JUL
i -,
u
i B IKKER, Editor and Proprietor.
jlODD lIITTCIII2"SOX, Publisher.
I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT THAN PRESIDENT. Hkkby Clay.
TERMS:2,00 PER ArVWfJM.
VOLUME 5.
Governor's Message.
ft the Senate and House, of Representatives
(hi Commonwealth of Pennsylvania :
t- t TKft' ncf i-oot Vma i rriT
(jf ENTkfc-.l'-' j-iiw;
3ej u3 new cause of thankfulness to. the
b'essiogs which. lie has bestowed upon
The balance in the Treasury
or. 30, 1S62, was $2,172,844 10
Receipts daring fiscal year end-
'iogXov. 30, 1SC3,
Tj Jj
Total in Treasury for fiscal year
ending Nov. 30, 1SG3, G,4G2,203 75
The payments for the same pe-
Biiance ia Treasury Nov. 30,
1563, -J, 14. .Jot 0
The operations of the sinking fund du
ring the last year have been shown by my
Proclamation of the 8th day of September
last, as follows :
Amount of debt of Cdminon-
wealth reduced, 5954,720 40
As follows, viz :
Coupon Loan Act,
Mar 4, 18G2, 100,00'J OU
Five per cent., 790,710 50
Four and oue-half
percent., 03,000 CO
Reiicf notes cancel
led, 003 00
Domestic creditors'
certificates, 13 00
Interest certificates
paid, 27 90 $931,720 40
Amount of public debt of
Pennsylvania as it stood on
the 1st day of Dec, 1802, $40,448,213 82
Deduct amount . redeemed at
the State Treasury during
the Oscal year ending with
Nov. 30, 13G3, viz :
tire per cent.
stocks, SSSS.433 73
Four and a half per
cent, stocks, 63,000 00
Relief note3, 103 CO
Domestic creditors
certificates, 8 2o $951,017 04
Public debt Dec. 1, 18G3, $39,430,500 73
Funded debt, viz. : ' m
6percent. loans, 400,030 00
opercent. loans, 35,709,080 45
perct. loans, 2G3,200 00
530,373,815 45
Unfunded debt,
viz :
Relief cotes in
circulation, $07,251 00
Interest . certifi
cates outstan
ding, 15,350 03
laterest certifi
cates unclaim
ed, 4,413 33
Domestic cred
certificates, 724 32
$117,780 33
$30,400,500 78
Military Loan per Act of May
15,1561, $3,000,000 00
Total indebtedness, $39,406,590 78
By the act of May, 13C1, authorizing
the militarv loan of 3.000.000. a tax oY
.7 ; ; -
cne lialf mill was laid on real and personal
property, to furnish a fund for redeeming
the same. I recommend that the commis
sioners of the sinking fund be directed to
invest the proceeds of the tax in State
kan, so that it icav be drawing interest.
.1.. J J '
to be in like manner invested, or that they ,
would apply such proceeds directly to t lie .
purchase of certificates of the military j
loan, and cancel such certificates as shall
se purchased.
Although our finances are still in a
healthy condition, it is necessary to invite
the serious attention of the Legislature to
the consideration of the means of main
taining them unimpaired in future.
By the act of 12th June, 1810, it was
Provided that the interest on the State
Joans should always be paid in specie or
fs equivalent, and that whenever the
nds in the Treasury should be of less
va!ue than specie, the difference in value
would he ascertained and certified to the
Governor, who should thereupon issue his
Warrant to the agents or banks authorized
topay such interest ou behalf of the Com
monwealth, to allow such difference to
parties receiving the interest, or at the
cption of the parties to pay the same in
epecie. -
Bj the act of 11th April, 18G2, it was
provided that, for the purpose of paying
"j" specie or its equivalent, all interest
"latbhould thereafter be due by the Com
monwealth, as required by the act of 12th
UDe, 1840, the several banks who should
tTJu themselves of the provisions of that
Jj(of 11th April, 13G2,) and who should
hise to redeem their notes in specie, on
eniand,at any time within ten days upon
'after the time when such interest should
come aue should thereafter, when re
ared by . the State Treasurer, by notice
'writing, pay into the State Treasury, in
2Ktl0n 40 tl,e caPkal stock paid, in of
. a .bank, their ratable proportion of such
for Sold or its equivalent, as
Jjowd hare been actually paid by the
h the act of the 30th January, 18C3,
EBENSBURG, PA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1864.
