w. H. JACOBT, Proprietor.] VOLUME 11. char ©if "mm PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY . WM. n. JACOBY, Office on Main St., Srd Square below Market, TERMSTwo Dollars per annum if paid within six months from the time of subscrib ing: two dollars and fitly cts. if not paid with in the year. No subscription taken for a less period than six months; no discontinuance permitted until all arrearages are paid, un less at the option of the editor. The terms of advertising will be as fallows: One square, twelve lines, three times, $1 00 Every subsequent insertion, 25 One square, turee months 3 00 One year, 8 00 From the Doublm University M iguzine. THE SEAMAN'S HOME. Wide let the venterous sea bird roam, A speck on ocean's bosom cast; Touch with while breast the whiter foam, And shriek before the rising blast. But give her, when her wing irwearv, A nome beyond the cliff's bare verge, That, resting in her rocky evrie, Her eye may scan the rolling surge. Beyond where bravest sea-bird dares, The seaman's eager prow has driven ; And far beyond the line that bears The mingled blue of sea and heaven. His ship has drifted t<f the gale, Where many a nigin the full, round moon, Saw but herself, nnd that while sail, O'er all the central ocean strewn. Where many a night each cold, pale star I.onßed kindly on his lonely watch, Telling of cottage homes afar, And lattice lights beneath the thatch. He brough the gold of other lands, He braved the battle's stormy rage; Give him a home where kindly hands Shall rock the cradle of his uge. No grey haired wife may soothe his grief, No child may guide his tottering limb ; The honey on the withered leaf, The charms of life are not lor him. But give him on his own loved shore A quiet haven where the brawl Of the chafed sea shall vex no more, Or only come at memory's call. And let some gentle, pastoral tone Speak to his soul of pardoned sin, Till Mercy melt the heart of stone, And ilnpe with sorrow enters in. Till, as of old, when out at sea, His country far behind him laded. Some brighter isle before nould be, V\ ith golden vales by palm trees shaded. So as his life lades slow and calm, . And all of earth in distance dies, Tue land that bears the heavenly palm. Shall break on faith's fast closing eyes. Fiom the Evening Bullet in-Jun. -1. Snowy Night nnd Snowy Light. Motvlay evening was one of those damp, windy, snowy nights when the flakes pene trate like the very air, and one involuntarily half closes his eyes to look out ahead, as he ploughs his way along, turning up the ac cumulating drills as each foot is planted unsteadily though obstinately. Lifting up the countenance while the wind and snow sting one's cheek like Lilliputian arrows, the street appears in perfect silence and what seems almost desolation when you re member how far it is to home, and what locks and bolts shuts you out from the homes lining your difficult path. Even the gas lights look as if they should be placed in pairs to keep each other silent company. If some such quotations as "the bones of desolation's nakedness," or "in unfenced desolation's naked as the vulgar air," do not possess your benumbed mind entirely you can throw'at these solitary gas lights a bit of Drydeti: Dim as the borrow'd beams of moon and stars To lonely, weary, wand'ring travellers, Is reason to thesoul;-soreason'sglim'ring rav, Was lent, not to assure our doubtful way, Hut guide us upward to a better day. But at last you reach home, and knock ing off those round knobs of snow which have formed upon your heels, yon open the door and enter the one dwelling where "en vy, calumny and hate" if not "pain," are forever barred out, and while feet are toasting for bed the current of thought is changed. A group surround you to get a sketch of how the "Little Giant" looked ; how the procession went ofT, and how the 1,, snow-flakes were turned to opals by the fire-works. But the morning! What a different pic ture. Breakfast over, and that calm, cool state which forebodes unremantic business, arrived at the up-town citizen starts for the centre of the city. Scene One: a white ex panse as wide as street and sky; two: a small army of laborers tgith shovels and red scarfs clearing off pavements; three, curious effects of drifting, displayed in figures in the streets, in the angles of the steps, beside lamp posts, and on theedges of roofs, where the undermining wind will often form an overhanging arch, which on the very verge, will rest for day*. Fourth: the way-farer will observe the trees laden down with snow pale and pure; reminding you oftbehymn:- "It cannot on the mountain pine, Disturb the sparrow's nest." Probably your next two three reflections will be induced by finding the passenger cars not running, or getting alofig very slow, or a snow ball hitting you ou the back, or cold leet. So that the first reflection in reaching the office will be on A of gratefnl geniality at warmth and shelter, and, sitting in a comfortable chair, one will' the bet ter appreciate these exquisite lines ofßlanco White, of which the idea is fresh and beau tiful,— at least to our mind: 'Mysterious Night, whenourfirstpar'ntkneW