JUL
1 1 " '-I -V: V t- 'iff'
i r it
A. A. I1.ARK13II, TNlltor anil Proprietor.
J.TODD I1ITTCIIIXSOX, IMibllslier.
T5HM!.SOO PER A XX I' 31.
I WOULD RATHER BE RIGIIT THAN PRESIDENT. IIenet Clay.
VOLUME G.
D
IREOTOIIY".
J,1ST OF IOST OFFICES.
Vnt Offices. Post Masters. JJistriets
Carolltown,
Joseph IJeue,
Carroll.
Chest.
Taylor.
Washint'n.
Ebensburg.
White.
Gallitzin.
Waaht'ri.
Johnst'wn.
Loretto.
Munster.
Chess Springs,
Conemaugh,
Cresson,
Ebensburg.
Fallen Timber,
Gallitzin,
Hemlock,
Johnstown,
Loretto,
Munster,
Plattsville,
Roscland,
St. Augustine,
Scalp Level,
Sonman,
Summerhill,
Summit,
VTilmore,
Henry Nutter,
A
G. Crooks,
J. Houston,
John Thompson,
.Asa H. Fiske
J. M. Christr,
Wm Tiley, Jr.,
I. E. Chandler,
M. Adle3berger,
A. Durbin,
Andrew J Ferral, Susq'han
G. W. Bowman, White.
Stun. Wharton,
Georjre Berkey,
B. Jl'Colgan,
B. F. Slick,
Wm. M Connell,
J. K. Shryock,
Clearfield.
Richland.
Washt'n.
Croyle.
AY asht'n.
S'ruerliill.
CEILRCHES, 3IIXISTERS, &C.
Presbyterian Rev. D. Harbison, Tastor.
breaching every Sabbath morning at loj
o'clock, and in the evening at G o'clock. Sab
oath School at 'J o'clock, A. M. Prayer meet
ing everv Thursday evening at-C o'clock.
JJetho'dist Episcopal Church Rev. J. S. Lr.M
on Treacher in ciiargs. Rev. W. II. M'Dkidf,
Assistant. Preaching every alternate Sabbath
morning, at 10J o'clock. Sabbath School at 9
o'clockA. M. Prayer meeting every Thursday
vening, at 7 o'clock.
Wtkk Independent Rev Ll. R. Powell,
Pastor. Preaching every Sabbath morning at
10 o'ciock. and in the evening at 6 o'clock.
Sabbath School ut 1 o'clock, P. M. Prayer
meeting on the first Monday evening of each
month and on every Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday evening, cxccpiiug the first week in
ach month.
Calvitdstie Methodist Rev. Mohgan Elms,
Pastor. Preaching every Sabbath evening at
2 and C o'clock. Sabbath School at 1' o'clock,
A. M. Pmrer meeting every Friday evening,
t 7 o'clock. Society every Tuesday evening
.t 7 o'clock.
Disciples Rev. W. Lloyd, Pastor. Preacb
nc every Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock.
"particular JUtplUtslLliLX. David Evans,
Pastor. Preaching every Sabbath evening at
3 o'clock. Sabbath School at at I o'clock, P. M.
Cathehc Uev. M. J. Mitchell, Pastor.
Services everv Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock
ci Vespers Li 4 o'clock in the evening.
cncT.'srcriiG mails.
MAILS ARRIVE.
Eastern, daily, at 12 o'clock, A. M.
Western, 4" at 1 o'clock, A. M.
MAILS CLOSE.
Kr.stcrn. dailr, at 8 o'clock, P. M.
Western, " ' at 8 o'clock, P. M.
-Tbf mails from Butler,India na,Stron'g3
tovn, ic, arrive ou Thursday ot each week,
at 5 o'clock, P. M.
Leave Ebensburg oa Friday of each week,
e.t h A. II.
S-SuTIie mai!3 from Newman's Mills, Car
rollunvn, &c, arrive on Monday, Wednesday
nl Fridav of each week, at 3 o'clock, P. M.
Leave Ebensburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays
ad Saturdays, at 7 o'clock, A. M.
KAILRO.iD SCIIESIUE.
