HkuotcJi to politics, literature, Agriculture, Science, JHoralitij, anb eneral Intelliscncc.
VOL is.
STROUDSBUEG, MONROE COUNTY, PA. JANUARY 12, i860.
N0.1.
Published by Theodore Schoch.
TERMS. Two dollars per annum in advance Two
dollars and u quarter, half yearly and if not paid be
fore the end of ihc year, Two dollars and a half.
No papcrsdlscf ucd until all arrearages are paid,
except at the option of the Editor.
1E7 Advertisements of one square ten lines) or less,
one or three insertions, $1 CO Each additional inscr
ton, 25 cents. Longer ones in propoition.
JOB PR1WTISG.
'll.ivinc a jrcncral assortment of large, plain and or-
O&inenlal Type
ite are prepared to execute every tie
acription of
Cards, Circulars, Hill Heads, Notes, Ulank Receipts
Justices, Legal and other Blanks, Pamphlets- &c, prins
el with neatness and despatch, on reasonable term'
t this office.
. Q. DUCKWORTH. JOHN HAA'N
DUCKWORTH & HAYN,
WHOLUSALE DEALERS IN
Groceries, Provisions, Liquors5&c
No. 80 Ocy street, New York.
June 16, 1S59. ly
Governor's Message.
Executive Chamber.
IIaRRISBUUG, January 4, 1860
To Oie Honorable the Senators and Mem
lfrs of the House of RcprcsenUifircs of the
Commonwealth of Fcnnsylvo da .
Gentlems:
provision of the
Tama, wuicn xnn
Governor, from time to time, to give the
General Assembly information of the ststo
cf the Coaainonwtaltb, I am most happy,
on this ooca.-iou. auin to congratulate the
representatives of the people upon tho
highly favorable condition of the finances
of the State
Tho receipts nt the Stste Treasury,
from all ?ourcesf for the fiscal jeai ending
on the 30th of Number, 1659, were g3,
826,350 14, to wh;ch add balance in
'Treasury, December 1, 1858, $392,027
76, and it will be seen that the whole
ura available for the year, was 4,719,
577 "90. The expenditures, for all pur
poses during the ?fetue period, were, $3,
879.054 81. Lcavine ac available bal-
nnce in the Treacurv, on tho l?t day of
4
December, 159, of 5839,323 09. Inclu
ded in the expenditures for the fiscal year,
are tho following sum., viz :
Loan Redeemed, S340.302 30
Kelief note3 cancelled 4,137 00
Interest certificates paid, 4,843 30
Making of the public debt ac
tually paid, during tho
year tho sum of 849.282 60
The funded and unfunded debt of the
Commonwealth, on the 1st day of Decem
ber, 1853, was as follows :
FUNDED DEBT.
i per cent, loans
5 do
4i do
4 do
S445,1S0 00
38,420,9uf 67
388.200 00
100,001) 00
Total funded debt
39,354,235 67
UNFUNDED DEBT
Belief noto outstanding S 105.350 00
Internet certificates
23,357 12
do
do
unclaimed
4f44r 33
S02 50 .
Domestic creditors
Total unfunded debt 133,953 00
Making tho entire debt of the Com
Kionwralth, at the period named, 39,
468,243 67.
The funded and unfunded debt of the
Stale, at the close of the last fiscal year,
December 1, 1659, etood os follows :
0 per cent, loans
do
4 do
4 do
S i 00,030 00
37,025.103 37
368,300 (10
100,000,00
ToUi funded debt 38,513,983 37
UNFUNDED DEBT.
Kelief notes in circulation, 8101,213 00
In'xt certificate outstanding 18,513 82
do unclaimed 4.44S 38
Domestia creditor
802 50
Total unfunded debt 124,977 70
Making the publio debt on the first day
ot JJecemDer last, :r.i'3,SMyjj U7
Since the close of the fiscal v8r the
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund have
redeemed of the five per cent, loans the
. - . .
