iTuutiixnn tir
WILLIAM BREWSTER
BAM. G. WHITTAKER, ED: CORE.
MESSAGE
OF GOVERNOR JAMES POLLOCK.
To the Honorable the Senators and Jl'em•
ben o/ the House of Representatives of
the General Assembly :
GENTLEMEN :
A kind Providence has greatly blessed
our Commonwealth during the past year.
No foreign war, no internal strife have in
terrupted or destroyed the peaceful quiet
of our homes. All the great interests of
the pi ople have been eminently prosper
ous. The earth, in rich abundance, has
yielded her increase to supply our wants,
and reward with her bountiei, the labor of
the husbandman. Labor, in every depart
ment of manufacturing and mechanical in•
dustry, has been stimulated and encourag
ed. The ravages of disease and the hor
rors of the pestilence have been averted
from us ; and whilst the cry of human
suffering, from other States, has been heard
invoking our sympathy and nid, we have
been blessed with health and permitted to
enjoy the comforts and happiness of social
life. 'Fe Him who bath 'bestowed these
blessings upon us and upon whose care we
are constantly dependent, should be ever
paid the willing homage of our grateful
hearts.
The report of the State Treasurer will
exhibit to you, in detail, the operations of
his department. The results are more sat
isfactory and encouraging than were anti
cipated.
1 he receipts at the Treasury for the fis
cal year ending November 30, 1855, inclu- '
ding the balance in the Treasury on the
lst day of December, 1854, ($1,240,928-
72) amounted to 410,681,402 83. The to•
tal payments for the same period were $5,-
•885,705 52; leaving a balance in the Trea
sury on the 30th November, 1855, of $l,-
245, , ,97 31. No loans, temporary or oth
erwise, were negotiated during the past fis
cal year, as they were not required by the
wants of the Treasury.
The receipts during the past year, from
all sources, (excluding the balance in the
Treasury on the first day of December, 18-
51,) were 115.500,-174 11. The ordinary
expenditures for the same period, including
the interest on the public debt, were $l,-
189,512 28, showing an excess of receipts
over ordinary expenditures of $1,250,061-
83.
The extraordinary payments for the
year were $1,246,193 24, as follows, via:
slat ri.v• Pariew•
railroad over the Allegheny mountains,
$416,762 12 ; to the North Branch canal,
$87,562 67 ; to the Columbia railroad, to
re-lay south track, $133,100 00 ; to the
payment of domestic creditors.sl,629 85 ;
to the redemption of loans, $316,550 60,
and to relief notes cancelled, $260.588 00.
The balance in the Treasury will be re
quired for the pa3ment of the interest on the
State debt falling due in February text,
and for unpaid approprinfons. The inter
\ est on the funded debt of the Common
yealth which became due in February and
August last, was promptly paid ; and it is
gratifying to state that the interest due in
February next will be paid with equal
promptness. The credit of the State may
be regarded as firmly established, and with
proper economy and a careful and holiest
management of her finances, an annual re
duction of her debt, to a considerable ex
tent, may be confidently expected.
There is due by the Treasury to the
Sinking Fund the sum of $335,011 89; to
be applied to the redemption of the relief
notes now in circulation, and to the funded
debt of the Commonwealth. The greater
part of the funded debt bears interest at the
rate of five per cent. per annual ; the bal
ance bears a sttll less rate of interest. But
as the temporary loans, which by law aro
t; be first raid out of the available means
of the Treasury, bear interest at the rate
of six per cent , it has been deemed ativis•
able, es a matter of economy, to a,tply the
surplus revenues to the payment of those
arms. When these are liquidated, the a
mount due and propprly applicable to the
Sinking Fund will be paid, and its opera
tion continued as directed by law.
Notwithstanding the revenues for the
last four or five years have largely excee
ded the ordinary expenditures of the gov
ernment, yet in consequence of the large
and insatiable detnyi 3a upon the Treasury
for the completion cf. North Branch ca
nal, the Portage railroad and other kindred
improvements, the public debt instead of
being reduced, has been increased. This
increase, with the :term nt and conduit:lnd
the debt at different periods, will be seen
in the following statements :
'Statement If the
_funded and unfunded
debt of the Commonwealth on the let
day of December, IESI, as per
report of Iluditor General.
Funded debt, viz :
F; per cent. loans, $2,314,023 51
5 44. 36,704,484 0:t
44 do. 198,200 00
lotal funded debt, --
$39,216,707 54
Unfunded debt, viz :
"elief notes in circulation, 650,163 00
n. certificates outstanding, 150,231 82
Do. do. unclaimed, 4,118 38
Interest on outstanding and
unclaimed certificates when
funded,
Doweetie creditors,
2,752 91
92,932 74
Total debt December I, 1851,40,114,236 38
.ataten►ent showing the indebtedness of the
eonmetonwipilth, on the I et day of De
goober, 1854, as per the duditor
General's report.
Funded debt, viz ;
n per cent. lentil, $632,104 93
.; du, .;9,004,609 97
t 3 du. 358,300 00
4 do.
100,000 00
Total funded debt, $40,084,914 90
Unfunded debt, ria
Relief notes in circulation, 494,361 00
In. certificates outstanding, 24,857 21
Do. do. unclaimed, 4,448 38
Interest on outstanding and
unclaimed certificates when
funded, 1,870 97
Domestic creditors' certif., 2,707 61
Bal. tern. loan April, 1853, 560,000 00
Do. do. Slay, 1854, 450,435 67
Total unfunded debt, tem. loans, 1,538,680 84
To tbeseshould be added the
following relief notes, not in•
eluded in the "relief notes
in circulation," viz
Relief notes made by Lan•
caster Bank not charged on
State Treasurer's books, $25,000 00 .
Relief notes put in eircula•
tion Sep. '64, not redeemed
December 1, 1854, 50,000 00
Total public debt Dec. 1, 1854, 41,698,595 74
Do. do. 1851, 40,114,236 39
Increase of debt in three years, 1,584,359 35
The funded and unfunded debt, includ
ing unpaid temporary loans, on the Ist day
of December, 1855, the close of the last
fiscal year, as per report of the Auditor
General and State Treasurer, was as fol
lows, to wit :
Funded debt, viz :
6 par cent. loan, $516,164 93
5 do. 38,903,445 64
41 do. 388,200 00
4 do. 100,000 00
Total funded debt, $39,907,800 47
Unfunded debt, yin :
Relict notes in circulation, 258,773 00
Interest cer. outstanding, - 29,157 25
Domestic creditors, 1,264 00
Bel. tem. loan April, 1953, 525,000 00
Do. do. May, 1854, 346,000 00
Total unfunded debt
Total debt December 1, 1855 4t,067,994 72
Total debt, as above glided, De
cember 1, 1854, 41,698,595 74
Total debt, as ataNa stated, Do.
comber 1, 1855, 41,067,994 72
Decrease during the fiscal year, 630,601 02
This statement exhibits the gratifying
fact that during the fisca year ending No
vember 30, 1855, the indOtedness of the
Commonwealth has been' reduced $830,-
C. 01.112.-
appropriations and payments' were made
for the completion of the sew Portage rail.
road. relaying the track of the Columbia
railroad, and for other wpm's.. These
demands upon the Treasury were, with
out the aid or loans, promptly paid.
Refusing to undertake any new schemes
of internal improvement, limiting all ap
propriations to the actual demands of the
occasion, practising strial economy in all
departments of the govelament, and hold
ing the receiving and distursing agents of
the Commonwealth to a ritid accountabili
ty, will greatly reduce tha t expenditures,
and under ordinary ciraumaances, leave an
annual surplus of the revenues to be ep.
plied to the redemption of tie public debt.
The estimated receipts atot expenditures
for the current fiscal year wit be present
ed to you in the report of the State Treas
urer. The receipts from the tenet sources
of revenue, above the ordinn-y expendi
tures, may exceed the sum of one million
and a half of dollars. The. estimates
may approximate the true resut, but can
not be relied upon with certainty.
By the thirty-eighth notion of the act
of the 16th of April, 1845, ensiled "An
Act to provide for the ordinary expenses of
government, the repair of the vitals and
railroads of the State,and other cairns up
' on the Commonwealth," the Governor was
authorized to cause certificates,t. State
stock to be issued to all persons or bodies
corporate holding certificates for tar pay
ment of interest on the funded deli of the
State, which fell due on the Ist day of Au
gust, 1842, the Ist days of Februay and
August, 1843, and the Est days of I'cl:qu
ery and August 1844, in an arnoun, equal
to the amount of certificates so help, upon
their delivering up said certificates to the
Auditor General. In pursuance of he au
thority thus given, certificates of tie State
stock to the amount of four million ono
hundred and five thousand. one It:mired
and fifty dollars and twenty cents, tearing
interest at the rate of five per cert. per
ennum, payable semi annually, on :he Ist
days of February and August in ear rear,
and redeemable on or after the ls, ,Y Of
August, 1856, were issued, The cli lira•
um period fixed by law for the red 'lOO5l
of these certificates, expired on the I,: AY
of August last. No provision hot' een
made for their renewal or redempti ,
Although by the terms of the act at hor
izing these certificates of State s,:k, as
also by the conditions of the certifiotes is
sued in pursuance thereof, the tirnef Pay
ment, after the expiration of the nv itnum
period, is optional with the debt—the
Common, ealth--yet a due regard:. the
credit of the State requires that vision
should be made for their renewal 'r re
demption. To redeem these certiluee a
loan would become necessary, and ea loan
cannot be effected, in the present fluvial
condition of the country, on term um.
favorable to the State, than thrum otehieh
these certificates were jssned, I w,„14 rec
ommend that authority he giver; ' lase
the bonds of the Commonwealth inellOw
al of said certificates, bearingintere at the
rate of five per cent. per at~ttgm,
tierm, .rable
semi-annually, and redeema e on'r tier
I the expiration of twenty yeeYs ; a t that
the bonds be issued with coons C er t i -
Wales of interest attached, nut' equal
in
t
amount to the semi p lc , there-
897,528 85
HUNTINGDON, PA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1856.
on, payable on the brat days of February
and Augustin °nob and every year, at such
place as may be designated. This change
In the form an: character of the certificates
it is believed, will be advantageous to the
holders, without increasing the liabilities of
the Commonwealth, as to induce a willing
and prompt exchange, at It premium, for
the bonds proposed to be issued.
The condition of the *die works, their
general operation, arid the reeeipts and ex
penditures for the past fucalyear, will be
presented to you in the rivort of the Canal
Commissioners.
The
from
Nov(
The
dine'
ORM
show ,
pent
75,000 00
Sallie
for re•
the
The
363
Aggi
1,160,194 25
peck
TI
into
rail'
pani
There has u.... _ tge
business and tonnage of the Columbia rail•
road, and a corresponding increase in the
receipts therefrom. The operations of
this road for the past year have been high.
ly satisfactory. The operation of that
part of the main line from the Junction to
Pittsburg, including the Portage railroad,
do not present so favorable a result. The
rect ipts haysgreatly diminished, and were
,
not sufficien to meet the ordinary expen
ditures. T e revenues from the main
line do not nal the receipts of the previ
ous years. The causes of this reduction
are apparerjt, and some of them have been
bind enumerated. It is but
that the expenditures on this
tlen much diminished by the
some of the inclined planes
go railroad.
to inform you that the railroad
1 inclined planes on the Alle.
vain, has not been completed
referred to,
just to add
line have
avoidance
on the Po
I regret
to avoid t
gheny to
Ifidently anticipated. The de•
tompletion of this work has °O.
as was 0
lay In ill,
tech . inconvenience to the busi.
o main line and a loan to the re.
!he Commonwealth. The ex•
shave largely exceeded the ori.
oaten for its construction; and
he stun of $273,780 00 was ap.
lot the last session of the Legis.
he completion of this work—a
• the estimate of the enginew
casioned
ness of I
venues of
pendituril
ginal est
although
propriat
lature fo
sum car
Le expenditure of the whole
—yet a
appropriated,.the road is an•
amounl
finished
debts coi
573 66,
will be
have be
sums of
ly expe
provem
tnd iO complete it, and pay the
acted, the further sum of $177,
notv'estimated by the engineer
squired. Either the estimates
very carelessly made, or large
Duey uselessly and extravagant
bd in the prosecution of this
im-
As aiding the business of
_ .
the mail
penditu
from the
ment of]
with pl ,s
Alth
Branch I
tion, wat
ne, reducing — still further its ex
and relieving the Treasury
constant demands the announce
s early completion will be hailed
;u re by every citizen.
Igh the completion of the North
anal, before the close of naviga
certainly expected, yet this ex
has nut been realized. The
efforts *I 'he present Superintendent, Mr.
Mafflt, d wing the past year, to complete
and put in Successful operation this canal,
deserve the tighest commendation. Eve
rything hat skill, energy and industry
could accomplish has been done. The la
bor to be performed was great. and render
ed mor difficult and perplexing by the
ithlterf St and fraudulent construction of
the old work and some portion of the new.
The la e quantity of rucks, trees, stumps
and ro s placed in the bottom of the ca
nal, an the defeotive material used in the
emban meats, suffered the water to es
cape a est as rapidly as admitted, and
i
renderld a re•construction of the work, in
manylaces, indispensably necessary. Its
!nee e . f a u r l in o o o u rn n p co le d t . i , n, it in hoped, will
I appear by the report of the Corn
of Ways and Means made to the
of Representatives in 1849, that
lire ainount necessary to complete
II in operation the unfinished por- '
mittee
Houst
the en
anti pi
" LIBERTY AND UNION, NOW AND FOREVER, ONE AND INSEPARABLE."
Cons of this canal was estimated at the
sum of 61,106,037 00. The, amount ac
tually expended on the work since that pe
riod, as appears from the reports of the
Superintendent, Engineer and Canal com
missioners, is 61,857,877 52, being an ex
cess of expenditures over the original mai
d 6751,840 52 ; and the canal not yet in
operation. With such farts before us—
such evidence of mismanagement and
reckless expenditure as the history of this
canal shows, it is not matter of surprise
that the Commonwealth and people are
burdened with debt and taxation.
the act of the Bth of
ig for the sale of the
tblic works, after giving
by law, I caused the
to public sale, at the
Inge, in the oity of Phil
tre were made and con
'ts remain unsold. Seal
s "sale or lease of the
absequently invited, as
, enteenth section of the
wroposals received are
to the Legislature for
.al dlspositiori.
wrmer occasion presented
wropriety and policy of a
of our public improve
of
the sentiments then
unnecessary. In rela
tact my opinion has not
contrary the experience
careful examination of
economical and politi
strengthened and con
the State should, long
eparatefl from the man
trot of these works, the
.management and construe
mionstrates. Public policy
writ demand this separn
msiderstion of present
. requires their sale.—
. etnbanassments of the
[perfect tharacter of some
sf the i ll authorizing the
the dverse influence
defea d the recent at-
These difficulties have
!moved; and a sale yet
amplyproteetive of the
is of thel, potpie, and at
it and liberal to the pur-
.... 4
State debt nd relieve
ixation, are sects wor
ld anxions nsideration
. 1 . 4. a ;iali theSe
ind certain! a sale of
of our pub improve
important an necessary.
_ rthe State, un r- th. pro
sent system of management o the public
works, are but little more th sufficient
to pay the interest of her deb nd the or
dinary expenses of the gov meat. A
sale of these works, for a fa considera
tion, and upon terms just and ral, would
constitute a beginning in the cons of li
quidation that would free o Common
wealth from debt and her pe I from con•
sequent taxation. In every more cal
culated to produce these des' a results,
I will cheerfully co-operate , h the Le•
gislature. . 1
The currency of the Stat
to banking institutions, and
is a subject that demands c
telligent consideration, F
given of numerous intern'
tithe Legislature for ne ,
increase of banking capi
will doubtless be presents
upon your attention. SI
of banks and the amount
tal be increased 1 and if
and in what looalities 1 al
sorbing public interest.
Without desiring to al
. .
and uncompromiaii4 hi
0 --
i i
or to an increase of bank
not discover the necess
or the circumstances th
incorporation of all thi
from the Legislature.
of new, or the rochartei
banks, w hen indisper
clearly demanded by
wants of the comma'
may be located, shout,
der no circumstances,
ration be permitted
The necessity forfr :ice he number
of banks should heti :e d more by
the actual wants of kit trade, than
by the number of spi s and the
wild fancies of stockjeb d specula
tors. The anddeti• an essary ex
pansion of the curreiey be avoided,
and whatever tends al, I such a re
sult ought to be dim.: dr, 'd and pre
vented. lu the coffitio ka the trim
interests of the 84 e d re: pie should
be consulted : and; just and honest dis
crimination, as to mbar, 1. moity and the
demands of trade, : to exereited by their
representatives. Milo sentMent does
not demand, nor de pftbtic ,:r private in
terests require, the drettion t numerous
hanks.
In tho present tonclition of the finances,
and in aid of thelevenues of the Slate, (is
addition to the taxes now impsed by law)
n reasonable premium shouldbe required
to be paid by all banks or satin institu
tions that may hereafter be ebutete4 or re
chartered by the Legislature.
As appropriate to this subjed, and inti
mately connected with it, I camel forbear
to express my disapprobation a practice
that has heretofore obtained to:owe extent
of using the names of inembo of the Le
gislature as corporators in bill, : tending be
fore them for the incorporati t of batiks
and other companies. Such t practice is
pernicious, and cannot be too wrongly con
demned, It perils the indepedence of the
Legislator—exposes hint to tweet suspi
clone, and stamps with selfishness, at least
his legislative action in the premises. Le
gislation should be free, even from the ap
pearance of improper motive : and every
undue and corrupting influence, inside or
outside the Legislative Halls, should be re
sisted and condemned.
It is a cause of more than ordinary con
gratulation, that agriculture, the first, as it
is the noblest pursuit of man, has, in its
progress of development, vindicated its
own importance, and assumed, in public
esteem, the honorable position to which it
is so justly entitled. Constituting, as it
dies, the substratum of our great mecha•
nical, manufacturingand commercial inter.
ests, it should ever be regarded as the chief
source of State and National prosperity.
First in necessity, it is the highest in use
fulness of all the departments of labor, sus
taining and promoting, in their varied and
multiplied relations, all the other industri
al interests of the country. Our hnancial
and commercial prosperity largely depen•
dent upon the success of agricultural in
dustry.
An interest so important should receive
the encouragement of all classes of socie
ty. No longer a mere art—an exertion of
hysical strength, it has reached the digni
f a sciences and to its progress and
improvement the people and their repre
sentatives should cheerfully contribute.—
State and county agricultural societies have
done much to probsote this cause, and thro'
their agency much tesluable information
has been collected and diffhsed. Much yet
remains to be done. More information is
demanded. More efficiency in tlib collec•
tion and diffusion of useful knowledre is
required. To secure this result, O.- ,s
-tablishinent of as agricultural bureau, ~.
connection with some of the departments
of State, would largely contribute. The
importance of such a bureau, properly or.
ganized, as an aid to the advancement of.
agrrcu%snral knowledge and the success of
agricultural inesetry, cannot easily bet or
-1 er-estimated. The astsiett is earnestly
commended to your attention.
By an set of the last session, an in..titu
lion designated as the “Farmers' High
School of Pennsylvania," was incorporat
ed. The charter was accepted by the true
, tees, and the institution duly organized.—
An eligible site for the college has been
secured in Centre ccsunty, and two hood
: red acres of valuable and" highly cultivated
• land donated to the trustees, for the use of
t , the institution, by Gen. James Irvin of that
county. The cit i zens of the county, with
a liberality highly commendable, hav e
pledged and secured to the trustees, for the
'1
use of of the college, ten thousand dollars
*le ... 144 i00-to the land donated. This lib
, erality shows that the farmers of Pennsyl
-1 vania fully appreciate the importance of
such an institution, and will support and
sustain it. The course of instruction will
be thorough aqh practical. Scientific and
practical Agriculture, with the usual bran
ches of academic education, will be taught
and the effort will be to make good farm
ers good scholars and good citizens.
...
Whilst individual liberality and energy
have done much and will do more for this
institution, an appropriation by the State,
in such sum as the Legislature may deem
proper, would not only aid and encourage
this laudable tieterprise, but would be an
honorable and just recognition of the imior
tant interests involved.
I is relation
Er increase,
3 1 and in
he notice
Ipplications
I,ks and an
rho laws now in operation, regulating
manufacturing and other improvement
companies are in some of their provisions
toa severely restrictive, and should be mod
! ified. Legislation on these subjects has
I heretofore tended to restrain the invest
!
intent of capital--check industry, and curb
the energy of the people in the prosecu-
Lion of those enterprises that aid the de
velopement of our immense resources, and
contribute so largely to the wealth and
prosperity of the State. Liberal and ju
dicious legislation—encouraging individual
enterprise—inviting the investment of cap
ital, and stimulating the various depart
ments of manufacturing and mechanical
industry, would greatly promote the inter
ests of the people—increaso our revenues
and give to the Commonwealth that prom
inence and position, in the sisterhood of
States, to which the chapter of her citi
zens and her illiable natural resources
justly entitle her. To this subject your
attention is invited.
tl, is subject
to and urged
11 e number
1 bilking capi
,to that extent
'potions of ab-
amt h general
ity Itall banks,
g cipltal, t can
th.t4 requires,
tenni justify the
say b demanded
'he ncorporation
qof old Ind solvent
rly niessary and
actuit business
in tvhich they
tot be refused ; un
tould their incorpo-
The Report of the Superintendent of
Common Schools will exhibit to their con
dition and the general operations of the
system throughout the Commonwealth,
during the past year. To the valgable
and useful suggestions of the report, 1
would earnestly ask the attention of the
Legislature.
The operation and results of the sys
tem as detailed are highly interesting. Our
educational system is slowly, but surely
conquering the prejudices and gaining
the confidence - of the people. Under the
fostering care of liberal and enlightened
legislation i!s ultimate triumph is certain.
When the system was first introduced, it
was supposed that it could he perfected
and forced into general arid vigorous oper
ation by the mere will of the Legislature.
Experience has prevail, that in this, ae in
every other great, sorityl and moral reform
time and that consent. which arrives from
a radical change in the popular mind,
were required. 'pis slow process of the
accumulation of the new system to our
social and moral atmosphere, has beeq in
operation for nearly twenty years; and it
is now evident that the period for another
effective interposition of, legislative aid and
authority in favor of our noble system
;Ind common schools, has arrived. In
whatever form this obviously proper and
necessary interposition may present itself,
if calculated to promot, the great purpose
in view, it shall rem, my cheerful sup• '
,
After a earefUl examination of the sub. ! prompt, full and decisive action. Let the
ject, it is my clear conviction that the sys- : integrity of the system, in its great put..
tern is now prepared for and requires in. ' poses and objects, be maintained ; and if
creased efficeney. in Its general supervis. I changed, changed only to render it more
ion—increased qualification in its teachers efficient, and, to increase its power for
and increased means of support. 1 greater usefulness. Whatever else may
The experiment of the County Super. ' distinguish your present session, it is haz
intendency, wherever faithfully carried out I arding hale to predict, that more honor
has not disappointed the expectations of i and benefit will result from the perfection
the advocates of that measure. The im. !of the common school system of educe
proved condition of the schools, and the ' tion, than from any other exercise of your
greater efficiency of the system clearly es. 1 legislative powers.
tablished the propriety and utility of such ! 'fhe public schools of Philadelphia are
deserving of special notice and approval.
supervision. The official visits of an offi- '
car of the schooi department to some of the In their various gradations, from the pet
counties of the State, in connexion with mary up to the high school, they are mod
the County Superintendency, have demon. els worthy of imitation ; and their man
strated that the voice of public authority egement and efficiency reflect great credit
to austrin, and the presence of an official upon those to whom have been committed
agent to encourage, have, largely contibu. their supervision and control. It is to be
ted to excite and maintain the deep interest ! regretted that these schools, so creditable
to our great commercial and literary now felt by the public in our educational I
em
progress and improvement.porium, and so honorable to our Common
•
The most marked improvemenrent re- I
wealth, should find no place in the annual
oently effected in the system, has been in report of the Superintendent of Common
its corps of teachers. With almost un- Schools. As at present organized, these
paralleled disinterestedness and devotion schools are independent of the State Su
to the noble canoe in which they are enga• perintendency, end do not report to the
gad, the common scnool teachers of the school department of the Commonwealth.
many common school of the State have As everything that Mates to the operation
in almost every county, been using all the I of the common school system, at the con
means and appliances within their power dition of the public schools in the State,
for self. improvement. is important and interesting, the statistics
These efforts, so creditable to them, have of those school should be furnished to the
been highly beneficial in their results and St
might be emboided in the annual report
of the department. A modification of ex
ate Superintendent, that the same
clearly prove the'necessity, and point with I
unerring certainty to the establishment of '
State Normal Schools. Teachers'
meet _ fisting laws on this subject, so far as to re
ings fora day have given place to institutes 9nire the controllers of the public schools
for a week : and these again to Normal mee-
of Philadelphia, to report to the school de
tings continuing from one to three menthe. partm,ent, the number, grade and condi.
iron of 'heir schools—the number of pu-
At every step in this progression, it hail 1
has ',cc ome more apparent that permanent Pils, and generally such information in re
institutions, wish their proper professors lation to their government as may be
and appliances, which nothing, btu the po-
deemed useful to the cause of education,
wer of the State can provide, are demand-
is respectfully recommended.
ed by and would meet the wants of the To improve the social, intellectual and
the erring, ameliorate human suffering,
system and the occasion, moral condition of the people—reclaim
la conceding this boon to the chilt l
the con,sideratioi, of the philanthropist and
: through their teachers, we are eneour, ! are objects that commend themselves to
I , by the example of other countries, and thH,
tike, s etateman. Our educatimal, ebarita
• experience of the past. It is a remarkable
to the wis fist-that devised and the : n ra a c ti ci , n thatof the old State world,
of
sustains them. They
h o as ur pe U rf n e t c o t n e , d nor i b ly te reformatory institutiens are just
system of! public instruction, without the of the State honorable alike
liberal
schools for the professional training of tea- ity that founded * ni l
chees, established and supported by the have strong claims etei el the bounty of the
public authority and; means; and it is ne people, and I cordialY mmend them
less remarkable, and still m to your care arid the libern . e Com•
ging, that no such ttmittifth e er ye
been abandoned. From Prussia, whose
experience in this regard, is that c,f n cen
tury and a quarter, to that of our young
sister Michigan, whose existence is as of
yesterday, the Normal school has been tri
!ii throughout Christendom with unvary-
ing success.
This result is in full harmony with the
laws of human mind and of human socie
ty. Teaching is a high and honorable pro
fession • and no profession has more ardu
ous andcomplex duties to perform—no one
greater respori.iblities to meet—and no
one operates on, or with, such valuable
and interesting material. The most thor
ough preparation is, therefore, requisite ;
and as the duties to he performed are not
only responsible, but delicate, and may al
feat the social, political and religious feel
ings and rights of the citizen, no source
is no safe, no authority for their discharge
so free from suspicion or bins, as the State.
Teachers trained by the State, and repre
senting the vitality of its republicanism,
will be the firm support nod sure guaran
tee of its republican equAity.
It is time also that the teaching mind ,
should resume its trite place in the schools.
In the communication of knowledge, to
be effective, mind, in sympathetic contact
must act upou mind, and with living,
speaking energy, leave its impress there.
The Great Master himself thus trained the
school which was to reform a world. But
now the book has too much intruded itself
between the teacher and the taught. The
teacher has too much become the mere ex
ponent of the printed page, and the mind
of the learner the impressed dopy of the
text. In thus saying, the value and im
portance of books, as a means of knowl
edge, are not intended to be overlooked or
decried : but the uses of our best agen
cies have their limits ; and when we find
the:book usurping the place of the teach
er, to the injury of the mind of our youth
we should restore each to its proper po
sition—require from, each the performance
of its appropriate functions, and thus con•
fer 'won both the full measure of their
usefulness.
As an expedient to supply the place of
regular Normal schools till established.
and as a valuable auxiliary to them when
in operation, the Teachers' institute would
be of unquestionable value. It would
bring together the teachers of a county
under the best influences, for consultation
and improvement, and exhibit them before
their fellow-citiießs in their proper pro.
fessional character. A portion of the
means of the State, or of the respective
counties, appliable to educational improve-
ment could not be more profitably applied
then to the encouragement of th, meet
ing of at least one such institute, annually
in each county. An experiment of this
kind recently made in the county of Ches.
ter, is said to have been eminently suc
cessful. and strongly indicative of the wis
dom of the measure.
If, in addition to these, or similar tnees•
tires, the Legislature should feel warren•
ted—and the measure has all the sauction
this executive document can give it—to
make a large addition to the annual State
appropriation to common schools, I believe
that all will be done which the patriotism
or the people's representatives can now
effect end Ido nor hesitate to express the
VOL. XXI. NO. 2
opinion that the time has come for this
—•••••
The State Lunatic Hospital, at Ersil%,,,
burg, in its objects and results, merits our
highest approbation. The just expec
tations or its projectors and founders
have not been disapointed. Kindness
and love, with their softening and sub.
doing influence, constitute the rule of its
government. Many of its former un•
fortunate inmates have been restored to
reason, to friends and home, and the en
joyments of social life. Those that re
main require our sympathy and aid.—
They should not be withheld. The re
port of the directors will exhibit, in detail,
the operations of the institution.
'llia necessity and importance of provi
viding additional accommodation for the
insane of western Pennsylvania, have
been strongly pressed upon my attention.
The present accommod itions are clearly
I insufficient ' and these have been provided
•
principally by the contributions of benev
olent citizens It is urged that the rapid
advance of our population—the gloomy
thcrease of the insane—and the inadequa
cy of the present asylums for their care
and management, render it imperatively
necessary that effective aid should be giv
en to that portion of the State, for the es
tablishment of a new and entirely distinct
Western Insane Hospital, as a home to
those of our fellow-citizens whose only
alleviation is to be found in their own igno
rance of the fruilul malady with which
they are burdened. The subject is wor
thy of calm and dispassionate inquiry. I
will cheerfully co operate with the Lips.
lature, in all proper efforts, to accomplish
this object.
Should you decline to act upon this sub.
ject I would then recommend that an ade
quate appropriation be made to the Wes
tern Pennsylvania Elospital for the purpose,
of extending its accommodations for the
care of the Insane, as distinct As may be
practicable from the o.her clan of pa
linen ts and inmates. The character of this
institution is liberal in its provisions, and
comprehensive in the objects liable to be
brought under its care; embracing the
insane, as well as the sick, helpless and
infirm.
In this oonnection I would commend to
your attention the Pennsylvania Training
School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Chi
dren. The aid of the Commonwealth has
been heretofore extended to this institution.
It is a noble charity, and appeals to the
best feelings of the heart. It deserves to
share the bounty of the State.
The House of Refuge in Philadelphia,
and the Western House of Refuge near
Pittsburg, are institutions of great excel
lence, having for their object the reclaim
ing of wayward and erring youth—the
employment of the idle—the instruction of
the ignorant—the reformation of the vici
ous /I,nd depraved, and the relief of the
wretched. They arc schools, not prison.
—homes, not places of punishment; they
are a refuge to the neglected and outcast
children and youth of our Commonwealth.
The success of the past is a sure guarantee
of their future usefulness. They should
receive your aid and encouragement.
The “Blind" and the "Deaf and Dumb
Asylum.," in Philadelphia, invite our
sympathy, and ask to share the benefac
tions of the Commonwe4hh. They should
not be disappointed. The blind, in their
darkness —thr, dumh, ir, r