Thee from report divine and hearcl thy name, Did he not tremble for this glorious frame, This lovely canopy of light and blue? Vet 'nealb a curtain of translucent dew, Hesperus, with the hosts of heaven came, And lo! creation widened in man's view. THE STAR OP THE NORTH, • - ~ Who could have thought such wonders lay concealed. Within thy beams O! Sun or who could find While fly and leaf and insect stood revealed, That to such countless orbs, thou mads't us blind. Why do we then shun death with anxious strife, If LIGHT can thus deceive, wherefore not LfcJ" The Dismond Breast-Pin. " It will cost two hundred dollars, Anna!'' said George Blakely to his young, proud, and extravagant wife. The tone in which lie said this, showed that her request had star tled him. " Ilcnow it will but what are two hundred dollars for a diamond pin I" Mrs Blakely's remark was half contemptuous. Harry Ed gar's diamonds cost over one thousand dol lars. 11 Just one thousand more than her hus band could afford to pay for them," said Mr. Blakely. " He's the best judge of that, I presume, retorted his wife " ' But that doesn't signify. You cannot, Anna.' 'What do you do with your money, pray?' The young wife turned sharply upon her husband and her words and tone stung him into a rather harsh reply. But this only aroused her anger and made her more un reasonbaly and persistent. 'O very well, said her, 100 the yielding hus band at last, go to Canfield's to-morrow and get the pin. Tell him to send in the aocowtvt on the first of January and it will be paid.' Mrs. Blakely was ii. earnest. There was not one of her fashionable acquaintances but had a diamond ring or breastpin, and until the owr.er of one or both, she could not hold up her head in society. Her husband was receiving teller in a bank, at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars per annum, when he married, which was about a year before, and he still occupied the same post with the same income. For a young man in his position he had not married wisely. The handsome face and captivating manners of a dashing belle be wildered his fancy. He proposed in haste, was promptly accepted, and led to the marriage altar, not a true woman, to be transformed into a true wife, but a weak, capricious, vain creature, incapable of gen uine love, and too selfish and narrow mind ed to feel the influence of honorable princi ple. An extravagant love for dress and orna ment characterized her from the beginning, and she would hearken to none of her hus band's gently offered remonstrances. Near ' ly half his' income she spent during ttie first year of their marriage, in dress and ! jewelry. The demand for a two hundred dollar breastpin, coming upon young Blakely, as it did, at a time when he had just made the unpleasant discovery of a deficit in his in come, when compared with hisexpenses, of several hundred dollars, sadly disheartened him. But he was not brave enoush to meet the exigency, and, therefore, weakly yield ed to a demand that should have been met by an unflinching refusal. The first of January found Blakely short ot funds by considerably more than the price to be paid for the diamond pin. Can field's bill come in, and must be settled.— It would not do for him to back In the mat ter of payment, for the jeweler was an ac quaintance of more than one of the directors of the bank, and questions might be asked, and inferences drawn prejudicial to his standing. In an evil hour, under distress of mind and strong temptation, the young man made a false entry which enabled him. to abstract two hundred dollars from the funds of the bank. This was only the beginning of a series of defalcations, which ran through many years before the exposure came which is sure to such a crime it was easier now to supply the extravagant demands of his wife, whose annual wardrobe and bills for jewelry, for which she had the passion, which is char acteristic of weak minds, almost reached 1 the full amount of his salary. But the end came at last. One morning, seven years from the dan of the marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Blakely were about leaving for the opera, when the bell was rung vio lently. Mr. Blakely started and turned pale with a sudden presentment of evil. 'What is the matter?' asked his wife, who saw the singularchange in his countenance. Mr Blakely did not answer, but stood listening at the door. Men's voices were now heard, and the tread of heavy feet along the passage. There was a start, a hurried movement by Blakely; then he stood still as rivited to the spot. ' Who are they what is the meaning of this?' asked Mrs. Blake'.y in alarm—At the same moment two men entered the room. ' You are arrested,' said one of them, 'on a charge of defalcation.' Mrs. Blakely Bhrieked, but her husband stood still and statute-like, his face of an ashen hue. George, George! This is false, said Mrs. Blakely, recovering herself. 'You certainly could not stoop low enough to commit crime!' ' It is true,' he answered, in a low and despairing voice. Then laying one of his fingers on the diamond pin that glittered on her bosom, he added, speaking to her alone. 