um ot 51 ou.uuu, leaving the rral debt of
the Commonwealth at tbif t.o;e, funded
and unfuuded, $3-i,476,9Gl 04. If we
deduct from this rutn tho amount of the
bonds received by the State, from the sale
of her public works, and now held by her,
as follows :
Bondsoi Penn'a. Railroad Co. 87,300,000 00
do Sunhury & Erie R. R. Co. 3,500,000 00
do Wyoming Canal Co. 281,00000
Total
11,081,000 00
: In complying with that sar3' expenditures of an economical ad- General, a true and correct statoment, cx-
Coi,titution of Pennsyl ministration ol the government, can be ( hiting tho amount of said tonnage, soloa-
Kes it tne dutv ol toe vuunv mti Huuuuk mo iiijuusiiiuu oi a ( ueu or receivea, anu me instance so car-
fie have S27, 397,961 07, the remaining j county of Chuton, a distance of eighty
xlebt of tbe Comu.onwealth, tbe principal j one miios, is finishedjpassenger and freight
and interest to be provided for, from the trains pawing over it daily. The Wet
ordinary sources of revenue. j ern division, extending from the city of
It will bo observed, that from tbe 1st Erie, to the borongb of Warren, in War-
tiay of December, 1858, to the 3lt day
of Deeember 1859, a period of thirteen
mouths, besides meetiug all the ordinary
demands upon the Treasury, there has
been actually paid, on tbe principal of
tbe public debt, 81,009.282 60.
When it is remembered, that during
this period, the law reducing the State
tax upon real and porsonal estate from
three to two and a half mills, has been in
full force, and that nothing for the last
year has been received from the Pennayl
rania railroad company, on account of
tax on tonnage, making the receipts from
those two sources of revenue, less by four
hundred thousand dollars, than they
were for the preceding year, it is a source
ot congratulation that, under such oir-
cumstauces, a result ho favorable has been delay its vigorous prosecution, another
produced by the ordinary operations of year will not pans before the entiro line
the Treasury. of the road will be finished and in use;
For nearly two years past, the State thus affording a direct and continoua
has been entirely free from the ownership communication, by railroad, from the
or management of canals and railroads, oity of Philadelphia to the harbor of Erie,
and the gratifying result, thus far, iu, By the twentj-aocond section of the act
that her public debt is now less than it approved the 1 Stb day of April, 1846, en
has been since the year 1842, and is do- titled "An Act to incorporate the Penn
creasing at tho rate of nearly one million sylvania railroad eompany," it is provi
of dollars per annum. It is now morally ded, '-'that all tonnage, of whatsoever kind
certain, that nothing but the grossest mia- or description, exeept tho ordinary ba-
.u.iuaRKun;ui ui me uuauumi imcri'Ms oi gago oi passengers, loauca or received at ; government to impose the tax, and to
the Stato can prevent its sure and epeedy ilarrisburg, or Pittsburg, or at any in j compel corporations of its own creation
extinguishment. Why nhould not Penn- termediato point, and carried or conveyed to obey the law from which tbey deriro
sylvania press onward ont'l she is entire- on or over said railroad, more than twen- their existence. When it is rememberod,
ly free from debt 7 She is no longer en- ty miles, between the 10fh day of March that the tax was originally imported, iu
gaged in the construction of great works and the 1st day of December, iieach and 'order to indemnify the State, to some ex
of internal improvement, nor i she the every ydur, shall bo subject to a toll or tent, for losses which she was sure to?us
proprietor of railroads and canals. Re- doty for tho use of tho Commonwealth, at tain-from a competition, which was iu
liocd of these, governmental action is the raie of five mills per mile, for each ' evitablo, between the railroad authorized,
greatly simplified, and is now happily lim ton of two thousand pounds; and it shall and her main line of publio worke; and
ited to subjects of a purely governmental be the duty of said company, between the that this competition did, not only serious
character. Ilnvii'g ceased to be interes- 20th and' 30th days of July, and betweon ! ly affect the revenues of the Common
ted in ordinary banners pursuits, it in her tho 1st and 10th days of December, in 'wealth, derived from her public improvo
plain duty to devote her best energies to each anil every year, after thirty milefl uientt. but ultimately induced tho aale of
relieving her people from the burden of
an onerous debt. When this great result
snail nave been accomplished, the neces-
otatc lax on real and personal estate
tDC remaining sources of revenue being
D!0r! iban ufiicient for all legitimate pur-
poses. Until that end, so anxiously look-
a ,0 u eecured, true wisdom, as well as
sound policy, dictates, that our renources
sitould oc oaretuily husbanded -that none
ot our present sources of rnvcnuo should
ue cut on or diminisueu that all depart
ments of government .hould consult a
proper ceouomy that all extravagant and
unnecessary appropriations should be a
voided and that every new schome for
embarrassing the tresrury should meet
with marked condemnation.
Encouraging, as arc tbe results of the
pa?t two years, it must not be forgotlon
mat -we uave just commenced tne pay
ment of the principal of our debt; and
that to prevent a oiiaapplication of the
public finances, and thereby insure a con
tinuance of it? reduction, fom year to year
is manifestly the first duty of those placed
by the Ccu?titution in charge of the pub
lic Treasury, and to whom belongs the
exclusive right of raisins, economizing
t A t. . . n .
and appropriating the public revenue. I
earnestly commend this whole subject to !
the careful attention of tho Legislature
entirely satisfied, that, as it is the most
vital of all the interests committed to tho
chargoof tbe Genoral Assembly, it will
receive that consideration which its impor
txnee so eminently demands.
In my lat annual message, T oommu
nicated to the General Assembly all that
up to that period, had been done under
the act, entitled "An Act for tbe aale of
the State canals," approved April 21, j
1858. Sinee the adjournment of the last
Legi-lature, satisfactory evidence bavin?
been jiven to me, of the compliance of
the bunbury aud .brie railroad company,
with tbe conditions mentioned in the third
Eection of the act referred to, tbe State ;
Treasurer, under my direction, has deliv- I
ered to the oompany the canal bonds for !
two million of dollars, deposited in the 1
I reasury under the provisions of tbe said
act.
Tbe railroad company Las also become
entitled to, and has received, one million
of dollars, of tbe mortgage bonds refer-
red to in the sixth section of the same act;
leaviug mortgage bonds amountinu to two
and a half millions of dollarr, still re
maining in tbe Treasury of the Common
wealth, to be delivered to the company,
Iroru tune to time, j)ari passu, with
the
progress of the work, as ascertained by
tho returns aud cBtimates of the chief en
ginncr of the said company. When the
bonds last mentioned, shall have been sur
rendered to the company, as directed by
law, theStnte will still bold, as absolute
owner, three and a half millions of dol-
lars of the mortgage bonds of tbe oompa-
1 - J " ;
B'X 8UCC8eding J'--;. as mentioned in the
net f Assembb' v5th interest, at the rate
Of five !er Cfllltntll liUVafole SCini-annual- :
ly, oil the thirty-first days of Jouuary
, f, r j 7 r t
and July of each year. Tntorestcd, as
the Commoawealth is, in the early com
pletion of this important thoroughfare, it
afford? me great ploasure to be abla to
inform the General Assembly, that tbe
progress of the work, for the past year,
has beeu highly satisfactory.
Tho Eastern division of tbe road, ex-
tending from Sunbury, in the couuty of
Northumberland, to Wbctham, in tbe
ren county, a distance ot sixty-six miles,
is, also, completed, with regular passen
ger and freight trains now running over
it daily. Making one hundred aud forty
neven miles of railway, along tbe line of
the route that have beeu already brought
into practical operation one hundred and
sevon miles of which, exclusive of sidings,
were finished during tbe past year. On
the intermediate portion of the line, be
tween the borough of Warren and Wheth-
am station a dbtauce of one hundred and
forty miles' ninety-five and a half miles,
are traded, leaving but forty four and a
halfiniios yet to be graded, to place the
whole of the uufluiabed portion, of tbe
super -
structure. If no untoward event shall
or more of said railroad shall have been
completed, aud in use, to cause to be
made out, and filled with the Auditor
nod and conveyed, during the respective
periods intervening between the said 1 0th
day of March, and the 20th day of July,
and between the said 20th day of July
and tho 1st day of December, in each
, and every year; which said statement
j shall be verified by tho oath or affirma-
; tion of the receiving or forwarding agent
or agent?, or other proper officer or offi
cere, of isid compauy, having knowledge
of the premises; and at the time of filing
said statement, or on or before the said
30th diy of July, and the 10th day of
December, in each and ever year, the
said company shall pay to the State
Treasurer, the amount of said toll or du
ty, so sccruing for the use of tho Com
monwealth, during the respective interve
ning periods before mentioned." And,
in a supplement to the act just referred to
passed on the same day, it is further pro
vided, "that in case the said company
shall, at any time, fail to pay the toll or
charge on tonnage, which may accrue, or
becomo due to the Commonwealth, under
the provisions of said act, the same shall
be and remain a lien on the property of
the said company, and shall have prece
denceover all other liens or incumbran
oes thereon until paid." By the act of
the 27th of March. 1848. the tax on ton-
nage of five mills per ton, per mile, from
tbe 10th of March to tho 1st of December,
was commuted to a tax of three mills per
ton. tier mile, during the whole vear.
oubsquently, by the act of the 7th of
ay 1855, lumber and coal were made
exempt from the tonnage tax.