CIiriSSON STATION'.
Wnt P. nit. Fxnrss leaves at 3.5.7
A. M.
A. M.
P. M
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
P. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
a. -:.
" Phila. Express
" Fast Line
Mail Train
" Pitts. 4 Lrie Ex.
" Emigrant Train
East Phila. Express
" Fust Line
" Fast Mail
" Pitts. & Erie Ex.
" Ilarrisb. Acconi.
Doa't stop.
9.37
y.43
8.35
8.13
4.o.
8A1
i'.53
7.08
C.31
11.27
COl7TY OFFICERS.
Judjes of the Courls President, Hon. Geo.
Taylor, Huntingdon; Associates, George W.
E&sley, Henry C. Devine.
Prcthonofa'ry Joseph M'Donall.
Pfyister and Recorder James Griffin.
Sheriff" James Myers.
District Attorney. Philip S. Noon.
County Commissioners John Campbell, Ed
ward Clas3, E. R. Dunnegan.
Treasurer Isaac Wike.
Poor House Directors George M'CuIlough,
George Delany, Irwin Rutledge.
Poor House Treasurer George C. K. Zahm.
Aulitors Wiliiam J. Williams, George C.
K. Zahm, Francis Tierney.
County Surveyor. Henry Scanlan.
Coroner. -William Flattery.
Mercantile Appraiser John Cox.
Sup't. of Common Schools J. F. Condon.
EDfiA'SniRG WO It. OFFICERS.
AT LAHGE.
Justices' of the Peace David n. Roberts
Harrison Kinkead.
Purgess A. A. Barker.
School Directors Abel Lloyd, Thil S. Noon,
Joshua D. Parrish, Hugh Jones, E. J. Mills,
David J. Jone3.
EAST WAHD.
Constable Thomas J. Davis.
Town Council J. Alexander Moore, Daniel
O. Evans. Richard R. Tibbolt, Evan E. Evans,
William Clement.
Inspectors Alexander Jones. D. O. Evans.
Judye of Election Richard Jones, Jr.
Assessor Thomas M. Jones.
Assistant Assessors David E. Evans. Wm.
D. Davis. '
WEST WARD.
Constable William anils, Jr.
Town Council John Dougherty, GcorjreC.
K. Zahm, Isaac Crawford, Francis A. Shoe
maker, James S. Todd.
Inspectors G. W. Oatman. Roberts Evans.
Judye of Election Michael Hasson.
Assessor James Murray.
Assistant Asstsmrm William Rnmnc no-
1 C. Zahm
GOV. CURTIN'S ANNU IL MESSAGE.
READ TO BOTn HOUSES. OF TI1E rEXSSYLVAXIA.
LEGISLATLKE JANCAKY 4, 18C5.
To the Senate and House of Representatives : .
During the past year the people of this
Commonwealth have had leason to be.
grateful to Almighty God for many bles
sings. The earth has been Iruittul, indus
try has thriven, and with the exception of
the injury suffered by -the citizcus of some
of our border counties, through the dis
graceful barbarity of the rebel forces
which ravaged parts of them, and burned
the town ot Chambersburg, we have no
public misfortune to lament. Tito year
closes with a traiu of brilliant successes
obtained hy the armies of the United
State.-, inspiring hope in every loyal mind
that the accursed rebellion willsoou be
crushed, and peace restored to our coun
try. The I alance in the Treasury,
.Vov. 30, 18G3, was.. $2,147,3.H 70
Receipts during fiscal ve;tr tud-
iug Xov. 30, 1S04-..." 4,733,313 02
Total in Treasury for fiscal year
ending Nov. 3f, 18(J4 $G,S80,614 72
The payments f jr the same pe
riod Lave been '. 4,933,441 09
Dal. in Treasury Nov. 30, 1861..$ 1,942,203 13
The operations of the sinking land du
ring tne last year have been shown by my
proclamation ol the 27th day oi September
las', as follows :
Amount of d-bt of
Comth., reduced... $2G8,CCD 50
As loilovvj :
Five per cent loan of
the Comth S2G3,C03 03
Interest ou-tilieates
redeemed 21 47 203,509 50
The fiscal year accounted lor in the
(statement of the Treasury Department,
embraces the tune from the 1st ot Decem
ber, 1S03, to the SOth of Nuvember, 1S04.
