it i. too plain to admit of doubt, that our banking system has been ,onc of the nioM prominent. Tho value of the precious metals the prices of property and the wages of labor are always affected by the abundanco or scarcity of the paper medium received as a substitute for told and silrer coin. The power of the States 'to authoSo a patter currency, through the agency of baakn, has been so long ex crci.cd, and acknowledged throughout the Union, that it ia no longer an open -question. But it must be acknowledged that the power has been greatly abused The delegation of this attiibute of sovc rcigntj to a number of irresponsible cor- ' poraiions, without proper checks to limit its cjcvrcise, and without providing any security whatever for the redcaption of the issues thus authorized, has Lcen at tended with evils of the most alarming character. These corporations are prac tioally made the oxclu-ivo judges of the amount of paper currency to be lurnished to the people, and have exclus-ivc power to coutraot or expand their circulation at . pleasure. Depositors and other ordinary creditors of banks, need no legislation for their protection. Every one who has direct dealings with these institutions, ei ther as dopo.-itor or otherwise, enters in to such engagements voluntarily, for his own advagtagc, and may be safely left to his own vigilance, and the ordinary rem cdicB of the law, for his protection. But iho millions of people engaged in indus trious pursuits, the farmer the mcchan- ' io tho merchant and the laboring man -are under an imperious necessity to re ccivo for their merchandize and their la bor, tho ordinary paper currency of the country. It is impossible for persons of .this dct-cription to invcstitagc the con cerns of every ins-litution whose notes arc in circulation. But no investigation could pave them from the losses arising from tho defaults and frauds of bank officers end tho insolvency of bank borrowers. The note holders of banks have pecul iar claims to the protection of the govern ment. They arc involuntary creditors, who arc forced to receive the notes au thorized by the government. They have no direct dealings with the banks. They do not trust the banks from any hope of gain. They have no profit in passing the notes which they have had in passing gold and silver coin. They constitute almost the entiro community, and the humble and ignorant are always the greatest suf ferers when a bank fails to redeem its notes. The whole people are, therefore, deeply iutcrestcd in the security of the circulation allowed by law,although many of thorn may never have had a share of bank stock, or been within a hundred miles of its place of business. The gov ernment that authorizes the issue of a paper currency is under a high moral obligation to require ample and availa ble .-ecurity for its redemption. The ccrtifi-atcs of loan is.ucd by the Grnoral Government, or by thio Common mooweallb, at a value to be fixed upon, with the power to require additional tie porits of security, from time to time, a? the loans depreciate iu the market, would be a safe and available 'as an' guaranty which could be provided. A law requiring all issues of Banks h'realttT organized, to be secured by the pledge of these loans, would enhance the value of the present loans, and thus give the holders a prcmioru not contemplated when tbey became the purchasers, and for which they never gave any valuable eom-ideralion. This enhanced value would he derived from a privilege by the , State, and the State ought therefore, to .have tic benefit of it, as. far as this may -be secured by legislation. The recent a mendmenfc to the Constitution circum scribes the power of the Legislature iu creating State debts, with an exception in favor of debt? contracted "to redeem the present outstanding indebtedness of the , State." A law authorizing new State . loans for the purpose of redeeming the present over due debt, would be within the constitutional exception, and would be free from objection cn constitutional grounds. The new loans, thus authorized, re deemable at the expiration of twenty years : with the banking privilege attached to them, would undoubtedly sell ata high premium. Tho proceeds of their sale should Yc applied to the payment of the . present State dcb,t not? overdue, amount- . -iu to more than seventeen millions of -dollars. Under this y6tcm the State loans would no longer be held by foreigners, and the semi-annual shipments of specie, to pay interest, would therefore cease. Ab the currency would be limited to (bo amount actually secured, the dangor from expansions, whioh have heretofore timulatcd the incautious to embark in t ruinous enterprises, iu overtrading, and in' extravagance