Id pursuance of the provisions of the
several acts referred to, tbe Pennsylvanin
railroad company has paid into the Treas-
ury of tbe Commonwealth tho following
sums, viz:
For the fiscal year ending Nov.
30, 1851
87,521 93
16,630 49
65,228 59
112,880 60
129,230 56
226,018 51
179,933 75
222,363 02
Do
Da
Do
Do
Do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1S57
1858
Since July, 1858, the railroad compa-J
a? nas reiunea to pay tms lax. ana con
equcntly
company
there is now due from said
company, on that account, exclusive of
interest, the sum of 3350,405 00.
On tho 21st of February, 1859, an ao-
count was settled, by the xiuditor Gener-
al, agitinst the company, for the tax on
tonage, from tho 21st day of July to the
30th day of November, 1858, inolusive,
amounting to the Bum of $87,375 22
rrora this settlement, tho company, on
the VJh day of April, took an appeal to
tbe couit of common pleas of Dauphin'
county; aud, in tho specifications of
jections which were filled, it was averred j
road in a position to reeive the
inai me tax, was unooiisiitutioBai, ana an . ioro, iieoossary io repeat me suggexuons
opinion to that effect, signed by eminent' aud conclusions then presented. They
counsol, was filled in the office of the Au-are again, however, commended to your
ilitnr (ntnl nt iUn ti mo tl.o ,(,mr.l .lfnynmliln nnrmiflr;itinn? t.b.f. noniit nnrl
eutcrred.
"
In August last, the cause was;
tried, and after a full investigation aud J ing increased tho conviction of their pro
argument, the constitutionality of tho law prioty. This is especially the case, iu
imposing the tax was affirmed bj the . regard to the plan devised by tbe act of 1
court, aud a verdict and judgment ren-'20th of May, 1857, for the due training
uered in favor of the Commonwealth, for' of teachers for common schools of the
the amount claimed, with interest. Tho . State. A full supply of competent teach
caae has since been removed, by a writers, is admitted by all, to bo the great
of error, to tbe Supreme Court of the j
State, and will, probably, be heard and .
determined, by that tribunal, in the course
of the present winter. fact, but point to tho general adoption of
On tbe 25th day of August last, anoth- the proposed means, at uo distant day.
er account was settled against the compa-1 The efforts of tho teachers, themselves,
ny, for tho tax on tonage, from the 30th for professional improvement, encouraged
day of November, I858j to tho 20th day and sustained by all who duly ebtimata
of July, 1859, amounting to the um of tho value aud influence of the tuaohor's
8159,368 58, from which an appeal has office, not only foretell this, but the strong
alao been taken by the railroad company, public etiment in favor of institutions for
and which will probably bo tried during the purpose in question, confirms the pro
tho present month. bability of this result. In ovory quarter,
As this questiou largely affects the rov-
onuos of the Commonwealth, and as tho
principle involved is one of the first im-
portanoe, I havo deemed it a duty to lay
before the General Asucrobly,- somewhat
in detail, the history of this tax, and tbe
present condition of tbe legal controversy ,
growing out of its imposition and enforce-,
ment. It will be observed, that the pow -
or of the State to grant chartered rights
and corporate pmiliges, to a railroad
;Ooinpany. upon the coud.l'oi that it shall
pay to the Commonwealth a portion of
its earnings, in the hape of a fixed tax
upon the freight carried over the road, is
questioned by the company, and that, too,
after the grant has taken effect, and while
the corporation in in the full enjoyment
of all tho benefits conferred upon it by
it charaoter. The question, it is true, is
a legal one, and its decision, therefore,
reBts with the judicial department of the
government; but, I have not the slight
est doubt, that the decision, when had,
will entirely vindicate the right of the
the maiu line to the railroad company
i itself, at a price many millioua of dollars
below what it would have produced, in
the absence of such competition, it is cer
tainly not to be presumed that the Com
monwealth will willingly yield her de
mand for revenue from this source, until
she is, at least, fully indemnified for the
pecuniary injury sustained in the depre
ciation of her own property, by her liber
ality extended to the company which now
denies her power to enforce a oontract,
voluntarily entered into, upon a consider
ation entirely adequate.
