. . . . . . . • .. . . • . , - 1 . i • - . . . . ~, • . • . . ..• ',. . ' • . , . .... , 1 . - • . .I• _ , • .1..: . • • . , . . . .. .- . . •. • • . . . . . ..... . . . . . - , . . • . ......,.a. . . . . . . .. . . . . •. i - • . . . . . . ... • . 1 . • • . • • •• '-. il . . . . - - . e ' • . . • • 1 : • . , . . • . .. . . . • .. • . . ,:-.1-,'.1.1-......1.-.141:. ••:-..• l l ' ... ' , ..1 . ; ;-- ~ .. ••• ' • . : ~ . ~ -• .. ~ . . . • . ,1111114111111111111 e• ! '' . . • • . ' . • . • 1 ... . . .....'S . . -_. • • ..' I . . .• 'I . ::: 1 1. . . . . • •• . . .... 1 . .• , . . . . ' I • ; • ....1 i . . -.. _ ~.. . 1 .. . . .. , ..-... . . .• . 11 . .• .. ~_ .• I • . , . . . . . . 1 ., • ... ' . • . .... , . : . . _ .. . . ..• A. J. GE:RRITSON; PIIB,LISHER.I_ GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. To the Honorable the Senate and Members oy the House of Represetatir of the Com ' monmealth of Pennsylvania: . , .. ._. G E r r vam g,;7,---In eomplyint with that 'pro vision of the Consiitution 'OH Pennsylvania, which npikes it +he ditty- of Ithe Goyi-rnor, from time to twine, to Ore to the General As bembly informatiou of the Stale — of the corn.' monwealth, I am happy, on,:thi• occasion, ag in to congratulate the, representatives of, th people upon the highly fivorable r ioudi ti of the finaned.t of the State, . The rereipts•of the State Treasury, from all sources, for the ?Neal . year ; ending on the 30th of November,lBs9, were $3,826,350 14, to which add balatMe in Treaiihry, Deceinbet 'lst, 1858, 8892.027 76, end it will beiten that the whole sum_ available' for the year, was $4,718.377 90.. ' , The expenditures fur all purtMses, during the setee!? 3 ti"di warp $3,879,054 81. Leaving an available bal ance in\the Treasuis, on the lit dab of De cember:4Bs9, of $5839323 09.- Included in the experdituies for the 0Mal: - year, are the following some, -viz: Loans redeemed, . - .- - Relief notes *welled, - 7 Interte4 - ocertifteates paid, i - Making the pofiC , debt actually paid, during the year,tlasum. ,of . 1 049,282, 60 The funded and unfunded debt of the Coat tnonwealth, on the Ist day of Deeember, 1858; was as follows: FUNDED DkEIT 6 per , cent, lo ans, . 5 do, d , n.; - 4i -de. do., - - - - 4 do., - - - - Total funded debt, - $98,513,983 97 , DEBT. . . ~... , itelle? notes in cirtmlution,•,-. - 8101,213 00 t Int-certificates outstandink,'"- - 1 1 8,513 82 do. unclaimed, I .4;=', 4,448 :38 Domestic creditors, - • - - . 802 :30 Total unfunded debt; • - *124,877 70, Making thel,public debt on the first day of December last, 1538.08,981 07. s - Since the 'cloke of the fiscal year, the Com missioners of the Sinking Fund have redeem ed, of the five - per cent. loans,. the sum 9f $3160,000, leaving the real debtof the. Co mmonwealth, at 'this tiine, funded-4nd unfun ded, $30,4 8,961 07.. If we deduct froth this sum the amount Of bonds received .11 the State, for the-sale nf her public ,wor4, and now held -by her, as, follows: - • - Bonds of Perms) 'tennis tiail rodd.Companv, H - Bonds of Sunbury riind Erie . Railroad Company, - - 3,500,000 00 Bonds of Wyoming Canal • Compan', - - Total, - - - - -:•$11;08 . 1,000 go we have t 2.7,397,961 07, the rearnfoing - debt of the Commouweeltb, the Orrodipal and in tere.4 to be provided.for, from the ordinary sources of revenue. It wilt. be observed, that fromi the tat day of December; 1858, to the 314 day of De cember, 1859, a period of thirteen months; besides tirceiing all the . ordinary demand& Upon-the Treasury, there has been actually paid, on the tuiticipal 'of the public debt, $1,000.282 60. . Mien it is remembered, Ibiat during this period,,the law reducitig the Stale - tax upon real and personal estate, from three' to two and a half in.ils, bas been in full Cored, and that nothing for 'lie past year lies been re ceived from the l'enns)lvanis Railroad Com pany, on accinutt ci tat_on tonsige, making the receipts, from tliese.two sources of rete.: nue; less' by foot hunrdred thouand allare, than itlby were for the precee.liug rear, it is a source of congratelation that .111rifder such so faro! lde.hi il cirdumstance , , a resii.li his been produced by the - ordloary.oper tionit .of-tbe Traisurv. . .. . . . , For nearly two years) past, tliS'State has „boen entirely 'tree from the oVrtiership or management of oanale and rajlroads, and the gratifying result, :thus tar, is that her public debt is 4now less than it • has been wince the year 18-12, and_ is decreasiog at the rate-of nearly.one•million of dollars peritnnortm. It is now'morally certain, that nothing but the grussest-mistnanagemetit of the finßncial -in- terests of the State, can prevent it sure, and speedy extinguishment Why 'rbould not Penoylvacia press onward until she is eptire ly free from 'debt! She is no longer englged is the oonst,ruCtion of great work4of internal improvement, nor is she 'the pfoprictor of railroads and canals. Relienved of, these, go's , : e rnenental action is greatly simplified, and-14 now bopply limited to subjects of a purely governmental 'character,. Having ceased td be interested in ordinary, businessturanits, it is a plaiolluty to devote. het bag energies to relieving 'her peoplem ple frothe b trden of an onerous dibt. When this ; great result shelf have been accomOisbed,-thenestobiaarybspen ditures of an econoacicil achilnistration of the ,government, can tie readily -met iiithoet the imposition of a Sate tax gn real ror.petiwial I estate-4-the remaining soWxces of :revenue-be- ir.g more than sufficient' for alt legitimate purposes.' Until that end, so, anxiously . look ed to, is secured, true wisdom, as well as sound policy, dictates, that our resourbei should be ca fitfully husbanded—that none:Of tour pros - ens sources of revenue should bet off, or diminialreci—that all departments: of govern ment should consult apioper etionesty---that: all extravagant and ecnecessisfrie tions should be avoidid*—and -thatavery new scheme for embarrUstangthe Treasitiry. should meet with marked condemnation.; • EnCoUraging ,as are the ewsultwrinf the -Plat two years, it must not be forgotten,, that Vs have but- jury, commenced the , paynient of principal of. our debt; and that tcrisevent * misapplication of the finanoes, and thereby instire a continuer:miff itl(redulniviN from year to-year; is maeifestly thelest•doty of tbose placed . by the COnstitotioirin chugs of the Public Treasiry, and In i;whesslni longs the exClosive rig ht of mist, 01:000-' prizing and appropriating the public menu. earnestly commend Ibis ertkole.inobjent ta the careful ` attention a the Legialatote..4n. tirely satisfied, -that, as it is the mak 'stet of all the jolereatsnotomittedlo the elitogeofthe General loaetahly, - it , reeeivathat con aidera4on which4ls itziportinoe lo!etaineetly ; demands, • ' • le my last Annual Minisgcl of pmoo: Bated to the GeoetsfAesembly thstivp " 003 E owau;n4 vo CIO P.AO7 Tau Dom Egli &xi - au Iran nal ago pa? vT,O . 