in their expenditures, h would be greatly lessened, if entirely o vercome. As the securities would be in , the hands of a high and responsible officer of the State, ivitb authority to sell them ,..for the purpose of redeeming the circula- , tioo, the power of the banks to arrest ypceie payments, at their own pleasure, . would be at au end. The system'propos- ed is as near an approach to a specie ba sis as the condition aid habits of the peo pie ars at present prepared for. The du ty of securing the community from loss es continually arising from an unsafe corrcocy, cannot be longer delayed, with out a mauifut disregard of the public in terests, j he subject is therefoie com mended fco your early attention. The report of the commissioners ap poin-tcd to contract for and superintend the erection of a monument to the memo ry of citizens of Pennsylvania, who were elain or lost tbetr lives in the late war 'with Mexico, will inform the Legielature fof the proceedings had on the subject. After receiving proposals for thn erection of the monument, and the adoption of a plan, it was determined, iu view of the Jimited and inadeq-uato appropriation raade for the .accomplishment of tho pur--jsose, by t he la;t-Legislature, to postpone rtbe comHiencetntnt of tho work until fur ther JogfsJaiion could bo had. It is the opinion of the Commissioners that such a SG.on'umciit as would. do credit to the Stale., the dead. canuot fie built for a less sum than thirty thoubaud dollars. If the Legislature should concur fn that opinion, he appro priation, should be increased accordingly. The report of the'Stato Librarian will inform you of the progress made in the cat. aloguo authorized by the last Legislature,, and the general condition of the Libra ry, which has grown to be an institution that deserves your fostering care. I would commend to your attention the suggestions of the Librarian. The report of the Attorney General, which will he laid before you, will exhib it the operations of tho Law Department of tho government, for the past year. The act of the 31t of April, 1857, which requires the Attorney General to keep an office at Ilarrisburg, and which provides that all debts due to the Commonwealth, fball be collected by tbat officer, has proved to bo a highly beneficial enact ment. Under its provisions largo sums are saved, which were formerly paid for commissions and counsel fees. And the improved stato of our finances is in no inconsiderable degree owing to the prompt manner in which outstanding claims arc paid into the State Treasur'. The Adjutant Geucral's report, which will be laid before you, will show in de tail the present oondilion of the Military Department. I would respectfully call the attention of tho Legislature to the rccommoudations of tbat offioer. Tho militia law of 1858, has not been fully tested; but it is believed to be, in the main, an improvement on the laws in force at the time of its passage. Ono of its best features, and one tbat should be strictly enforced, is that the system is self-supporting. In no contingency should that department bo a charge upon the public Treasury in time of peace. In referring the attention of the Legis lature to the elaborate" reports of the Au ditor General and State Treasurer, rela ting to the finances of the State, which will be laid before you, I cannot refrain from giving expression to my views on the importance of a change in the mode of keeping and distur&ing the public moneys. The State Treasurer receives and dis burses between four and five millions of dollars annually; and it not unfrcqueutly happens that there is a ballanee in the Treasury exceeding one million of dol lars. The bond of the Treasurer is but for eighty thousand dollars, lie deposits the money wherever he pleases, aud it is paid excluMvely on his own check. The moutly settlements with the Auditor Gen eral afford some security that the funds of the Commonwealth will not be misap plied; but it is entirely inadequate to the complete protection of the public interests. Until the State shall adopt a different system for the collection, safe-keeping aud disbursement of her revenues, the money on hand must be kept either in the Treasury vault or deposited with the bauking institutions in the State. For mauy yesrs the latter mode has beeD a dopted. I respectfully recommend tbat provision be made by law that no money shall be deposited in any bank by the State Treasurer without requiring securi ty to be first given to the Commonwealth for the repayment of the sums deposited, that all checks issued by tho State Treas ure shall be countersigned by the Audi tor Geueral before they are used and that daily accounts of the moneys receiv ed and