it was provided that the Stato Treasurer
should exchange with the banks an
amount of currency sufficient to pay the
interest on the State debt falling duo on
the first days of February and August,
18G3, for the same amount of coin, and
should give to the banks specie certificates
of exchaugc, not transferable, pledging
the faith of the Stato to return said poin
in exchange ior notes current at the time,
oti or before the first Monday of March,
1SG1, such certificates to bear interest at
the rate of 2 per cent, per annum.
Under the provisions of the act of
1SG2, certain bunks paid into the State
Treasury $140,703 3'J us an equivalent
lor coin for the payment of interest on
the public debt.
Under the act of 18G3, specie certifi
cates have been given to the banks amoun
ting in the whole to $1,903,904 97, which,
with the accruing interest, will fall due on
the first Monday of March next.
As the provisions of this act were of a
temporary character, the only acts jjow in
force on the subject are those of lS40and
18G2, above mentioned, under which it
will be the dr'y of the State authorities
to pay the interest on the 1st February,
18G4, and thereafter, in coin or its equiv
alent, aud look to the banks that may be
liable under the act of 18G2 for reimburse
ment of the premium paid by the Com
monwealth. In the face of all difficulties, lli'u Com
mon wealth, actuated by a sentiment which
does its people honor, has hitherto paid
its iuterest in coiu or its equivalent.
Existing ci-cumstar.ccs make it neces
sary to censider now the fair extent of
her just obligations.
The exigencies of the times have com
pelled the Government of the United
States to issue large amounts of Treasury
notes for circulation, which are not re
deemable in coin, and which form the
great mass of our circulating medium.
It is our duty as a loyal State it is our
interest as a State whose welfare, and even
safety, depend emphatically upon the
maintenance of the credit and the success
of the military operations of the General
Government" to do nothing to impair its
credit or embarrass it3 measures. On the
contrary, we owe it to ourselves and to
our posterity to give an active support to
its elfortsto quell the monstrous rebellion
which is still raging, and thus restore
peace to our distracted couutrj-.
It is our own Government, and we co'd
not, without gross indecency, attempt to
refuse its .currency in payment of taxes
and other debts due to the Common
wealth. In 1840 the case was very different.
The difficulties then arose from tho sus
pension of specie payments by our State
banks, mere focal and private corporations,
and the State very properly, by the act of
that year, intended to provide against loss
to its creditors by reason of such suspen
sions. An exigency liko the present
could not then have been foreseen by the
Legislature, and it is to be inferred there
fore that the" could not have intended to
provide for it.
- We derive our system of public loans
from Kurope, and the true extent of our
obligation is to bo ascertained by referring
to the known established practice of Eu
ropean governments prior to the dates
when our loans wero effected. I mean of
course su-jh of J hose governments as were )
held to have maintained their national
credit.
It is believed to have been tho uniform
practice of such governments to pay their
interest in paper currency, however de
preciated, during a legalized suspension
of specie payments. An observable in
stance of this is afforded" by the course of
the British Government, which, during
twenty-five 3-ears, from 1797 to 1822, du
ring which the bank was prohibited by
law from paying out coin for any purpose,
paid tUe interest on its public debt in bank
notes, which during a great part of that
time were at a heavy discount, sometimes
amouuting to 30 per cent, or thereabout.
Their necessities then were not greater
than ours are now.
Among ourselves, at the prcseDt time,
Massachusetts (whose debt is believed to
be very small) pays tire interest in coin.
