HUNTINGDON JOURNAL.
WiTOLE No. 149
TEEMS
OF TUE
EliNTI1101:017 :07RI\TA.L.
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MESSAGE.
[ Continued ]
To TAD SENATE AND HOU3IL orßspae-
SENrATtves OF THE COMMONWEALTH
OS PENNSYLVANIA.
To guard against illegal voting by per
sons assessed and having paid tax out of
the District, they should be required to
give their names to the assessor to be by
him put up at least nine days previous to
the election, at the election house, appen
ded to the list of assessed taxables before ,
described, that all persons might have an
opportunity of knowing the names of those
who intend to vote, and an original re
ceipt for the tax, frum the proper Collec-
tor 'of the district in which it was paid,
should be produced at the time of voting.
The hand writing of the Collector should
also be proved, by some disenterested per
son, before a knowing justice of the peace
or aldermen, and a minute of such proof
endorsed on the receipt.
If to those restrictions with regard to
Us receipts, which have been the ready
means of much fraud, were added one
that no receipt whatever should be com-1
retina to prove payment of taxes. unless
it express on the face of it the year for
which it was assessed, and that no tax as-
sessil more than two years previous to,
though actually paid within two years of
the e e.s.tion, should entitle to a vote, there
would be little room for evasion or viola
tien the Constitution. I deem this lat
ter provision proper, as well as neces
sary, because I suppose it to be the intent
of the Constitution, that the tax must not
wily have been paid but assessed wit! in
the time named, and that during the pe
riod the voter must have contributed to
the support of the Government under
which he lives . Assessment and pay
ment efts% being both required, it is fairly
presumable that theywere intended to oc
cur, not only in, but for the period, or at
least part of the period, designated by the
Constitution .
To preserve order at elections, I would
recommend that it be made the duty of
the constable of each ward, borough or
township within which any election is
held to lodge information before some jus- ,
ties of the peace or alderman thereof, of
the names of persons engaged in any as
sault,
battery, intimidation, riot, or breach
ef the peace, at and during the day of such
election, and to return as witnesses', on
the part of the Commonwealth, the names
of such persons as were assaulted, beaten,
intimidated or other wise injured, or of
such other persons as were cognizant of
the facts, who, with the parties accused,
shall be bound over to appear at the next
court of quarter sessions, or Mayor's court
as the case may he: that any constable
seglectiNg or refusing for 24 hours to
lodge such information, on being requ i red
so to do by the party injured, or by any
three qualified voters of the district, shall
upon complaint before a justice of the
peace or alderman, and proof of such re
quisition and neglect, fined in the sum of
fifty dollars; that the party or parties
found guilty by the proper court of such
assault, battery, intimidation, riot, or oth
er breach of the peace, should be sentenc
ed to pay the costs of prosecution, and be
confined in the proper county goal, not
less than six calender months, and that it
shall be the duty of the proper court be
fore whom each constable makes his quar
terly return, to examine him expressly
whether the elections held in his district
were peaceably conducted, and it it be
otherwise proved, that they were not and
that he failed to institute the requisit pros
eeeding, then to inflict the foregoing fine
on the constable.
And to secure, as much as possible,
the purity of elections, I would strongly
recommend the passage of a more effectu
al law against betting on the elections,
which practice forma the very worst and
most pernicious species of gambling. Bet-
ting and gaming of other kinds only injure
the patties themselves, but this inflicts a
WWIRd en the rights of all, and destroys
that confidence which every citizen should
feel in the decisions of the ballot-box. I
would therefore urge that, whenever
thereto required by any voter of the dis
trict, or whenever he shall think it neces
sat y, the inspector of each election shall
cause any * person offering to vote, to de
clare on oath or affirmation whether he is
or is not directly or indirectly interested,
either as principal, partner or stakeholder
in any bet on the result of any election to
be held on that day, and if he admits that
he is, or il he decline to answe", then to
refuse such person his vote, and to cause
the clerks of the election to snake a min
ute thereof on the list of voters.