The .sinking luud year commenced the
first Monday iu (September, 18G3, and
closed the iir?t Tuesday iu September,
IbuL This will espiaiu the discrepancy
between tit? (statement of the Treasury
Deartment as to the reduction of the
public debt of the State, and the statement
embodied in the proclamatioa relative to
lite linking fund.
A int. cf public
debt of Penn
sylvania, as it
ttood on the
iirst dity of
Dec, lsG3...
Deduct ant. ce
deenied at tha
.State Trea'y
during the lij
cal year end
ing with Nov.
UO, Jbo4, viz:
Five per cent,
stocks :
Four and a. hjif
per ct. stocks
Iiuerest certifi
cates $33,43G,50G 78
$104,72'2 73,
10,000 00
2.270 II
110,902 6
Pabli-. debt De
cemb.r 1, '01
Funded debt,
viz. :
$39,379,G03 91
cix per
loan?.
cent,
ordi-
cent.
ordt-
narv S400.C30 00
F(ve per
lo ' us,
nary 33,005,203 72
Four and a lia.f
per centum
loans, ordi
nary 253.200 00
CG,2C4,C93 72
Unfdeddebt,
viz :
Re lief notes in
circulation ....
Interest certifi
cates out
standing Interest certifi
cates uuclin'd
Domestic cred
itors' certifi
cases 97,231 CO
13,030 52
4,413 33
724 32
115,510 22
36,379,003 91
3,000,000 00
$39,379,003 04
Military loan
per Act 15th
May, 1 ciO 1 ...
Total public
debt Dec. 1,
lSi4 '..
The Commonwealth holds bouds re
ceived from the sale of Public. Works
i amounting to ten millioc three hundred
tiiousauu uotiars, ;iu,ouu,yuu uu,j as
as follows : . .
Penusy'vania . Railroad Com-
pany bonds.... $0,800,000 00
Philadelphia and Erie Railroad
Company bonds.....: 3,500,000 00
$10,300,000 00
These bonds are in the Sinking Fund,
and reduce the public debt to 29,079-
003.94. : ; : ' ,. . . .:
Ths tax on tonnage imposed by the
acts of 30th April and 25th August, 1864,
has vielded soinethinsr less than 200,000
j - a much less 'sum than as anticipated.
ebensburg; pa., Thursday, January 12, isc5.
' I recommend a revision of these acts for
the purpose of rendering this source , of
revenue more productive, aid amending
other defects in those bills.
The revenue derived from the tax on
brinks during the year amounts to
$539,G0G.G7, but under the enabling act
of the State so many of our banks have
become National banks under the act of
Congress, that this sourc-e of revenue may
Reconsidered as .-ubstantially extinguished
aud it will be necessary in some way to
make up the deficiency from other sou(ces.
The act of Congress authorizes the tax
ation by the State 'of the stock in the
Nation?! hiuks in the Imt.ds of the holders,
not exceeding the rate of taxttiou imposed
on other similar property, and part ot the
deGeieucy may thus be provided for.
The amount of delt entinii'uished by
the Sinking Fund during the 3'car is
unusually small, which is to be accounted
for by the extraordinary . expenses which
have been incurred. Sevan hundred and
thirteen thousand dollars (cTlo.OOO) have
been paid to refuud to the banks the
money advanced by them to pay the vol
unteers in service duting the invasion of
the State in lSGo. One hundred thousand
dollars ($100,000) have been distributed
among the inhabitants of Chambersburg,
suffering by the rctel destruction of their
town. About two hundred thousaud
dollars ($200,000) have beet, expended
uuder the acts providing for the payment
of extra military claims, and in ndditiou
to these extraordinary outlays, the amount
appropriated lo charities was last year
larger than usual.
