BY S. J. ROW.
CLEARFIELD, PA., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1866.
VOL. 12.-NO. 22.
Annual Message cf
' Governor of Pennsylvania.
To the Senate and House of Reprcsenta-
tnaoj tl common, v,
Gentlemes ehavecusetobe tnank-
lui to imu a iuu.,.v. w.w -
of peace within our borders, aDunaancc.v-, 1
ui in--v'
.:...!,.. nixAtm rttir rwAnt-ilA ami that t.nn3
her full duty to the country, to herself and
to prosperity. '
i apprised you in my message of the 2th
o November, 1SG5. and delivered to you at
jj,e begimng of your session, of the neeessi
unJ the pressure of which I was coni
lielleJ for fhe restoration of my health, to
Liourii for a t.'Ilie n a warmer climate. I
murned from Cu a refreshed and iuvigorat
ei and have resumed lhe..UiicUargeol my
TuUic duties. I cannot omit to , acknowl
edge, with profound gratitude, . the kind,
...fHiart and -afl'ectionjfe course which
U113 lyOIIHJJUIJ ttCiliUl uiu wen cuaLiv-u IU vw
tou pursued during my consumed absence..
i ,i.K;.m hie Unn fliiiC! mnnt til
. li. aw addition has been thus
o to
the debt which I already owed to the r
neo-
pie of the Commonwealth and their .Uepre-
Tfce balance in the Treasury, November 30tb,
l?iJ t 912.2i'3 S.'l. Keceipts duriag the your
aiding .N'v. 30. 15. S31S.!)S9 67. Total i a the
Trc.urj for tie C.-cal year ending Xov. 30, 1865
Ss.UH.l9-t 0 Tie payments for the same period
tire keen 5j.7S.52.) 16. Balance in the Treasu
ry. Xov. 20. Ijtfi. S2.373.fiBS IS. ,
Tfce operations of the Sinking fund, during Ibe
Tf .r ending on the first Monday in September
list, as stated in toy proclamation, were as follows ;
uioubtof debl reduced. SH5,SI!'2r. towit: Five
percent S13.-i.S21 62; Coupon loan S2.1i.0flli 00;
via loan 57o 41.0 lilt. Int'at certificates 52,008 G4 ;
In mesiie creditors Si7d U0.
7 be ii:-ei tr.aucy between the reduction of the
l,ii dnht, as fhuwn by the statement at the close
tf the fiscal year", and (hat in my proclamation at
thcoloe of the sinking fund year. arUes from the
tm-i lb a! the one closes ou the urat Monday of jiep
tru.l'er. and the other n the :10th November.
.rc'itint of the puo'iic debt o" 'ennsyi v.inia. as
it ftl on"' Ibe Grat or dec. IS;U. 'J 4
Amonnt redeemed at th tate Treasury during
the fi.cal year ending with Sov SO, to wit :
Fit r-er centstocks SI. 703.517 88 ; Four acd a
ka f per cent stock S20 0i0 Oil; Domestio credi
tiT cer;ificates ?i7S 00 ; Military loan, actof May
13 liiil SI79.2-M) 00; Total Si 'Jt).'J.34j Sd. .Public
debt. Dec 1, 1S: . S:i7.476.2jS Co.
A'?etii in thoTreaury : Bor.ds Pcnn'a Kailroad
cowy tny $0 700 (il!0 00 ; Eond Phil'a and Erie K.
road company S-i 500.0UU 00; Interest n bond? of
P AE r.-tilrnad company $1,030. 000 Oil ; Ca.-di in
Ivts'f Si 373 f.6s 00; Total awets S 13 623 668 14.
l.iabilitea in eices of a?ets $2'a2 5tf 9i.,--
Liabilities iu exce.-p ot aeis. Nuveiub 3tl. 1SC0
$W 4t?i. 1 S 94. " Liabilities in exoesrot assets Nor.
M. IStij. St38i2 5SJ92 . Improvement incondi
ti h of Treasury, einoeXov 30 l,8oO,52!306.i7'J 02
i;y the report of the IStaie Treasurer, it
ii'.i lc ohscrve l that the extraordinary ?es
j eiiditines provrinc out. ni the .war., not. re-l-.sn
Jed hr the General" Government, have
'. c.i $4,0.(7 21. ; This iaHu les the di
Jt ct tux paid to the; United States' by "the
tate, which is not. re-imbursablei ,.,In the
1 alance is included the $Gt 1.4T0 43 paid to
l)n: militia, which with a good portion of the
remaining exjienditure, is' clearly das the
iate from the Genera! Government.