These provisions, together with one
more ellectually to preyent 11111 highly im
proper and corrupting interference in our
State eloctions of Federal . Gouernment
office holders, it is believed would effectu
ally check the spirit offraud, disorder and
betting which is rapidly compelling. all
good men to doubt the fairness of their re
sults, and to fear for the permanency ofa
government dependent on them. We
owe it to ourselves now, while reform ant!
correction are within our power, to apply
them. We owe it to the cause of virture
and republicanism, we owe it to our pos
terity. I accordingly again earnestly
urge upon the legis'a'ure the adoption of
of the foregoing provisions, or of others
calculated to produce the same effects.
Besides making provision that elections
shall be constitutionally, fairly and peaca
bly held, ;t will also be your duty to pre
scribe the manner of election and return
of the additional number of bflicers to be
chosen oirectly by the people under the
new Constitution. These includes all
county officers, with justices of the peace
and alder men
With respect to county officers, it will
also be fo.i you to declare how many per•
suns shall hold thehl , and how many offi
ces map' be held by' the same person in
the different counties.—lt will also be
your duty to classify the associate judges
of the State; in the manner prescribed by
the ninth section of the schedule.
On examining the amended Constitu
tion, it appears that the people have
nated the offices which they desire to fill
by direct election; they have also speci
fied those that are to be filled by Execu
tive appointment or nomination. But
there are others for which no 'positive
provision is made—the mode of filling
which is to be determined by the legisla
ture. These arc—auditor general, cur
veyor general, secretary of the land office
attorney general, superintendent of com
mon schools, canal commissioners, apprai
sors of damages, adjutant general, nota
ries public and inspectors of flour, spirits,
tobacco and other articles. It tis fair to
presume that those officers were neither
intended to be elected by the people, nor
appointed by the Executive, or :it would
have been so expressed; and ithat they
were to be left within the power of the
legislature. It will therefore be '.incum
bent on you to make +provisi..l for the
mode and time of their appointment.
The business of the Secretary of the
Commonwealth, as Guperintendant of corn
mon schools, has so much increased with.
in the past three years as seriously to em
barrass that officer. I would, therefore,
reccommeud the seperation of the two of
ficers, and the establishment of a depart
ment of education. This can be done
without increasing the number of officers,
for those surveyor general and secretary
of the land office can, with great ease ,be
filled iby the same person, and may be
consolidated into a 'general Land Office
Department.
The condition of the means provided
by the State for general education is so
flourishing that little is required to be
done by the present legislature. Within
the three years the permanent State ap
propriation to this object has been increas
ed front 575,000 annually to 400,000;
for the latter won will he required next
year to meet the incrraie of taxable citizens
from 308,919 to 350,000, which will pro
b tbly be the number returned , (though
probably not inure than $300,000 will kt
actually called for,) and to pay the an nui
ties to colleges, acatletnies and female
seminaries, which will not be less than
$40,( 00. Nor will this large outlay have
been without its fruits. Instead of seven
hundred and sixty-two common schools
in operation at the end of the year 1835,
and about seventeen academies, (the lat
ter in a state of almost doubtful existance)
with no female seminaries fostered by the
States, she has now five thousand common
schools, thirty.eight academies and sev
en female seminaries in active (tad perma
nent operation, disseminating the princi
ple of literature, science and virtue over
the land. In addition to these, there are
many schools, academies and female sem
inaries of a private character, equally use
ful and deserving in their proper sphere.
Of the one thousand and twenty fieven
townships, wards and borouos now in the
1 ' State, each intended to form a Common
"ONE COUNTRY, ONE CONSTITUTION, ONE DESTINY."
A. W. BENEDICT PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.
HUNTINGDON, PENNSYLVANIA, WEDNESDAY JANUARY 9, 1839
School district, eight hundred and seven
ty-five have accepted the Common School
System, and have it in operation, and sev
en and eighty-six have received their por
tions of the State appropriation for the
present school veer, commencing on the
first Monday or June last. The number
of accepting districts goes on steadily ,
increasing, and the usefulness and econo
my of the system where fairly tested, are
becoming every day more apparent.