In my opiniou this matter ot donations
to charities ii last running into a great
abnso. Houses of ltefur?, and Insane,
Blind and Deaf and Dumb Asylums, ?tp-
earto be proper subjects of State bounty,
because their objects are of public impor
tance, and to be u-clu!, aud well ar.d
fconomicaliy mnnaged, it seeni3 to be
necessary that they should be more exten
sive than would be required for the wants
of a particular count)-. But iu cur system,
ordinary local charities are left tu the cere
of the respective localities, and to give the
public money lor their support is really to
tax they r: habitants ot all the counties for
the benefit of one.
The national taxation is heavy and must
probably be made heavier, and the heal
tixes? authorized by unwise legislation and
paid by our people are excessive. In view
of the-e circumstances, we should endeavor
to avoid increasing their burdens by ma
king undue appropriations for any purpose.
It beiug alleged that the Atlantic und
Great Western Bailroaci Company has not
iu various particulars obeyed the law by
which it was incorporated, the Attorney
General (on the t-uggcstioti of parties
claiming to be thereby injured,) has filed
an information iu equity against that
company, seeking an injunction to prevent
a continuance of its past, and the perJot
euee in its intended illegal cour.-e.
Since my last 'annual nies-imc on the
report of John A. Wright, Esq , that the
Sunbury and Erie railroad was finished, 1
ordered the bonds remaining iu the treasu
ry to be delivered to the couip-iuv.
It is a subject of jut pride to" the peo
ple of this Commonwealth, that this great
work is completed, and whilst it opens a
Inre aud wealthy part of the State to the
commerce of the seaboard, and unite
capital and enterprise within our borders,
it secures to the Common wealth the py
mcnt of the sums due her lrom the com
pany. In my special message of 30th April
last, to which 1 refer, I communicated to
the Legislature, iu some detail, the cir
cumstances counccted with the advance by
banks and other corporations ot the funds
to pay the voluuteer mili'ia of 1SG3.
It is not necessary here to recapitulate
them at length, The case was peculiar,
and i; is believed none quite like it has
occurred.. The call for volunteers was
made by the authorities of the United
States, but it being found that meu could
nQt be got under that call, the form of a
call by the State authorities for the defense
of the State wa-, with the assent of the
Presidsnt substituted. The United States
agreed to. furnish the arms, suosistonce
and supplies, but it was alleged that
Cougress had made no appropriation
covering the pay.' In this state of things,
the emergency being gre-U, the Secretary
of War telegraphed me thus:
Washington, July 22, 1SC3.
To his Excellency, Goc.A. 67. Curtin :
Your telegrams re-pecting the 'pay of mili
tia, called out under your proclamation of the
27th of June, have been referred to the Pres
ident for instructions, and have been under
his consideration. ' He directs ine to say that
while no law or appropriation authorizes tha
payment, . by the general - Go vent man?, of
troops that have not been rousieied into the
service of the United States, he will recom
mend to Congress to make : an appropriation
for, the payment of troops culled into' SUte
service to .repel an actual invasion, including
those of the State of Pennsylvania. If, in the
meantime, you can raise the necessary
ninount, as has been don: in other St ties, the
appropriation will be applied to refund the
advance to those who made it. Measures
have been tsiken for the payment of troop.,
mustered into the United States service, as
soon as the muster- aud pay rolls are made
out. The answer of this department, to 3 0U
as Governor of the Mtatp, wi.l be given di
rectly to yourself, whenever the department
is 1 repareil to make answer.
KD'iVI.V M. ST.YXTO-V, Secy, of War.
The banks and other corporations re
fused to advance the money unless I would
pledge myself to ask an appropriation
from the Legisdaiure o refund it. It will
be noticed that tha pledge of the Presi
dent is clear and distinct, but, notwith
standing the money was paid and the ac
Counts settled and placed in the hands of
the President before the meeting of Con
gress, no such recommendation as prom
ised me was made, and lor that reason the
bill introduced for that purpose failed. -The
men were raised and placed uuder
the command of Major General Couch
and the other U. S. officers in this depart
ment. The troops were held in service
longer than the emergency for which thry
were called out required. . Several of the
reziments w.ere marched immediately into
di.taut parts of the State, by order of 1 lie
oflieers of the army stationed in Pennsyl
vania, against niv repealed remonstrances.
They were retained, us was alleged, to
preserve the peace aud enforce the draft.