The annual report of the Superintend
ent of Common Schools, with the tables
and documents accompanying it, will ex
hibit the ooudition of the vast engiuo of
social improvement to which it relates.
The number of pupils, in all the public
schools of the State, is 634,651 of
schools, 1 1,485 and of teachers, 14,071.
The schools have been in operation, on
an average over the whole State, five
months and nine days. The average sal
ary of male teachers, is S24 36, and of
female teachers $17 79, and tho coat of
instruction, per pupil, fifty-three cents per
month. The average tax for tuition, &o,
i3 about five and a half mills, and for
building purposes, about three and one
sixth mills, on the dollar. Including the
city of Philadelphia, tho entiro eost of
tuition, &c, was S2,047,661 82; the buil
ding expenses S531.41 3 85; and the whole
expense of the system, in the State, for
the year, S2,579,075 77.
Though tbe school year ending on tho
first Monday of June last, was one of un
usual difficulty in money affairs, yet the
system manifests an encouraging activity
in alls its departments, while the rate of
taxation, both for tuition and buildinDs.
would appear, from the official report, to
have xomewhat decreased. But, it i by
a contrast of the present condition of tbe
systom, with that of 1851, when tie agen
cies now operating so beneficially, were
created, that resultB are tuoft plainly seen.
Within that period, tbe whole number of
pupils has been increased nearly one
seventb of teachers, one-thirtecntb and
tho salary of teachers, the host index of
improvement, one-sixth for males, and
one-fourth for females. These results,
with the others which the official report
will exhibit, unerringly point to tho duty,
bs well as neaoasity, of the utmost oaro
nnit. attention, on the part of all publio
agent's, to this primary social institution
primary in importance, no less than in
the career of each citizen. To stregtben,
to retain pure, and to nronorly direct.
tn" fo"otaiD n8d of social influence, is,
it seems to me, the groat duty of the law
maker, in his highest and most responsi
ble capacity, as the framor of the future
of the State.
The attention of the General Assembly j
was called, somewhat at length, to the
existing condition and further requiro-
ob-;uieuts of our .school system, iu tho annu
-
al message of last year. It is not. there-
experience of the intervening period, hav
. -
need of tho syBtem, and the firht want to
be provided for. Unerring indications,
,in every quarter, not only establish thin
r- B , ,
indications of this Kind aro perceived
more or less strong in proportion to the
force of local circumstances. In the
Second Normal district, composed of the
counties of Lancaster, York and Leba-
non, an institution, up to the full require-
ments of tho law of 1857, has been es-
tablisbed and officially recognized, and is
ow in sucoeaHful operation, as a State
Normal school. Fonts details the Le-
gislaturo rcpcotfully referred to tbe ;
annual report of the Superiudeut of Com-
raon Schools; but, I should do injustice
iu mc lutuuigeui enterprise which mould- pnsc year ; navmg under its charge one
ed, and the enlarged philauthrophy which hundred boys, who, wbilo they are care
produced, thin noble institution, as well fully instructed in all thoBo branchci of
as to my own feelings, were I to forbear, science which pertain to a high order of
congratulating you upon the result. It is education, are daily engaged in all the
tho first fruit of a law which seems to be practical operations of the farm fitting
as much in aocordanoe with the cautious,: them to return to rural lie. and to infuse
yet generous, character of our people, as' throughout the State an amount and kind
it is admirably adapted to effect tho great of knowledge which must ultimately pro
end in view. 'duce a most beneficial influence upon this
All that Beems lequisite to give full cf-jmost cherished branch of industry. Tho
feet and general success to the plan, i, at practical vrorkiogs of the school, for tho
this juncture, to guard it from mutilation, pactyeaT, have impressed tie trustees,
or radical change. 17 the intelligent and' who have it in charge, with tho highest
liberal miuds that are new weighing the hopes of its complete success. The great
project, aud contocplating its extension intercut which is everywhere felt through