'. he nereksify ft:r extraordinary "expendi
Mirvs hnving ceased with the ' surprcssion cf
the late rebellion.' measures should be taken
t exnniirc our resources, and relieve, as far
as possible, the heavy burdens to which our
pwple are subjected. . i . , iv i . "
It has bvn the habit of late year3, to ap
propriate, freely, annua! Fumsfor the support
of local charities; anl fuch aprrofriations
ar almost every year increased in number
and amount. Houses of llefuge. Institu
tion for the Deaf and Dumb and for the
Blind. Lunatic Asylums these appear to
tiie to le proper objects of State bounty, be-
cause.a tew of them are ..sufficient for . tne
whole State, mid to leavo them to be provi
ded tor by the local authorities would, in
fact, be to deprive the" protection, the un
frtunate classes for whose benfit they are
designed. But mere local charities, howev
er meritorious and effective, should, I think,
be left to the support ot "the benevolent par
ties who established them. It is ojijustthat
the people of the Commonwealth should le
coerced to pay taxes in order that part of the
money so raised may be given to the sup
port of local charities, conducted by private
association5!, especially when it is remem
bered that hitherto but a small' proportion
of the private charities. iiLxhe State have
aked for such appropriation, i I recommend,
therefore, that no appropriation be .made
f r charities, beyond ihz Institutions which
I have above specified. x.-T..t:.-.t !
The taxes at present laid on corporations
are unequal, and to a certain extent there
by unjust. I recommend the subject to the
attention 'of the Legislature, with a yiew to
the revWion ot the system. . " i
Withiu a few years, acts have been re
peatedly passed directing the expenditure
ff as much' money as may be necessary to
effect named : purposes, xometimea without
clearly designat ins by whom the money.is
to be expended, or how the acounti are to
be examined. This custom is very recent,
i aV lrcaQy ;leJ to abuses. : "I recom
niend that the practice be corrected, and
thit no appropriation be made without hav
ing the exact, sum appropriated, . the fipeci
th purpose-to which it is to be applied, and
designating the officer by whom it is to be
expended, and provtdin that the accounts
ha!l bo settled in the Auditor General's of
fice iu the iwual waji ner. . .
Y the Stale for military purposes, since partmnt. "i-' - - .r, t--ywiiteakin
out of tb rebellion, the eon- ; On the ! 4!h dav of May, .1861, the Sec
t.ition of the Treasury is now $2,555,579 12 ' retary ot W'a'r. in" i. letter comruutiica'ting
ettpr than itwa.-i then, an IT dul proud to
te aide to siif fiit-flir 1 1. r t.,l. A ... '
OI . 1 J.i..... . a-.-. ..la . . . . . , ,
r " ..-...., .... i... , via y :
--'"-f"nnirv..irfi iue-o;are met.t . was
f liVJ.'.i'ftiii toi-s rhan it was on ths 1st of
Jmiiirj: . ISfi. r The,.arq, truly, ratifyln '1Bg. j a-l lifiw.- V the thirteen regiments
i ir-ts,- rndcr. tues'-circumsiatices, it may, t,f three r.ioMh)rtiHitia.. already called for,
w poitjie, with entwe ?afety to our nuat-;
I'osMnie, with entwe Kiiety to Ortir huan-;
to npduce brt'cvni repeal the ordinary '
,atT p twoDd a half milis ori real es-
te-. 1 he'tax of one half mill laid by the
Kr t.Vin
4 a " - J .
ALyr 16,-1861, wa:by t-hatct exn
pressly pledged for the repayment of the
loan' of 3,000,000, thereby authorized,
and of course cannot be repealed or redu
ced until that payment bhall have been
made. I recommend this subject to the
careful and deliberate consideration and
judgment of the legislature, and if it should
found that ahe tax can be repealed, I
recommen(1 that u , authorizing the
levying pi local taxes on ponds, mortgages,
oans anj aH pr0IiCrty oi- tnat kjnj be also
pea;ed. emeu a repeal would largely en-
couraie the investment
the investment of capital in this
L State, and add immensely to the wealth of
the state, wlule the local authorities would
lose very li;t!e, as it ft notorious, that from
the difficulties of the assessment, they re
ceive very. little from these sources. In
case of such repeal, I recommend the adop
tion of some effectual measures for enforc
ing correct; returns uf such objects of taxa
tion, with appropriate penalties for the neg
lect or refusal to make them. I make
these recommendations believing that it
will lead to uiori equitable local taxation
and to greater economy in theirdisburtemenf.
