c. i i ,.„ l - 1 - A D ea' 'FiLAZIER,
~Jt;~~ c s ~'0~'~~e~:.
The Zest Footfall
T. Iherp,
. .
is oftei - sadness in the tone,
And a moisture in the eye, .
Anil a trembling sorrow in the voice, .
When we bid a last good-bye. .
But sadder far than this, I weeny". '
0 sadder far than; all,
iS the heart-throb with which we strain
To Catch the last footfall, - .-
4
The, last press of it H loving, hand : •
1%11l cause a thrill of pain,. . •
When we think, ' . Olt, sliould k prove that we
•
sShall,never tueet again.",
And as lingeringly the hands unclasp, .
tie hot, quick &tips will Tall; ,'• •
NCH:keret. are the tears we shed .
\Mot Ire hear the last footfall. •
. .
We never felt how dear to us
Was the \sound we lo‘ 3 ed full well, .
We ilevei. knew how inusiml,. • ,
Till its- last echo fell ;'
we heard it pass away
Far, fai beyond recall,
We'never thought what grief Awould be, *
To hear that last iinitfalL
'And the years anti days thnt.long are pa..ed,
Amy the sceues,Autt xeemed forgot,_
1:i Hush through the; mind like meteor-light
As we linger on the, shot
And little. things that were as nought,
'Hut now will be our all t
: 7. Conic to us like an who low - •
the last, tiic hi 4 footfall! r
ji~Geji p eoq.s~
EMI
FI E
BACH ELPR'S BUTTON
on; •
How a 4itigle Gentleman got into DiffiCultr,
•1. and How te.got: gut of it.
CI I A 11:EIZ IZST
• wit.4IIIAPPEN I ED AT THE.CONCEIIT.
i,
mull{. :ears an,; when I was a single man
and dri tuning (as :sine single men do) of
doublelliss yet destined to arrive, 1. went to
n conetal.:at the Musical Hall of Bia4oll.
Music is, poeticallY and proverbially" the
food of. f r ive," and in my sentimental state
I consumed a g , ,..4.1 deal of it.; not that 1.
had any Object. inlview. Mine was abstract
lore; Lonitivated; it ; 1 increased my stock,
so that• 04-niglit'llaVe a good deal of the ten
der.pasSinn on /1:11 ' , 1d, whenever I saw an eli
gible•oWirtimity ;of investing it. Well, •to
turn to l rfau. eon cert ; it . was • crowded to ex
cess% arils the rush; on leaving, to reach '.(taliis
and ear:ltiagAss: was verry great. 1 were on
that iiii:dirade night a blue coat with
I.
hilltops, and I flattered myself there were
worse hailing men in the room. l i tell you
krina‘lly t 1-01inird luyself, and neNt . to 11/ . %"-
t.dt; the other I M:ls nines struck with was a.
tine' girl,. s ith dark eves al:d black irair, who
:-.4t. with:some ‘o mg friends a :',:w ilirins ill
talk. 11 Is..ped .sh ru , ticed inc ;nal. my blue
coat, with links btittf ins. 1
.61(141 at her
ofrenenoiigh to attract her attetition to both;
and - . being, as nly_ friends would say, in rath
er a appoo) state, worked my-elf, in a . tow
criug Pas;iii4on,--tyr boy % But 'how was I. to
Collie at tile 'object of my - admiration . for 1,
'wri U r :d ---
;diffident as devoted" as ;Jay- as 1
was vain - as an over-candid friend once said.
"Ilail e. , ,,innbia,r which concluded the con
cert, surprised me, as unprepared as on my
first glance to " ithprove the occasion," and
the eiiinpany were shoaling out, white I stood
iniftelygazinglfter the object Of my love at
fint.sigatt She and her party eddied for a
while by the inner door of the concert, room.
and: were then d i rawn out into the retiring
current, and lust to sight ...
1 followed quickly after, lest I shOuld lose,
for'ever ; ail oppOrtunity of identifying my
idol ; but, alas!, the lights in the outersor
-ridor were few rind so far between, that "no
..glimpse Of my star could I act" 1 pushed
. and elhoWed fiercely through the erowd,with
a view, Olgetting to the outer door before
my,fair one's party- had emerged, and thuS
gaining,unce more a sight of my swecting.
• " Ilang it I'' 1 muttered impatiently, as I
felt a tirg at nix' coat skirt :and was instant
ly conSr,..'itrus of - one of mv hind huttobs hav
ing hitched to some lady's dress; my prog
ress was suddenly arrested. " Ilow pr o vok.
Mg..' thought I,'as 1 was brought to a stand,
i,r I could not push on without losing a but
or tearing a dress ; " bow proyoking the
modern: fiishions ; a lady now has' as many
hoops. as many tentaelcs . about - 'her,apparel
as a sea annemOnc." It was with some irri
tation I ; stiippeitto undo the button, but my
hurry Made the'task more diffieult, and in
stead of undoing, I only • bungled • and ii
twisted the loop round the baton. ,
• "PleaSe to let. me try," said the lady her
self, asll bungled over the business; she Uri
gloVed ' her hand—it was aiweet white hand ;
so I loOked at li . ir face. Stars and
.gaiters I
but it was the very fair one, black hair •and
dark eyes, I vas in-pursuit of. As she stoop
ed over •the entangled button,•a slight -flush
tinted her cheek. 2 - 011, it was delimit's. I
hoped she never would undo the lotyP; - :and,
. indeekshe would not, for her finger's were
twi tchitig : n ervou sl v, and . mY heart 16.3-'beat
ing:atlibly. I tried to help her ;.out! fingers
met. . - 1 ' , . .