'You gained that at the price of your hus band's dishonor! You demanded it. I re monstrated, and said I could not afford so ! costly an ornament. You repeated your de | mand, and I, weak fool that 1 was, permitted BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, P,A., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1859. I the contraction of a debt that could only be canceledbydishoneat means I thought,when I married you, that I had obtained a wife whose virtues might help me upwards to wards Heaven, but you have only proved a tempting fiend, dragging me daily neater and nearer the brink of destruction, over which I now fall to hopeless ruin. I have robbed the bank, but it was for you 1' Then turning to the officers he said in a calm voice— ' 1 am at your service.' The words of her husband had stunned Mrs. Blakely. She never saw him after wards. That night he passed to a higher tribunal than an earthly one, and she was left in poverty and disgrace. The story is oneofevery day life. George Blakely is the representative of a class. Not all of them rob banks, or defraud their em ployers. But all pf them to support idle, extravagant wives in costly establishments —costly in comparison with their means— spend more than their earnings or profits, and fail in the end to pay their obligations, and thus become disgraced. A modern young lady ; fashionably edu cated, and with modern notions of style, fashion and modern equipments, is altogeth er too costly an article for a young man of small means or a moderate salary. Diamond pins, rich silks and laces, rose wood furniture, six, seven, eight or nine hundred dollar houses, operas, balls, fash ionable parties, Saratoga and Newport, and .success in business, are altogether out of the question. If young men would unite the latter and matrimony, they must look, into another cir cle for wives. A girl who in independent enough to earn her own living as a teacher or with the needle, is a wife worth a score of the but terflies of fashion, and a rising young man, who has only his industry to rest upon for success in life, is a.fool to marry any other. Useful"indusjry is always honorable, and difference" of se/f makes po difference in this particular. > A SOCIAL SKETCH. '. Reader, "constant" or inconstant, of course you know the Toothpickers. One meets them at every evening party that one 'goes to. In fact, no evening party would be thought complete without them. One is sure to find a herd of th'em in the doorway of the drawing room, and a straggler or two is always to be seen upon the staircase.— They derive their name of Toothpicker from the sort of after-dinner toothpick ai r there is about them. They come generally in couples, and come rather late, with the lazy alter look of men who have just been dining. So long as the toothpick-chewing mania continued the Toothpickers were always seen to be afflicted with it, and nothing but the fear of being placed in Bedlam prevents them, even now, from giving vent to the insanity. Evening parly-goers never need ! look far to find a Toothpicker. One cannot i escape seeing them, lor they are always in i the way. One can neither leave the room ! nor enter it without a tussle to get past them. If your partner wants an ice, you have to squeeze through them to get it. And then they jam up close again the instant you've gone thnmgh, as though they were all hung on hinges and had doorsprings in their back bones. The Toothpickers belong to the family of Wallflowers; but there are be tween them some marked points of differ ence. In the first place, they are only found | in the male sex. As far as we can learn, no one ever yet has seen a female Toothpick er. If ever one existed it may now be clas sified among the extinct animals. Again, unlike the Wallflowers, the Toothpickers are seldom to be lound inside the drawing room. They frequent the ice-room and the staircase, and the landings; but the walls of the drawing-room are generally free from them. The doorposts are, however, their favorite place of resting. It is always there the Toothpickers do mostly congregate.— They are not shy animals; but they like to keep together, and don't care to associate with other than their species. They avoid locomotion, and seldom take much exercise; but it must not be inferred that they are weak or muscleless. The way in which they stand about the doorway the whole evening is a satisfying proof that they have no mean crural powers, and that their dorsal muscles are prodigiously developed is shown by the tenacity with which they nightly in the season slick their backs against the doorposts. They adhere to place as firmly aB a Government official; and, like the Whigs, if you displace lhera,lbey are certain to come back. A cry of " Supper!" generally induces them to move, but 1 have known a herd of Toothpickers refuse to be disturbed by it. Although they condescend occasionally to stalk through a quadrille, it may be laid down as a rule that the Toothpickers don't dance. 