All that now seems requisite to the
complete success of the system is, that
some immediate and efficient means be
adopted for the preparation of Common
School teachers. This subject was fully
explained in the last annual Report of the
Superintendent, and will be again embra
ced in a revised draft of the whole School
Law which that officer will shortly lay
before you. Permit me to bespeak for it'
your favorable consideration, and to hope
that this last want of the sy,tem may bed,
supplied.
I world also recommend that the pow-'
er of School Directors on the subject of
taxation, be curtailed. When they were
by law au tl!orized to assess a school tax.
equal to thrice trio amount of State ap•
propriation canting to the District for the!
year, the whole amount of appropriation
was only half what it now is. Perhaps
absolute power of taxation in Directors to
that =omit, was then necessary; but it
is not at present. I would therefore re.: ,
ommend that the Directors shall not, here]
after, in any case, impose more tax on
their District than a sum equal to its por
', tion of state appropriation, unless by con
sent of the people, in the same manner
as additional school tax is now authori
zed, viz: by vote of the majority of the
citizens.
The public works of the State, will re
quire your immediate and careful atten
tion.
The Canals and Rail Roads in opera
tion, yielded, under the most disadvanta
geous circumstances, an increased reves
nue during the fiscal year just closed.—
The amount of tolls was nine hunderd
and ninety-one thousand two hundred,
and fifty-two dollars and forty two cents.
This income is a most de,isive proof that
her chains of inprovement arc on the eve
of amply remunerating the State for their
vast cost. The amount of tolls for the
year, would, under ordinary circumstan
ces, beyond a doubt, have been a million
and a halt of dollars. This will ne creel.
ited when it is borne in mind that fully
one halt of the regular trade of the main
line was lost to the State during two-'
thirds of the navigable season, iu the con• •
sequence of the breach on the Juniata,,
and that, to retain the balance, the Canal '
Commissioners found it necessary to take
the toll oft' ninety miles of the most prof
itable part of the remainder, viz: between
Huntingdon and Duncan's Island, to
which, if the distance from Huntingdon to
Hollidaysburg be added, the distance thus
unavoidably rendered m holly unproduc
tive, was one hundred and twenty-nine
miles. Still the words yielded, and it is a
triumphant proof of their value and pro.
ductivencas, little short of a million of
dollars within the fiscal year. The in
come from them the presentyear, may, in
view of these facts, with perfect safety be
estimated at one million six hundred
lhovamd dollars, with a favorable season.
The completed Ci.n ds and Rail Roads,
except part of the upper portion of the
Juniata division, have been kept in the'
best state of repair, and have been almost
uninteruptedly in use during the yenr.—
The Columbia and Philadelphia Rail Road
paid two hundred and ten thousand three
hundred and ninety-three dollars and
ninety one and a half cents, in addition
to maintaining the motive power and de
frayin.; the cost of rcparing the road, and
supervision, or a sum about equal to seven
per cent on the whole cost of construc
tion and of Locomotive Engines.
By an unavoidable accident, the wood
en bridge over Valley Creek, on the last
named improvement, was burned in
March. With unparalleled dispatch, a
temporary bridge was completed in its
place, in nineteen days; and in the mean
time, nearly all obstruction to the trade
was obviatad by waggons, employed by .
the State agents. A beautiful and per
manent bi idge, without roof or cover over
the road way, and with double track, is
now completed and in use. It is a dee
ded improvement to the road. The cost
exceeds by two thousand two hundred
and eighteen dollars thirteen and a hall
cents, the original estimate by the Engin•
eer, owing to the fact, that the temporary
structure was 'more expensive than was
anticipated. An appropriation of that
amount will accordingly be required to
enable the proper officer to pay the final
estimate and close the account.