paid shall be kept in the office of the Auditor General as well as in the Treasury Department. The Commissioners appointed to revise the Criminal Codo of this Commonwealth, are progressing with the duties of their appointment, and will report the revised code before the adjournment of the Leg islature. The various charitable andj"cformato ry institutions, which have heretofore re ceived pecuniary assistance from thcState, such as the Stato Lunatic Hospital, at Harrisburg, the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, at Pittsburgh, the Houses of Re ftigc, at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Training School for idiotic and feeble-minded children, the Asylums for the Blind and Deaf and Dumb, at Philadelphia, the Northorn Home for Friendless Children, at Philadelphia I recometnd to your fostering aid and care. The annual reports exhibiting a detail of the operations of those noble and excel lent charities, during the past vear, will be laid before you. I cannot roeommend appropriations to charitablcs associations of a purely looal character, however praiseworthy the objecte and motivos of their founders ana supporters, or however useful tboy may bo to thoir particular lo calities. The present condition of the royenuos of the General Govcrment, demonstrate the ufgeut necessity of increased duties upon foreign importations. The people of Pennsylvania have ever taken a lively interest in the proper adjustment of ; tariff; and they have with singular unan imity, at all limes, fovored such an assess ment of duties, as would not only produce revenue, nut lurmsh the largest inciden tal protection to the great mineral, man ufacturing, and industrial interests of the country. Had their voice hitherto been more potential in the councils of tho na tion, it is no longer problematical that much of the pecuniary distress lately ex perienced by all classes and condition? of business-men might have been to a great extent averted. The necessities of the Government and the people, now alike demand a change an increase of duties and I take great pleasure iu indorsing the views of the President of tho United States as expresrd in his last annual mes sage, relative to the change proposed. Flis advocacy' of specific duties on aH "commodities which are generally sold by weight, or by mesure, aud which from their nature arc of equal or of nearly e qual value such as iron, of different classes, raw sugar and foreign wines and spirit," has met wjtb a hearty response from the great body of the people of this State. It is lo be hoped that his views on this question will be favorably regard ed by Congress and that tho action of the bederal Government may correspond with the suggestions of the President. and honor to the living and WhenI was called upon to assume the Gubernatorial chair, nearly one year ago, in deference to public opinion, and my own feelings, after a rapid review of e vents in Kansas, I stated that'to the people of Pennsylvania, the admission of a new Slate into tho Union into that confederacy of which she is a member must bo at all times a subject of high in terest. And I believe 1 express their sentiments, as well as my own, in declar ing that all the electors of a territory should have a full and fair opportunity to participate in selecting delegates to form a Constitution after it is framed." Subsequent events have confirmed me in these sentiments. The deplorable dis putes in the first session of the present Congress the popular excitement re sulting from thoso disputes, together with other proceedings in their nature, novel and alarming, would all have been avert ed, bad the people been secured in "the unqualified riht" to voto upon their do mestic institutions. I regret to be compell ed to say, that, under various pretences, this sacred franchise has been virtually withheld from them. When they refused to accept the Lecoopton Constitution made for them by delegates representing the minority, they were explicitly denied the privilege of making their own Con stitution, uuless upon a condition not pre vious exacted. If tboy acoepted the Le compton Constitution, they entered the sisterhood of States at once, with a pop ulation loss than one half of the existing ratio of Congressional representation; but if they refused that Constitution, they could not be admitted into the Union, with the Constitution of their choice, un til tbey were ready to show, by a formal census that they had attained a popula tion equal to "that ratio? The results have become historical. The last expressive vote of tho people of Kansas against the act of Congress; commonly known as the English till, has for a time arrested Congressional inter vention. Peace