1 recollect once asking one the rea son why he did'nt; and he graciously in formed me he thought " dawncing a gweat baw—for it made one feel so—aw —sticky, and it—aw—disawanged one's waistcoat." In general, the Toothpickers are not very communicative. Two words in ten min utes seems about the pace at which their conversation travels. After supper, certain ly, thanks to their libations of pale ale and champagne, they generally contrive to spar kle up a bit. But till they get the liquids they are generally mutes. Mutes, too, they are really, in more senses than one; for they look', in their white chokers and ex- Ipressioniess fixed features, much more fit to be on duty on the doorstep at a funeral Trim and Right 6od and ®ur ConntryT~ than to be hanging blankets, about the doorway of a dcgtvqig-room. Another of their peculiarities ft, Mitt one never hears them laugh. It canHNbe for the want of having cause for laughing; for you know at every evening party thkfe's always lots to laugh at. But I suppoaPfhey don't like the " twouble," and think haw," or are afraid that the Iprcise of laoghing might fatigue them ; orjjossibly, it may be that they think it "wilds"/ to laugh. I be lieve it's thought a signal good breeding not to laogh. At leas/, iUcertainlv is the fact that the higher (he society the less laughing you hear in i(. II the best jokes be cracked, (and you knovt in some circles it is thought extremely vulgar to crack jokes ) you will always find the Toothpick ers will never condescend**) do the least bit more than smile at them. Indeed, their heartiest fit of laughter is JjAjfa loud smile. They seem to bottle it upspnehow, and let it explode inwardly, like bgi ginger-beer I have been all my life id observer of the Toothpickers, and I declare 1 never heard one actually laugh. You often catch them smiling, but this is all they do; and they do this a la Cm her , ju.-stCeo show their teeth. The most boisterously bent of them shrink from an indulgence open cachi nation. If they ever are amused, (and it is no easy labor to amuse a Toctbpicker,) they smile a sort of half-laugh as a proof of their enjoyment. Crack your best jokes with them, and this is all you getdor it. They dare not open their lips farpfs* fear their toothpick should drop out, orlest they dis arrange the curl of their mij&tpmhes. As j wide mouths are thought vulgar, they lake' care not to stretch theirs by giving • broad grin : end as for ever getting UmgMoring a peal of laughter, you mighfWOWaxpeci to hear them ringing a Bob M<wor.— punch's Pocketbook. A NORTH CAROLINA ANECDOTE.—Governor S was a splendid lawyer, and could talk j a jury out of their seven senses. He was | especially noted for his success in criminal | cases almost always clearing his client. He | was onco counsel for a man accused of j horse stealing. He made a long, eloquent | and touching speech. The jury retired, but, returned in a few moments, and, with tears 1 in their eyes, proclaimed the man not guilty. | An old acquaintance stepped up to the pris- j oner and said: "Jim, the danger is passed : and now hon or bright, didn't you steal that horse t" To which Jim replied; "Well, Tom; I've all along thought I look that horse: but since j I've heard the Governor's *£p£bch, I don't ' believe I did /" AN anxious public will be pleased to learn lrom a Paris letter that the shape for the winter bonnet seems to be settled. The front is rather larger, and although not*deci dedly pointed, is brought forward over the front hair, still left very open at the ride*, in order to leave room Tor thafiandeaux and curls. The crown is also larger, and the curtain narrower, and not so full; feathers matching the bonnet are in favor. GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. To Hit Honorable the Senators and Members of the House of Representatives of the Common wealth of Pennsylvania : GICNTLEMEN:-Allhough the fear just closed has been one of great depression in the business and monetary affairs of the coun try, I am happy to be able to announce to the Representatives of the People, that the finances of Pennsylvania are in a most sat isfactory condition. The receipts at the Treasury, from all sources, for the fiscal year, ending on the 3th day of November, 1858, were $4,139,- 778 35; and the expenditures, for all purpo ses, during the same time, were $3,775,857 06. Leaving an excess of receipts over ex penditures of $363,921 29. This exhibit shows that there was actu ally in the Treasury on '.lie first day of De cember, 1858, the sum of $3.63,911 29, more than there was on the first day of De j cember, 1857. In addition to this, among the expenditures for the year were, Loans redeemed, $380,306 85 Relief Notes, redeemed, 41,07 iOO Interest Certificates, •' 116 70 Making of the public debt funded and unfunded paid during the year the sum of 421,494 55 If we add to this the excess of money on hand, at the end of the fiscal year, over what re- * mained in the Treasury, at the same time last year, viz: 363,921 29 We have the sum of $785,415 84 But this is not all. The am't paid on the public improvements, including damages and old claims, during the fiscal year, was $341,036 58 While the amount of revenue, from the same source, for the same period, was only 95,070 00 Making an excess of expendi tures over receipts, which hap pily we will be relieved from in the future, o{ $245 966 52 This sum should also, be credited to the operations of the Treasury, during the year, for it was an extraordinary expenditure, which cannot again occur; and was in fact, a reduction ol the liabilities of the Com monwealth, to that extent. If we add this sum to the amount of debt paid, and the excess of cash on hand, we nave for the year, a balance in favor of the receipts, over the ordinary expenditures, amounting in the aggregate t051,031,382 36 But from this ( however, should be deduc ted the extraordinary receipti, which were, Ist, The amount paid by the Pennsylvania R. R. Co., on the principal of the debt due by the said Co., to the Commonwealth, for the purchase of the Main Line, $lOO,OOO 2d, The am't received from the Girard Bank, lor loans of the Commonwealth sold by that bank, 28,000 In all, t $128,000 Which, deducted from the foregoing ag- gregate cf $1,031,382 36, leaves the true balance ol the ordinary receipts over the ordinary expenditures for the fiscal year at $903,382 36 The funded and unfunded debt of lite Commonwealth, on the first day of Decem ber, 1857, was of follows:—FUNDED DEBT. 9 per cent, loan, $ 445; 180 00 5 per cent, loan, 38,773,212 52 4j per cent, loan, 388.200 00 4 per cent, loan, 100,000 Ou To this should be added 5 per cent. Coupon Bonds sold by Ui rard Bank, not before reported 28,000,00 Total funded debt, $39,634,592 32 UNFUNDED DEBT. Relief Notes outstanding, $146 421 00 | Interest certificates do. 23,473 82 do. do. unclaimed 4,448 38 Domestic creditors, 802 50 I Total unftinried debt, $174,145 70 | Making the entire debt of the Common | woallh at the period named $39 909.738 22 The funded and unfunded debt of the Slate at the close of the last fiscal year, De cember Ist, 1868, stood as follows: FUNDED DSUT. % per cent, loans, $ 445,180 ho 5 per cent, loans, 38.420,905 67 4i per cent loans, 388,200 00 cent, loans, 100,000 00 Total funded debt, $39,354,285 67 UNFUNDED DEBT. Relief Notes outstanding, $105,350 00 Interest certificates, 23,357 15 do do unclaimed, 4.448 38 Domestic Creditors, 802 50 Total unfunded debt, $132,858 00 Making the public debt on the first of De cember last $39,488,243 67. Since lite clow of the fiscal year, the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund have redeemed of the five per cent, loan, the sum of $220,132 51, leaving the real debt of the Commonwealth, t this time, founded and unfounded, $39,- 268,111 16. ' —t tweet iiiij, berrtdentmordinary sources of public revenue, the State owns bonds re ceived from the sale of the public works, and which I have every reason to believe, are well secured, amounting to eleveu mil lions one hundred and eighty one dollars.— Deducting this Irom the outstanding debt, it leaves to be otherwise provided for, the sum of twenty eight millions eighty seven thousand one hundred and eleven dollars and sixteen cents. It is believed that, with the existing sour ces of revenue, and the observance of strict economy, this sum may be reduced, durin" the current year, at least one million of dob lars. The present would seem lobe the appro- i pnate time, —when our nation is at peace, - and when health and reasonable prosper ity prevail within our own borders.—-to greatly reduce the public del# We have but to carefully husband our legitimate re sources, avoiding extravagant aud unneces sary appropriations, and practicing a proper economy in all the departments pf Govern ment, to render the entire extinguishment of our debt a fixed fact within a very brief period. To carefully guard the public treas ury at this interesting epoch in our financial history, is so manilestly the duty of the public authorities, that i cannot for one mo ment believe that any other policy will be proposed, if there be any, who, relying on the improved condition ot the finances of the State, would encourage the adoption of new schemes for depleting the Treasury, or would cut off the sources of our present rev enue, and thus reduce it, let all such efforts, coming from whatever quarter they may, be sternly resisted. Let Pennsylvania be just before she is generous. . Let our good example be a light in the pathway of our sister States, as well as an admonition to our own local governments. This is due alike to the tavors which Providence has so bountifully bestowed upon us, and to that high character for honesty and integrity which has ever distinguished the people of this good old Commonwealth. In pursuance of the act entitled "An Act for the Sale of the State Canals,approved on the 21st day of April last, I did, as the Governor of the Commonwealth, on the 19th day ol May, 1858, convey to the Sun bury and Erie Railroad Company, all the public works belonging to the Common-, wealth, then remaining unsold, consisting ol the Delaware Division—the Upper and Lower North Branch Divisions—the West Branch Division—and the Susquehahna Di vision of the Pennsylvania Canals, with all the property thereunto belonging, or in any wise appertaining, and all the estate, right, title and interest ot this Commonwealth therein, for the sum