It is a matter worthy of inquiry wheth
er the roofs of most of the larger Bridges
on this road could not be dispensed with,
and a double track laid on each, at a small
cost to the State. It would, beyond a
doubt, form a great improvement, by whol
ly removing ail danger tram collision of
trains, and decreasing very greatly the',
risk of total loss of the bridges by tire.--
It is believed that the present structures,
with a some additional timbers and slight
alterations, could be made to answer this
purpose by being lowered below the lev
el of the road way.
Experience on this road for the past
two years, has completed all doubt as to
the use and management of steam as a'
motive power, by the state agents. The
year just closed exibits a balance in the
motive power fund of the road of thirty
thousand two hundred thirty-one dollars
and eighty cents, after defraying all
claims of the year upon it. A nearly
similar state of things exists on the Alle
gheny Portage Railroad. The motive
power toll paid all claims upon it with the
exception of about one thousand dollars,
though subjected to much expense that
will not hereafter arise, caused by the in
creased number of Locomotives used du
ring the year, which of course made ma
ny preparatory arrangements necessary
that will not be again required, and which
were calculated for as amount of busi
ness that was not realized.
Another most valuable result of the
year on the Columbia and Philadelphia
Railroad, is the complete success of the
trials to use anthracite coal, as a fuel for
the generation of steam in the Locomo
tive Engines. There is now no longer
any doubt on this subject. The invention
of Mr. Brant, the master mechanist at
Parkesburg, has completely effected this
desideratum. Thus, by the use of one of
our chief staple commodities, the State
will save large amount yearly—will add
I to the certainty and despatch of the use
of her roads—and, what is a no less val.
uable achievement, will decrease very
largely the danger from fire to the prop.
erty of the citizens resident along the
lines.
During the year the neN bridge at Dun
can's Island has been completed. It cost
ninety—two thousand five hundred sixty
semi dollars and eigityone cents—was
passable for wagons in less than seven
months from the day when the first stone
of the piers was laid, and has been used
as:a:towing path bridge the whole season.
It is now one of the most beautiful and
solid structures in the State, and promises
to be permanent..
The dam at the same point has also
been most substantially and effectually
repaired. The old defective structure
was a continual cause of expense to the
State, and of loss and vexation to passen
gers and transporters. It was so open as
to permit nearly all the water of the river
to pass through when the stream was
low. It is now solid and nearly water
tight. Daring the almost unprecedented
drought which prevailed over the State
from July till November, no difficulty
whatever was experienced in the lines of
Canal dependent on it for supply. This
was owing to the judicious measures adop- ,
ted by the Engineer and Contractors in
raising early in the season a Coffer Dam
across the whole stream, which answered
the double end of keeping the water off
the workmen'engaged in making the re
pairs, and of throwing an ample supply in-'
to the Canal.
Owing to these and other improvements
at Duncan's Island, that point, which has
been such a cause of vexation, expense
and delay in the use of the main Line
ever since its first completion, promises
hereafter to cause no embarrassment
whatever.
Other repairs and improvements, in
different parts of the State, were required
and have been made on public works, as
will be explained by the report of the
Canal Commissioners; but the main diffi
culty was experienced on the upper Sec
tions of the Juniata Division.
It is needless to dwell at large on or
describe the devastation which occurred
on the 17th of June between Huntingdon
and Hollidaysburg. Suffice it to say that
the Allegheny torrents rose in their might
and nearly obliterated in the ahert space
of ten hours, forty miles of as solid im
provement as was in the Commonwealth.
I)ams. Acqu..ducts, Culverts, Locks,
Banks, and in many instances the very
bottom of the canal itself were swept
away, and the whole left in a state requi
ring nearly as much labor and expense to
render it navigable as on the day when the
first location was made.
Under• these circumstances the first
duty of the public Agents was to take
measures that the business of Transpor
ters and others, who relied on the State
works as a medium of transportations,
should suffer as little delay or loss as pos.
sible. Accordingly the toll was taken off
freight nit ninety miles of the canal be
tween Huntingdon and Duncan's Island
and subsequently of passengers, to ena
ble the Companies to meet the unexpec•
tad and heavy expense necessarily incur-
red by Staging and wagoning a cross the Susquehanna, and Gettysburg rail road,
breach in the line. were let early, and at reasonable_prices.