11) mitt mut-ottnalnamni; that period., had •ee, done. under .the sot, entitled An Aot,fOr the sale of the .state Canaht.!' approvled • pril 21st; 1858. Since the', adjournroeUt the. lest Legislature,: eat isfaCtory evidence• riving been given to me, of the compliaoce of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad CompaOy, with the conditions" men= tinned in.the third section of the . act •referred to, the State Treasurer; under my direction, has, doliversd to the. Company the Canal bonds lor two millions of dollars, deptisited to the Treasury under the provisions of the said act. . . • The railroad conapanyhas also become en titled• to, and' hart receivad, one million of dollars, of tire mortgage bonds referred to in the sixth lecaion,. of the santeract; !earlier mortgage bonds amounting to two and half millions- ef dollen, attill semaining in the Treasury Of. the Commonwealth, to . be*deliv. sired to the corrinany, "from time -to time, *poi passu,' with It he progresa of the werk,as escertained by the returns and ertimetea of the chief ; , engineer, of the said company." When thir bonds last, tneottoned t shall have been au rtirndered- to. The company,"as directed by law, _the State will stilt holtkas absolute owner, three and shalt millions of dollars of the mortgage troll is of the company, paya ble in the year. 1872, and in the six eucced ibg years as mentioned in _the act of Assvn- Jaly, with interest, at the rate of five per cent., per aniainn, payable semi-annually, on the thirv-first days of Jannary and July of each year. Interested, as the bontrnonivealth is, in the early. completion of this' linpattapt thoroughfare, jt alferda me great pleasure to be able. to inform Itte General Assembly,l that the progress i of the work, for the past year, halt been higbly e satisfactory. The Eastern division of the read, extending erOor Sunbuiy, in the county of Nortlitimbet landoo .Whetham, in the county of.Clintou. a distance of eighty-one mile, is finished ;• ' - passenger and freight trains passing over it daily'. The Westqn division, extending. from the city of Erie _to the -borough of Witilltl, in Warren' countyi, a distance_ of sixty-six miles, is also competed - , with regularpassen-* gee and freight trains‘ running' over it daily. Making one hundred and furty-sevo*naili.s . of .railway, along the line of the route„thiChave already 'been brought into practical opera tion--one hundred.and.seven miles cif which,. exclusive of midings, were finished - daring the pelt Tear. ' On the intermediateportion of the line, between the borough of - Warren and Whetham,stetion,l distance of one hundred 'and forty miles, nicety-five sod a half n.ites are graded,,leayinoaut forty-four and a half miles yet tribe graded, to place the whole of the unfinished portion of the road in a positioi so' receive the superstructure. If no untoward event shall delay its vigorous rtrotrecution, , another year will not pass before the entire line of the road wil' be- finished and in use; th:bs.affording a direct and 'continuous corn- i mastication by railroad from the city of Phil . - adelphia to; the hab4r of Erie. , - " flit the twenty- sec lond section of the act ap proved the 1.3th ... c1ayl of April, 1846, entitled "An Act to incororate the Pennsylvania Railroad Company , ' l it is provided " that all , tonnage,' of , whatsoe or,kind or decription, except the ordinary baggage of passengers, loakled or s ieceivird t. Ilarrisburg or- Pitts- burgh, or et any inttlrmediate point, and er,- i :led, or conveyeti, on*.or over, said railroad, more than twenty miles, between, the 10th day of March and the Ist day of December, in each and'every year, shall be rsttject 'to a toll, or duty, for the-use of the Curimun wealth at the rate of five mills, per mile, for each ton of two ibourand pounds; and it shall he the duty of said buiepanv , between-the.2oth and 1 30th 'daya of July. and between the Ist and 10th days of December; in each .and every year, aftertbiny miles or moreof said railroad shall have been cempleted, and in use, ~to I cause to he made out and filed :with the° Au;' ditto , General, a ,true l and . correct statement, eihibiting the atom:lt of said tonnage,. so loaded or received, arid the distanee so earl . - ed anti conveyed ; duriUg the respective peri ods interventeg bet wn the said 10th day of Mooch, and the2oth ay ofjuly, and-between ii the said 20th day. Of ell. and the let day of December k in each' and every Trail which said- ataterrient shall he verified by oath or af firmAion of the reed r;ing - or forwarding agent or agents, or other proper_otteer or °diem of said compay, having , knowledge of the pie mi!ea ; and' . et the time of 'filing said .state went, or on cir before the said 20th day of .July,end 44;10th day of December, in each and every. year, the said company shall* ply to the State Tosesurer; the amountof said toll or duty, so accruing, for the .use of the Com monwealth, during the respective intervening periodibefora mentioned." Aud *in a imp? plemeet to the act juit referred to, passed on the same day; it is further provided," that in any Cue the said com pany*ballet any time fail to pay the toll or, charge on tonnage, -which may . accrue . Or become.