Many acts are o"n our statute books, in
corporating 'companies for various purposes,
which companies have never been organ
ized or gone into operation. I recommend
that all such acts be repealed by a general
law, and that provision be" mada that in fu
ture every act authorizing, a corporation
shall become void, unless the corporation
shall onrnnize and use its franchises within
a limited time.; , . , - '
Sinye my last annual message the war
against armed treason has been brought to
a close. Of ths large eontributions made
by Pennsylvania to the National atniy, but
a few of the men now remain' ia the service.
The spirit which animated our : people, at
the outset of the rebellion, has never flag
ged ; aid wo can took back with pride and
satpfacnon to the part taken by JUis i-tatf-,
in uidi::'u uiaictuiu th unity yf the Gov
eriiUstrtH and in its defence against the as
snirs ot its t nei'iies. In my tiivt- inaug.irtil
address, I took occasion to declare that
Pennsylvania would, under any circumstan
ces, render a ta'I and determine 1 support of
the free institutions of the Union. The
pledge o made-was baed upon my knowl
edge of the solid .patriotism of her citizens.
At that time d.iiir threatened, but no one
anticipated that it - would break forth so
suddenly, nor that it would grow to .su;b
proportion' as it in a bripf time assvui-l i.
ily cfHifidence iiid-'onusylvania.-rn her evert,
yet stubborn will, her ability aril msou-.ws
hae been fully justified by the tiianiiw i!:
which .-he has doijs her duty dui iu.; the late
.,--' fVT wiv,t '-' - : .
Oa the reiuc.sf of th,; IVcsident of the
Utiued; Stares, I liiade a communication to
tho IiCgislature, oa tin; y.li day; ot' April,
18CliL'tting forth that niiliraty orgjuiz-t-tioisi,,'ox
a ilriuid.tble character; , which did
not-seetu to. be tloiansd , by.. arty cxUting
public exigency, had bvesi formed in certain
of the Stales, and that, whiit Pennsylvania
yielded to no State, iti her resiec.r ior and
wiliingness to protect, by all needful guaran
tees, the constitutional' rights and constUu
tional independence of hef sister States, no
contemplated attenit t to resist the enforce
ment; cf the National law could meet with
sympathy ;cr "encouragement' from the xeo
ple. oi' this Coi iiU'.Kf.wa'.Lh, and asked tor
authority and means to organize a mili
tary hureiu at the Capital, and to so amend
and modify the militia laws as to give vitali
ty and energy to tho military organizations
of the State. On the 12ih day ot the same
month, I sigrted a bill providing for the pur
noses indicated in my message. It will, be
remembered that this patriotic action of the
Legislature occured before it . was known
that hostilities had actually commenced
and it is believed to be the first official ac
tion by the authorities ot airy State, or by
the National Legislature. '
The first call made by the President for
troops to aid in snppresaine the rebellion,
was on the 15th of April, 1S61, for seventy
five thousand men ; and that of this num
ber, the quota of Pennsyjutnia was four
teen regiments, to serve three months, un
less sooner discharged. ith unsurpassed
alacrity and earnestness, volunteers answer
ed to this call, in suih numbers as manifes
ted the intuitive jconviction of the people,
that the monstrous wickedness which had
conceived an armed rebellion against the
the ConstimUon: and the laws, could not be
suppressed but by a colossal force. :
Major General Robert vPatterson was as
signed, by the General. Government,' to a
command, which included the forces raised
in Pennsylvania. Withln a week' after the
call of the President, communication with
Washington was . almost entirely ;cut off.
General Patterson, prompted by the neces
sities of the situation, made, on the 25th of
April, a requisition "upon me for twenty
five additional" regime tits of infantry and
one of cavalry,' to be forthwith mustered
inToltho5 service of .the United States. Un
der, this requisition, I accepted, from a
monzst the many pressing to be admitted
into the service, a sufficient number of com
panies to fill it; care being taken to allow to
eah county, as nearly as possible, a fair
representation.: Only eleven regiments how
ever, in addition to the fourteen called for
by-tWPresidt,-were organized and mus
tered into the service, before the order of
General Patterson wa$ countermanded by
him, under instructions from the War Ve-
ttf. , nUr o
f orcaniRition,- f r three - years
. nf tlm
reiittll-Mi s. tuu ' iv.'i-o.i""
order iri the t illowin litieuair : ' 1 on reg
Inionts are aliened t.o-! PensvTvanl.i'. mak-
.twentv-threo raiments,
to rednw rsther than
T.,er, and in', nq : events .t
me ' earnestly recamnici
.twentv-threo " Tfftrimentf. It is important
enlarge this rjum-
to exceed ..it. iet
' ni.nacfitf Vf...,i,mpnd to von. tliprft-
in iiUh. IXw -1 t - J
fore, :tc;eall for.'no more tlttntrwenty-
three regiments, of which only ten are to
serve during the war, and if more are
already called for, to reduce the number
by discharge."