2enr'.y, if nut quite, one half the money
was pail to troops thus held, and alter the
emergency had expired. Finding that
the appropriation was likely to fail iu
Congress, I Lid the matter before th'e
Legi.-lature, ju-t prior to their adjourn
ment, in May last, and an act of Assem
bly was immediately pa-sod to refund tire
money out cf the State Treasury, widen,
as above stated, has been done. I otiirht
to say that the appropriation by Cougiess
was vigorously supported by all the mem
I t-rs, lrom this State, in both branches.
Having done cverjthint; in my power to
prucure the payment of this just. claim 01'
tne
ae
now recommena lliat tne
1 . .
Legislature take the subject into consid
eration, with a view to induce proper ac
ti'jn by the Pre-idect iifid Congres.
By the act of 22d Au-ust, I8G4, I was
authorized ro cause an immediate enroll
ment of the militia to be made, unless
that recently made by the United Stares
should be found sufficient, and to raise by
volunteering or draft a corps ot fifteen
thousand men for the defence id' our
Southern border. The United States en
rollment being found very defective, I
directed an enrollment to bo made which
is row in progress under the charge of
Colors! Lemuel Todd, whom I uppoiutcd
Inspector Genera!. A draft, by tne Uni
ted States wa3 then in progress, and it
was .not thought advisable to hara-s our
people by a contemporaneous State dralt,
even if a draft had been practicable under
the prc-cnt law. Volunteers could not be
obtained, there being no bounties and
ti e meu not biug exempted by their en
listment in that crj-s from draft by the
United States. Fortunately, the United
States placed an army, under General
Sheridan, between us and the enemv, aud
thus provided effectually for mr defence.
With such adequate protection as proved
.by the brilliant ca'r.naign of 1 bar- army, I
did not think it right to incur the expense
to the State of an independent army, titid
the withdrawal of so many of our people
from their homes and puruits. Mean
while arrangements have been made with
the authorities at Washington for arming,
clothing, sub.-isting and supplying the
corp-i i;t the expense of the United States,
and an order has been given by the au
thorities of the U.iited Statts to furlough
such volunteers iu the corps as may be
drafted by the United States. The corps
so privileged not to exceed 5,000 men.
It is my intention to raise 5,000 men
during the winter, and I have already
adopted measures to that end There
may occur irruptions of irregular bodies
of the rebels, and it is well to be provided
against them. The number uropo-ed to
be (-o raised aud put into actual service
will,' in my judgment, be sufficient, and a
regard to due economy requites that no
more than arc sufficient should be placed
on pay. The remaining 10,000 wili be
organized, r.nd ready for service in case of
necessity. I invite your immediate atten
tion to the very able report of the Jhpcc
tor " General,' which sets forth the defects
in the law which he has discovered in his
preparation for carrying it into practical
effect.
The State agencies nt Washington and
in the. Southwest are in active and suc
cessful operation. I communicate here
with the reports of Col. Jordan, at Wash
ington, and Col. Chamberlain, agent ' for
the Southwest. The provisions of the
law requiring the agents to .collect, moneys
due by the United States to soldiers have
been beneficent. . A reference to their
reports will show the magnitude- and use-
fuh-os ol this branch of their -ervice. i
desuo to invite the utien;iju of all our
volunteers, officers, soldiers, aud l! cir
families, to the fact that the State agents
will collect all their claims on ihn Gov
ernment gratuitously, as I have reason to
bt lieve that. many arc Mill iguoraut of
that fact, and are greatly imposed upon
by the t xotbitaut com missions charged by
private claim agents.
Under the act of the Gth of May, 1SG4,
I appointed Hon. Thomas II. Lurrowes to
take charge of the arrangements fjr the
education of the orphans of soldiers. I
communicate herewith 3 copy of his report
ou the (subject. lie has di-c'iarged his
duties with commeudable zeal, Gdelityauu
efficiency. 1 earnestly recommend that a
permaneiit and liberal appropriation be
made to support this just and worthy
scheme of beneficence.
I recommei.d that an appropriation be
made for pcuMou to the volunteer militia
men (or tiieir families) who were killed or
hurt in tcrvice in the years lSG'J and
1SG3. As so'diers sometimes arrive here
who are insane, and who should be pro
tected and cared for, I recommend that
provision bi made for their being placed
iu the State Ayiun for the Insane, at
this place, and kei-t until notice can be
gi eu to the authorities of their respective
counties, who should Le required to re
move nud care lor them.
1 feel it to bo my duty to invito your
serious attention ti the evils mowing out
of tho sstem of passing acts of incorpora
tion for purposes which arc provided lor
by general laws. We have pasted acts
authorizing charters to be obtained with
out special legislation. These acts have
been generally prepared with some care,
and contain the provisions which the Leg
islature thought neeessiry to protect the
Commonwealth aud her citizens. If these
general laws are not-found to answer such
purposes, they should bo amended aud
perfected. It any company desires to be
incorporated with greater privileges than
are conferred, or to be relieved from any
of the conditions imposed by these acts, it
appears to me that it should be required
first to obtain a charier uuder thj general
laws, aud then apply to the Legislature
for an act making the changes which are
doired. The attention of the Legislature
wili thus be drawu lo the specilic object,
and a judgment can be formed of its pro
priety. . 1 woa'.d a!.-o observe that great
evil result lVom the habit of grai.ting
privilege.- to a corporation by a mere ref
erence to fonie former private act relating
to oilier corporations, bOioetirucs without
giving the date of these 'icis. All these
practices are bad, and although they may
sometime be pur-ucd by parties having
no bad intention, yet they certainly origi
nated in I lie de.Mgn cf surpiin the
Commonwealth iuto grants of privileges
which it was known coull not bo obtained
if their extent were understood, and ilu-y
are often followed now fjr the .same fraud
ulent j urpose.
I Mrongly recommend the repeal cf the
acc pas.-ed ihe ltih day of July. A. D.
18GIJ, entitled "An act relating to corpo
raiioo.t lor me?hauieal, manufacturing,
mining and quarrying purples."
It provi.sious are found to be practically
t-o inconsistent with the due protection of
the citizens, and with the jut policy ot
the Commonwealth, that it ouuht not to
allowed to stand longer on our statute
bo )k. I approved the act in question
with j:reac reluctance, and subsequent
reflection and observation have satisfied
mo ol its mischievous character.
I aiso iccommend the repeal of an act
parsed the 2l'd day of July, A. D. ISC'),
entitled "A further supplement to an act
to enable joint tenants aud tenants iu
common, and adjoining owners of mineral
lauds in this Commonwealth, to manage
aud develop the same'"
This act allows foreign corporations to
hold three hundred acres of land in this
State for mining purposes. It was passed,
it is believed, tor the purpose of enabling
companies near our border engaged in the
manufacture of irou, to bold land as ore
banks. Uut under the idea that the Link
ing of an oil well is mining, ic is believed
that companies have already been organ
ized under the law. of other States, and
that more will be, for the purpose of
holding lands and cariyiug "on the oil
uusines in this Slate. It would be better
to remove alj doubt on this question by
repealing the act. These companies, being
foreign coi joratioii-, are not within the
control of our laws to the extent that they
ought- to be for the purposes of taxation
and regulation.
The immense development of wealth in
fome of our western counties by the dis
covery of oil, has added vastly to ihe
resources of the Commonwealth.
I have made efforts to ascertain the
value of this product during the last year,
but have lailcd in procuring information
sufficiently accurate to justily uie in esti
NUMBER 14,
mating its amount. It is already vast,
and is rapidly increasing.
The productions ami manufactures of
the State have become to diversified and
abundant that some measure should bo
takeu lor an accurate accrtaiument of
them, so that their extent may be gener
ally known, and also that the necessary
taxatiou may be intelligeutly imposed. I
recommend for these purposes the creation
j of a Lureau, of which the Auditor General
and btaie 1 rcasurer shall bo members, and
the head of which shall be a new officer,
to be styled CVmuiisMoners of Statistics,
or designated by any other appropriate
title.