of three millions five hundred thousand dollars. To secure the payment of this sum, the Sunbury and Erie Railroad Company paid to the State Treas urer its bonds, secured by a mortgage, as directed by the act, for the amount of the purchase money. The company, also, com plied with the provisions of the Act which required it, as additional security, to exe cute and deliver to the State Treasurer a mortgage on the Delaware Division for one million—a mortgage on the Susquehanna and West Branch Divisions for half a mill ion—and a mortgage on the Upper and Low er North Branch Divisions for half a million of dollars. The deeds and mortgages were all executed under the immediate super vision ot the Attorney General, and were in strict conformity with the requirements of the law. After the conveyances were duly Executed and delivered, possession of the canals was given to the railroad company. The act further proyided that the Sunbury and Erie Railroad Company should not re sell the Canals, or any part of them, with out the consent of the Governor; and if a re-sale were made for a greater rum, in the aggregate, than three and a halt millions of dollars, seventy-five per cenlun.*of the ex cess should be paid to the Commonwealth, in the bonds of the purchasers. It was also provided that upon a re-sale, the mortgages given b\ the Sunbury and Erie Railroad Compauy to the Commonwealth, upon the Canals, '-should be cancelled by the Slate Treasurer and surrendered to the company by the Governor, on deposite made by the said company in the office of the State Treasurer, of an equal amount of the bonds of their grantees, secured by mortgage of the canal or canals sold as aforesaid"—with a provision that no transfer of securities should be made until the Governor Bhould be satisfied that the new securities to be given were sufficient to protect the interests of the State; and that his written approval of the charge should be filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Sales were made by the Sunbury & Erie Railroad Company and me, tin- I der the oath of the President, of the differ -1 ent lines as follows: j The Upper and Lower Norlh Branch Canal, to die North Branch Canal Company, for 91,600,000 The West Branch and Susque hanna Divisions, to West Branch and Susquehanna Canal Compa , . . 500,000 J lie Delaware Division, to the Delaware Division Canal Com pany, of Pennsylvania, for 1,775,000 In all the sum of $3,875,000 Upon investigation nnd inquiry, having become satisfied that these sales were made ior fair prices, and upon such terms, and to such persons composing the various pur- I chasing associations, as to insure the pay i ment of the purchase money, they were | severely approved I After the contract for the sale of the Dei aware Division had been entered into, and I my consent had been verbally given, and seventy-five thousand dollars of the pur chase money had been actually paid bj the purchasers, upon the faith of the contract, and my assent thereto, I was informed that a higher price had been offered, by respon sible persons, tor the canal. But under the circumstances, my opinion was that the offer came too late; and as the Railroad Company considered itself bound to con summate the agreement by a delivery ol the deed and possession of the property to the first purchasers, I could not in good faith, withhold ray assent. North Branch Canal Company, subsequent to the purchase of that division, sold that portion of the canal lying between Wilkes barre and Northumberland to the Wyoming Canal Company for the sum of nine hun dred and eighty-five thousand dollars. On the 13th of September, 1858, bonds of the various companies owning the different canals, secured by mortgages, were, in pur suance of the act, and by my approval, de posited with the Slate Treasurer to the amount of two millions of dollars ; and the mortgages on the canals given by the Sun bury and Erie Railrqad'Compuny, were can celled by the Stats Treasurer, and surren dered by me to the company in accordance with the directions of the Jaw. At the same time a settlement was made between the Commonwealth and the Railroad Company, by which the latter paid to lite Slate seventy five per centum of the proceeds of the re sale over and above the contract price of three and a half millions. This amounted to two hundred and eighty one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, and was paid in the following manner, viz: Bonds of the Wyoming Canal Company, secured by mortgage on lite canal from Wilkesbarre to Northumberland, payable in twen ty years with interest at six per cert, payable semi-annually, $2Bl 000 Cash, 250 Total, 8281,250 These bonds are well secured, and the accruing interest and principal, when due, will doubtless be promptly paid Front information of a reliable character recently communicated to me by the Pres ident of the Suubury and Erie Railroad Com pany, it appears that the prospects of an early completion of that great public high way are very encouraging. A large amount of work has been done on the line of the road during the past season, and at this time, very considerable portions of the