The twenty-five regiments raised as above
stated, comprised 20,979 men. The ardor
of, our people was unabated. Many of the
companies, under my order, had arrived in
camp at Harrisburg, and others maintained
their organizations at home at their own ex
pense, . and by constributions from their
neighbors and friends. -
In the critical condition of the country,
and anticipating that, in case of reverse to
our arms, the borders of Pennsylvania would
be the portals to the rich granaries, manu-.
factories and. store-houses of the North, I
deemed it my duty to convene, the Legisla
ture, that adequate provision might be
made to enable me to render the military
power of the State s available and efficient
as it should be, for the common defense of
the State an 1 the General Government ; and
accordingly, on the 2l)th of April, 1 $81, issued
my proclamation, caliing for the meeting of
the General Assembly, on the 30th of the
same monih.
In my message to the Legislature at its
openiug. I recommended the immediate or
ganization, disciplining ani3arming of at least
fifteen regiments,exclusi"? of those called in
to the service of the United States.
The Legislature acted prompt?;' upon this
suggestion, and made full provisions' for its
efr'c'jtual accomplishment. The result was
the early and complete organization, clothing
and equipment of the P ennsylvania Reserve
Volunteer Corps, with its thirteen regiments
of infantry, one of light artillery and one of
cavalry, under the supervision of George A:
M'Call, who was 'selected to command it,
with the commission and rank of Major Gen
aral. This corps contained 15.856 men. and
the whole expense of raising.clothing, equip
ing, subsisting and paying them, until their
entry into the United States service, was
S55.411S7. They were encamped in dif
ferent parts of the State, except two of the
regiment-:, commanded by Colonels Chas. J.
Kiddle and Seneca G. Simmons, and tv.xi
batteries of artillery, under the command of
Col. Chas. T. Canipbel!,which,at;thereqccst
ot the War Department, were sent on the
22d of Juii3, 1861, to the relief of Colonel
Wallace, at Cumberland, Maryland, and re
in tin.d for about fix weeks there, and in
Western Virginia, engaged in active opera
tions. Toward the clo-e of July the whole
corps .'iis cailou for and taken, cm a requisi
rion. into the . service Oi thii C fftte d SrarTrV.
Within1 four days' after the disaster at Bull
linn, eleven leginients, in all respects ready
fir active service, were in Washington and
Baltimore. ' .' 'r "
, The troops sent to Western Virginia were
re called, and with the other two regiments
of t!m corps, forwarded to Washington.
On the 2;iih of Jniy, !S61, the Secretary of
War expressed his gratification and thanks
for the prompt response from Pennsylvania.
' l b ; visd tn of the Legislature in provid
ing for the formation ot this ';orps, for the in
ercsts of the State and the Nation, wasfully
shovvti by snbsequent events. - Most of the
men who filled its ranks, had been accepted
by me under the call for twenty-fiv regi
ments, but which was afterwards rescinded.
They had Iefttheir families -and homesnnder
a deep sense of duty to their country, and to
have sent them buck unaccepted would have
caused serious difficulty . in making future
enlistments.
By acts of Congress of 22.1 and 25th of
J nly, 1801, the' President was authorized to
call upon the several States for volunteers to
serve for three years. Uunder this authori
ty requisitions were made on this State, and
fourteen regiments were promptly furnished. '
In the meantime authorities had been grant
ed by the President and tbe War Depart
ment to a number of individuals to raise
regiments in different parts ot the S.tate,
which seriously interfered with the action
of the State authorities in filling requisitions
regularly made under the acts of Congress.
The embarrassments arising from this con
flict of authorities became at length so seri
ous that I was constrained to call the atten
tion of the President and Secretary ot War
to the subject, by a communication, dated
the 1st of August, 1861, and on the 25 1 a of
September following, an order wa issued
requiring these independent regiments, to
report to the Governor, and . placing them
under his authority and control. Acting
under this order, many of the independent
regiments were filled up, others consolidat
ed, and seventy-three regiments, with an
aggregate strength of 89,048 men, were
promptly sent forward.