Ohio and Indiana pay in currency. In
New York it is not known what will be
done. Uer Legislature,- by concurrent
resolution, ordered the interest to be paid
in coin to foreign stockholders, in April
last. ' . '
At the present rate of premium on gold,
the sum necessary to pay ou an amoirut
sufficient to discharge the aunual interest
on the State debt, would be more than
$1,000,000, and to meet this, additional
taxation to that extent would be unavoid
able. The demands on the Treasury for
other necessary purposes must probably be
such as to render it imprudent to throw
any part -of this expenditure on tho
existing surplus. To borrow, money from
year-to year to pay the interest on past
loans would, of course, be wholly inadmis
sible. To leave the act of 18"G2 in force,
and attempt to throw the payment of this
largo premium annually oa the banks,
would not only be flagrantly unjust, but
quite impracticable. I- recommend the
I whole Fubiect to the careful and immediate.
j consideration of the Legislature. Some
legislation ought to be had on it before the
close of the present month. In my opinion
the Commonwealth will have fulfilled her
obligations by providing for the payment
of her interest in the currency of the
Government. Tf the Legislature should
think fit to continue to pay it in coin, it
will be their duty to levy forthwith the
heavy taxes necessary for that purpose. I
must id passing observe that the plan
adopted by one of the States of paying
coin to foreign, and currency to domestic
loan holders, appears to me to bo wholly
unwise, and founded on no legitimate
principle.
At the close of the last session, nineteen
bills renewing the charters of certain banks
for another period of five years, were
presented to wife. Of these I have (for
reasons which will hereafter becommuni
cated,) withheld ray signature from one,
and approved the remainder. I have been
led to sign there by the considerations that
the banks of the Commonwealth rav a
large revenue which the State can ill afford
; to lose, and that in the present condition
or tne country, it would be impolitic to
drive so much capital out of active use, or
force it into rew employments.
If the National Banking system afford
sufficient inducements, capital will volun
tarily take that direction. It is prooer to
observe that the charters of most of the
banks in question expire at an early
period, while, in consequence of the inva
sion of the Stale, during the last summer,
they could not have been reasonably
expected to give the . necessary notice , of
renewed applications for re-charter.
I recommend an extension of the time
during which the banks are now relieved
from penalties for not paying their obliga
tions iu coin.
The increased expenses of living invite
attention to the salaries of our public
officers. Those vf the Secretary of the
Commonwealth, Auditor General and State
Treasurer, and of the Clerks in their
employment, are, in my opinion, too low,
especially as the exigencies of the times
have greatly enhanced the labors and
responsibilities of all, and in the case of
the heads of thove departments, enforce a
constant attendance at Ilarrisburg, which
was not formerly required.
Under the Act of IGth April, 18G2, and
its 'supplement, passed 22d April, 1863,
the Adjutant General, Quartermaster Gen
eral and Commissary General have been
acting as the Board of Military Claims.
They have, up to this time, approved
claims to the amount of $1GG,415 81, and
others have already been presented to the
further amount of $332,120 29, which
have not yet been a,ctcd ou.
Under the Act of 22d April, 1SG3, (P.
L. 529,) the Court of Common Fleas
appointed three appraisers to ascertain the
damage done in the counties on the
Southern border by the militia called into
service in Sept., 1S62, by the Anderson
Cavalry in the same mouth, and by the
rebels in their raid ou the 10th and 11th
October, 18G2.
The appraisers have not yet completed
the performance of their duties. AVhen
their report shall have been made to ihe
Court of Common Fleas tind affirmed in
whole or iu part, by that court, it will be
the duty of the Governor to claim the
payment of the amounts from the General
Government, aud on failure to secure the
same, then to report to the next Legisla
ture, recommending such action as he may
deem just and proper.
The expenses of the Transportation and
Telegraph Department during the past
year have been as follows :
Paid (out of appropriation made
by Military loan act of 1801,) $13,058 87
Unpaid (the appropriation being
exhausted.) 15.7G4 79
Outstanding liabilities estimated
at 5,000 00
V $34,423 06
These expenses have been mainly incur
red in keeping up the necessary correspon
dence of the military departments, and in
the transportation of sick and wounded
and the dead bodies of our volunteers, as
will be seen by the report of the Chief of
Transportation, herewith . communicated.
I recommend an pppropriation to meet the
deficiency, aud also to carry on the service
of this department hereafter.
