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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;