" Please to make way there," shouted a
gruff vitice behind: We were blocking up
T .
the patitut2-e ; ; was there ever such an unlucky
spot l i fO'r Sit lucky an entanglement 2 , * -
'* You' hinder the people from going out:
`.' A thie,". exelaimed one of her cOmpanions
with asperity ;: " Pia; - fue upon the tiresome
locp. break it !" and suiting . the ttetibn to
the ii - oi7d; the Speaker leaned forward, caught
the sleeve of her beautiful friend's dre.ss in
one hainlj and My coat tail in the 'other, and
giving a ipliek and decided tug, severed us.-
:rhe crowd behind bore on, and -we m ere seV
urated ; not, however; before F gave' MY
• " star"• a look-which I intended to speak mi..
umeS. ; I thought she. did not scent uneon
,seiou,:i,uf my : ineaningur eves met,l know;
'lad this -was the only consolation • left me,
'fin immediately 'afterwards I lost her and
her party' to view in the darkness outside,
•
OTAPTI;11 SECOND
TREE
ITOW TILE COUittiE. OF TREE. LOVE llLti icoT 113:1"1
SMOOTH,
That night 1 hardly closed my eyes, think•
1 "g of•me " bright particular Star," and what
means I should employ to find • her out. I
. knew little of the town, which was L. large
one, and is expect..t6 know the•jname of my
fair one by a mere description was hopeless ;_
there dodbtleSs must he a great Many- with
dark eS•es and black hair within the ". bills of
mortality"- there, as elsewhere, ,• . .
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My love fit grew more and more violent
in the course of the day; but, tired out at
length with my s'earch, returned' to the ho
tcl,nnd took out thy. dress•coat froth my port-
Mantean to fi.*d my flame even with the.cim
templation of the inanimate yellow butfou
that had detuktill the; " black-eyed divinity"
8(1 10Iig. it was with nn little delight I nbw
discovered what did not before catch my ere
—a fragment Of tini Silk loop of her • dress
still adhered to the button, twisted round the,:
shank. I preSsed it to my lips—it was lilac
itf eolor—and ii`t(iriped to gently disenOigle
it from the brass, as gently as though it Were
a tress,of lily hived one's .hair„ when Some
thing Clinked in the Skirt pocket. J supposed
I had left some money-there, for in my per=
turhation and Cxeitentent I omitted to search
the coat on taking it 6il the night before,
thrust mr hand into the pocket. Grachnts
me What did I behold, what did 1 take
nut 7 —a gold chain bra Met ! - •
Y 4 In could hin ' e " t+ahlell ". ine with my Ia• •
- 41 , y's fan. saw at it glance how matters
stood—in the excitement and flurry of undo
ing the loop Ilion toy button, the lady had
- undore'the clasp of her own bracelet, which
had not unnaturally
,faller into the coat-skirt,
with whiCh she was engaged. and :doubtless,
on missin ,, it, instead of regarding me in a•
romantic light, she put' it. down that I was
one of the swell ntob,:mul had purposely
tangled myizelf in her 'dress to rob her (Whey .
jewelry.
11crc was an' anti-heroie. position to find
one's-self, when I wished to be considered the
most devoted of knights, to lie remembered
only as the• most. expert oripickpOckets
Was ever an honest lover in Isneh a plight,
•auil Li/ make itworse, I could not See how
NyaS to escape from thiS
most go down to the grave remembered
only in that dear one 'S mind as the nefarious
purloiner of her bracelet. To (IA beib out
was impossible but a bright idea 'struck me.
as my eye lighted on .a newspaper lying on
the cotrec-romp, table. I rang the bell, and
cluiniled of the,. waiter when the local paper
was publishodf'' " To-Morrow, -sitl.;T he ans-
wcred. I sat down and Wrote an, advertise
it was in the following words:
If the la4l7 , •whose dress' got entangled in
gi.'•utlernan's - coat. button, in leaving the co t .
cot last Wethicsday. Will call ,scti...l to
the Treniont llotel,.she will hear something.
to her, a , lvantaze.". .
There, I tiahuoht,•as,l •gavc: the -advertise
ment 'to the 'boy, and live .to
pay for insertion in the Traveller, there, if
that will not give. Inc a clue to escape from
a very unpleasant dilemma, and ao the same
tiin , to know Whil'illy:enchanter is, the fates
11211:4 indeed htl very unpropilions
:llv plans being thus so thr adopted . I or
dered- dinnt;r,and awaited patien: ly; or rather
impatiently, the' appearance of. the nem spa
l' r the ne%t It. Nat 1,14,1J11it op to
ins room damp froth tin: 'press, and then • I
read, in
_all thee, glory of
_large type, .My in
terestin,, annOuncement. • But, my stars!
with what an adVertiseinent was it followed
in-the very - same columt I only wonder
that my hair did. not stand on end, as I read
as follows:
Ce fiD.tt r -Lost or.stolen on the night of the
Concert.. at the Bali, a Gold Chain Bracelet.
It - iS thought to.have been tateu from the lady's arm
by a pielipteket,l of gentlemanly appearance, who
woven blue coat with brass buttons,- and kept neArt
the Judy on herleaving the ball. -
Any one giving Fuch information as Will lead to
the recovery of -the bracelet, tir the capture °few
thief, (if it was steilen,) will: receive the above reward,
on applying at No. T. CFm!iritige Place.
. •
CHAPTER ,THHID. • •
Here was a pretty Plight—to be •advertis
ed .n the public papers as a pickpocket, *.hen
oty °lily crime i% - as lik6 Othello 's that of
" Loring Uot wisely' but too welL"
My determitiation,• however, • was quickly
adopted. I wetit up StaiN, put on the very
identical delinquent blue coat; so.accurately
described, and, :bikini the paper in my hand,
proceeded to 7 Clainbridge Place., , • •
ki4eked atithednor, and asked' the ser
vant m%ho answered, the name of the family.
'Having heard it, 1 said-- 4 Is Miss Raymond
in r .
"Tec, sir," replied - the servant woman,
who shall I say wants her r
" . Tell her," I, replied, " that the pickpock
et, with a gentlemardy appearance, .and blue
coat, with brassl'buttons, who, stole. her brace
let, is here and Iwishes,to return it to 61-.7
The woman stared at me as though I were
mud, but. on'tnY repeating my request to her,
she went in and. delivered my , messnge. •
Soot. there came out, not int-fair one,
":With all that's-LOA of dark and bright,
Meeting in laspect and in eye;" •
but a stulw:irt brother: •
That," I .said, " handing him the brace--
let., ".is "Miss Raymond's property ; and tho',
as you- perceive, I wear a blue coat, with brass
buttons, and am flattered to .think my man.
u:rs are not. ungenthjinanly, I am bound in
candor to say Liam grit a pickpocket." . .