road are graded and rapidly approaching com pletion. It is the opinion of the President of the company that, within two years, the work will be entirely finished, so thai cars will be running directly from the city of Philadelphia to the harbor of Erie When this great enterprize shall be con sumaled, and the desire of its friends finally accomplished, the payment of the three millions and a half of mortgage bonds, which the State has received in exchange for the canals, will unquestionably be well secured—whilst the railroad, itself, will prove of incalculable advantage to our great commercial emporium, as well as to the important, but long neglected, region through which it passed, its construction will undoubtedly add to the value of the real estate of the Commonwealth mapy times its cost, and develops and bring into use the rich resources ol a country which have hitherto remained as they were lavish ly strown by the hand of nature. I have an abiding confidence that the result will abun dantly prove the wisdom of the measure, which, while it guaranteed the completion of one of the greatest improvements ever projected in the Commonwealth, it, at the same time, divorced the Slate from the un- Krofitable and demoralizing management of er railroads and canals. Whatever differences of opinion may, at any time, have been entertained in regard to the propriety of the details of the legis lation authorizing the sale of the main line, or the branches, it can scarcely be doubted that the public welfure will, in every respect, be vastly promoted by the transler of the management of the public works from the State to individual owners. The short experience that we have had already, proves conclusively that the Com monwealth is greatly the gainer, in a finan cial point of view, and it has been equally demonstrated that the people at large have as well, if not better, accommodated, by the change. It would, in my judgment, be a public calamity, if, by the happening of any con tingency, the Commnwealtli should be constrained to again become the owner, and resume the management, of any porliou of the public improvement. The power of the General Assembly to pass the Act of the 21st of April, 1858, rela tive to the sale of the Siate canals was ques tioned before the Supreme Court of the Slate, since the transfer ot the Canals; and, after full argument, the Constitutionality ol the Act was sustained by the unanimous judgment of the Court. Since the sale ot the public works, and the settlement of the principal outstanding claims against the State, it is obvious that there is no further necessity for a Board of Canal Commissioners, or a Canal Depart ment. I, therefore, recommend the'aboli tion of tho Board, and that provision be made for the transfer of the records to the Auditor General. In view of the foregoing exhibit of our re sources and financial condition it is appar ent that a most interesting era has been reached in tho history of the Commonwealth. Relieved from the entangling embarrass ments of an extensive system of internal improvements, the means of the State are now ample for all legitimate purposes, and her public debt is gradually but certainly disappearing. From these and other causes, governmental action has become greatly simplified, and the nature of the subjects of [Two Dollars per Anna* NUMBER 1. its operation has changed in a degree no > less remarkable. i The almost entire disposal of the lands which belonged to the State, has already dispensed with one of the Departments ere , atod for their care, and will, ultimately, ren i der the other unnecessary, except lor pre- I serving the evidences of their transfer, j The sale of ihe public works has relieved the Executive branch of the Government of many of its most responsible and perplex ing duties, and in effect, dispensed with one of its most formidable and difficult depart ments. In the same proportion, the action of the Legislature will, if the representatives of the people be true to the interests reposed, and sternly refuse to entangle the public with those numerous projects and enterprises which are continually seeking its alliance, be simplified and economized, purified and strengthened. And it is as remarkable as it is propitious, that an era which has thus relieved the Slate authorities of .burthens that consisted, either of mere material interests,or the care of local administration,—committing the one to the local sovereignty of the people, and the other to private or associated enterprize, —should also present for consideration and promotion intellectual and moral claims of peculiar importance. It is at this period in our history that tho system of public education challenges the attention of the most unobservant. And I shall be much mistaken in the cautious but steadfast character of the people of Penn sylvania, if their Representatives do uot make it the first object of their solitude. The annual report of the Superintendent of Common Schools, will lay before you the piesent condition of the Common School Sys'em and of its operations during the past year. Your close and scrutinizing atten tion is invited to