• due to the. Commonwealth, ander the provisions of said act, the artmelsball be lindremain a lien on the property of the said company, and ,sliall have' precedence over all other ben:sor itintam 7 brances there* until paid." By the act • l irt-the 29th of hiareh,lB4B„,,the tax on tonnage of mills per.toopirmile, f one the 10th of 11arch.to the Ist of December, was eiaareated to a sex Of 3 wills per ton per toile, du ring ,the whole year.. Subsequently, by the act of the 1111 . 4 'May, 1.055, lumber and coal wete made .exereptfroto the tonnage tax. . 1 • • r ' 1 . in pursuance of the provisions of the % ver-,1 lal acts referred to. the ,Pennsylvania Raitrasd j Company have paid into the Treasury of _the . Commonwealth. the following sums, viz '...: , 0 e n d d 1 For p etit rg Nov. 301851, 97,521 , 93 s do • - ,•d01852, * 16,480 49 , .do . ; do . 1853, 85,324 59 'do - * I ' do . 1654, 112010 50 , , do I do . 1855, - 129,230 - 36 i do I do -- ; ' 18511,. :2 . 26,018.51 . do r do:: - ...laati 179,933 75 ' do -* ' dO ;.1958 ,: 222,203 ° 021 Aiwa 'July, t 1-858,. the railroad company; has iiteielte psi tfits' 'taw, and consequently . , tharen opening from mad company, on tlukt seem*, exclusive of -Intermit, the taw of Qa-ilie Sistior Febnotry,loB, an account ~ .. vaiLlattisid - byrtile ifixditor. General, itgatti bunceopaayy . the _ sat ca toaster free the Mit du at Juilta'the 3okaily - Of '/ . 4 tti' ..!!attiher,. , ,'ll3i4i.lioilasive, -:aa ottu ti ng to auti",of .1114576 $2,-; Frcsa this sattlasiess, the employ; cip the 1/0b day of Aprii,Joah *a Appal to too Coes of Owing* pion: of ',pea pigo trentty, and in theitpeedileatictite of objegkanr-wMa eettrlihal. it wee evened that, thetas live ueoeuttitetional, and an• 8840,302 30 -* 4.137 00 - 4.844 40 5i45,150 00 - -'38,420.005 67 388,200.00 260,000 $7,300,000 00 01,p00 . 00 opinion to !bet . effect, ,signed •by eminent counted; was tiled in the office of the Auditor General at thri : - time the appeal Was entered. lu Augtiit 114 the cause- was tried, and after a full thvesrigetion and argument, the con stitutionality of theist* imposing the tax 'me affirmed by the - Court; and a verdict and judgment rendered . . in favor-of the Commons.' wealth, for,the!atn.onnt • claimed, with inter eat. The - caselhas . eince.been removed, by a writ of erfor„ts the Supreme. Court of- he State, and will; probably, be beard and de termined, by-that tribunal..in the course of the present winter: On the 25th day of August last another ac- - toUnt. wad soured, against the company, for , the tax. on tondage, from the Nib -of Novem ber, 1858, to the 20th of July, 1859, amount ing to the settt;:lf 9159,388.68, frojn which an appeal has also been taken by the railroad company, and-ishich will probably be tried during the present month. As Ibis question largely affects the revenues of the . C4' minonlweriltli, and as s the principle invoked.is one* the &it importance, I have deemed it a duittto lay before the. General Assembly, somewhat in detail, the history of this tax, and present couidtiho of tho .le gal con t rOters ygrowingout 'of its imposition and enforcement: • It ivill be observed that the power of the State„to giant chartered rights and corptnate.prtvileges to a' railroad company, upon Ole condition that it shall pay Co the Commonwealth a portion of its ecru= ings in the shape of a fixed tax on the - freight carried over theroad,' is questioned by the company, slid this, too,• after die grant has taken effect, and while the corporation is , in fUll enjoyment of all the benefits conferred u pon it by its (diluter. The qUestion it is true. is a legal Otte, and its decision, therefore, rests with the judicial department of the govern _meat. but I have not the slightest, doubt, that, the decision, when had, will entirety vindicate the right of ther4g.,vernment to impose the tax, and to corOpil corporations . of its own creation, o obey ? the law from which they derive their existence. ' When it is remembered that 'the tax Was originally imposed, •in order to. idernrify the State, to some extent, for losses which she was sure to sustain from a competition which was, inevitable, between the railroad authoriz ed, ind her maid line of pubtiu ~ °rho, and that this competition did, not only seriously affect the revenues of the ComMon.wealtb, (re , ' rived from her public improvements, but ul ~ timately inducertstlii3 sale of the main line to the railroad - company itself, at a price.mauy millions ,of dollars beloyr what-it wouldhave produced lo the absence of such competition, it is certainly not'. to be presumed that the Commonwealth will willingly. yield her 'de mend, for revenue:from this source, until . she lis fully indemnified for tbe -pecuniary injury sustained in the. depreciation of her own property, by' her lliberality• extended to the company which now denies her power to en force a contract, Voluntarily entered into, up on a consideratioe ,entirely irdeqiiate. The annual Report. of , the Superintendept of Common Schools, with the tables and docuMents accompanying it, will exhibit the condition of the slot one of social icopror: meat to which it relates. The number of pu pits, moral the public -salmis in the State, is 634.651. , -ofscholds,ll,434—and ofteachers, 14,071. The schOols have been iu'operauon on an average over the whole Stare; five months- sod nine days. -The tiverage salary of male teachers, ii 24 36, and of female teach ere, 817 79, and the:cost of . instruction,' per pupil, fifty-three cents per month. The aver age tax for tuition] rksti, Is about five and a, half mills, -and forlbuilding purposes,. about three and one-ixth nillls-on a duller. Includ ing the city of Philadelphia, the entire cost of tuition, ,kc, wars *2,047.661 62; the build ing expenses, 031,413-85; and the • whole expense of the syitrin, in, the State, fur the_ year, 82,579;075 X 17.. . '1 - ~. Though the school year enclitic , ' on , the first Monday of June fait, - was one of unuseal di fficulty in moneyi4trairs, yet the'system man ifests an encouraging activity in _all its de partmenia while the raie..of taxation,' both for