During the year 1862 a draft was ordered
by the General Government, which wasexe
cuted under the State authorities. Of the
quota of the State, under the call ofjuly 7,
1862, forty-three regiments of volunteers,
aggregating 40,383 men, were put into ser
vice, and under the draft, ordered August
4th tf the same year fifteen regiments, con
taining an aggregate force, of 15,000 ; inen,
otgantzed ana sent forward.. During' the
same period nine independent batteries of
artillery were organized in the State, with
an aggregate strength of 1,358 officers ' and
men. ; It will be remembered that the ar
dor and promptness of our people, under
such trying circumstances, in .pressing the
troops forward, was such as to call from the
President especial thanks and to request me
to express them to the people of the State.
During the year 1863, forty-three thou
sand and forty-six (43,046) men were furn
ished for the service, principally to fill regi
ments in t he-field which had been reduced
i by the exiaeneies-of the war. "- ' V
' imnns tne vear io. uii'rer me ii'-'-
eUi of the ' General Government, thirty-
two regiments, two .'battalions ana eignt un
attached fomiuuiies of different arms ot the
! service and for "various periods, were organ
ized and sen? to the held,' aggregating, wh
T-ft-WhlUtmpnts in the field, amounting to
1 7,870, a aggregate force;, of 91,704 men.
turnifccea ior mat
On my suggestion the policy of consolida
ting our reduced regiments, and filling them
up by the assignments of, new companies
was adopted, and in 1865, under this sys
tem, besides organizing three entire new
regiments, seventy-five companies were as
signed to reduced regiments, by which they
were again filled to the regimental standard.
Inese three new regiments and soveuty
five companies, with volunteer recruits
for regiments in the field, reported by the
Miperintendents of th'at service, amounted,
in the aggregate, to 25.79U mentor this year.
In the month of September, 1S62, after
the second disaster of Bull llun, it became
evident that the enemy had adopted an ag
gressive policy, and about to invade the
Northern States through Maryland and the
Southern border of Pennsylvania. Under
the sanction of the President of the United
States, on the 1 1th day of that month, I is
sued my proclamation, calling into immedi
ate service fifty thousand ot the freemen of
this State. Under thiscall twenty-five regi
ments and four companies of infantry, four
teen unattached companies "of cavalry, and
four batteries of artbiery were immediate
ly organized and sent to the- border, the
greater portion advancing beyond the State
line into Maryland. General John F. Rey
nolds, at that period commanding the Penn
sylvania Reserve Corps, was temporarily
assigned, by the Secretary of War, to the
command of these troops, by whose orders
they were returned to Pennsylvania, and by
my proclamation, disbanded on the 24th of
he same month. In acknowledgment of
the services rendered by the men of Pennsyl
vania, Major General M'Clellan, cammand
ing the Army of the Potomac, by letter
dated the 27th of September, 1802, acknowl
edging the service aud thauking the State,
uses the following language :
"The manner in which the people of
Pennsylvania responded to your -call, J and
hastened to the detence of their frontier, no
doubt exercised a great influuence upon the
enemy,1' and the Governor of Maryland,
If is Excellency A. W. Bradford, in an order
dated September 20, 1 802, used the follow
ing language in regnd to " th-se troops:
"The reudmess with which they crossed the
border aud took their stand beside the
Maryland brigade, shows that the border is,
in all respects, but an ideal line, and in such
a cause as now unites us, Pennsylvania and
Maryland are but one."' ...
Iu the month of June, 1863, it again be
.came fivjdeat. a.t .thecbejjirniy was aJ-
vaucuig North, tfireatenin g kko ' fhe wes
tern border of : Pennsylvania, : and on the
26th of that month, 1 again issued my proc
lamation, calling the militia of the State
into, immediate service," In the Depart
ment of tho'Monongahela, five regiments ot
infantry,:, one company of cavalry and one
battery of artillery, lor ninety days' ser
vice, and one battalion, of infantry, one ba
talion of cavalry and one battery of artile
ry, for six months' United Sta es service,
were orcanizetL In the Department of the
Susquehanna, twenty-three regiments and
fiveinnatti lied companies of infantry, and
two unattached companies of cavalry, for
ninety days ; one battalion of infantry, one
battalion of cavalry, an I four independent
batteries ' of artillery, for thres months;
three regiments" of cavalry, two battalions
ot infantry,- and three independent batteries
ot artillery, for tux vnonths United estates
service, were organized. There were" also
organize! in this department, for the "e
uiergeney term," eight regiments, one bat
talion and a uuraber of unattached compa
nies of infantry two independent batteries
of artillery and two companies of cavalry.