has resulted alone from tho votes of the people, not from the sug gostions of outside influences. But, dur ing the angry feelings which this contro vcrsy has aroused, the theory has been started, and insisted upon, that it wil henceforward be the duty of Congress to protect slavery in the Territories, if the people of the territories shall fail to do so The warrant for this extraordinary as sumption is alleged to exist in the decis ion of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Dred Scott. Enter taining, as I do, profound reverence for the decisions of that august tribunal, and standing ready to obey them whenever they are enunciated, I have yet to be convinced that any such construction can be fairly given to their action in the case reterred to. buch a doctrine no matter bow sanctioned, or supported, will shake the very pillars of our constitutional fab ric. It would compel every territory to elevate property in slaves above every other description of property, and to es tablish a slave code in its municipal rcg ulations; or else it would convert the Congress into a theatre of crimination and confusion, and fill the whole coun try with strife. And all this, without se curing a single advantage to the North or protecting a single right of the South Regarding myself as fully committed to the doctrine of popular sovereignty in its broadest sense, I can never subscribe to the theory of Congressional interven tion as understood and supported by the opponents of this doctrine. By popular sovereignty L mean no violation of the rights of the States no assault upon the institutions of the South, no appeal to sectional prejudices. On the contrary, I regard the doctrine as the embodiment of the popular will in States and Territo ries, as the coubcrvator of the rights and the equality of States andpeo ple and as the only means by which a vexed and "dangerous agitation will be satisfactorily and perpetually "settled." A theory equally heretical has been advanced in another portion of the Uui T.t 1 fl. . . t on. it nas occn neia that tins govern ment, divided into free and slave States, as it was framed by our Revolutionary leathers, canuot endure that all must become free, or all must become slave. When such a dootrme shall be enforced, the Constitution will have been subverted State sovereignty prostrated State rights disregarded, and the liberty of tho people destroyed. It should meet an in dignant rebuke from every lover of hi country, and the blood-bought right of the people and the States to self-govern ment. Under tho various amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania, the influ ence of the Executive has been greatly reduced by the transfer of patronage Jrom tho Governor to the people. This is-in accordance with the principles of self government, put it mubt bo acknowl edged that in relieving tho Executive from many serious responsibilities, it has diminished his ability to maintain the rights of the Stato against Federal aud other encroachments, and has thrown a greater share of responsibility upon the people. The extensive patronage of the federal lyovernment, and the large sala ries paid to its officers, in comparison with thoso of the St3te, present constant inducements to our citizens to overlook the State, in the pursuit of more luorativc employments under the United States. It is, therefore, the more ..necessary that the people should guard the sovereignty of the State with increasing watchfulness. The Constitution of the United States contains tho great fundamental principle which should govern its construction on every quebtion respecting the extent of the Federal power. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respect ively, or to tho people." It is on this oroad platform that every claim of Fed- eral power not granted by the Constitu tion, should be sternly resisted. The tendency to centralization is so irrcat. aud tho overshadowing influences of power and patronage so seductive, that liberlv cannot long be preserved without the ex ercise of sleepless vigilance in enforcing a strict construction of the Federal com pact. Tho doctrine of Slate rights is the doctrine of true liberty. Popular sovereignty is the life-blood of our free institutions, and the palladium of our safety. Every patriotic inducement to sustain those great principles should be fearlessly held out to our citizens, and every unauthorized assumption of power should be resisted with unceasing energy, aud by all constitutional means. Having no discharged tho duty im posed on the Executive by the Constitu tion, I cannot conclude without cougratu latiug you upon the peculiarly favorble auspices under which you enter upon the duties of the ?efsion of 1859. Few im portant subjects of legislation prns3 upon your attention. Prudence, firmness, fidelity a watchful regard for the inter ests of the Commonwealth a jealous guardianship of her financed on the part of the government are all that aro re quired, under Providence, to ensure the continuance and increase of our onward prosperity. Pennsylvania may then, at no remote period, rejoice in the extin guishment of her public debt the re peal of her ouerous and burdensome tax es a fame and and a credit untarni.