the details of that docu ment. Including the city of Philadelphia, it will be observed, that there were in the publio schools of the Stato, during the year which terminated on the first Monday of last June, 628,201 pupils; these were instructed dur ing an average term of a little over fi.e months, in 11,281 schools, by 13,856 teach ers at a total cost of 82.427 632 41. Here is a public interest, which, —wheth- er we regard its ramifica ims into every portion of our social fabric, its large cost, the imporaut powers over the present which it wields, or its incaculable influence upon the future,—undoubtedly transcends all others committed to the care of the secu lar authorities. This bein< the case, 1 have no hesitation in asserting that the time has arrived when its full importance should be recognized, and that its due administration should be made the duty of a fully organiz ed and effectives, as well as a separate de partment in the government. Rut the mere care and promotion of ottr system of Common Schools—important and extensive as it obviously is,—should not be the sole object of such a Department. If it is true that the power to punish crime includes also tne right to prevent it, by pro viding for the proper intellectual and moral Iriinin _of the people, it would -eem to fol low that the depanment charged w h the latter momentous duty, shou d also bo in _ possession of a 1 tl e sources attl Stltye&fl St information, calculated to shed light upon the object of its action. Hence the collec tion, arrangement, and practical deuuctions from ponulalionandindustr alstatistics; from natural defects, such as deafness and dumb ness, blindness, and lunacy; from crime in its various forms and developments; togeth er with such control over all the literary and scientific institutions in the State, as shall bring their full condition into view—should also belong to the same Department. Therefore, J most respectfully, but ear nestly, urge upon your favorable considera tion, at the present propitious moment, the organization of such a Department, in the room ol those for the care of mere matter whose agency has been or soon will be dis continued by the onward and upward pro gress of the Commonwealth. A suitable Department of Public Instruc tion, will not, however, of itself, effect all that is needed in this direction. The gen eral results of the Common School system, already cited, show the importance of its nature, and the magnitude ol its operations. II we look, also, into its special statistics, the conclusion will be equally clear that certain improvements in its working ma chinery, are equally indispensable. It is needless to attempt to prove the tru ism that the propeKy qualified teacher is the life and success of the school. But the facts are startling, that of the 12,828 teach ers of our public schools, exclusive of those in Philadelphia, only 5,087 are reported as "qualified" for their important trust} while 5 387 are returned as "medium," or such as are only tolerated till better can be obtained} and that 2,313 are stated to be "unfit." In other words: of the 569,880 children attend ing the schools out of Philadelphia, only about 230,000 (less than one half) are under proper instruction and training ; while about 240,000 are receiving insufficient instruction from inferior teachers; 100,000 are actually in charge of persons wholly unfit for the task. This presents the subject in a light that jean not be shut out : and, though the great and commendable efforts recently made by the teachers of Pennsylvania, for their own improvement, are fully recognized, it can not be concealed that there is a work yet to be done, in this relation, which would seem to be beyond their unaided power to accom plish. When, however, we look further into the special statistics of this branch of the sys tem, the material for improvement is found jtobe of the most promising kind. Of the | 12,828 teachers of our common schools, 1 10,889 are under thirty years of age, and , 10 9946 are natives of Pennsylvania; and a larger proportion than in most of the ! other Stales, are permanently devoted to the profession of leaching. To render these fit for the position to which they aspire— undoubtedly one of the most useful and honorable in the world—and to raise up a constant supply of well qualiliod successors, is the work to be done. Various modes of effecting this objcet have been suggested or tried; but, alter ma ture reflection, I am led to prefer that devi sed by the Act as May 20, 1858, entitled "An Act to provide lor the due training of teachers lor the Common Schools of the State." It places, in relation to the State, teacher on the same footing with the mem bers of such of the other learned professions ashavebeen recognized by public authority; and it is to be regretted that the prostration of business and scarcity of money, that so soon followed the passage of the act, had the effect of checking many laudable efforts to put its provisions into operation. Under these circumstances, does not become the duty of the State to afford such aid, or at
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