to other parts of the State, be assured ' out the Commonwealth, in the further ex
that this is the settled policy, their efforts j tension and progress of the institution,
will bo concentrated, their activity ic-: commends it to our care and protection,
oroased, and final success be hastened. ! The State Librarian will report to you
Whereas, radical or importaut change?, ' the completion of the descriptivo and olas
will destroy this growing confidence, crufcb i ftificd catalogue of the books in the State
the hopeful efforts now being made, and Library, authorized by the act of the 16th
postpone for years, if not totally destroy, j of April, 1858, a work, from the details
all hope of success in this essential de-;it embrace, of much labor, but which
partment of public instruction." The true ' will greatly facilitate the use of the Li
course will be to cherish the law, and , brary. It will ha seen, from his report,
bring it into general operation, by hold- that the origin of the Lirary dates far
ing out tho certainty of State aid to each i back in the history of the Provincial gov
institution established under it, a soon j eminent, and that it received the foster
as a certain number, to be fixed by law. i ing care of the Commonwealth during the
shall have been legally recognized, and ! period of the Revolution. It 13 gratify
are in full operation. The money of the i ing, that, notwithstanding the waste to
State, appropriated in this manner, will ' whioh it has boon subject in post years,
effect more benefit, in proportion to the j owing to the went of proper attention,
outlay, than m any other 01 tho operations
et the system. I he instruction of the
ehild, ia a duty; but tbe instruction of the
teacher, is economy as well as duty. It
will probably be advisable to make such
appropriations, payable only when the
sohoob are legally recognized and in full
operation This oourse will have tho
double elfeot of guarding against loos by
the State, and of stimulating, into early
existence, a sufficient number of institu
tions to aupply the existing want in every
quarter of the State.
The period for the third election of
County Superintendents is rapidly ap
proaching, and the public mind will nat
urally be turned to the results of the of
fice. My own observation, as well as in
formation from various and reliable sour
ces, leads to the opinion, that this office,
when filled by the proper person, and it
duties discharged in full nnTnr.linrifn with
n - y
the design and spirit of the law creating
it, has been of great advantage to the
schools. Indeed, ntf candid nerson can
deny tbo fact, apparent to even slight oh
ft
servation, that more improvement has
been effected in the workings and results
of the sy6tem, since the creation of the
office of County Superintendent, than in
any previous period of even double dura
tion. It ia true, that when exercised by
incompetent officers, or crippled by in
sufficient compensation, little, if any, ad
vantage has accrued. But this is no ar
gument against the office itself; and it is
to be hoped that the directors of counties
thus heretofore deprived of tbe benefit
of this agenoy, will, at the next election,
acting under the teachings of experience
at home, and the li.?ht of success from
other parts, correct this evil und realize
the full benefits of this provision of the
law.
The increasing ease and soundness of
our financial condition, will, at no remote
period, justify an addition to the common
Bohool appropriation The general poli
cy of the State has been ibat each dis
trict shall raifa within it-elf the main
support of its own fchool?; but, an annuul
donation, distributable amongst them all,
in proportion tc population, has also beeu
a part of that policy. The object of tbi?
State grant scorns to be two fold: First
It is a means of securing ragulsrity in
the proceedings and reports of the seve
ral districts, ao tbat the Department of
Common Schools shall have the requisite
information for the due discharge of its
function: And second- it lightens, in
isoiae degree, tho burden of local taxation,
to the relief of the poorer and more sparse
ly peopled districts. An increase of the
annual appropriation would enhance both
theso objects, and, whenever tho finances
of the government will justify it, coui
aicnds itself to the favorable considera
tion of the Legiblature.