tuition amit•buildingk would appear, from the official• report, to have somewhat decrees ed. But, it is by is contrast of the - present condition st the sistero, with that of 1854 , whetithe agencies now acting so trenefiCial- I ly were created, that results are most plainly seen. Within that the whole number of pupils bas - been increased, nearly one-sev enth—of teach's:l4 one-tbirteenth--4nd the salary of teachers, the best index of improve meut, pne-sixth-fcri ; malts ; and Onetouth fur females. These results, with the.others which the official repore, will exhibit; • unerringly point to the duty, as well as tteces,ity, of the utmost care and attention on the partl of all' public agentsork this printery social institu tion—primary la importatim, no' less than, in tile et racot each citizen. To strengthen 1 to retainpure, and to properly direct, tbis fountain-head of social in4uetim, is, it wets to me, the great (buy of the law-maker, in his highest and most responsib4e capacity, as the framer of the futere.of the State.. 't - i Theattention of the General Assembly. was calletisomewhat at length, -=to , the present condition and - further requirements of -our school system, io the - Annual _Message of last „year. lt is' nor; therefore, . accessary, to re peat the suggestion and coot:lesions then kpre-eased. They: are •again,.however, nom mended to your faiprable coolideration; the [ - Drente and.e.tirerietice,of the intervening peri od, Lanni invreared the conviction of their -propriety. : . , ~ • This ii-especiallY thane:cis regard`to the `plan devised by ito act of 20th of May, 1857, for Iherdue training of teachers fur the 'cam- Men twbods of the ;State.' , A. ,foil 'supply -of cotoptiteUt ineclien4is admitted by alli to 'he the great need Of tlia_ayattito sod . ibe first want toproeidedfik..tlaistriogitidicatious. in every qu ar t er, net only; istabhsh this feet, but point !barbital /Awl= of the pro- Olaf at no distant day.. The efforts * of ' themselves, for . professional lurporremea oramansed and su stained - .. by, n 1 sPlai . duly -*imam' tbairtilatrandiallainvee. of the tasebv dank net only formal thi, bat 4bestrosis pilgtesentfoint in fssor-of, institutionalist tbe lampoon ia - qtiestien, cort firmstiMpicilmibillty ilif thia trek.: 'ln every gamer unicatione )irt !hie kind sea peressived —morititleat sarcea in Artipsitiotr to the' ; fore* of local cliembetassam - - ';'-'" :... . - - ' . ti tlintkelqui ItiMasi:Vigt6o4 compos ed ~ of die murrains of .Lhniirster..Tork: /red ben: anon; sic institstloa, op to' the fall wen ,meats of the law ofilaittiasbeen establish- Aid, and idlicially redosniastl, Mid is atm in sitcomaibl operation itesigieteN.P l ,Enel Schnni; moNTRosE t 12,-1860. Fot its details, the Legislature is respeutfully referred to the annual report of the Superin tendent of Common Schools; but I would do injustice to the intellikent enterprize which moulded, and tbe enlarged philanthropy that produced This noble instiinlion, well as to my own feelings, 'were forbear cbngratu; fitting you upon the _rault. It is 'the, first fruit of a law which seems to be in accordance with the cautious, yet' generous character of our people, as it is admirably adapted toeffect .the great end in riew r All that seems requisite to give fall effect .and general suCcessio the - plan; is, at this juncture, to guard it from mutilation or rad ical change. If the intelligent and !literal minds that are now weighing the project, and chntemplating its extension, to other parts of the State, be. assured thin 'this is' the settled policy, their efforts wilt be concentrated, tbeir activity increased, and final suet:see hastened: Whereas, radical or important changes will destroy this growing confidence crush the hopeful 'efforts now 'being made, and postpone for years, .if cot totally destroy all hope of success in this essentialdepartment of pubilo instruction. The true course will be to cherish the law and bring it into • gen eral operation, by bolding out the certainty of State aid to each institution established under' it, aesoon as a certain number, to be fixed by law, shall l o ve been legally'recogniz ed, and are in full operation,' The money. of the State, appropriated in tills rnanner, will effect more benefit, in proportion to the out.; lay, titan in any other of the operations of the system. The instruction of the child is a du ty, but the instruction of the teacher is econo my as well as duty. . Ia v , ill probably he advigable to make such appreptiariona payable only when the schools are. legally- recognized and in fell operation. This course gill have the 'double effect of guardiag.against loss by the State, and of -stimulating into early existence a sufficient number of ins•itutions to. sUpply,the existing want in every, quarter of the State. The per bid for the !hit(' election of County Superintendents is rapidly approaching, and the public mind, sill naturally be turned. to the results of the office. 'My own observation as well as information from valieiis and retie ble source., leads to the.dninion, t6. t .ids 0t fiaq t Waco 11110 by the proper person, and its duties discharged-in full compliance with the design and spirit of the law, creating it, has been -of great, advantage to the schools. Ins deed, no candid 'person can,cleny the fact, ap. parent to even slight observation, that more• improvement has, beenseffected in the .work ings and results of the alstem,'siuce the crea tiou of the office cif County Superintendent, than-in 'tiny pie.vious period of even - double 'duration. It is true, that when exeroited by iocotnpetent officers, or crippled by insuffi< cient compensation, little, if any' advantage has accrued. Rut thilv ieno argument writing( the office itself; and.it hoped ' that the.direcors of counties, thus heretofore .de prived of the beneflts Of - this agency, will, at the next election, acting under, thC teachings •of experience at . horne.,,and the light 'of sue cess from other parts, correct thiv evil, and realize the full benefits of thisprovision attic -- - • The increasing, ease and soundness of our financial condition;sol, at no reitote period, justify an addition to the common school ap proprirition. The general policy of the State bat -been that each district shall raise within itself the rnaie support of its owck schook— but, RA annual donation, , distributable amongst them all, in proportion to pnpas lion, has also been a part of that policy. The of of this State grant seems to be • two fold ; —lt is a means of satiuring regi- Laity in the proceedings and • reports of the. several diliricts, so that the DeNirtment of t3ornmon Schoo&sball have the reqnbite in formation tot 014 due disdharge of its fano Lions: And ieepud—lt lightens, in sorue.de vet., the burden' Of local taxation, to the- rd .: . lief of the poorer, and more sparsely peopled distficts. Au increase of the annual appro priation iyould'enhance both these objects, whenev'er the finances oftheloveinment .will justify it, cutumends itself to the favora ble Legislature.. - The aid which the Legidatnre has hitherto extended to the estsblishmerst of the - Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, strongly evin- ces their high appreciation of the advantages which it is anticipated will,grow out of that institution. -.While it must be - admitted that knowledge is as essential to the art of firm ling; AS it is teal! the other employment's of life, we cannot but feel deeply interested, that a community so peculiarly agricultural as we are, should have all the advantages Of an ed ucation which combines in itself, as well' the . knowledge of the pantie:Li art of agriculture, aslcientific - actrirements in all those branch es Of )earning which are especially applicable id its profitable pursuit., A school where ag riculture iiin'act lordly taught, is a new field to which our attention - has I)4(in:called and one' which, because of its great importance, ' welt deseriFes ourattention.. It embraces the principle, that while youth are taught , habits of industry, they are impressed with the proud . ' consideration . ; that the labor of their owe' hands contributes to tbeir acrpiisitimi of knowledge. And thcs, trio, •education brought, Within the reach of many a bright 'genius, who would otherwise simple and languish for the want of .the tneans.of,acrini .ring it: Our school; within, its limited means, has been in successful operetiori s during . the past year; having under its chargeone hun- d red boys, who, whifeihey are , easefully' in structed in all those. brenthea of science Which pertain to a high order . or educatiou, are dai ly engaged all the practical. operations of the Carl—fitting_ them to return , to rural life ; and to infuse throughout the State an amount and kind of knowledge.whith must ultimate. ty..produce a 'most beneficial influence ...upoe this most cherished branch of industry. The practical workings of the school for the past year. have impressed the trustees who Kee bad' it in charge, wittithe highest hopes of its, mintilete success: This great interest which is everywhere felt throughout the Commott- . _ wealth, in the further extension end proper, -of the institution, commends it to our care l end protection.. - ;. • The State Librarian, will report • to you the completion of the descriptive . and Classified catalogue of the books In the StateLibiary, _euthoryted - by the apt or, the :lath of 'April, 1858—a work, frem the, details it: embraces' of conch labor, but which .41' greatly .facilf "tate the use of the Uhrary.. will be seen, from Lis report, that tba origin of the Library deter, ter bo4 to the hiatery . of the Provionial --government, and tha, it received chef:sieving care of the . CoMmonvrealth !during the period Lot the. Revolution. It is gratifyteg thatenot withstanding the !antis to , which it has been subject. in .part-years, owl ogi to. . the want of ',proper attention-eunder thri Careful supervia-, ion of the present Librarlanj it has, since be has bid the charge of . it, nitarly doubled its number of soluines, and now contains in all 22,000 volumes—the largesi State Library in the Union, With the single xception of that of the State ofNew 'York. ' he collection of ' law books, and especially la reports, is con- . siderni by (hose competent o judge, *Moog the best in the country. be Library, from its intrinsic value and - imp rtance, and its historic relations,dese - rves, a d I trust it will !'receive, the continued liber lity ,of the late Legisletere. • - , , In my inaugural adlyess, es Well as in my last annual message,l exprs d the opinion _that our present banking ay e em was erreme ly defe - ctive, and tint, unless it wasiadically I changed, I should consider i 16 . imperative duty to withhold the Es cedes ;,approval from all bills creating new banks. 'Without again giving in detail - the rfasOns which his Iluenced my 'action on this - ,question, or re peating the ingestions and recorn men I a tions heretofore made to the Legislittue, it is prop er to remark at; this time, that myconvictions have been : confirmelby time land reflection— that my opinions remain unchanged, and that . I cannot approve of any ieernise of banking corporations under existing ''awe. - If coign-, nte priyileges . for banking perposes 'are need ed to accommodate the business wants of any ponion of the State, justice require; that such institution should be, compelled to pro 'tea the community receiving its circulation, by requiring that ample seCurity shall be giv; en for, the prompt rederriptien of-its notes, the sufficiency:of which no ap t , of the corpor ation could impair. MI experience in this Stnte and elsewhere bits deMonstrattel that the present &Nem stiferds 'hike or no protec tion to note holders beyond tlie Personal: in tegrity.of the'officers contro ling the man agement tif the several tants), For a full ex prOtion of my Views on this Iquestion, I re spectfully call the attention ef the General Assembly to soy last annual rhessa,ge. - - The reports of th. tinalto General, the state Treasurer, the Surveyo ,General, the Adjutant General, and the Attorney . General will be laid before yon, and -Will show, in de tail, the operations of their reipective.depert meats for•the past year. - I '' Deeply impressed with thelbelief that the present mode of receiving, lisping end-dis bursing the public revenue, is entirely unsafe, and inadequate to the complete protection of the interests of-the Common Wealth invelved, I again respectfully ; though eirnestly, invoke legislativeaction on this highly important subject. The receipts and drsbersernents of the Treasury are each, annually,. - from 'three to four millions of dollars. At:, xiintiti Otere is on hand a balance exceeding• One milliOn of dollars. The State. Treasurer !gives security to the Comm.onwealtb, in - the • and' of only eighty thous - and dollars. Re deposits the money of the Stafe.wben and Where he pleas - es, - and it is paid out epee his own cheek ex chisively. His accounts . are' ,ettled' by the I Auditor General ,- once I month, andtbis is I apparently, the only safeguaril• L provided by law to prevent the illegal' use lof the public fUnds while under the Control; of -the State Trnssurer. That the Treasury of theConitnon wealth. has hitherto ,eseaped (Vent disastrous defalcation, is owing to the , integrity of the officer, and - not to theLefficieiicy . of the . laws;' and while our main reliance, in the future,, mu-t be op the honesty of the officers to whom the department iis'entruited, it is, nev ertheless,the plain duty Of theJ- goiernment, by proper regialative enactinents,- to prevent, as far as ter_sible, 'tbe illegal,l improper or fraudulent use of the fundsof the State, by a _ ?id t bless or dishonest public agent. I reSpect.. l frilly recommend, that provi.ine be made by Isw that ntenioney shaft be dePosited•in any bank, or elsewhere, ,by :the :Treasurer, I without first requiring, security to be given- to the Commonwealth, for the prompt re pay ment of the sums deposited—tlfat all checks, - issued by the State Treasurer, ',Mall be conn- 1 tersigned by the Auditor Genertit, before they are used—•and that daily account of'the mon eys teeeived,ldepositedtand dislihrsed, Audi be keptin the office of thoAuditer, General as well as in the Treasury . Department . ; and that weekly statements of the balance in the' Treainry,-and thtt,•places and abeounts-o' de posits, shall be kept in it book tO be provided fur that purpose in each department. The Commissioners appointed in, pursuance of the resolutions of the 19th ofApril, 1808,, to revise thcPenal Code 'of this Commiiii werilth. havh presented to me Their dull ret port,•which ie.-herewith. tranandtted --tothe Geperal Assembly. Its imporiince- to our whole community, and fire great Labor devo ted-to its.preparatioe, commend it . - to your 'early atid earnest, attention-; The -manner in which the duties of the commission have been •perfOrmed cannot fail, in thy. opinion; to re- ceieeyour approbation., -- I.', • I commend to Your fostering care theStat,e Lunatic AtiYturn, at Harrisburg —the West-. 'ern Pennsylvania Hoipital fur the Insane; at Pittsburgh?—the Asy4nm for tie plied,- at Philadelphia—the Asylum foe' t the Deaf and, Dumb, at Philadelpfdit-thist i. ! :intisylvsois Training School fOr Idiotic and Feeble Mind ed Children, et Media--the EloOo of Refuge,' at Pluladelphii,---atad the Western Rouse. (if Refirge, - at Pittsburgh. These excellent, char, stable and reformatory State institutions tutie done, and are doing, nltpostiecalculable good, is the relietof suffering, humanity, and in the 'reclamation and - vefortn. 01 . the'erring young. They have - ietrung.thainienpon the continued trotinty Of ithe Gomneolowealth.--e The annual report. Of these •cnikle - charities wtlFhe laid before yon, and wilt exhibit, in detail; their operation during thri Pot year. I refrain foantreontittiendiugOns re* ob jects for the bounty. of the State v e autriber. of benevolent-and . charitable osommions, ecieal ty humane and beneficent in the)r.emerattoug hesitant* they itn.cetireir 10 0 1 ,in Vier chai -toter, and however meritiliorteltbeir ' , Salmi nearbe,.and.netprestiontibly rani upon the re spective communities for whole-particular. rises they are founded and - condeoted,.in my opinion,-they :hue no cleims- Upon (be Trot , surptif L the State r Which can . be • recognised with a ,ust regard - touts+ iateraa(a.and itgbts tokabatsectioaa of the gomniOnirealth; i_.-, 4- ',-, 'The edttainf the - Colocia!: tineordir:-: and. PennsylermiaArehisess bait prapnmd ariespiees; index I+) the eirhole work whichlwill ...be : lald b a r," the Legislator*, at au. wady day vt tea session. - Thin.iablicetlan is tote com pleted, and it is a satisfaction to know, that te-4 •.. • - ords of the colony, as well as:,those.of-tbe State, preceditig the adoption of the Conga-, Mien of 1799, are now of easy access to the public ' and io a condition which renders their entire destruction impossible. ' I mconimend that a 'suitable sum be paid,- by the Com otonwealth, to the editor of the' Records and Archives, for- the work perforated by him . since the discontinuance of bia salary. ' I-have so repeatedly „presented my 'views to the Legiilature of the evils arising from lo cal and class legislation, that it is not neces sary again to repeat them. desire, howev er, to call the attentiou of toe General Assem bly to, the fact that we have on our Statute books general laws `providing for the-incor poration of railroad, turnpike, bridge, plank road, gas, water, insurance and other similar companies, and that all corporate Owers granted• by the Legislature to such companies should be under these general _laws, so that there may be uniformity-in-the provisions of similar issociiitions, and-that the time of the General Assembly may not - be . ocupied •in passing bills of great length " when a simple reference to the details of the general laws would answer every purposed '. • The practice of sendieg to the Executive is large-number of bills immediately, preceding the-finel adjournment or the Legislatere, is highly objectionable, and ought, as far as practicable, to be discontinued- Its Decease ry consequence is either to ciumpelthe Exec= utive to approve , bills whi - chle his not fully examined, tosign them after the fiaal siourn.: meat,. Or; if be di4approve them, to return them to the next Geueral Asiembly with his Objections. Thus ituposineepon a succeed iog•Legislature the final disposition of bills, with the origin end patsage which - it bad no connection. To Illustrate the evils result irtg from this practice, it is wily necessary to inform you that of the large ikumber of bills presented fur my approval, within a' day or two of the adjourittnent 'of thelast Legislature, 11 am constrained, by a "sense of duty; to "re turn ea:l'My objections, meaty-three to the present Legislature for. reconsideration..• It is apparent:front the exhibit of the (Wan; cialcoadition of tiler:neer:it Government,:re oently made public, -that the wants of the . Federal Treasury_ will demand a tevisiop hf the with tariff laws of the United .States, a view to au increase of the revenue de rivable from import i s, *heti this revision shell take place, it "greatly to be desired; Out a proper regard for the industrial inter em lof the country will. prompt the Congress of the United States, to place -her revenue -laws upon such R basis, as -to afford to , our great mining and manufacturing interest the largest incidental protection. To Tsobstit eta specific for ad reforem duties, on a certain glass of articles which from their trat ere are of equal or Dearly equal value—or to change !toe foreign to a home valuation,with a moder ate increase of the rates now iruposed, would, 1 am satisfied, infuse new life and. vigor into all the various deparmants of jadusfry,. and, at the 'same time; without imposiug burdens upon tire - people, afford .to the General Gov ernment. a revenue amply suffeient for ail its' wants. - The early -of the Territory - of Kaitias as one of the soyereigo States. of the Maori, - under a Constitution legally enacted, and fully and lai,Pv raiified by the direct votes; of tr large majority of the people of the Territory, will. remove - from the Natioal lature a subject Which has' hithertix, in no in considerable degree, attracted the attention of the Nation, and which, from 'the :satire, and extent, of the' discessionlin :Congress, has been 'productive of much elimination and--in crimination between the various sections of our common country. Popular Sovereignty having finally petalled, in the full, free-and fair adoption of the fundamental Jai. of the .Territory, according to the wishes of the peo ple, this vexed - and dangerous question, in fhat Territory, may now be considered -as satisfactorily and perpetually settled. , , .Copies of the correspondence, bet Ween the Governor of Virginia and the Governor 'of, Pennsylvania, on the subject of the recent outrage at Harper's Fairy, arehetewitb trans mi tt.o to the Legislature. The-latter address ed • by 'the Governor of Virginia to the Gevernor of Pennsylvania was Miasma' to Hai- eisonberg, Virginia, and •hence was not re ceived, until the first jay of Deceinher, • tine day before the execution of Jobe, Brown; and, therefore, it was = impossible to reply, to - it by' in time to reaoh the Governor of Virgin!. is before the execution. The answer was eon. sequently sent by telegraph, which will' me= , count for its brevity and sententious/charac ter.' - . The reoent seizure of the pubhc property of the United States, at Harper's Ferry," and the inVasion of the State of Virginia, by a small band of desperadoes l -with / an intention to- incite the slave populataon , toinsurreCtion, hive drewn.attention to the deniers which beset our federal relatione! It a source , of satisfaction to knois that the , authorities of Virginia possessed the means-and the , deter= mina don to alt , OffenderS, with fitomPt7' ness and just i ce'4.that the militariforci of the, United States was a power; iti3mediatib. availahlrktoaid in putting down the outbreak against / the" public - peace;--that the slave popolittiott were contented with their condi tion; and unwilling to Unita with disorderly whitimen, in acts of treason - and murder; artitthet the great masses of the people have . ' Mr sympathy, whatever, with any attack up on the'rigbts and institntioria of any of the States, and hive a deep and abiding devotion to our great and glorious Pelee .. . To es,,aa Peonsylvaniani; it is gVatiying to believe; . that the citizens of this Gum mod wealth have not, in-any mapper, participated, in:, Ibis un lawful proceeding, and to know-that when some of the guilty peipetratori were 'arrested ai}hio *sir jutisdiction, they were, promptly' surrendered to the justice of the offended and . injured! State. - • ' • ' The several States of this Union ars hide. pendent sovereigtitiet, except, so, far as ',they h a v e granted certain enumerated portal ) to the Faderid GOvernment. cams not; for,. I tidal for in the Federal Constitution; the sev eral States, in their relatious - to; each :other, ought to be governed-by the priticiplei Which. regolato the continat of civilised cations.-- Tbstsprinciples forbid, in all nations, "every evil practice-tending to excite disturbaatie in aoothit Statue - and are founded on tlie'mas int; that "different nations ought, in tune of pm*, to. do onsartother all tits 'good they ti oan is , tori mi: tb zi o wo ut i p oo rt g d o irti iioci ng b l y he a i l r i r c e i al vii sp od terr' e ts.; ernments, applies with peculiar Tome to the salami States of this booud together,, rte they ere, by s sound compaok for - mutual , VOLUME XV!i:tiUMBEFi 2. ,support and Protectioo ; and, therefore, any attempt in one State to excite insurrection in another, is an.offeace against all the Btu" - because all ire bound , by the .Constitutims.to , 'put down such_disturbance; and the act of Congress authorizes'ilie President of the Unit ed States to call out the militia of lheeevertral States fOr lba piirpose. It is a high offence against the peace door , Coinasonwealtb, for disorderly persona within our jurisdiction, to, combine ;together for the purpcse of stirring' up insurrection in any of the States, onto in diceahe slaves - it/the Southeia States to alsb=. scond; from their_ masters ; awl it, would be proper, in. my.judgment, for the General As. sembly tocoturider whether, edditiotiel !ogles - tion may not be_ necessary to insure the prompt punishment-of such offender* against' our peace and security.- . In .determining our relative duties -towards our sititer States, the morality of . servitude ie not an open %Creation-, for we are bound . by the ligal and aioralobligatiOn of 08CA:impact of the Union,, under wish we have berm bran& into existence, and preserved as dependent States, as well as by the priticiplea • of international law., „to respect the institg. lions whitift the laws of the several. Buttes recognize, and - in - no other way can we faith. fully fulfill- our obligations, as members of this Giifediacy.. . . While - 1 entertain' no doubt that the great Republican sentiment, on this continent, so hapily commenced, end carried forward to its present exalted• poSition, in the eyes of the - will continue, under the Providence of God, to be successful to the latest genera., Lions, iris the part of wisdoni and patriotism to tie watchful and vigilank . Und to carefully - guard s treasure so pticeless. Lit moderate counsels provail-- - .let *spirit:of harmony sad good will, sod - a national fraternal sentimeak be etiltivated among the people, everywhere —North and South—And the disturbing rile.. meats Wide!, tempoiarily threaten:our Union,' will - now, as they Lave always hereicifore, suredly paas away. - Pentiselvania, in: the past.;- heti performed her part with unfaltering . firmness—let her now, and in the future, be .eier ready to dis charge her confederale dtities with unflinch ing integrity; 'Then will tier_ proud, position entitle her; nddly and effectually, to rebuke and. assist in crushing' treason, whether. it shall raise - fns crest in Other . States, ,in the guise of a.fanatical and irreprwsible conflict , between the Ninth and the South ;or assume the equally reprehensible form of culifiaatioa,. secession, and a.•dissolution .of the Union. Her central geographical pc:sitiop, stantobiug fotin the. bay of Delaware to the- lakes"— ' With her three million of conservative popula. I tion—entitles her tri, „say, wish emphasis, . to the plotters of treason on either hand; that neither shall be .permitted to succeed; -that I iris not in the power ofeithet to disturb the p4rpetuity of this Cason, cemented and sancti fied as it is, by the blood of our patiotic thers—tbat, at- every - sacrifice, and at 'every • bawd, the constitutional righti of the people and 'the States" shall be maintained--equal ,atkl exact • justice shall be done. to to' the North 'and to the Sauth , --atiti:these at.B.tet shall be ftirevel`,United, . . We, as a people have great , r e ason to ae. knowledge the Providende of God, who rules Over the nations of the -fiarth. 'Under His• guardianship; hitherto so signally enjoyed, we feel an Unabated confidence 4% she per minenoy of our free government,. nud look - ; % forward, with* cheerful hope, to a lutist* glo - rious destiny. In the blessings that !tare crowned our own Ccimmonwealth the past' year--id the success that has accompanied all our industrial pursuits; in the steady ad- . vance of our edUcational itiscit4tiona; , - the quiet And peace of our.domeitic houi6; is all that cap -advancer a nation's prosperity and happiness. ' , we recognize the hand of this Great piverofall Correvondenee hettoetn„the Governor of Fir pinia and the Governor of Penneycvnnin, referred to in• the foregoing Message: Noveror Wiie" to Governor tacker.' . icristotm,lira, - Nov„ . 2.sth, 1859. To . lirit' At Efeelleney, the Governor of Penn spli(anici : • • ileea'Strt:—l respectfully semi to you the. , infor,Mation contained Ins letter to the Presit dent of the United &atm, of • which the itt-' closed is a. copy. I submit it to you in tjts / confidence that you will faithfully co Operate with the authorities of this State in presenring the peace of our coterminous borders. Ne. . cessity may compel us: to , pantie invaders of our jurisdiction into yours; if so, you ;Amy; be assured that it will be doue with no dis respect_ to the sovereignty of your State. Bet this State expects the confederate duty tci observed of guarding your ter/ tort' from be coming dangerous to our pews and safety by affording pleoes of depot and rendes-4n to lawless.desperadoes wbo may seek, to war -. upon our people. . . With the' higbmt - I am, sir, yours truly; . • • rtg.NRY A. WISE. [Governor Wi"e„io Jas. linchatati; Presitlent of the (lotted Suites.] • I nz - customs, 25th;185i To ifie .Eicellency.jabies Rudianan, Prui denti of the Ogled States,: . Sot i—l have informal-km_ from Various quarters upon which - I rely, that a onustli racy of foratidahle means and numbei, is formed in tthib,Pituoiylvactia, New York, aod other, Suttee,' to- rescue John Brown and his asso. eiatits,j-prisouers at: "Charlestown, -Va. The information is specific cuougb tole reliable. It eouroces cue that au attempt will be snide to rescue the prisonero, and, if that faits, thee to aeizii citizens of-this-State aa h‘stageta and vietfroit'in case of exemition."- The execution . will Jake place nett Friday as, tiertairdy, as that'Vjirginia can and Will enforce he'r laws. I have been obliged to Call out cue itooiritui -coed, who are now utuler arms, and, if taitiee.. rary, shall Gall out the' whole available' foto* of the'State to carry *iota edreat thescateoce - o f 6 1 , r 1 ) s ws on the 2a ' and. letb proxiMo. Magee io•Naryland, Obfo, and Pistonsylvania have beeionoupied as depots sod rendezvous by these deiperadoel, unohatimetsii by guards or,Otbitrwise, to invade this State, and we are kept In continual apprehension of outrages from fire_ and rapine on Ouaorders. I ttp• ptiseyou_of-tbese facts in order that you ;nay take steps to preserve peace , between the State!. I protest that my purpose is peace._ fill, and that I disclaim, all threats 'belt say, with all the might' of meaning, that! if another iwritsiori sze.kili this' Stull at its isid. WJL'F• PACKER;
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers