued, no other financial scheme, to
pay the debt, will be necessary. rhe
large'annunl surplus'will — redbee the
State's indebtedness with'':i . Uffteitint
rapidity.
I regret exceedingly, the necessity
of announcing to you that, the . :North
Branch canal is not yetin full opera
tion. It is 110 W more their -a ;year
since the Canal Comruissioner64lirect-•
ed the water to be let . into the main
trunk of that improvement,, and de-•
clarcd their c onfident belief 'that" it
would be in successful operation by
the middle of last summer:; but their
anguine expeetationsias well as_ those
of the people, bave,,in this t:espcct,
been 'sadly disappointed. A variety
cf unforeseen difficulties pies - ated
LigLi\' .:1t-
.1 e'l-1:04
to tLe N
DEVOTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY, AND THE DISSEMINATION. OF MORALITYJATERATURE, AND NEWS.
COUDEB,SPORT, POTTER COUNTY, PA., JANUARY 18,'1855.
have been. concealed under the bottom
of the canal - channel, covered only by
a few inches of earth ; thus pi eventing
but a slight obstruction to the passage
of the water out into the bed of the
river. This is especially the *case
much of the old work. In all such
sections or places; no remedy short of
a reconstruction of the bottom•of the
canal, could prove sufficient; and this
was neceqsarilv a tedious and expen
siv=e process. There is still a consid
erable portion of the IvOrk to remodel
in this way; bin it is cdiifilently be
lieved that it will be ready for use - in
the early part of the coining season,
.
That the iitmo4 skill'and vigilance has
been exhibited by the agents of tie
State on this line, I .do not believe ;
but the deficiency in this particular,
On the new work, has not bean so pal
pable as alleged by some. Indeed,
since May last, great energy has char
acterized the management on this line;
the,President of the Canal Board hav
ing, devoted much of his. time to a per
sonal supervision of the work. But
it is obvious no degree of capacity in
the. State's agents for the last year,
could have overcome all the difficulties
that were encountered with sufficient
celerity to have entirely satisfied.pjab
lie expectation: -
At the time I came into office, the
sum necessary to complete this work,_
was estimated at i57;2.000. Since Oat
time the um of 1,206,55? 72 has been
expended, and it will still require, as
estiinated by the Canal Board, %-:(30,000
to put it into complete operation.
Whilst I regret this unforeseen cost
and delay, I cannot refrain, from re ti
-
peating my unfaltering confidence in
the wiloni of the policy that dictated
the 'completion of this work. The
large increase of business and tolls for
the year just closed, on the older por
tion of the line, indicates what we may
safely anticipate from the new; and I
cannot doubt that the gross amount of
business it will command, and the
revenue it will yield, will exceed the
most sanguine expectations of its•ad
vocates. The inexhaustible mines of
coal with which
. that section of the
State abounds, the products of which
are destined to pass through this ave
nue to a limitless market, will furnish
fur it a never failing supply of laisi‘
ness and towage. Besides, its com
pletion will be an act of justice to the
industiious and enterplising inhabit
ants of that pint of the Commonwealth
who.have heretofore willingly contri
buted towards the construction of the
other improvements of the State, from
which they could derive but little ad
vantage. It Will also add to the gen
eral prosperity, of the adjacent cotin
tu ; to the value of property, dnd
consequently to the revenues of the
State. - ••
At the time of my induction
into office the funded debt,
including accrued inter
est, anionnted to $40,154,457 18
Add to this the loan of April,
1.t.'5•2, to complete the
North Brunch canal,
$11,004,457- 48
Deduct paymentsas follows: .
Interest on omstand - -
; ing certificams, $50,063 39
i Receipts to the sink-.
ing fund up to tW.3
t time, ....1,057, F 5615
TO:al funded dcbt,
The flouting debt and un••
FA appropriations at the
period already indicated; $1,421,096 . 15
Deduct the available bal
ance then in the Tredsury
The floating.debt, tempora
ry loans,uttpaid appropria
tions, except for repairs•
after the' lst.Pee., 1854,
Bal. the Treasury Noy.
30, les-1, after deducting
the amotint apPlicatile to
ihe iainiblic debt and the
relief issues then on hand
Bala1.ce;:.::.:::::.. _
• ...poring' thc:sa , nte period the following ap
prOpriation cad payinents have been mdde
lowerd.,4lo, construction of nesv joiproTe
mews, to wit .
For the .re ? constructing of the..
Colnnibia r ailroad . " .. ":••;514,407 66
For the new railrbMl ore? the' -
Illleg;heny.inountains " 1,11'7,955 93
For the completion of die West- . • •
ern re...;ervoir; • ' Zic,3S. 2 00
For the - NOrth•Bratiel - Cittal,.....
New locks On the Delaware div., 100,310 - .99
.:Sumlry"rpeci;ilpaymt ell • 95,;:,33 :71
'lll- - fbreo . ° eing, figures exhibit the:
Abh g fact that -the Tfeitsu'ry has.
been . aiiiitt - tillypttyin7' ovet•
'.a tnilliou
of dollars towards - the eoustfu'ctiott ,of
•
new improventents, and at the same
tinie.accoinpli4hed a small reduction
of the public debt.
made my duty by an act of the
'Jie . giOatiire, approved the 27th of
April last, providing for the sale of
the
. rnaiu line of the. public works,
Sealed proposals for. its purchase were .
invited, up to the first :Monday
,of
July last.. No offers were niade - un
der thissinvitation; and public notice
was again given, on the 14th .of No-
vember last,.. in accordance witli tie
29th section of the act,' for proposals,
to be -übmitted to the General As-
sembly; but none have, been received.
This improvement is,. therefore, still
the property ofthe State, subject ,to
.such disposition as :the Legislature '
may deem necessary.
My mind has undergone no change
on the subject of selling the public
*works, since the period of my last
message. I think the policy of the
measure . depends mainly upon the
price' that can be obtained; and the
conditions On which purchasers may
be Willing* to hold these works for the
use of the public. With a full and
fair consideration, and on terms amply
protective of the rights and interests
of the people, in the future enjoyment
of these highways—a sale might not
1 prove injurious to the publie weal.
But it is certainly neither wise nor
politic. to assume that they must be
sold for whatever can be obtained; -or
that they should, in any event he given
away. Nothing could have .a more
prejudicial etreet upon the iuterests
of the State as involved in these
lu•ovements, than the' avowal of sucli
a determination. Nor is it less on-
wise to disparage the value - of the
Cotinnonwealtb's property: at the very
moment of putting it in market for
sale.. No intelligent• private• citizen
would so act hi teference to - his own
estate. He would hardly give notice
to capitalists- in advance, t)lat he
would ell his farm for a fair price;
but if unwilling to pay such reason-_
able consideration, they could bare it
for half the money. 'Nor would such
. . . .
a person 'proclaim, . that of all. the':
farms in the country, his was the least
productive.
• It is certainly the wish of many
crood citizens of the State—perhaps
of a majority—that the public works
'should be sold. But this desire' is
evidently based upon the assumption
that the Measure would be one of real.
econumy-L-that .it would lessen, with
out the hazard of increasing, their
annual taxes. The realization of such
au object, it must be perceived, then,
depends entirely upon the price and
terms. Those who desire a sale, cer
tainly expect the State to be the gain
'er by such a measure. No other im
portant or sufficient reason for' parting
with this property has been assigned.
It is usually said that the works
should be sold to pay the public debt
and lessen the burthens of the people;
but it must be observed that a sale
might be made at a price far too low
to effect such purpose • and if. so, to
give them away - would be still less
likely to produce the desired . result.
Should the gro.ss sum received, not
be equal • to that on which the net
earnings would pay the interest; then
the effect would be to increase, rather
than diminish these annual burthens.
This is not what the people desire to
accompliSh by a, sale; nor will they
be satisfied • with such disposition of
their property.
.The real value of the public works, ;
is a pioposition 'full of 'difficulty; and
I_ doubt not the General Assembly
will approach the inquiry, duly im
pressed with its' importance. Ten
Millions of dollais was. fixed by the
law of-last session, as the price of the
Main line. This minimum is said by
some to be too high,. and the fifilure
to sell regarded as the consequence.
Others attribute the absence of bid
ders; to the condition of the money
market—to the- stringent restrictions
imposed upon, the law; *and to the
eftbrts that had been previously made
to disparage the value of the line.
'But - it is obvious that more than one
. of these Causes - may have operated;
and a greater than all may have been,
the hope of getting: - this property on
better terms at a future time. I fbel
vet : Y confident tha.t. the latter consid
eration .was- not without its influence.
'But, be this as it may, it is certainly
tvikr to . fail - to' sell from any one 'of
these causes, than'to hazard the Works 1
in the market, without.-any restriction
or limitation' as to price or 'conditions.
. bid ; ISale would • assuredly..b.e. a
greatermiefortune than Ile sale at
• The 'benefits resulting to the people
frem These improVements, have heen
nutnioos did At vit:lS They save
:facilitated trade and enaunerce; suer
' dated productive industry 'in -every
[ department . ; and haVe not only en
abledl the 'farmer :to•
.reach 4 ready
mailei, with the fruits of his labor,
- huts have ihrnished convenient out-lets
for the rich . mineral treaSures of -the
830,000.00
1,103,919 54
:750,000 .00
$671,090 15
$1,630,000 00_
E 65,929 00
$765,929 00
s3,c - ir6,778 03
State.„Withoutthem, the miiier.wou]d
be deprived .of his oeeupation,, the
transmorter leit in helpless destitution,
and the Commonwealth itself be .per
mitted, to retain a;,pursinionicius pas
ses,ion of-vast masses of natural :and
unproductive. riches. Our -predeces
sors were wise in:opening these aye
nues.to trade and commerce; and if
we wish be rated wisely hereafter,
we shall not rasblyand " hastily throw
away . the advantage of their future
This use, to; the fu9l, •extent, in
ECM
the event of awls, can only bo secured
by a jealous protection elthe right of
.
•
the people to enjoy it; -
Thel.very first conditions of such a
measure Ebou cl he. • that_ the works,
and every branch of tlirm, : be , kept at
all times in goOd order and in-ope
rating condition, and'. remain ibrever
public highways, for the use of all
person's As:ll9 may . wish to
.transport
goods •or . merchandize over them,
upon rates not greater than those
charged upon other similar improve
ments. No corporation' should get
possession of tliese valuable avenues,
on such conditions as would enable it
to impose unreasonable ,burthens on
the internal trade and tonnage of the
State, or in any w . ay to encroach upon
the rights of the indivldual citizen.
o ob - yitite such results, the powers,
privileges and restiictious of any cor
poration getting the works, should he
minutely defined. Past experience
suggests these prudential counsels;
for we have often seen in this State
how difficult it is to confine the opera
tions of these artificial . bodies within
the limits prescribed by the law - 7; and
we sholild not . fail to profit by the
'By the 29th scctiOn -of the act of the
9:h of May last, providinli fur the or
divary
purposes,
of government and
r,
otheurposes, Nimrod Snickland,
of Chester county, John N. Purviince,
of Butler county, and John Strohm, of
Lancaster county,: were named as
commissioners to settle certain claims
and debts against the Commonwealth.
It was also made the duty [Atha Gov
ernor to supply, by appointment, any
vacancy in this , cumnusz.ion. I\-11 .
might occur: The gentlemen alrea v
named : having declineil to, ;et re,
accordingly appGiiited \V.
IVillianison, of Clie6ter county,
of Philaaelpftia, anil
John C. -Magill, of: WeArnurelaml
county, in their :Acad.
. .
After a tedious and Jabot ions inves
tigatirm, these gentlemen have. coin
pleted the duty assigned to them, and
the result will he comniunicatcd to
you, in detail,' in their own report.
regret to perceive that the ac
counts so examined and :-ettled, ex
coed the amount of the appropriation
nearly if , ,:150,000. It is well, however,
to see the end of claim's of-this-charac
ter; and having accomplished this, •it
mill be prudent to guard agaii,st the
recurrence of a similar state of ;lairs.
Indeed, the : practic'e of contracting
debts onthe public works, should be
at once and forever abandoned. It
has been a fruitful source of confusion
in the ; : accounts,
_if not of palpable
wrong upon the Treasury. The right
to scatter the Credit of thi; Common
wealth in this unguarded way, is, I
venture to assert, without ) v. parallel
in the Management of public affairs.
Of the ninny defects iu the system of
managing the State improvements,
this has:been the most : productive of
In my first, as also in my last
"annual' message, I most
. eaynestly
urged the General.,tissembly to :pro
vide, hy, law, -that no .debt should be
contracted by the officers on the pub
lic' works ; that the necessary labor
and material to maintain these works
should be paid for in cash; and that
each oici,cer should be. compelleLto
settle his accounts_
: promptly, . The
e,xanunations just made,. demonstrate
still more clearly the . necessity for
such reform. • 1
Repeitted attempts have been made .
.t.o•repeal so much of the act incorpo
rating the Pennsylvania railroad corn-
pany, as requires it to pay into the
Treasury annually*, a certain per cent- i
age on the amount of tonnage which i
may pass over that road as an equiva- i
lent for. tlre privileges' granted by the•
Commonwealth; but the General As
serfiblY hare as repeatedly. rejected
the proPesition • andreincerely hOpe,
that so. long as . t. ' he . Staie may need the
revenue front this:_sonrce, all future
.attempt's to:aceoinplish,tbis may meet
1 a similF.fate. :. . *. .
1.: Tiering been . connected with the
legislation which broughtthis company
into existence, and - clearly cognizant
cif - the motives and . purposes WhiCh
goYerned the Legislature inimposing
this condition on the
grant,.l 'Can dis
ctiveino:reasen,:iirsubquent'event.i,
to jUstift the relinquishment of this
valuable reservation;, but many; :On
the.coritrary, to sustain it's justice and
utility. The disuisiOns
,pending the
'incorporation of the company, will
best indicate ,the. object of:this . re-
striction. The construction of the
railroad from Harrisburg to Pittsburg,
parallel with the . State works„ was.
eery properly urged as .iudispensafity
necessary to meet-the wants. of the
traveling public , and• to 'enable -our
metropolis to compete successfully
with other commercial' cities. The
very first and moat formidable difficul-
ty which presented itself in the :way
of this enterprise, was the prejudicial ,
eflect such 'a workmight have upiin.
the business and profits of tho
line of the .publie improvements. . It
was urged on the oice hand, that the
State works had been Constructed- tit
the expense of the people or the entire.
Commonwealth—that those resitting
in the extreme portions .of. the State,
as well as those of the interior, liatl
annually ccmtributed.towa t rd the pay
ment of the interest on the debt which
had thus.been contracted; and there
fore the Legislature could not, con
sistently. with the principles of justice
and equity, make. a grant that woull
depreciate the value of property whiCh
belonged to all, for the purpose of
fostering the growth and prosperity
Of a particular poi don Of the Stitt..
Good faith and correct moral principle
forbade such action.. On the other
hand, it was alleged that the increaFed_
business which"::uch an improvement
would throw upon the Columida rail
road,-and the enhanced value of prop
erty adjacent to the.---proposed road,
from which the State would derive
increasedrevenue,in the form of taxes
--L\vould con:Aitue an ample reun
neration to her coffers, and thus do
full justice to the people a the ow•n-
.ers of the works to. he affected. But
a majority of the Logislatu4e concitt-
ded that some additional benefits were
demanded, and hence the adopliun,
the pluvi , ,ii.na to which I have re-.
ferred.
The stock was. subscribed With .a
full knowledge of this reiervation, and
the acceptance of the charter' 1,2; : the
company, was the. consummation of a
solemn agreement between them and
°the'State, .
. Yet, tinder the specious Idea that it impose.;
a tav on trade, the Commonwealth is new
asked to relinquish this condition; and the
eaae is argued as thottg.h it had been the pol
icy of the law, that the company ahould im
poae this charge of three trills per ton upon
every apecie; of priTlierty which may pans
over its road: and in this yany . it is very read-.
ily shown that on c-Oal.. iron, lumber, mid
o:her cheap tonnage, this charge would be too
great. But the company are not ob:iged to
aasesa . thia tax on all hind- or torma g o :nor w,is
it the intention of the act that they.i hou'd
so. The design - waS to make an exaction
from the net profits of the company, fur . :the
use of ;he public coders, as a m miainsation
for a valuable gram, and thereliy protect the
public improvements' front the competition-of
this new rival. The tax on tonnage. therefore.
waia intended to indicate only tile mode of
aacu rtaining the scut to be paid, and not the
specific tonnage onwhich it should hg - charged.
IVllen the snot is iii- this way ascertained, it
matters not to the Sfate how the eaampany
obtains the money; whether it he hy churgel
on freight, or on passengers—on 1601, or on
through tonnage. Should. iherefore,'caraitl .
kinds of tonnage be improperly oppressed, the
faith is wi..h the•compauy, and not in the
And Surely it will not be contended that the
protection thua thrown around the Works or
the State ia unnecessary ; so ahr fromahis, the
wisdom and utili:y of this feature of the com
pany's charter has already - been made mani
fest. The very ca'gene:, writ:Mated by the
legislature hits arisen -the competition of the
railroad is already aeriolialy felt by the main
line. Relieved from this restraint, Mat a mea
gre portion of the carrying trade would be
forthat branch of oar imprip, craws. ,Nor
will it be contended that the Commonwealah
does not need this source of re venn e. -
But vieived alone, :Ise 'Meter interesting to
the owners and transporters of tonnage, what -
.gtairantee mad they . itai'e that the rates of
tranaportation 'would be 'reduced, were tilt:la
tex taken .olf7 None whateyer. The com
coMd eh trge as bererofore, and thus realize.
the amount of the tax in addition to their •
present protils. If thee shintld not do this, .
their action would ditlbr from that of similar
-corporations under like eireamstancea.
to adroit what ia - claimant, that a reduetioniu
the charges of transporataaiou to a similar ex
tent, would take place, ii umat be perceived
would duplicate the loss to the State; for she
would not only thereby lose the amount ofthe
three tail! tax, but be deprived of a very
large portion of tonnage which would-be at
trac!ed to the confp:arrs road by this reduc
tion in -the rates or transportation. We are
thus brought: - to'-the simple- inquiry, whether
the - State shall retain - this valuable income, to
which she is•so jostle entitled, or whether. AM
shall give it to the railroad company: Nest
-certainly the latter ralternarive should not ho
adopted, so long; as the question of selling the
. State improvements remains undecided, -
As a mere revel/tie measure, this tax consti
tines an important 'and - Mcrae..4n item in the
nunital receipts of the Treaattry. In the year
it cmountcd - to the atm:Tit $7.4000, and
for the year a lt'sl,to ICl,ti J.
That the amount will; be materially in
creased hereafter ; is self evident.. If this .
portent item be withdrawn from the sinking
fluid, there will be but little left to sustain its
operations. . .
I am aware that these views may be met
with the plattaible argument tlii:t trade • and
commerce should not be thus buriliefted—that
thectfeet is, prejudicial tv the bitaineas of the
State. This is true to a cc:lain - extent ; and
should have its fit!! weight in the adjustment
of-a (Ideation of US - charaeicr. But it will
seareciy be contended _that trade and COlb-
Illeree. should.he via:anted by contributions
front a needy' Tram-nn. Ott this principle-,it
could as - reasonably lie maintained that the
State should make no charge-. whatever for
the use of tier own works.
The admidi , !ration of Gov. Slunk corn.
mannedile cancellation of the relief is-sues;
and that of roe immediate predecessor arrested
Cainitnied ca niurth Page
NO.' &5.