In the Department of the Monongahela,
the troops under this call, were commanded
by Major General W. T. II. Brooks, and in
the Department of the Susquehanna, by
Major General D. N. Couch, severally de
tailed by the War Department. The details
of the services of the militia en these occas
ions, as well as the generous assistance ren
dered by the militia of the States of New
York and New Jersey, have been fully re
cognized in previous messages. Acting un
der orders, they did not hesitate to cross
the State liue and enter Ohio and Western
Virginia, in the West ; and in the East,
they defended the line of the Susquehanna,
were at Gettysburg, before the advance of
the Army of the Potomac, defended Car
lisle successfully, when attacked by a supe
rior force, made long : marches, . patiently
suffering great priya.tjonsfyr the .want of
sufficient means of transportation, crossed
into Maryland, when ordered, and attacked
the enemy successfully, and saved the Capi
tal of their State from destruction. ;When
the history of the rebellion is truly written,
no part, which relates to. Pennsylvania, will
reflect more credit on the patriotism, cour
age and 'fidelity of her people, than their
prompt answer to the. call made for military
service for domestic protection. It is a rec
ord ot which the great body of the people are
a party, and ofh:ch they may all be proud.
In July 'i 1864, a rebel army again crossed
the Potomac threatening tl e Southern
border, and marched to Washington. Upon
the pressing -demands of the National a r
thorities all the organized troops in Penn
svlvania wre immediately sent forward.
The rebel" anny was defeated and driven
back. iA rebel; column, of three thousand
men hLil- however, crossed the border, and.
on tl e r30th of July, burned . the town of
Chambersburg. ; In my message ot last
year, I stated -in detail the movements of
the enemy, and die circumstances attending
the destruction of that borough. Although
the people of nil the southern. border suffer
ed much from annual incursions or tne ene
my, .Chambersburg is the only town entire
ly destroyed within our border, and,; it is
believed, in any loyal State.' i - r- . -The
citizens of thei towo were, suddenly
reduotid to-poverty , and, for a time, were
sustained bv the active benevolence of the
people of other parts of the State, aided by
an appropriation of due hundred thousand
dollars from the Commonwealth. Ihey
have struggled energetically to revive from
the calamity, but it is now leared that few
of them will be able to succeed. I submit,
therefore, to the wisdom ot the Legislature,
whether it would not be proper to extend
to that people some additional relief.
The number of troops furnished the ser
vice, from Pennsylvania, during the rebellion
may be stated as follows, to wit : During
the year 1861, 130,594; during 1862,71,
100; during 1863, 43,046; duriugl864, 91,
704 ; during 1865, 25,840; Total, 362.284.
This statement is exclusive of militia and
enlistsments for the United States navy.
I refer for more perfect details of all the
military operations of the State to the re
ports of the Ajutant General of the other
military departments of the State and to my
previous anual messages. This brief milita
ry record would ba im perfect if I failed to com
mend the fidelity, zeal aud industry of the
military departments of the State, and to ex
press my personal obligations for the ready
obedience and constant support I have uni
formly received from theChk-fsot the De
partments and officers of iny personal staff,
An approximate judgment of the amount
of labor performed by these departments,
and in theoffice of the Secretary ot the Com
monwealth, may be trade, when it is stated
that over forty-three thousand 43,000) mili
tary commissions were issued during the war.
The first request for troops from this State
was dated at Washington, on the 15th April,
1861, and on th"el6th the telegraph announ
ced to the war Department that over 4,0u0
men were at Harrisburg, awaiting marching
orders. It is our proud privilege to have it
re:i;ernbered, that the firstmilitary aid from
the loyal States, which reached Washing
ton, was the force of 460 Pennsylvanian,
who arrived there on the 18th day of April,
and that, when the Capital of the Nation
was, the second time threatend. after the
battle of Bull Run, the regiments efthc Penn
sylvania Reserve Corps, were the first troops
sent forward. From the beginning ot the
the war to its close, the State ha3 never fil
tered in its support to the Government,
Proceeding in the strict line of duty, the
resources of Pennsylvania, whether in men
or money, have neither been withheld or
squandered. The history ot the conduct of
our people in the field, is illuminated with
incidents of heroism worthy of ennspicious
notice; but it would bo impossible to men
tion thetti in the proper limits of a message,
without doing injustice, or perhaps, making
invidious distinctions. Arrangements are
in'pfogress to have a wmptStTThrstDry" bfoni1
regiments, such as has been contemplated
and is provided for in an act of Assembly
'already passed; and on this subject T com
mend the report of the .Executive Military
Department to your favorable consideration.