"Then, sir, you shall have the reward,"
said the brother, taking
\ out his purse.
" "No," I
. replied, "for strange as it may
appear, thought I am no :pickpocket, I stole
the lady's bracelet. s .'-. . ,
The man looked puzzled ; but when I told
the trtith, and pointed to my advertisement
in the ..qatne paper, as a-proot I did h6t.want
to walk' ',cof With. the: pro&-ty; lie laughed
heartily at the whole story, and not the leash
at his sister's description of the gentlemanly
pickpocket. • i •
-4 Well," be Said, " you had better walk in
and have tea with us. and my sister will be
able-tai say Whether she _can speak to.yotir•
identity, after' Which it will fie time enough to
canvass the propriety of sending for a con
stable.". : •
You tnay he assured I accepted the invita
tion. • Need Igo further with the story.--.
The young lady (to use the words of the ad
vertisement) captured. the pickpocket.' The
buchelor'si button no longer adorns my bine
coat, and I noW have framed, and glazed over
the' fireplaCe, the adv'ert'isement ; in which I
am publicly describe.d' by my own wife as
" a pickpocket,l with a,g:entlentanly-address."
When I charge her with the libel, she al ways
does what she has just i this:moment done, .pay
duntagesm any amount of kisses, declaring,
tivingh -not a *pick pocket,
_I was-. a thief, and
stole her
: heartland pocketed her bracelet.
So ends the Story otf" A away -911 1 s BUT
TON." . I ; • .
rErMiss Stisan Howaril„ of North Bridge
water, Mass.,_ was tried on Thursday last, on
charge of whipping one of scholars, and
fined 4.3 and costs. B,he paid up and
-
m IFPEEDODI a - LNE) ROClffir aaamelr @LayEnv arop wßorAanw
TOE ENT) OF fl.
AIONTROSE, THITR,SDAT, JANUARY 15, 1857.
THE ESSENCE OP LAZINESS.
All New York has heaid of the "slow
man," -Burns, a convict on Blackwell's Island,
who was buried alive as far as his knees, a
month ago, as n scrio.jocular mode ofpunish
ing his laziness. The testimony off' all the
keepers and overseers on the island agrees in
pronouncing. this 'man, Burns, the inearcem
Lion of laziness and stolid aversion to labor.
The fellow is a character withal. His good
humor rivals his lazincs., and there is:no lit
tle method in his stubborn indolence. •
Barre; would have been n gond subject for
membership of •ft skit-leiy established some.
where iii England, many years ago, entitled
the 1.-zy Society. Applicants-fur admission
were rigidly scrutinized •in' respect to their
hrbits (occupation they must have none,) nat
ural tendencies, nervous organization - and gen
eral appreciation-of outwArd things. ONo per,
son liable to excitement 411 any subject, or
who could be coaxed, threatened, wheedled
or surprised into exertion or etrort, stood the
slightest chance of membership.
Under inch *stringent; regulations the soeie-
ty becomes quite select, Anil expulsions were
not utifrcquent of members who had forgot
ten themselves so far as to be betraved into
momentary haste, in :ict or word. At length
one unconseionably lazy chap found his way
into the soeiery, who gave occasion to suspi
cions that hour of rising in the morning
was ton early for the reputation of, the insti
tution, Ile was seen On several- sficeessive
niornings sitting in his rocking:chair, near
the front wii:dow, at an early hour, and in
formation Was fiirthwith lodged with thePres
itlont to that etr.:ct.
The ncseused, on hein , * arraigned was in.
formed cif the (harge against hi.ii , and eon•
fr . onted by hi: neelysers, -who duly proved
their statements; when. in reply, the culprit
stated th:tt the- rea , ou he was in rockitv
chair at so early an hour was that he was too
lazy to go to !gd.
The society not only accepted his explana
tion. kit deeming him a fit subject for ?the
Presidency, the ineumlient resigned with sick
promptitude as nearly cost him his menther
ship. and the lazy rascal_ was unanimously
i‘levted in his stead—a position witch,
we
hardly need add, he . retained until too laiy
to live. the actually died (\f sheer_ indolence,
and .. was hurle d . with all the hOimis of his la
zy position.—X. Y. Ere 14 Post.
The Reison&
When JMlgo Po:lmaster
-General be %%as. gros-ly aliuse,l by a disap.
pointel applicant for re•appolntment as post
master in one or the smailt.owns. Ile at
hearth dernati , lt.d to be :informod in writing
wily ht.. was Tint Tirirnilited. • lie was So in
forme.-1; and it is 'aid :hat the followino
copy of the letter with which. he was faA•oretl
by the l'o,tmaster
Pc*: OFrici: DErAnTmENT, Anne (1., '213.
Sin : ThO Ot•ga.l.lintS ,3 - ,11 ar c mulle
t-int.: and st:lno , , and are thee :
That yon' cannot write or :read well enough;
are not . Safe ; have been guilty
of the grossest :negligence 111 not delivering
letters m hen called for g a negli , erice always
inconvenient ant often - attended with injury ;
deliver letters friviently to persons for whom
they were not i'idended, and sutler them t o
be taken away ; fait to send- letters and pack
ag4s by the until in. proper timb; sending „Ir
the! mail without puffing into it any letters
Or packets that had been lodg,ed at your nr.
flee; reverse the destination of letters, and
sand them back to'the places whence they
came ;, ; have noti sense enon! , lt to discover the
-error after the .et.ters have been repeatedly
returned ; make, frequent and gros4 mistakes
in the bills forwarded to other offices; open
packages addressed to other-- post faces;
when A mail. is (Ailed for by a neighboring
post-master, handing out' any one, right or
!newspapers;
disoibey regfilatioits. respecting dead
appropriate half a dozen of them
fur your own- use
,Cor two or three years, and
resort to the imSerable speculation of selling
them f: ,r,wrappthg paper; lill,up a circulating
librarr with peliodical works obtained in.