The act of 25th August, 1SG4, providing
for the-voting of soluicrs, should be care
fudy examined, with a view to its amend
ment, and, indeed, a revision of our wholo
election laws wouid secui to be desirable,
with a view to the two essential objects
of, I. 1 lie adiois.-ioii ot iejl aud exclusion
of illegal votes at thepoi.; and,.. Faith
ful atjd correct returns oi ti.e ole actually
polled. I communicate herewith tho
opinion ol the Attoii.ey General on the
conflicting return.- for li.e lo;h Congres
Muual Lietriet, whieu will hhuw tome of
the practical difficulties wh.ch aiise under
the existing system. Without uudci taking
to ri i-uiiiMo-iiii ihi, adoi.rioii ot :inv ii:.it:n-
i ular plan, 1 submit toe whole subject to
J your cartful and crncst con-idciatiou, in
' the ho';0 that in your wisdom ou will bo
able to devise some measure which will
produce the result to essential to the ex
istence of a free government; that VOtci
t-hull be fairly tak.cn iu the first instance,
and lairly counted and returned uiterward.
I have endeavored since I came iuto
office to exercise as cautiously as po3:-iLle
the powers confided to the Lxecutive, aud
avoid usurping any. I shall cudcavur to
peihi.-t iu tnis coui.-rt to the md.
A new cali has been made- by the Pres
ident for oUd.OOU men. This renders it
proper that 1 should invite our attcntiou
ro the eiis which have resulted from
abuses of the system of local bounties,
which was begun, in an emergency, by the
voluntary and generous
loyalty
of cur
citizens, before tne passage by Congress of
the enrollment act, aud has Muce beea
continued by tuudry acts of Asscmblv.
The result has been to the last degree
oppressive to cur citizeus, and unproduc
tive ot corresponding benefit to tue Gov
ernment. In some counties aud townships
it is believed that the bouuty tax during
the last year exceeded the average income
derived lrom the Ja;id. The large rums
olleied in some places in the competition
lor meu, have demoralized many of our
people, and the most atrocious frauds
conuecfod with the system have become
common. The luen oi some of the poorer
Counties have- Leeti neiily exhausted by
tiieir volunteers being credited to richer
localities paving heavier bounties. Tho
system as practiced lowers the viuril of
tne army itself, hy putting into .he ranks
men actuated by merely "mercenary mo
tives, and who are tempted to desert by
ihe facility of escaping detection, aud the
pro.-ptct el new jjit's by re enlistment, a
proeesa wiiioh they expect to be able
repeat an indefinite number of times. Of
the number of men fur. whom bounties
have been paid, it is believed that not
oue-.'ourth have beeu actually placed in
t lie ranks of the army, and even thoso
wtio have joined it have probably not, ea
an average, roc.'ivcd tor their own use
one bait of the bounty paid for them.
Immense sums have tuns been appropria
ted by cheats and swiudlers, iu many cases
believed to be aetiiig iu complicity with
agencies ot the Government.
An effort was made to prosecute some of
the parties concerned iu such frauds uuder
the i.ct ot Assembly ol 14'h August last,
and tht-y were bound, over by the Mayor
of this city, but alter the witnesses had
conic here oil ihe ineting of the courf,
they di-appeared from ihe public eye. I
reeOiiun -i,d the v.Iur.V subject to your
carclui consideration, t!:at the system may
be ptirg-d ot ll.v.-e ev.l.i
1 am o:i:ei:liy infomcd that the quota
of ibis State, tindi r j recent. Call is GG,
b"J'J, but 1 am i.H if. i.i md of the princi
ple on which the dralt is to l e made.
It appears from the President's procla
mation that it is mude chiefly to supply an
alleged deficiency in foimer calls. Lara
surprised ut the amount of this Jiire
deficiency, and can only aceouut for tho
diireict.ee between the number of men
furnished by the State and the deficiency
alleged to exist i:i tho assignment ot tho
present quota, by the assumption that tho
men never reached the army, although
enlisted and mustered after the payment
of bounties by the localities to which t'icy
were supposed to be credited. It is prob
able that there ate very le,w counties in
the State which have not paid largo
bounties for a number of men suEcieutto
fill their former quota.
Taking tbe local bounties at tho low
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