It would be alike impossible to furnish a
history of the associated benevolence and of
the large individual contributions to- the
comfort of our people iu the field .and
hospital, or of the names and services, at all
times," of our volunteer surgeons, when crdled
t o assist in the hospital or on the battle field ;
por is it possible to do justice to the many
patriotic Christian .men who vere always
ready to respond when summond to the ex
orcise of acts of humanity and benevolence.
Our armies ere Sustained and strengthened
in the field, by the patriotic devotion of their
friends at home ; and we can never render
full justice to the heaven-directed, patriotic
christian benevolence of the women of the
State. ,
During the war I had occasion, from time
to time, td communicate freely with the
Legislature On subjects bearing upon the in
terests of the men representing the State in
the armies of the liepuublic. It is with a
sense of unfeigned gratitude that I acknowl
edge how cheerfully and promptly the Leg
islature and the people acted upon my' sug
gestions, whether for the support of the Gov
ernment, the enlistment and organization of
troops, or for the comfort of our people al
ready iu the field. Without this sreiierons
confidence. and liberal support, the labors of
the Executive would have been in vain; the
treasure that has been expended would have
wasted, precious lives lost would have been
an empty sacrifice, the bruised hearts of kin
dred aud friends would have been without
solace, the strong men,' whose health has
been broken and whose bodies have been
maimed would have been monuments of he
roism wasted, and the honor of this great
Commonwealth would have been degraded
amidst the ruins of the institutions of the
Republic. .' ' . i;
The report of Hon, Thomas II. Burrowes,
shows the gratifying result, under his active
management, of the system adopted by the
State, lor the maintenance and education of
the orphans of our soldiers. .. His report ex
hibits the fact, that 1.242 orphans are now
actually admitted to the schools, , and . that
1,846 applications iu all have been allowed,
and orders issued for their admission, many
of whom have been admitted since his report
It will also be -seen, that the largest appro
priation, that ever will be required, will be
for this and the two ensuing years, and that
then the amount will be gradually reduceo.
vvua " ..a '-- . . -
appropriation, which is to proviue ior auu
educate the best blood of the btate, and sup
port the living legacies which have been be
queathed us by ,the ; wen wbtf laid down
their lives for the country. Ayhen - we .re
member that every sort of public and private
pledge that the eloquence of man could de
vice or utter," was iveh to our soldiers ' as
they went tbrwaird,'-that if they fell, ? their
orphans should become the children of the
State, I cannot for,an instant .suppose,' that
you will hesitate to continue an appropria
tion, which is to bless, their little ones, pro
viding comfortable bomesviastead of; leav
ing them in want.and destitution, ..wanr: ?
them, to fall victims to vice and crime-. .
!- At the time of the invasion'ofthe North,
in 1R63. hv the rebel array, th President
made a requisition on m for militia to-?rr
I hae heretofore commended tms cnarjijr u
youj and I deem it unnecessary to add an-
a nonnnuauuu ui nu
during the emergency. The men came for- .
ward promptly, to the number of 36.588, of
whom upwards of 25,000 refused to be mus
tered into the service of the United . States,
in consequence of circumstances of prior oc-'
currence not necessary to be here stated.
In this embarrasment, the emergency be
ing very pressing, after consultation with
the President ; he authorized and requested
me to call them on behalf of the State, and
for the defeuce of the State, the United
States paying all the expenses of their cloth
ing, equipment, subsistence, &c. It was,
however, alleged that there was no appro
priation for their pay. To remove this dif
livulty the General Government applied to
bauks and other moneyed corporations in
Philadelphia to advance the amount of the
pay. on a pledge that, when Congress met,
the passage of a bid to reimburse them
should be recommended. These institu
tions declined this proposition, but express
ed their willingness to make the advances if
I would pledge myself to recommend to the
Legislature the passage of euch an act in
case Congress should not provide for reim
bursing them. Under these circumstances,
I received from the Executive of the United
States the pledge which he had proposed to
give to the banks, &c, and upon that I
gave the necessary pledge to them, and they
advanced the required funds accordingly.
They f, Mowing telegram from the Secretary
of War will show in part the ground oa
which I acted ; '
Washing, Jult22. 1&63. ToHU Excellency,
Gov. A. tl.Curtin: Your telegrams, respecting tho
pay of militia called oat under your proclamation
of the 27th ot Judo, have been referred to the Pres
ident for instructions, and have been under bia
consideration, lie directs me to saj that, while
ro law or appropriation authorises the payment
by the Ueneral Government of troops that have
not been mustered into the service cf the United
States, he will recommend to congress to mate an
appropriation for the payment of troops called in
to the State service to repel an actual invasion,
including those cf the State of Pennsylvania. If,
in the meantime, you can raise the necessary a
mount, as hns been done in other States, the ap
propriation will be applied to refund the advance
to thoie who made it. Me.iure have been tacen
for the ptjment of troops mustered into the Uni
ted Mutes service, as foou as the muster and pay
rolls are made out. The answer of this Depart
ment t; you, as Governor of Use ctate.will be gir
cn directly to yourself whenever the Department
is prepared to toaKe answer. , Signed
Kdwin M. Stastos, Secretary of War.