.this way; are uncouth in y lur behavior;
_Otis to the populittiou ; heap error upon error,
. and availed
. yoL!r i sel fof those errors in order to
supplant your employer.; have been tried by
the vicinage and.fmnd wanting;. and, to sum
up, they chargelyOu with want of principle
and capaeity, . j -
Respectfully yoqr obt, Joni .111cLEAs.
It •
?ACME FATAL; 1V ARNINGS.:- , --HOOPIINA.—
We regret to state that during the high winos
of the lase; few days, there have been several
- disappearances. of estimable young
fronl whom notlling can be heard. The - roost
sear Ching inquiries have ln:cri - made in each
of these'eases, Without furni , hing any.clue to j
the whereabouts' of the parties; and, as their
well established kharacter forbids the suppo
that therei4 anything clandestine in the
matter, we are ftireed to the melancholy con
elusion that theY are victims to that prevail
ing-ePidemie. the enlargement of the skirts,
and have Ceeri carried off when
some
home at the telOse of. day, by some Ridden
gust wind. sVe 'are ju,tilied in this con.
elusion, as the pirlice have discovered two.or
three unfortunatte yourn , women, who have
passed. the:night].keeletr. up against the sides
of chimneys, am) pe . rched across dormer win
1. and have, been obliged to pick them
afid bring them down by kidders, before
the city was astjr in the morning. We have
beard, too, of rai-lians of several other kinds.
One. of
„these was in Detroit; where a lady
was blown overy and, getting a start- side-ways
- with the wind - , rolled down several old gen
tlemen, oho carne in her way, and was only
stopped by getting jammed between a lamp
, post and - a crockery hogshead. We are pret
ty nearly tired; in giving warnings on. this
subject. •No later than two weeks ago, one
of the swelled 'Skirts, worn by'a highly res
t
. peetable lady -burst in a crowded; omnibus,
>from the owner
sitting down too suddenly,
•
and seriously injured
,three or four people.--,
But.if the ladicsi Win peNist, we have nothing
more to,say: ItiVe have done our duty by
giving timely Warning, and no.blame can - at ,
tt>
tack' to us for nuy thing that may hereafter
happenL- 7 Porti ate Times.
• .
A wrier -in the New York Jo urnal
of Commerce sayg ' the lollov leg . is a simple
and effectual remedy for curing frosted feet,
and ()rte that will 'afford immediate relief:
Heat.a brick vcy hiA, and hold the feet over
it as closely as p, n be. held witot4 burning.
Cut an onion in: two, and dipping it repeated
ly in tutlt,rob it; ali over the foot. • The juicy'
of the onion will be dried . into the foot, and
effect's cure in a' very thoit time. If this is
. done, for a few tinies, it is almost'etrtain to
cure your.feet entirely." .
GOVERNOR'S • itESSAGE.
Tu the Honor able the se4ators and Mem'ers
of the - Aquae of Repreeentatires of the Gen
eral Aseentbi s a-:
I ' ELLOW-CITI7ENB 'obedience to the
Constitution and laws of this Cemmonwetth,
you have assembled to dischatig
ant and responsible dutie? that devolve
the, import
ant upon
you. To Protect the rights and privily ges
of the people, advance their interest and
promote the welfare and .prosperity of the
State, should be the aim and end of all -your
legislation. In the discharge of my duties,
it will be a pleasure to cp-operate with you
in the accomplishment o(these objects.
The past year has hen one of unusual
prosperity... The boanties of a kind Provi- .
denee have not been withheld from our Com
monwealth. A plenteou harvest has reward
ed the labor of the Im4andman. llicora
ble industry, in all its departtnents, has been
encouraged. No. financial embarrassments
—no commerical disti• —no political or
social evils, have 'interrupted the progress,or
checked the energies of the people : The
grjat interests of educatlion; morality and re
ligion, have been cherished and sustained.—
Health and.peace, with their attendant lies
sings,:have been ours.. fru jlim " who rules
the Nations by his pow4r, and from whom
eometh down everv . gooll and, perfect gill,"
are we indebted tur these mercies, and to
Him should .be given th' l c homage of our, de
vout gratitude and praise. . .
The financial conditiim of the Common,.
wealth is highly 'satisfactory. Every de
mand upon the Tfeasurly has been promptly
met and paid; without theaid The
operations of this department exhib
iteda in detail in the report of the State. Treas
urer.
. -
Tor the fiscal year ending November 30,
1856, the receipts, at the Treasury '(including
the balance in the TreaSury on the first day
of December, 1855, of 1,243,697 33) have
been *6,621,937 (14. tie total expenditures
.for the „same period,.4re *5,377,142 22.-
11:dance in the Treasnri, December 1, 1856,
*1.244 '795 4')
Excluding the balanee in the. Treasury on
the first of December,l ftlss. the reeeipts,from
all 'sourees„ were $.5,37k240 33. The °A
aary expenditures fine the same period, were
$4,113.144 '77, shy wini .att!excess of receipts
over ordinary expenditures of $1,265,095
56..
, .
The extraordinary pa i ynients fr the same
year. were $.1,203, 4 99:7 45'as follows, viz :
To, the completion4of the' Portage railroad,
and for the payment of debts previously eon.
tracted on that vs'ork, *181.494 11: to the
North Braneh • extensiim,,*l22,l23 52; to
re-lay the-south track of the -Columbia rail
road. $207,000 00; fse motive power in
1854, *llB,O-19 42 ; to enlarge the D.elaware
division of the liar:ia canal, 813.9110
09.; for s:eneral repair in 1853-'54-:: ? 5,
tt.i3.9.05' 11 ; to domestk creditors, *l5l 60 :
to old claims on the main line, examines! by
the commissioners, and paid under the act of
May 22, 18.50. *130,512 09; to the redemp
tion ofloanst, $327,..824 47.: and relief notes
cancelled. $:38.217 00.
The interest on the funded debt which•fell
due in February aul august last, was then
paid, and that which hecomes due in Febru
ary next, will he paid With erptal prompt
ness,out of available means now in the Treas
ury. The punctuality with which the inter
est of the public debt has' been paid
. and the
ability off he Treasury t‘i meet all legitimate
demands upon it, have inspired public
&nee in our securities,and contributed large-,
lv to establish and• sustain the credit of the
Commonwealth.
- The 'Commissioners oflthe Sinking Fund
report the sum of $1 . 22...132 93 as due by the
Treasury. tb that fund. This amount will be
applied to the redemption of relief notes now
in circulation, and to the payment of the fun
dt..(l debt. ITeretotbre the available means
in On; Treasury hace been applied, tu some
extent, in payment of outstanding tempora
ry loans, which bear an annual interest ot'six
per CelltUill ; it beingdcerned advisable as
matter of economy to pay these loans, rath
er than the funded debt, which bears a much
less rate of interest, is expected . that the.
balance of the temporary, loans will be paid
before the -clOse of the current year, and the
operation of the-sinking fund resumed and
continued asdireeted by liar.
The funded and unfUUded -delit7Of the
State,:including temporary loans, on the first
day of Decent lkr, 1835, as per reports of the
Auditor General and State Treasurer,was as
follows; dz :
Fi!NDED DEBT.
6 per cent. lonn
5 do. 410.
4 1-2 do. do.
4:- do. do.
Total ftind64l debt • - $39907.799 97
•
• uNFinkayfali DEBT.
Relief notes in circulation; - 0258,773 00
Interest certificates outstanding 29357 25
Domestic creditors, '-. 1.264 00
Balance of temporary loan,
April 19, 1853 _ •• 525,000 00
Balance. of temporary loan,
May 9, -1854 - 346.000 00
Total unfunded debt, •- 1,160;194 25
* Total deli% -llcv.eniber • . '
I, 1855,
-I.lic funded and unfunded debt at the close
of the last fiscal year, :December 1, 1856,
was as 11,11ows,.viz
6: per cent- loan, $511, 1 781 00
5 do. ',do. - 38,866,994 50
4 1-2 .do. do. . 388,200.00
4 do. do. • . 100,000 - 00
. . Total fundoi debt, • • 09,866,975 50
ler..-rrsnso DIBT. VIZ t
Relief notes•in cireulation *220,556 00
liiteresteertificates outstanding, 24,691 37.
Do. unclaimed, • 4,448 38
Doinesticreditors,": . . .
.1,164 00
Balance of temporary loan,' ... • . • ,
April 19, 1853, ; 400,000 00
Balance of temporary loan, . .
. , May 9,1854, 184,000 00
.Total unflinded debt $:34,859 75
Total debt Dee. I, 1856, 40;701,835 25
Total debt, Dee. 1,.1855, $41,067,994'22
Do. do. 1, 1856; 40,701,1335 25
Decrease,
It thus appears' that during the past fiscal
year the sum of thrtilYtundred and. sixty
six thousand onelundred and fifty-eight dol.
4, •
lan and "ninety-seven rents -has been paid in'
liquidation of the public debt. This, taken--
in conneetiim with the fact that during the
year 'ending November 30,1855, six hundred
and thirty. thousand six hundred and' one dol.
lars and two 'cents were paid on the same ac
count, exhibits the gratifying filet i that the pro
cess ofreducing the public debt has com mote
ed ; and, unless checked by reckless misman
. agement and extravagant •• ex pcnd iin re, must
continue until the people and the Common
wealth-are relieved' from the debt and taxi
tion with whiCh they are turdeficil. In ad
dition t,l this reduction of the public debt,.
large appropriations and payments wt. re Made
fur the completion -of thA'ortage Railroad
and tilt' debts previously contraetedn that
work; for old and unsettled claim recently
adjusted by the commissioners ap inted un
dei, the act of last sessi t ui;• for re-raying the
pr o
south track of the Columbia .Railroad ; for
enlarging the Delaware division of - the e;inal,
and for other purpost:s." These extraordinary
detrondlupon the Treasury have ceased, or
will ticon cease. with the necessity that erelit
ed them ; and thUs leave. a still larger portion
of the revenues to be applied it, payment of:
the pi:bile-debt.
.
.-
• A careful examination or the finatelal cep
(lithe) of the Cernmottwealth—her senrees of
revenue and the probable flitureexpenditares,
has inspired the hope that the time is not far
distant when the pUblic debt , will be fully
paid, and this without increasing the subjects
or ratio of taxation. It has already bee.-
shown that the revenue - of the past year ex
ceeded the ordinary expenditures one million
two hundied and sixty-tive thilusand and nine
ty-five dollars, and fitly - six cents.. The eMi
mated receipts and eipenditures for'the edr.
rent year, which will be presented to you in
the report of the State Treasur r, .show -that.
the excess' of receipts,. over ordinary expen
ditures, may reach the sum, or one and as half
million of d, liars. These estimates, alt hough_
appr,,xininri,es, will not . be tar fr,,m the true
result. Allowing then, four hundred thou's.
and dollars :or annual eitraerdieary expend
itures—and under a wise system ofecomiloy
in qo probable,contitwency can . they-exceed
that hum—we will have at least'the sum. of
one million of dollars to be appropriated an.
mildly fur the payment of the public d e la.—
With :the rapid development of the wealth
and reset], ees ef the Cmmonwealth—the in.
.crease of population—tif the value of real es
state, and of the amount and value of prop
erty of every description; the' revenues must
and will continuo to increase- This natural'_
and neces-ary -increase of revenue will supply
every defic'eney and' every demand Ural the
Treasury that falls withintle.range of Prol,.
bility,.
l t, then, the sum of cine million dol
lars be appropriated ammally in liqiiidati,e;
olthis debt, and the accruing itif crest on the
sums paid be applied in time manner of a sink
ink fnd, the entire indebtedness of the Com
monwealth will he extingOisheil in less than
t tve tty-three years. If these premises are
•
correct—and their correctness can only be
impaired liy unwi , :e legislation, or the impru
dent inamTement of our finances—the truth
of the proposition is susceptible of the clear ,
est demonstration- Assuming. the public
debt on. the first day of December, 1836, to
be, in round numbers, forty millions five•hun
dred thousand dollars, ttr.d that at the end of
each fiscal year one million &liars, with the
acc.ruina e interests on former payments, trill
be p::id, unerring calculation will debirmine
the re-alt to be as before indieated. .
Thus, beinre - the expirat ion of the ear 1879,
enns).l%ama may - stand redeemed froin the
• •
'oppre s:ion of her-publie debt, and her people
be released from a taxation imposed to meet
its accruing interest, and to maintain the faith
mid credit of the Commonwealth. These
'views are not utopian. • By practising Strict
economy in all departments of the govern:
m en t—a voiding ext ravaganrexpendit u re—re
tusing undertake any now schemes of
tCrnal improvenient, and holding to a rigid
accountability the receiving and di s bursing
'agents of the State, their realization ma) be
anticipated with confidence.
- I must again call the at:Jai:11)11'ot the Leg
islature to- a subject referral to in my last
annual message, in the following terms
"By the thirty-eighth section of the act of
the 16th of April, 1845, entitled `An Act to_
provide for the ordinary expenses of Govern
ment, the repair. of the' - cianals mid railroads
of the,Siate, and other Claims upon the Com
monwealth,' the GoVernor was authorized to
cause certificates of State stock tole issued,
to it persons or bodies corporate holding Cer
tificates fur* the payment of triterect on the
funded debt of the State, which fell due on the
first day of August, 1842, - the' first days of
February and August; 1843. and the first days
of February and August, 1844, in an amount
equal tip the amount of, certificates so held,
upon their deliverin r ,it up said .certificates to
the Auditor General. •
t 516,154 93
38,903,445 04
355,•200 00
:100,000 00
" In pursuance of the anti/wily tints given,
certificates of State stock to the. ihnount of
four millions one hundred and five thousand,
one hundred •and fifty dollars and twenty
cents, bearing interest at-the rate of five per
cent per aninim, payable semi-annually, on
the first days of February and Angus‘inceach
year, and redeemable on or after the first day'
of August, 1853, were issued. The minimum
period fixed by law' for the redemption ot. ,
these certificates, expired on the first day of
August, 1855. No provision has been wade
fir their renewal or redemption.
"Although by the terms:of the act aialtor;
izing these certificates of State stock, as also
by tire, conditions of the certificates issued in
pursuance thereof, the time of payment, after
the expiration of the - minimum period, is op
tional with
,the debtor, du" Ciiiumonwealth,
yet a . due regard for 't he credit of the State re
quires that provision . shoeld be niade for their
'renewal or redemption.: To redeem these eer
tificates, a loan would - become necessary, and
as a loan cannot be effected, in the present
financial condition of the country, on. terms
more favorable to the. State than those on
which these certificates:wese issued, I *Mild
recommend• that authotity.beTiven to issue'
the - bonds of the' CoMmonwealth in renewal
of said: certificates, bearing interest lit the rate'
of five per cent, per annum, payable Semi-an
finally, mid redeeMable on or after the expir.
ation of twenty years ; , and that the bonds he
issued With coupons oreertificates of interest
'attactsed, in sums- equal ill.amount to the
semi -mutual interest thereon,. payable on the'
first - days of Febrtiary and August in 'each
and every year, at such place as may be des-
IgnSted: This change in the form and char
, actcr of the certificates, it is believed,
so advantageous to the holders, without
creasing the liabilitieS of the Commonwealth,
as to Jug uce a willhey-andrompt exchange)
41,067,994 22
366,158 91
H. H. FRAZIV.R, 0„
at a premium for the bonds prepused to be
issued."
The report of the CanalCommisi s ioners will
he laid before you, and will exhibitliif.detail
- the condition of the iniblte works—their gen
eral operation, and the receipt* and expendi•
tares for the.past fiscal year. •.
The total receipts at. the•Trensury; from
the public works,fur . the year-ending Noveni• ,
her 30, 1856, were $2,006,015 66, being an
increase over the revenue of the previous
year, .4 . 863,638 95. Of this., sum $1.013,-
.589 16 were canal and bridge tolls, and $992,-
-126 50, tolls of tliis Columbia and Portage
railroads. •
aggregate expenditures for the same
y.ar were $1,941,896 82, being. an increase
Over those of the previous year, of 8105,05
114, the revenifes exceeding the expenditures
Only
- The increase of the revenues from these
works would be encouraging, were'it not for
the. fret that the expenditures have inc cased
lira still greater prop , or( ion—t he expenditure
ordinary and extraordinarv. - -exhausting al
most the entire reVenul from this source:- . --:
The syStem muSt he def:ctive, or more . eare
and e conomy should he exercised-in its man
agement. . 4.
The receipts at the „ reasury from the . soy:
eral divisions, were. asfoll6u-S, viz :
Main line, • . $1,249,272 86
SuSgilehatma, North Branch- •
and \Vest Branch,. • . • -120,520 51-
De1eware,349,022 29
•
Tighl rve . ei pt s,• • • 4 ,006, • A 015 66
•-
.. ,
The extratircliisary • payments during the
year aim/tinted to i.... 508,814 16; ordinary ex
eniiitures,S;tl,l3s,oo4 00 ; net revenue, (ex
cluding extraordinary payments and . .for mu.
tiKe power,) $571,011
.00.
.. • .
. ,
On the mum line the tolls reeLlved at the
Treasury from the Columbia road, were 001,
676 ; expenditures *528,08.4 86; toll
on the Eastern division of eribal,'fr4/111 Colum
bia to the Junction, - $l.lOllB 30;- expend
:t tires, *53,048 50; receipts from the June
dint to Vittsburg,.including the Portage rai15.117,778
$.117,778 00; ordinary expenditures,
$304,102 22. The tt reecipts on. the main
line were $1,229,272 8G; aggregate expend
itures, (excluding $267,000 . 00 paid for-e
-laying the south track of the Coluntbia rail
road, and $15:3049 42 for motive' power in
1855. and alter December Ist, 1856) were
$885.835 65, being an ewes:sof revenue over
ordinary expetidttures . of $343,437 21.
Alt In atgli the receipts Eorn the Delaware
division are less: than Those . Of the precious
year,
.t et the general re-Slltt of,its operation.
is saristiwtory. The net revenue an lie Trva,
ury was $264,095 40. Its !Mtn:lgo:nent has
been eharneterized by a' degree of economy
turn seldom practised on-some of.the lines of
our unprocemeLts.
llowever import.int .this, division tr.a,> .be
to the tr;lde and business of .that portion Of
the State, its • pri)p, , i:ed enlargement should
not be undertaken, unless demanded by Eta.
s ons of over-ruling neeessity. The
. experience
of the past, as connected with the A Ilt••gheny.
Portage Railroad,.and the North Branch, cx.
tension,. should Waill us against undertaking,
.without great caution, any new mcv.ure Of
improvement,- which May drain the Treasury,
%ithout materially, if at all, the public
interest'. It kept la gnod order by efficient
and timely repair:, ifs capacity will Ike , fully
equal to all the demands of its tral,e and.
business.
• The Portage railroad is not fullycomplc't.
cd. A small addinonarappropriation may
yet be required to complete, for the fourth
time, this road. It is anxiously hoped that •
this, unproductive improvement rimy soon_
cease its cormorant 6m:olds upon the Treas.
ury. Every•year's experience more clearly
reveals the impolicy of the State in under
taking this, work.
It gives meno ordinary pleasure to inforin
you that the North . Branch extenion- of the
Pennsvlvania Canal has been so kr complet
ed, that boats, freighted with' enailind other
products, were successfully passed through
its entire length froin Pittston to the Junction
Canal: This work was commenced inlB3o
suspended iu 1841—resumed in 1849; and
finished in 1856; "although its ciiniplct4m
_was- ollieially atinounced in 1853; extends
frbm Pitt-ton to the New-York State line, a
distance of about ninety-four miles, fidlciwing
the valley of the Susquehanna to . Athens, and
thence along the Chemung"river to the State
fine, where it joins the "Junction Canal," and
is thus connected with the New--York im
provements.
"The importance and 'value of this improve=
ment cannot\ etisi!y over;estitnated. Pass.'
ing through one of the richest mineral anti
pc.rtions (tribe State, it offers- to
the immense arid valuable prtsdnets,of that.
'regain a safe and cheap transit to the markets
tit' Nev York, Bidtimore 'anth Philadelphia,
In the completion of this carnal the- diflicultit s
to be overcome and the labor to to perform..
ed . were great. lint these, to a great extent,
have been accompliShed under the superin
'dencv of Win. I:.'Maffef, Esq., tit whom this
work . wasrassigned: • •
This canail, although coMpleted, anirbefore
the close of navigation, used tor the.purpose
of transportation, is•not perfect. Sinks in the
-bottom, from the nature of the formation and
soils through which it passes, slides froM the
hills, :and breeches may occur, but these, af
ter a few years of well applied•labor, will lie
diminished, and by Vigilance and care, entire,
ly prevented. •
This itriprovement, 'although subject in the
rivalry of comp ping railroads,- if kept in
good condition, under . proper management,
will receive its full share of coal and 'other
ninnage. It is anticipated that the reverthes
for the current 'year. will equal, if notexeeed,
the expenditures; and innreasing....with the
facilities afforded, and the rapid development
of trade, will, instead of its heretofore Unceas
ing demands Upon the Treasury, - take prece;.
donee in revenue over any canal in the-,Com,
mini Wen tit.
In relation -to the propriety find •- - policy of
the tale of the line of our pnbliel
provethents, my opinion has not chatged.-
Every consides Eakin of public policy, - ot-pres:
ent and future interest, requires , the.:sepgra,
tion_ of the State from the n4rigment,-,and
control of these worksi.- he expcndititres on
t
that portion of. the line, between thelttnetion,
and Pit tsburg,.lurgely eteited. - the reveinte=,
the exeesS 'averaging anntudly not leAs
. 6e.hutitired and fifty thott.sandd‘illarii ;- tOd
Liuses are.in pinstant Operation that - Will still
more increase thin deficiency. This ;cumin.
tted drain upon the. Treaimry, to :sitatain
• work go. unprodnctlve, , 4ttiuld tic
checked." - .
of the main tine, fur a fair'cOnsiders
ation, and &Pon just and liberal 4;114
purchasers, is the-prop'er . remedy: . Such tsale, -
on terms amply protective of the rights and
interests of the people, can, by proper legit'.
Intim, be eir.eted. In connection with the
payment (*the public debt, thisloestion he.
comes deeply important. The age ' would
constitute a'new era in - the financial history -
of the State, and tissure a still more speedy
reditction. of the public debt, than that to
which \ referenee has been made. -.Thu subject
is earnestly commended to'your' evorabto
consideration. - -
Thensubjeci of b:tnks'andliankit capital in
its relations to the eurrtney-:- I tlie generdl
terests of trade' and" e(im nieree,' and, the indil‘
trial. pursuits of the eitizen;deiiiiiirtifyOui - ciri• - •
ful
er tnunication "remain -unchanged. - The
iteornorat ion of‘'.ne . w, 'or -the 're-charter of old
and solvent bank'S . ,..vrheti
ena . detpanded by' the *anti;
„leititimate
trade in the corn in unity,whcre loCated;.Shoutld
be' layered . ; under no other eirhumstan*
shoold. either he permitted: An the ereakiod
pf. banks, the into rests a the State -and - peco
pie shouldibe consulted, and a jest. di-erimi;
nation as to number, locality,', and :the - 'de.;
viands of trade be exercised:
.
• The rapid increase 'of population, the In c ',
portance end' value of - 'our beMeiti . d'tiireir
commerce; the constant developinent of the .
material wealth - of the State, the exteitt'Of our _
niantifitcturing, mechiMiCti.. and agrieultUrel .:..
industry, the beet that the .State . ii 11.1(40 ..by '
a depreciated cnrrency introdticed by private
bankers and brokers,'might justify, under the .
restrietionis and limitations'indicated,:aludiii..:_'
ious increase Hof banking . capital-Within- our` •,.
Com nion weal Ih. *. This,. whilst- it would - aid
the operations of trade, and _supply : the real'.
business *ants of - the peopli,. - wiatid; . at the •
same time; rtmetly, to some extent, duties:lls
of a depreciated fOreign And: illegal currency. .
BY the act approved the Gth day
.Of NO
vember last, the thirtieth settlif of theract of
1850, regulating banks, Will be; after the, first -.
day (if‘ftil v next extended torilt incorporated
saving fund, trustand insurance 'Corriplintes. -
.
That sectiOn declares . "'that• it, Shill not be •
lawful fur any ofthe . .aaid banks to issue' or
fe,y out any hank notes 'other than those-is
stied by itSelf, r wable on dein:main:gold er
!' ver :. notes 4,,f specie paying banks of:this
eSotte which are takill'otydepOSit or in. imiy , _
meat of debts, at per; its the' counter of , the .
bank -.vhere paid Out ; or. 'antes: ' . O . **kit is. ~:
sued under the authority 'of the act.olthe 4th . .
of May, 1841, att he option - tifthe person re.'
ceiviug the same." - .
' These enactments were intended to protect :
the community against •the eyilSoft(depretti.
ated currency, and-prevent its intreduction
front other States: :Ilowev,r - welt mtended,' .
they wilt tail to secure these:objects, unless .
made to embrace privatelitiniteriand others
of that efirTirtliPte'profitsi Etre lare:,,eli depen. '.
dent upon the introductien intiw :the • - Stste of
)11.-ita currency. • In Many instanceSthe notes
of our own banks are collected :by private
. -
bankers and brokers and with theße,, ur, with
the specie withdraWn from - the:l4lll6c 'issuing
them, they purchase 'depreciated and foreign .
bank :paper ' which is paid:. out par at their
counters. fly others large bans are nertit.:
ted with batiks out of the State:at leie than'
the usual rate of 'interest, mid their notes, ' of; -
. .
t en o f a less deuotnination than- five dollars, .
i and al Ways at a discodnt, brought bite . the
State and put into circulation m the manner
indicated, and this,. too, under : in,- igreement
with the bank making the loan, that the notes'
thus paid out shall be- kept hi. circulation.--;-
• The effect of this system . Of private - banking _
has been to limit the circulation Of the - par .
paper of Our own banks, and. substitute in Iva ,
I place a foreign, • depreciated ) and '-often: it,'
I worthless. currency :
. In:Stistice to the busk,
' mist, ,and insurance companies, - -paving a
heavy annual tax to the .conitimit wealth -Lfitr:
their privileges; and for the protection . of they .
people neitinst these ' evils, either tte ,. .proii.s. _.
[ ions of the thirteenth-.section pf -the act of.
11850, should be repealed, or tnrther extended
I so ds ti, embrace' private individuals and as. - -
-sociations, who May monopolize and contritl,',
to the detriment of - the- public; this traffialn
depreciated bank . paper, 'without reStraierand
without taxattim. . :, • '-.• - \ '— '-'' r .
, . The report of the Superintendent Of Com
mon- Schools, Iv ill . exhibit- to . you 'the number
and condition of the , schools; the number of.
teachers and scholars, and the .general'Opere
tions of the system during- the , past year
To the vartlable statistical infortnation of the •
r.port, and the useful suige.stions'for-ther . im- . -
provement of the system, I invite.your early •
std-intelligent consideration.' .. ~I - '
From a small- and conipamtively unitnpor,•
tent incident of •the :State department, -the .
care and 'management of'fbe - pablieSehimliof '
the Commonwealth, with'their seventeen hum
tired districts, ten thousand teachers, and over ..
five lutudred thousand-scholars, haVe . beeems
the mast important and.: laborious branch of .
that department. ' Time increased andthicreas.'•
ing business of the system, IrlS:, , been met r by:
a correspondent - increase of itatl i labor:and
eflieiency ,in the ollieeri to *lionr-the law 'lute ~
committed its general direetipn and suitervi
sion.. They should be sustained by. wise . and
generous- legislation.. - The linagnittule , 4nd •
1 Importance of the - system; in KC:political,' sci.: .
I vial and mural relations • to the
,Present-arid •
future of thee-people,' requir& that tititt . .ahOtild :
be ;lone. ' . '. •' . • - = -:::7'''
The guardianship of the mind ot the State .
slatuld occupy a distinct end prominent Place_
among the noble institutions of du. Common
wealth. it should receive-=the 0116:44 . aid '
atic encoura„,foitnent ..of the government, and-.
be sustained by a virtuous and intelligent peo
pie. If the revenue and treasures_ of the
Stute--her public - improtemb
tsher lauds
and :her titles, 'require and deserve the mark- '.
ed and distinctive care of, =the governinent,
how much more Mould her Mental-and hitch _
I ectUal treasures, richer - than gold-this: social ,
and moral improvement of her People, inrit.
valuable than canals'and railways--thectitles
of her youth to the houndlesa fields of knowl
edge, higher thanemy of earth; or aught grow
, Mg out of its ownership,elaiin an -honorable
position, and reeeiie ft ewe and aid cowmen.
1-curate with their greater value and: ttsefithusuk ,
1 . The County, ..Sit perintemleney,_iliesever it'
1 has been committed to' filithfiii and - efficient
Men, has fully'vindicated the wisdoM and put, :_
1 icy. of= that tneastiric - it iS riowilt, but turd,'
1
removing the prejudieCs'ind gaining 'kg ,eout
tidence of lite people.. '. Whiltom 4. t abtskettes%
and expitience may deitcl4 l ,* - this or any
other bratichpf the sys%etn, Rho* baKonot!7
ly, c4rected. _ - But Until-, *Alt twaity. ,kit
I change isr_cstahlitihed, the, , CY•teln, ininviini.
L ,ty and fittegrity: 5h+244...64,100,01airigil awl