-hed a free and popular educational system and an industrious and loyal people, prosperous and happy. WILLIAM F. PACKER. Executive Chamber ? Uairishurg January 5, 1859. $ V.; THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, X859. j62fMr. Jacob Kneciit, proprietor of the American Hotel, in this Borough, slaughtered four fine Hogs, on Tuesday last, weighing, after being dressed, as fol lows: 536, 526, 480, 477. Total weight 2,019 lbs. Changed his Name. Tbe Farmers' and Mechanics' Journal and Eaton Whig, published by J. P. HetiikJii, .has commenced its Thirty First volume, under the head of "The Jour nal." The first number of this venera ble publication was issued in 1S28, by Mr. John Mllay. Wc have many pleas ant associations connected with this Insti tution; it is our Alma Mater, where wc first learned the "Art preservative. Succcsb to the "Journal" and to the able and respected editor who has it in charge. May its subscription list yearly grow longer, and may its principles find a res ponse in many hearts. LOCALITEMS. Stroudsburg Philomathean Society. The object of this institution is to de velop that muscular membrane common ly denominated the tongue. A number of our philanthropic and public spirited citizens had a suspicion tbat there was a good deal of talent in this little Borough, lying dormaut, for tho want of a proper outlet; to open the mouths of the silent, to sot in motion jaws that would else hang idle, (except at meal times) to bring forth from the dark aud silent store house of knowledge, the treasures there uouldering into dust these were the primary objects, of the association. Those obiocts have been attained. Even as the waters flowed from the sterile rock at the touch of the rod ol Moses, so now do mighty, periodical streams of eloquence gush forth on every Friday night, at . Success to the noble P. S. of Stroudsburg! long mayest thou live, and like a greeu bay tree, flour iah forevcrl The club convened at the usual hour on Friday evening last, at least, a part of them did, and waited for the rest. The rest in prooess of time arrived, and then they procooded to business. The first thing in order was to obtain order. This was done in a very able manner by our cstpemed and much respected president, S. S. Dreher, E.sq. An essay was then read by Mr.,C. S. Detrick, subject, the Evils of Ignorance iu which that geu tlcman very learnedly demonstrated the pernicious effects of not being thorough ly posted; and though we are sure the gentleman's remarks were, by no means applicable to any of the members of this association, yet wc presume there arc people in the world to whom tboy would be appropriate, and wc only regret that there is no probable moans by which they (tho remarks) may reach them (tho igno ramuses). A criticism upon tho exercises of tho previous meeting, wa3 then read by Horace DeYoung, it was well written, and reflected credit upon tho author. A. II. Jackson M. D. was appointed Crit- for the next meeting; aud the society then proceeded to discuss the following question: Resolved, that a protective Tariff is the true policy of this govern ment. The question was tliscussod on the affirmative by Messrs. nolmes and Lanlz: on tho negative by Messrs. Mac- Iaughlin and Haviland. Tho question was finally deoided in tho negative; and then camo the miscellaneous business, a- niong which was an eloutiou of officers to C-Lt.-IJ- '-111' servo for the ensuing four weeks. The election resulted in tho choice of Wra. K. Haviland, Esq , as President, S. Holmes, Jr., as Vice President. John Nyco as Secretary, and Horaco DeYoung as Assistant Secretary. After the trans action of some further business, and vale dictory addrcsscsfrom tie retiring officers, tho society adjourned to meet again on Friday ovening next, Jan. 14th, at whioh time and place your reporter will endea vor to take notes for tho further edifica tion of the public. The subject for discussion at the next meeting is : Resolved that the prosperi ty of a nation depends more upon the sanctity of ita religion than upon tho sa gacity of its laws. On the affirmative are appointed, Messrs. Maelaughlin and Nyce; on the negative, Messrs. Detrick and Haviland. REPORTER. , FOIL