By the thirteenth section of flie act of
the 15th May, 1SG1, the sum of $20,000
was appropriated to be expended by the
Governor for the compensation of such
persons as be might require to Fcrvc the
Commonwealth in the military organization
of the State or the General Government,
and for tho expenses incident to the
business in which they might be employed.
I have, according to law, settled anuual
accounts of the expenditure of thi3 fund
in the Auditor General's office, to which
the Legislature is referred. The unex
pended balauce is now $4,521 98. A
further sum should be appropriated iu like
manner. Out of this fund I have paid the
persons whom I found it necessary to
employ in the military department, and
the expenses of the agency which I was
compelled to establish at Washington to
attend to the interest and welfare of our
volunteers. The continuance of this
agency and the establishment of a similar
one in the "West, are of vital importance
td them. I recommend the passage of an
act authorizing the oppointment of agents
at Washington and Nashville, and defining
their duties, which should include the
collection of all bounties, bick pay, pen
sions, etc., due to Fennsylvanians.
Qn this subject I refer the Legislature
to the report of Col. R. Biddle lioberts,
late Agent of the State, at Washington,
herewith communicated, and commend it
to your careful examination.
On the invasion of the State during the
last summer, the President made a call for
militia, and with his assent I .ubsequently
made a call for volunteer militia, for the
defence of the State. Under these calls
men were assembled and organized with
promptness, after the reality of the emer
gency came to be understood .by our
people. The General Government clothed
and subsisted this force, and agreed to pay
it, but as no appropriation for that purpose'
had been made by Congress, the President
and Secretary of War promised if the
money should be advanced from othcrJ
quarters to recommend its immediate
repayment on the meeting of Congress.
It is understood that steps have been
already taken to fulfill this pledge. Sev
eral of the batiks cheerfully and readily
advanced the necessary funds to the
amount of $G71,47G 43, on my promise to
recommend to the Legislature an appro
priation to repay them, in case Congress
should fail to make one. I accordingly
make that recommendation most emphat
ically. Should it be necessary, I will
hereafter, in a special message, give the
details and correspondence relating to this
subject.
New York and New Jersey, under the
President's call, sent regiments to assist in
our defence, for which our thanks are due
to those States, our good neighbors.
After the battle of Gettysburg, in which
loyal volunteers from eighteen States,
including Fennsylvaoiayere engaged, it
appeared to me proper that all those States
should unite in establishing a cemetery on
the spot, in which their soldiers who had
fallen in that conflict,' should be honorably
interred. I accordingly appointed David
Wills, Ksq., of Gettysburg, my agent, and
through him, a fite wa? purchased at a
cost of $2,475 87; and tho conveyances
made to the Commonwealth. On commu
nicating with, the authorities of the other
States, they all readily agreed to become
parties to the arrangement, and on the
19th day oi November last, the cemetery
was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies
in the presence of the President of the
United States, the Governors of the States
concerned, and other high officers, State
and National. On the 19th day of Decem
ber, on the invitation of 31 r. Wills,
commissioners representing the States
interested in the cemetery, met in llanis
burg, and agreed upon a plan for its
improvement and caro in the future, and
the apportionment cf the sum of money
required, to the several States, which is
herewith communicated. The expenses
attending the establishment of this. ceme
tery, including the cost of the site and of
removing the bodies of tho slain, have
thus far amounted to $5,209 38, and an
appropriation will be required to pay these
expenses, and to meet our portion of those
attending its future maintenance. It will
appear by the proceedings of the commis
sioners that their due proportion of the
expenses already incurred are to be
refunded by the States on whose accouut
they were made. It i3 just to say that
Mr. Wills has discharged his delicate and
important duties with fidelity and to my
entire satisfaction.
Tho act for the relief of families cf
volunteers in service may require some
revision. It is alleged that in some parts
of the State the county authorities are
backward in executing the law. It this
be so, the members from the different
counties will be aware of the fact, and will
be most ready to make such "further
enactments as may be proper.