The aid which the Legislature has
hitherto extended to the establishment of
the Farmers' High School of Pennsylva
nia, strongly evinces their high apprecia
tion of the advantages which it ic antici
pated will grow out of that institution
While it must be admitted that knowledge upon nia own onecK cxciUMveiy. uts ao
is as vaseoli.il to tho art of firming, as it : counts aro settled by tb Auditor Gener
is to all tho other employments of life, ! al, once s month, and tbi is, apparently,
wo cannot but feel deeply interested, that ' the only safeguard provoded by law to
a cominuuity o peculiarly agricultural present tbe illegal u?a of the public funds
as we are, should havo ali tho advauta- while under tbe control of tbe State Trea
ges of an education n-hich combines in surer. Tht the Treasury of the Gora
itnelf, m well tho knowledge of the prao- iiaonwcalth has hitherto pscuped from dis
tical art of agricultural, ai$ scientific ao- astrous defalcation, is owing to the integ
quiroments in all those branches of learn-, rity of the officer, and not tbe efficiency of
ing which aro especially applicable to its the law; and while our main reliance, in
profitable pursuit. A school where agri- tho futuro, must be on the honesty of tbe
cultural is practically taught, is a new officers to whom the department U entrus
field to which our attention has boen call- ted, it is, nevertheless tho plain duty of
cd; and ono which, beoauso of its great the government, by proper legislative cn
importanco, well deserves our attention, actments, to prevent, as far as possibe; the
It embracos ihe principle, that wbilo youth illegal, improper orfraudulout uie of tho
are taught habits of industry, thoy arc funds of tbe State by a faithi or di
impresned with tho proud consideration, honest publio agent. I respectfully ro
that the labor of their own bands coutrib- commend that provision be made by law
utes to their acquisition of knowledge. that no money sball bo deposited in any
Aud thu1, too, education is brought villi- bank, or elsewbero, by tbe State Treaaur
in the reach of many a bright gnius who er, without firt requiring stourlty to ba
would otherwise trugglo and languish given to the Common wealth for tbe prompt
for the waiit of tho mean's of acquiring it. r'c-pajment of the sums doposiied; iiat
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Our school, within n- limited means, has
; been in suoccfe.-ful operation during the
i uuder the careful supervision of the pres
cnt Librarian, it has, since he has had
tbe oharge of it, nearly doubled its num
ber of volumes, and now contains in all
22,000 volumes the largest State Libra
ry in tbe Union, with the single execu
tion of that of the State of New York.
The collection of law books, and especial
ly law reports, is considered by those
competent to judge, among the best in tho
country. Tho Library, from its intrinsic
value and importance, and its historic re-
jlations. deserves, and I trust it will re
ceive, the continued liberality of the Le
gislature. In my inaugural address, 33 well as in
my last annual mes-age, I expressed the
opinion that our present banking ajaiem
wai extremely defective, and that, unless
it were radically changed, I should con-
eider it an imperative datv to withhold
tti V.
the Executive approval from all bills ore
atmg new bank-. Without again giving
in detail the reasons which influenced my
action on this question, or repeating tho
suggestions and recommendations hereto
fore made to the Legislatun , it is proper
to remark, at this time, that my convic
tions have been confirmed, by time and
reflection that my opinions remain un
changed, and that I cannot approve of
any increase of banking corporations un
der existing laws. If corporate privi
leges, for banking purposes, are needed,
to accommodate the business wants of
any portion of tho State, justice requires,
that aucb institution should be compell
ed to protect the community receiving
its circulation, by requiring that ample
security shall be givfh for the prompt re
demption of its not-s, the sufficiency of
which no act of the corporation could
impair. All experienco in this State, and
elsewhere, baa demonstrated, that tho
present system affords little or no pro
tection to noteholders, beyond the per
auu, juiegrity oi mc onicers controlling
tne njannsemeut ot the several banks.
For a full exposition of my views on this
question, I re.-pectfully call the attention
of the General Assembly to my last annu
al message.
The reports of the Auditor General, tho
State Treasurer, tbe Surveyor General,
th AdjutaDt General, and tho Attorney
General, will be laid before you, and will
alio in detail, the operations of their re
spective departments for the past year
Deeply impressed with the belief that
tho present mode of receiving, keeping
and disbursing the public revenue, i en
tirely unsafe, and inadequate to the com
plete protection of tbe interests of the
Commonwealth involved, I again rospect
fully, though earnestly, invoke legislative
action on this highly important subject.
Tho receipts and disbursements of the
Treasury aro each, annually from three to
four millions of dollars. At time there
is on hand a balance exceeding one mil
lion of dollars. The State Treasurer
gives security to tbe Conmonwoalth in the
aura of only eighty thousand dollars.
He deposits tbe money of the State when
and where he pleases, and it is paid out
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