THE JEFFERSON IAN. Our Borough Schools. "'Tis education forms the common mind, Just as tiie twig is bent, the tree's inclined. And judging from appearances, wc think the Youth of Stroudsburg are get ting pretty well bait; at least, it is awell known fact that many of them go on a "be?ukr" frequently, and we presume that they get bont, and that consequently the tree will bo very much inclined to vice, immorality, and rowdyism. If such should be the mournful fact, we piously believe the parents of those" twigs will be held answerable. Do you ask how they are blauiable t We answer; by keeping their children out of school, by allowing them to run through the streets, or louugc about saloons and taverns, they picking up, bit by bit, that knowledge and those accom plishments peculiar to such a school, which is tho Primary Department of the same course of instruction of which our Jail- and State Prisons furnish tho nnnplmK n degree. The course of Instruction adopted in this institution, with the approbation of such a Faculty as the Honorable Dublin Tricks, William Poole, E?q. Messrs Morrisscy, Dccnan, Huntingdon, Monroe Edwards, Richard Turpiu, aud other gen tlcmen, all eminent in their respective professions of Forgers, Fighters, Pick pockets, Murderers, Thieves and High waymen, is as follows: 1st year, smo king, to equations of the second degree chewing, do; swearing commenced. 2d year, drinking commenced; night-walking and surveying; bar-room practice; pilfer ing, commenced. 3d year, pilfering con tiuued; rowdy -ology to chrouic sections; pitching-pennies-on-Sunday completed ; with daily exercises in stealing and licing; and incendiarism commenced. The pu pil is now prepared to enter the Sopho more class in the county Jail. 1st year, picking lock3 and pockets, and night practice with the bowie knife and slung shot. 2d year, burglarycommenccd, using other-mens' names commenced. 3d year, drinking, fighting, gambliug, robbing. stabbing, &c, &c. This course is contin ued for four years aud then tho student is prepared to enter tho graduating class in the scrsicc of the State, with all th honors. But we did not commence with the view of indulging in levity, for this is a subject too grave in its importance to be treated lightly. You may laugh if you will at the picture hero presented, but is it not a true ouo ? Is not this essentially the course which every graduate in the school of vice, has pursued ! Assuredly it i. And parents, you know, or should know that your children ic ill go to school. They icill go to u school of some kiud. If you do not choose to send theni to a legitimate school where they will receive instruction that will fit them to be come useful and respected citizens, they will go themselves to the school taught by iUss-fortuno where vice and crime aro the text books used, and where tho drunk ards' grave, tho felons cell, and tho gal lows, are the ultimate rewards of niorit. Now whioh do you choose ? Will you for tho sake of a paltry dollar, drive your childrcn'into the school of vice? Com plain not that your taxes are high, but remember that an cducatiou is a priceless boon, the richest legaoy lhat you can pos sibly leave your children, even though yo.u were as rich as Croosu, for it is one of which they never can be deprived. In a Borough like Stroudsburg, con taining fifteen hundred inhabitants, there should be a Public School open ten months in tho year, instead of four. Pupils might then acquire a good, practical bus ineas eduoatiou in two years, and be ready to start in tho world for themselves, on a solid basis. Now they may go to school four months in tho year aud be idle eight, and pursue that course for teu years and not havo an education after all. Why is this? It is not tho fault of the com mnn school system of Pennsylvania, uurely, bo- causo it is the most desirod object of that system to raiao the yearly termofsehools to the extreme limit of ten months. If the system has any fault, it is that of haviu fixed tho other extreme at so low a figure as four months, Every school district iu Pennsylvania should bo obliged to kec P its Eohools open six mouths yearly, or forfeit the state appfoprfofion. Neither is it the fault of the Teacher Who labors hard and faithfully to effect as' mdeh good as possible in the limited' time gi'ven him. It is simply a law of nature that if tho wasto ii greater than',' or equal to the gain, there is bo advance. If you work' one day aud remain idle two,' youwill never become rich; if you are fed? to repletion one day and eat nothing for two, you will never become fat; if yoii advance one step and- go back two, you will never reach tho end of your journey ; (unless like the Irishman you turn