I commend to the prompt attention of
the Legislature the subject of the relief
of poor orphans of our soldiers who have
given, or 6hall give their lives to the
country during this crisis. In roy opin
ion, tneir maintenance ana eaucation j
should be provided for by the State. '
j Failing other natural friends of ability" to
provide for them, they should be honora
bly received aud fostered as children of
the Commonwealth. The S5O.000 here
tofore given by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, referred to in my last anuual
message, is still unappropriated, aud I
recommend that this sum, with such other
means as the Legislature may think fit, be
applied to this end, iu such manner as
may be thought most expedient and effec
tive. In anticipation of the adoption of a
more perfect system, I recommend that
provision be made for securing the ad
mission of such children into existing
educational establishments, to be there
clothed, nurtured and instructed at the
public expense. I make this recommend
ation earnestly, -feeling assured that in
doing so, I represent the wishes of the
patriotic, the benevolent and the good, of
the State.
I invite the attention of the Legislature
to the condition cf the loyal people of East
Tennessee, which is represented to be
most deplorable, and appeals with irresis
tible force alike to ycur sympathies and
your sense of justice. Their whole coun
try has been laid waste by the contending
armie3 of the Government and tho rebels.
Four times large armies have passed over
that district, destroying or carrying off all
that had been gathered, for the approach
ing winter, and now the women and child-
ren arc left in a state of destitution.
The representations madvi by sundry
gentlemen 01 the highest rcs'K-ctabilitv,
from that State, are of the most heart
renditg character. Starvation, actual and
present, now exist. Can we, in the mid.-t
of affluent abundance, for a moment hesi
tate as to what our action shall be towards
the people whose only crime has been
their loyalty and devotion to the Govern
ment ? Even if a pers.ion of our charity
should . reach the starving families of
those in sympathy, with the rebellion,
better it should than that these demoted,
self sacrificing people who have so unhesi
tatingly adhered to the Government, be
left to suffer. Whenever pestilence and
famine distressed the people of any por
tion of our couutry, we have always been
foremost in relieving there, and the people
of Pennsylvania havo extended their open
handed benevolence and broad charity to
the starving people of foreign countries.
Shall it be said that the appeals of these
people' for bread fall upon the heart of
Pennsylvania in vain, aud that we, who
have so recently given thanks for our
abundance have no relief for them in their
extremities ? I commend the subject
through you to the people cf the State, as
worthy the immediate attention and
active exertions of the charitable and the
liberal.
I shou'd be glad if the Legislature
would make a general revision of our
Revenue Laws, with a view to their
increased productiveness. It ourht to be
observed that for a period of more than
twenty years, no matcriarchange has been
made in the Revenue Laws of this Com
monwealth. During that time some
interests have grown into new importance,
and should be made to bear their just
proportion of the public expense, since all
taxation should as far as possible, press
equally upon the property and employments
of our people.
Failing such revision, I recommend to
the consideration of the Legislature, the
following suueitions connected with t"he
subject.
1. There arc several companies in the
State which, in addition to large mining
privileges, have the control of the routes
of transportation, by which alone the
products of the mines of individuals in
their respective distiicts, can reach a
market. These companies thus enjoy
substantial.monopolics, by means of which
they.not only receive the fair profits of
their own property, but are enabled to
make additional heavy gains at the expense
of individuals. In my opinion such
privileges ought never to have been
granted, but as they exist.it appears to be
just that the class of companies which
enjoy them, should pay therefor additional
specific tax.
2. Very large sunn arc due to the
Commonwealth for unpatented lands.
Forbearance, clemency, and liberality
have been in vain tried in the numerous
attempts to procure the payment of at
least a part of this debt, from the larger
portion of those who are indebted on that
account. The continuance of this state of
affairs is unjust to the Commonwealth aud
to the vast majority of her people who
have honestly paid for their lands. It has
become unendurable. I recommend that
the Legislature provide that the Surveyor
General shall file of record in the office of
the Couit of Common Pleas of each county
a description of the lands subject to the
lien of the Commonwealth for purchase
luoucy, auu owntuicu vi n om...
principal and iuterest uow due to the
NUMBER 17.
Commonwealth, together with the patent J
fees on each tract and tea per cent, on
the amount so" due for the cost'o'f making
and filling such statement, and the are
gate amount thus stated, for each Tract, :
shall be held to bo the amount now due
thereon to the Commonwealth, wh'ch '
shall bear interest at the rate of twelve 1
per cent, per annum, till paid, and shall :
continue to-be the Srst lien oa the land; '
till paid, and shall not bj divested by any A
judicial or other sale whatever. I also
recommend the adoption of a suggestion
contained in the Surveyor General's report
that a fpecific tax be laid oa all unpaten
ted lands. . .
m 3. By existing laws municipal corpora- -tions
are required to deduct and pay into
the Treasury the tax on all loans contract-'
ed by them. It is believed that a largo"
addition would accrue to the revenue by",
tho extension of this provision to all:
counties and to all corporations private :
or public. - " -
I recommend that it be so extended.'
4. A tax on the gross receipts of all'
railroad and canal companies would, it
believed, be productive and not oppress-
ive. - . . ;-?
Upon satisfactory reports, according to ;
law, made bv Colonel John A. WriW? 'T-
J have drawn my warrants for the deliver
1- il. . 111 "l
10 me a rmiaaeipt-.ia ami JJrie Railroad;
company of another million of thg borid3
deposited ia the Stato Treasury.- Four
millions of said bands have therefore been
now delivered. There can be no reasona
ble doubt cf the early completion of the
work, and, when completed, it i-? confi
dently expected that t he bonds he.'d by tho
State, secured oa the road for $3,500,000,
will become good interest-paying sccuri-
fi03.
I renew most earnestly the recommend
ation made in my last annual message of a
revision of the militia laws. They.'are at
present shamefully defective. Indeed, if
by a militia law is. meant a law intended
to provide for so enrolling and organizing
the military force of the State that it may
be put into service when required, wo
may be said to have no militia law. In
each of the last two years have been
obliged to call out the militia, but in fact
those who obeyed the call were volunteers
and, with some exceptions, were wholly
unorganized, so that almost in face of the
enemy, time had to be consumed in dis
tributing the men into companies and
regiments, ,in electing officers and jn
other preparations for effective organiza
tion. In the report of the Adjutant General
will be found a list of the. Pennyslvania
regiments and a statement showing the
several armies and departments in which
they are now serving. In this connection,
I sugpest the propriety of legislative au
thority being given for the preparation of
a history of each cf our regiments and
other organizations, to be preserved anion"
our archives. The necessary documents
are now accessible, and as they may ia
time be lost or destroyed, the makin- of
such a record as I propose should no? bo
deferred. It is due alike to the living and
the dead that this subject should ba
promptly acted on. - -
I recommend that the proposed amen'd
nirnts thf C!.tTi:tItnti-tn nirln
1 VIU-
zens in the public service out of the State,
the right to vote, be passe 1 promptly and
suomutea to a vote vt the people at .as
early a day as possible, so that such
citizens may exercise their right of suf
frage at all future elections. .This would
be only doing justice to the brave men
.who are periling their lives in our defence.
It is highly important that wo should
repleni.-h the ranks of our regiments in tho
field and supply the peaces of those volun
teers whose terms will soon expire and
who may decline further service. I am.
happy to say that a large proportion of our
regiments are re enlisting. Efforts are
making by myself and by the people ia
various portions of the State to procure a
sufficient number of volunteers, and with
a promise of success, provided a reasonable
time be allowed for the purpose. Mean
while persons professing to be officers and
agents from some other States are most
improperly endeavoring to seduce our
citizens into their service by extravagant
bounties and promises. ' -
The 12th section of the act of 15th
May, 1SG1, prohibits any volunteers from
leaving the State without the authority of
the Governor, and I now recommend tho
pasage of a law imposing penalties by fino
and imprisonment on all individuals who
shall endeavor to procure or aid or assist
in procuring any person in this State to
enlist in the volunteer service of any other
State. Many of our counties and town
ships have tilled their quotas at a largo
expense, and in others they are 'in course
of doing the same by offers of liberal
bounties and provisions for tho families cf
volunteers, and it is not right that the.se
patriotic efforts fhould be embarrassed by
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