When Congress met, the Executive of
the United States did not recommend the
pa-saga of" the uecessary act. I have un
derstood lhat the subject was called to the
attentiou of the prupa-oiuiaittee, by the
Secretary of YVar, but, as the President did
not send a message explaining the circum
stances of the case, the appropriation failed,
as the members of Congress had thus no
liitat.s of explaining to their constituents
the difference between the . case (which was
in substance a loan to the United States,
upon the pledge of the. Executive for its re
payment, ) and the case of the voluntary ex
penditure of moucv fcr. military purposes
of Pennsylvania and most of the other States.
I will add that the men came into the ser
vice for the emergeucy only, and on the
faith that they should be discharged as soon'
as, in my judgment, the emergency should 1
have ceased. The emergency ceased imme
diately after the battle of Gettysburg,,
which commenced on the 1st of July 1863 ;
yet the men, against my urgent and repeat
ed remonstrances, were kept in the service
long afterward ' and used by the United
States for various purposes. The last of
them were not discharged till in September.
1 recommend that the Legislature adopt
measures to bring the subject again before
Congrej-s, and obtain repayment of this sum,
amounting to $67f,476 43, with interest on
the same, which the General Government
has thus far so unwarrantably withheld.
Great injustice has been done to private
soldiers, who went into service under the.
provisions of the act ot Congress, by refus
ing to pay them the full bounties offered by ,
the the terms of that act. The following
letter, which I "addressed to the Secretary ,
of War, sufficiently explains the position of
this affair. . .
Exbcctivb Chawbkr, IIarrisbcro, P., Jch 5,
1865. Dkab Sm : There are two subjects connec
ted with the discharge of volunteers which are of
so much importance that I feel justified in cal
ling your attention to tbem. ; ' '
Fikst. The menace being paid only to the aay .
of their arrival at the plaoa they are to be dis- ,
charged. This will cause them to lose a few days
pay, depending principally upon the promptness. .
and disposition of the officer of the United State .
baring the matter in charge. It is a matter of
little moment to Government, bat the men feel it ,
an injustice, and if. under th acts of congress,
they can: be paid until discharged, X thinK yon
will agree with them, . .- --, .
Second. In circular No 29 from Provost Mar-- - ;
Ehal Oeneral's office, dated July 19. 18M, -ndf -which
the volunteers now to be discharged wer
raisfd,", it la stated, that the bounty provided by
law is as follows : iFor recruits, including tepre
fentative recruits, white or colored, SI 00. , And", t
it is further added, that the first instalment of the
bounty will be paid when the recruit is mastered '
in, as follows; "To" a recruit who enlisted in the
army tor one year.- 33 33 " ; J.
. On these terms the men enlisted, and they are j
of opinion that they are entitled to the remainder
of their bounty when discharged from service.
- It is proposed, however, to pay them but a part '
of this remainder, because the Government does '
not require their services! or the full term of their,'
enlistment, and appears to be a breachf the eon- ,
tract between the Government and the men. The1
bounty -was held ont by the Oovemraent as an in
ducement to eslist, not as an additional pay for
services rendered. The men became entitled te
it by the faetof enlistment, and old only forfeit :
what remained unpaid by some- miscondnct, of
which such forfeiture should be a legal penalty.
These matters arecreatingmuch unpleasant feel
ing among the men I need not say to yoa, they '
bave behred-gHaat!y,-and the country ewes
them everything; and if it can possibly be avoiding'. '
ed they ought not td.be sent jiome ander the feel- .
that the ?oremment,-when their services are no
longer required, tas.es. the first opportunity to
treat them unjustly and violate its eontraot with
them.' ' I assure yon that unless these difficulties
are relieved there will be created a general dia-
content which win injurious brfiet; and it
is my fervent deure for the. success of your ad":'
ministration which leads me to bring tbmiU
rectly to your notice. Very respectfully, your o
bodient servant. : - A. O. Cvvm.
TO TBS, PRB8IDBST.' ' J J
IL .The refusal has ben persisted id, under w(. i
n