The canal Commissioners were happily Further appropriations to each of these
on the spot when the misfortune occurred. improvements are required.
They at once despatched the Engineer of The Wisconisco 'and Kittanning ex
the Line to survey the injury and estimate tensions, authorized by the Improvement
the sum and time requisite to make the Bill, of the same session, were also put
repair. He reported that the work would under contract, and the small appropria
occupy at least bur months and cost four tion made to the for nor, has been expen
hundred thousand dollars. ded. They are both works which, if they
When this intelligence was received at were yet to be commenced, should neither
Harrisburg it became at once necessary to he undertaken in the present condition of
decide the question whether the Legisla- the Treasure nor in view of the stronger
tore should be convened to provide for claims of roarer works long since begun.
this sudden calamity, or whether the Ex- but vet unfinished. But they are now,
ecutive should endeavor to raise the ne- by the deliberate voice of ve nrpredeces.
cessary funds and have the repairs made aura, incorporated as a part of the system.
without the delay or expense of the extra and should be carried on as rapidly as
Session. The latter expedient seemed the the resources of the State, End prior
more prudent and economical one under claims will justify. The former parricu.
the circumstances, but before a final de- lady, being a light work and holding out
vision was made, a letter was received a certain promise of ample remuneration
from the President and Directors of the in the way of toll, the instant it is made
Bank of the U. States offfiring to the Ex- to connect with the rich Lykens Valley
ecutive, on the faith that the Legislature coal region, by means of the Lykens Val
would ratify the transactions, the loan of ley rail road, has stror g claims to favors
any sum that might be required.
patriotic offer was at once gladly accep-
The hie consideration.
'lle Report of the Canal tedand relieved me of much anxiety.
exhibit indetail the condition
Commission-
The correspondence on the subject ac- siouers w ill
and wants of the whole system of public
the terms of the loan.
companies this message and will exhibit
works, both completed and in progress.
To that document you are referred for
The work has since advanced with all full information.
the despatch that it would admit i 'of; and .
the accounts and vouchers of the disburs- I n connection with her improvements,
ing Agents, who gave
their duties,
for which form the chief demand on the
Treasury of the Commonwealth, the situ
the faithful discharge of their duties, have
ation of her finances is to be taken into
been duly deposited and examined in the
Auditor General's office. The water was view.
let into the whole distance on the 20th ult The appropriations of last session were
made with great profusion. They and though little benefit was derived from
excee
it during the navig able season just closed, ded by nearly:one million of dollars, , the
yet it Will be of 1 - ast importance to the amount which a prudent foresight seemed
State to have the line in perfect readiness to me to justify. At the commencement
to accommodate the business of next of the session a ;full expose of the means
spring, which could not have been the of the State, and the most pressing claims
case if the repairing of the breach had upon the Treasury, was exhibited. Du
been delayed by calling an extra Session ring the course of the session an adhe
of the Legislature. ranee to moderation in expenditure was
The whole work will cost when corn- attempted to be enforced by every means
pleted, three hundred and eighty thousand within the power of the Executive, on
dollars, of which two hundred and ninet every proper occasion, but without suc
y
cess. And fi nally, the unpleasant alter.
thousand dollars have been received from
native was presented, as had been fore
the Bank of the United States, at four
seen, of . sanction ing
. appropriations, of
per cent. per annum, and fi fty thousand
which, in the existing. condition of f or
per
from the Harrisburg Bank, at five
public finances, he could not approve, or
per cent. The balance remains to be
provided by the Leof wholly obstructing the use of the com -
received from the Har gislature. The sum
risburg Bsnk, was
pleted works, be defeating a bill contain
borrowed on the private credit of the Ex-
rig the indespensable provisions fur re
parrs. Under trcumstances,
ecutive, Canal Commissioners, Secretary
bill was sanction h e e sed, b ci ut no act of ruy pthat
üb
of the Commonwealth, Auditor General,
Secretary of the Lind Office, Surveyor lie life was ever performed with greater
General, and two public spirited. though reluctance.
private individuals (Thos. Elder and Ja- The only check left was to decline sub
cob M. Haldeman of Harrisburg) on the scribing to the stock of the companies
90th of June, for the purpose of commen. that were participant of the favors of the
cing the repairs till such time as the mode law, till it should be ascertained that mo
of obtaining the whole sum requisite, and ney could be bad on loan at the rate of
of carrying on the work, could be arran- interest which was believed not only to
ged, which was shortly afterwards satis- be re isonable, hut which the course of leg
factorily accomplished by the liberal of- illation for the last two years, had estab
fer of the Bank of the United States, as tithed as that to be given for future loans.
before explained. This decision of the Executive produced a
....
It now becomes the duty of the Legisla
ture to redeem the faith of the State as
pledged by the Executive under circum
stances that admitted of no other course
without great and manifest detriment to
the public interest. I feel the most per
fect confidence that this will be done, and
I hope it may be entered on without de
lay.
The disagreeable dilemma in which I
felt myself placed when this calamity oc
curred, suggests the propriety of recom
mending a standing Legislative provision
to meet similar cases. Fhe one that has
appeared safest and yet most effectual,
is to confer on the Governor, Speaker of
the Senate and House. of Representatives
Auditor General and State Treasurer the
power. whenever an unexpected breach
or other injury of the public works shall
occur, requiting more than fifty thousand
dollars to repair it, to negotiate a loan on
the faith of the State foi the requisite
amount, or to take it from some specific
appropriation made by the preceding
Legislature, but not instantly requiring
the money.
The decision of a Board of this kind
would be as safe as that of any other body
that could be convened, except the Rep
resentatives of the people themselves. A
majority of it being officers elected by the
Legislature, and the whole consisting of
public servants fully amenable for their
conduct. Such a provision is according
ly recommended.
If this mode or some other calculated
to accomplish the same end, be adopted,
the ordinary repair fund for any year,
need not be greater than the finished lines
will actually require, which may at all
times be ascertained in advance with
great precision.
The progress of the new works during
the year, has been steady, and satisfacto
ry. The additional distance authorized
by your predecessors to put under con.
tract on the Erie extension of the main
line, the north and west branclies nt the
[ VOL. IV, No. 13.
very trifling excitement on the part of
some of the companiens. which, however,
soon of itself subsided. The money was
subsequently obtained at lour per cent,
and applied to the purposes designated by
the Legislature. The loan in question
($600,000, was taken by the following In
stitutions, in
,the !following proportions,
and has also been paid into the Tveasury
viz
The Girard Bank, $lOO,OOO
.. Philadelphia Loan compan7, 100,000
West Branch Bank at Wil
liamsport, 50,900
.1 Farmers' & Mechanics' Bank 50,000
"Bank of North America, 50,000
"Bank of the Northern Liber
ties
" Manufactures' and Mcchaics
• Bank, 25,030
" Schuylkill Bank, 40,000
" Commercial Bank, 35,000
" Kensington Bank, 15,000
11 Bank otiTennsylvania, 100,000
" Bank of Penn Township, 11,000
Western Bank of Philadelphia, ?,5000
Mecanics, Bank, 17,000
$600,000
Though the State may delay repaying
these loans till the expiration of one year
from the time when they were made,
which was at different periods, between
the 18th of June and the 16th of Cctober,
1838, yet it will be proper that the money
should be refunded with as little delay as
possible. In the correspondence with the
Banks on the subject, they were given to
expect that repayment would take place
before the first of February 1839.
The Temporary Loan authorized by
the third section of the same law, haviug
become necessary for the contingent ob•
ject for which it was authorized, was also
obtained at four per cent. an I applied by
the Canal Commissioners to the proper
works. It was taken by the Bank of the
United States. That Institution also
agreed to permit the Temporary Loan al
; luded to in the joint resolution adopted or
15,000