around and walk the other way,) if water is run ning into a cistern at one pipe and run ning out at two, tbat cistern will never' become full: if knowledge is poured into your children for four months, and poured' out for eight tbey will never be properly' educated. True it is better, much better to have a school for four months, than to havc none at all, but it would be immeas urably better to have one for ten months than for four. How then, is this desira ble object to be brought about? We have a corps of Teachers amply qualified and abundantly willing to do all in their pow er for the cause of cduoation in Strouds burg, as was well demonstrated during the short time for which the public schools were open last summer. The only question is, how shall we givo them a chance for a more extended sphere of usefulness, tbis year. Wc answer partly by a rigid and in flexible determination to- collect our out standing claims, which arc sufficient, when paid in, to cancel all our liabilities, aud leave a balance of over a hundred dollars in the Treasury, partly by disposing of property belonging to the Borough which has lain idle for years, and which, so far" as bringing any income into the treasury is concerned, has been entirely useless to us. Aud'then if those pnrenti who have been sending their children from home, payiug fifty or seventy-five dollars per quarter, for no better advantages than they can enjoy here, if they will send their children to school here, and pay to us ono half of the money tbat they havo been sending away, there is no reason why we may not have a school here, da ring the whole year, which shall be aa ornament to Stroudsburg, aud a pattern for other localities, an aid to the pres ent, and a laud-mark to succeeding gea- crations. Some scamp has been duping the far mers of the country by getting a commu nication inserted in the Dollar JMnespa pert describing a new variety of Mercer potatoes, their enormous yield and free dom from rot. lie also stated that for a certain price he would send barrels and kegs of these potatoes to any part of the country. This was signed, "Samuel B. Scott, Hulmeville, Bucks County, Pa." This has brought about two hundred and fifty letters, inclosing money and order ing said potatoes. The swindler feared to go for the letters and sent a boy for them. The postmaster was not so easily caught, and refused to let them go unless Scott called for them himself. He then wrote a letter saying that the communi cation made a mistake in stating his post office, that it should have been Yardley ville, and requested the letters to be sent there. This request, also the Pontmaster declined to comply with. Many of those who have written letters, have now asked tho Postmaster to return them, This ho cannot do, and hag resolved to retain tho letters until he hears from Washington, whither he has written for instructions. Doleful Times in the Western Country. The traveling corresnondent of The Madison (Wi) Journal pivca a very gloomy picture of his experience in the country. He writes: "To travel around among the farmers aa we have done for the last four weeks, and hear 'hard times' repeated forty times a day, af an excuso for not taking a pa per, or daying up old scores; to see men, women and children in threadbare and tattered garments, paper pasted, boards nailed up, or old hats or old clothes stuff ed into windows where should bo glass; to find couutry stores closed, or doing very little; men working for their board or n mere trifle; promisos to pay, wheth er verbal or written, of no account; men-' even denying their own notes; to see tho closest economy practiced by all, thoso wooso largo houses and barns indicate means, as well as those living in cabins: to hear tho dolorous oornplaints of taxes ono realizes the severity with which the financial pressure is felt." The Record of Blood. From the 1st of January to the 27th of December, 1853, forty-niue murders have heen commuted iu tho city of New York and sevcuty-nine persona have com mitted suicide. The number of murder ers hanged during tho sauio period a- mounteu to one The losses by fire in the United States in 1653 excluding all losses less than $10 000, make an aju-recate of S12.000.- 000. By railway nccidcuts in tho United States iu 1K53, thero were killed 130 person, aud iujured 229. Ly steamboat accidents, in tho lakes and rivers in 1859, there was occasioned a loss of 394 lives. Money has become very obeap in Eu rope In London the Bank of England's rate of discount is only 2A per cent. At Paris the rate is 3 per cent,; at Hamburg 2; at Frankfort 4: at Amsterdam" 3-Vt and.' ' at Brussels. 3 ncr cent. , 4
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers