Huntingdon journal., January 12, 1859, Image 1

The
ittril
WM. BREWSTER, EDITOR & PROPRIETOR.
SAVING FUND.
National
kill
, SAFETY TRIM
;Tv, oAmpany.
1` •
WALNUT STREET,
BOOTH-WEST CO.. or
PEIII.OI2I , PEA.
incorporated by the State. or Pennsylvania.
DIVE rta CENT INTEREST
MONEY IS RECEIVE]) IN ANY SUM,
large or small, and interest paid from the
day of deposit to the day of withdrawal.
Thu Wilco Is open every day from 0 o'clock
in the morning tilt 5 o'clock in tho afternoon,
and on Munilay end Thursday evenings till 8
o'clock.
lIENRY L. BENNER, Preeident,
ROBERT SELFRIDGE, rice President,
WM. J. REED, Set...eft/rb
bIRECt'ORS :
Hon. Henry L. Benner, F. Carroll Brewster,
Edward L. Curter, Joseph B. Bury,
Robert L. Selfridge, Francis Lee,
Sarni. K. Ashton, Joseph Yerkes,
C. Landreth M a nna,
aHenry nieilenderilbr,
Money is received and payments outdo daily
in gold without notice.
.._.
'e investments are made in Real Estate
Mortgages, Ground Rents, and such class se
curities as the Charter requires.
Feb.24,'57.
Til is
GREAT BEAUTIFIER
Bo long unsuccessfully sought,
FOUND AT LAST?
Fon it restores permanently gray hair to its
original color ; covers luxuriantly the hold
head; removes all dandruff; itching and all scrof
ula, scald bead and all eruptions ; makes the
hair soft , healthy, and glossy ; and will preserve
it to any imaginable age, removes, as if by mag
ic, all I Imam, &c. from the face, and cures all
neuralgia and nervous head ade. See circular
and the following.
Dover, N. 11., Feb. 21, 1857.
PROF. O. J. WOOD CO.—Gents; Within
a few days we have received so many orders
and calls for Prof. J. H. Wood's Heir 'Reston,
tire, that to tiny we wore compelled to send to
'Boston for a quantity, (the 6 dozen you for
warded all being 501 d,,) while we might order a
quantity from you. Every bottle we lone sold
seems to have produced three or fem. new customers,
and the approbation, and patronage it receives
from the most substantial and worthy citizens
efour vicinity, fully convince us that it is A
MOST VALUABLE PREPARATION. _ _
Send as es soon as may be one gro, of 81
size; and one dozen $2 size ; and believe us
yours very regmetnilly.
Signed, D. 1, AT [MOP & CO.
Hickory Grove, St. Charles en. Mo.
Nor. 19, MG.—Prof. 0. J. Wood.—Dear
sir: Sometime last summer we wore induced
to ens some of sour Hair Restorative, rind
its effects were to wonderful, wo feel it nor du
ty to you and the afflicted to report it.
nut little son's bend Mr sonic time hud been
perfectly covered with sores, and some called it
smiled head. The heir almost entirely come
otf in consequence, when a friend, seeing his
sufferings, advised us to use n bottle of your Res
torative, we Intl so with but little hope of suc
cess,but tooursurprise, and that of all our friends
a very few applications removed the disease en
tirely, and n new and luxurient crop of hair
soon started out, and we can note say that one
boy bases healthy scalp and as luxuriant crop of
bairns any other child. We can therefore, and
do hereby recommend your Restorative, us a
perfect remedy fin• all diseases of the scalp and
hair. We are, yours respectfully.
GHOIRIE W. HIGGINBOTHAM,
SARAH A. HIGGINBoTHAM.
O. J. Wood & co., I'roprietors 312 Broaulw•ay
Now• York, in the groat N. Y. wire railing estab
lislancnt, and 114 Market St.. St. Louis, Mo.
And sold by all Druggists.
Sept. 22, 1858.-3 tn•
THE CASSYILLE SEMINARY.
ONLY $22.50 PER QUARTER
TEE PRESENT FACULTY.
M. MON.
Prot of Languages and Philosophy.
Chas. S. Joslin. A. M ,
Prof. of Latin, Greek, etc.
James W. Hughes,
Prof. of Mathematics:
Reniantin F. Houck.
Adjunct Prof. of Mathematics.
GeO. W. Linton,
Prof. of Vocal Music.
Mrs. M. MCN. WALSH Preceptress,
Teacher of Botany, History, Heading; etc.
Miss E. M. Faulkner,
Teacher of Pellis Work, Platting, Drawing,
Miss D L. Stanley,
Teacher of Piano Music, Wax Fruit, Flo'rs,
Mrs. Dr. Darwin.
Teacher of .English Branches.
Miss .1. M. Walsh,
Teacher of Primary English.
The recent success of this school is extraor
dinary. Besides being the cheapest one of the
kind ever established, it is now the largest in
this section of the State. All branches are
taught, and students of all ages, and of both
sexes, are received. The expensed for a year
need not be more than $9O. Students can en
ter whenever they wish. Address,
,JOIIN D. WALSH, Camille,
Huntingdon Co., Pa.
June23,'sB.
Notice to Coal Purchasers.
THE subscriber is nbw prepared to furnish
Coal & Coke at his bank at Lilly's Sta
tion, on the Penn's. Railroad, of as good quali
ty as can be had on the mountain. I will run
coal to Hollidaysburg, or any other point on tho
Ponn'a. Railroad, if application is made person
ally or by latter.
ALSO—I will agree to deliver COKE at any
bank, in care, at four and a quarter cents per bush
el viz t—Thirty-five pounds to the bushel, or de
liver it in my own cars, at any point desired, at
tho lowed possible rates.
For either of the above articles, address
.1. M'GONIGLH,
~. .......---_,
Bernlock, Cambria County, Pa,
where all orders wilt be propmply attended to.
Aug. 25, 1858.6 t.
0 HOT, LEAD, CAPS, POWDER AND
Game•bags for sale at the Hardware
Store of JAS A. BROWN.
Sept. S. '51.-4t.
COVERIIOII'B MESSAGE+
To the Honorable the Senators and Mena,
hers of the House of Representatives of
Ihe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania :
GENTLEMEN :—Although the year just
closed has been one of great depression
in the business and monetary affairs of the ,
country, I am happy to be able to announce
to the Representatives of the People, that
the finances of Pennsylvania are in a most
satisfactory condition.
The receipts at the Treasury, from all
sources, for the fiscal y ear ending on the
30th tiny of November, 1858, were $4,-
139,778 35t and the expenditures, for all
purposes, during the same year, were $3.-
775,857 06, leaving an excess of receipts
over expenditures, of $363,921 29.
This exhibit shows that, there was nctu
ally in the 'Vreasury, on the Ist day of De
cember, 1858, the sum of $363,921 29,
more than there w as on the lot day of De.
comber, 1857. In addition to this, among
the expenditures, were
Loans redeemed, $380,306 85
Relief notes redeemed, 41,071 00
Interest certificates redeemed, 116 70
Making of the public debt, fun
ded and unfunded, paid during
year, the aum of, 421,494 55
If we add to this the excess of
money on hand, ut the end of
the fiscal year, over what re
mained in the 'treasury, at the
same time last year, viz : 363,921 29
783,415 84
We have the sum of
But this is not all. The amount
paid on the public Improve.
merits, including damagos . and
old claims, during the fiscal
year, was 341,036 58
While the amount of revenue,
from the same scarce, for the
sonic period, was only 95,070 06
an excess of expendi• •
ditures over receipts, which
happily we will be relieved
from in the future, of 245,966 52
This sum should, also, be credited to the
operations of the Treasury, during the
year, for it was an extraordinary expendi.
ture, which cannot agaiq.. occur, and was,
in fact, a reduction of the liabilities of the
Commcnwealth, to that extent.
If we add this sum to the amount of
del t paid, and the excess of cash on hand,
we bare for the year a balance in favor of
the receipt!, over the extraordinary expen
ditures, amounting in the aggregate, to
$1,1131,382' 36
But from this, however, should be de
ducted the extraordinary receipts, which
Ist. The amount paid by the
Pennsylvania railroad compa
ny, on the principal of the debt
due by the said company to tho
Commonwealth, for the pur
chose of the main line, $lOO,OOO 00
2d. The amount received from
the Girard Bank, for loans of
the Commonwealth, sold by
that Baulc, 28,000 00
128,000 00
In n,ll
Which, deducted from the aggregate
of $1,081,882 80, leaves the true balance
of the ordinary receipt. over the ordinary
expenditures for the fiscal year, at 1003,-
382 30.
The funded and unfunded debt of the
Commonwealth, on the Ist day of Decem
ber, 1857, was as follows :
5 por cent. loan, $445,180 00
3 38,773,212 62
4} " 388,200 00
4 " 100,000 00
To this should be added 5 per
cent. coupon bonds sold by Gi
rard Bank, not before repor
ted. 28,000 00
39,234,692 62
Total funded debt,
UNFUNDED DEIIT.
Relief notes outstanding, $140,421 00
Interest certificates outstanding, 23,473 82
Do. unclaimed, 4,448 38
Domestic creditors, 802 50
Total unfunded debt,
Making the entire debt of the Common•
wealth at the period named, 09,909,738
The funded and unfunded debt of the
State, at the close of the last fiscal year,
Deco nber 1, 1858, stood as follows :
FUNDED DEBT.
$445,180 00
38,420,905 67
380,200 00
100,000 00
6 per cent. loans,
5 Jo
4} do
.i do
39,354,285 67
Total funded debt,
UNFUNDED DEBT.
$105,350 00
23,357 12
4,338 38
802 50
Relief notes outstanding,
Interest certificates,
Do. unclaimed,
Domestic creditors,
Total unfunded debt,
Making thu public debt on the fist of
December boat, $39,488,243 07. Since
the close of the fiscal year, the Commis.
sioners of the Sinking fund have redeemed
of the five per cent. loan, the sum of 2.10.
1:12 51, leaving the real debt of the Clem-
monwealth, nt this time, funded and un
funded, 09,268,111 16.
To meet this, besides the ordinary sour
, ces of public revenue, the State owns
bonds received from the sale of the public
works, and which, I have every reason to
reason to believe, are well secured, amoun
ting to $11,000,181. Deducting this from
the outstanding debt, it leaves, to be other
wise provided for, the sum of $28,087,111
16.
It it believed that, with the existing
sources of revenue, and the obsetvence
at strict economy, this sum may be redu
ced, during the current ygar, at least 81,-
000,000.
The present would seem to be the appro
priate time—when our nation is at peace
—and when health and reasonable pros
perity prevail within our own borders—to
greatly reduce the public debt. We have
but to carefully husband our legitimate re
sources, avoiding extravagant and unne
cessary appropriations, and practicing a
proper economy in all the departments of
government, to render the extinguishment
of our debt a fixed fact within a very
brief period, To carefully guard the pub
lic Treasury at this interesting epoch in
our financial history, is so manifestly the
dnty of the public authoritiev, that I can
not for one moment believe that any other
policy will be proposed. If there be any,
who, relying on the improved condition of
the finances of the State, would encourage
the adoption of new schemes for depleting
the Treasury, or would rut off the resour
ces of our present revenue, and thus re
duce it, let all such efforts, twining from
whatever quarter they may, be sternly re
aimed. Let Pennsylvania be just before
,she is generous. Let our good example
be a light in the pathway- of our sister
States, as well as an admonition to our own
local governments. This is due alike to
the favors which Providence has no bounti
fully bestowed upon us, and to that high
character for honesty and integrity which
has ever distinguished the people of this
good old Commonwealth.
In pursuance of the act, entitled '•An
Ac t for the sale of the Stale, Canals," ap
proved on tha 21st day pf April last, I did
as the Governor of the Commonwealth, on
the 19th of May, 1858, convey to the
Sunbury and Erie railroad Company, all
the public works belonging to the Coin
monwealth, then remaining unsold, con
sisting ol the Delaware division—the Up
per and Lower North Branch divisions—
the West Branch division—all the Susque
hanna division of the Pennsylvania canal,
with all the property Mired= belonging,
or in anywise appertaining, and all t , e es•
tate, right, interest of this Commonwealth
therein, for the sum of three millions five
hundred thousand dollars. To secure the
payment of this sum, the Sunbury and Erie
railroad company paid to the State Treasu •
rer its bonds, secured by a mortgage, as di
rected by the act, for the amount of the
purchase money. The company also com
plied is ith the provisions of the act which
required it, as additional security, to exe
cute and deliver to the State Treasurer a
'mortgage on the Delaware division for one
million—a mortgage on the Susquehanna
and West Branch divisions for half a mil
lion—and a mortgage on the Upper and
Lower North Branch divisions for halr.a
million of dollars. The deeds and mort
gages were all executed under the immedi
ate supervision of the Attorn - y General.
and were in strict conformity with the re
quirements of the law.
After the conveyances were duly execu
ted and delivered, possession of the canals
was given to the railroad company.
The act further provided that the Sun
bury and Erie Railroad company should
not re-sell the canals, or any part of them,
without the consent of the Governor ;•and
that if a resale were mado for a greater
sum in the aggregate, than three and a
half millions of dollars, seventy-five per
cent= of the excess should be paid to the
Commonwealth, in the bonds of the pur
chasers. It was also provided that upon
a re-sale, the mortgngtp given by the Sun
bury and Erie railroad company to the
Commonwealth, upon the canals, "should
be cancelled by the State Treasurer and
surrendered to the Company by the Gov
vernor, on deposit made by the said com
pany in the office of the State Treasurer,
175,145 70
Of an equal amount of the bonds of
grantees, secured by mortgage of the ca
nal or canals sold as aforesaid"—with a
provision that no transfer of securities
should be made until the Govornor should
be satisfied that the new securities to be
given were sufficient to protect the inter-
133,958 00
asts of the State; and that his written np•
proval of the change should be filed in
the office of the Secretary of the Corn.
monwealth.
Saks wore made by the Sunbury and
Erie railroad company, and reported to me
" LIBERTY AND UNION, NOW AND FOREVER, ONE AND INSEPARABLE. "
HUNTINGDON, PA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1859.
under the oath of the president, of the dif
ferent lines, as follows :
The Upper and Lower Branch
canal. to the North Branch ca-.
nal company, for -----
$1,600,000 00
The Nest Branch and Susque
hanna division, to the West
Branch and Susquehanna ca
nal comany, for
The Delaware division, lo tho De
laware 'Aylmer. canal company
of Pennsylvania, for 1,775,000 00
In all the sum of
Upon investigation and inquiry, having
become satisfied that these sales were
made for fair prices, and upon si ch terms
and to such persons composing the various
purchasing associations, as to insure the
payment of the purchase money, they
were severally approved.
After the contract for the sale of the De
laware divisior hao been entered into, and
my consent had been verbally given, and
seventy-five thousand dollars of the pur
chase money had been actually paid
paik by the purchaseris, upon the faith of
the contrect, and my assent thereto, I was
Informed that a higher price had been of
fered by responsible persons, for the canal.
But, under the circumitances, my opinion
was that the offer came too late ; and as the
raifread company considered itself bound
to consumate the agreement by a deli - Try
of the deed and possession of the property
to the first purchasers, could not, in good
faith, withhold my a sent. The North
Branch canal company, subsequent to the
purchase of that division, sold that portion
of the canal I3ing b ween Wilkesbarre
and Northumberland, to the Wyoming
canal company, for the sum of nine hun
dred and eighty-five th wand dollars.
Ott the 13th of Sept er, 1858, bonds
of the various compani
forest canals, secured
in pursuanuc of the ac
val, deposited with the
the amount of two mill
the mortgages on the (Innis given by the
Sunbury and Erie railroad company, were
cancelled by the State Treasurer, and sur
rended by me to the company in accor
dance with the ditectitins of the law. At
the tame time a settlement was made be•
tween the Commonwealth and the‘ailroad
company, by which the latter paid to the
State seventy live per centum of the pro
ceeds of the re sale over and above the
contract price of three and a half millions,
This amounted to two hundred and eighty
one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars
and was paid in the following manner, viz:
Bonds of the Wyoming can
al company, secured by
mortgage on the canal
from Wilkesbarra to Nor
thumberland, payable in
twenty years, with inter
eat at six per cent. paya-
.
We semi annually,
Cash,
Total,
These bonds are well secured, and the
accruing interest and principal, when due,
will doubtless be promptly paid.
For information of a reliable character
recently commumeated to me by the Pres
ident of the Sunbury and Erie Raiiroad,
it appears that the prospects of an early
completion of that great public highway
are very encouraging. A large amount
has beet done on the line of the road du
ring the past season, and at this time, very
considerable portions of the road are gra
ded. and rapidly approaching completion.
It is the opinion of the President of the
Company tin. t, within two years, the work
will be entirely finished, so that cars will
be running directly from the city of Phila
delphia to the harbor of Erie.
When this great enterprise shall be eon
summated, and the desire of its friends fi
nally accomplished, the payment of the
three millions and a half of the mortgage
bonds, which the State has receiv , d in ex
change for the canals, •ill unquestionably
be well secured—whilst the railroad itself
will prove of incalculaile advantage to our
great commerc at emporium, as well as to
the important, but long neglected, region
through which it passer. Its construction
will undoubtedly ade .o the value of the
real estate of the Conmonwealth many
times its cost, and deselop and bring into
use the rich resources )f a country which
have hitherto remind' as they were la
vishly strewn by the nand of nature. I
have an abiding confideice that the result
will abundantly provethe wisdom of the
measure, which, while it guaranteed the
completion of one of thr greatest improve
ments ever projected in the Common.
wealth, it, at the some time, divorced the
State from the unprofitable and demorali
zing management of he railroads and ca
nals.
11 - their
Whatever the differtnees of opinion,
may. at any time, havt been entertained
in regard to the propriey . of the details of
DR TiOttriltit.
the legislation authorizing the sale of the
main lino, or the branches, it can scarcely
be doubted, that the public welfare will, in
every respect, be vastly promoted by the
transfer of the management of the public
works from the State to individual owners.
The short experience that we have had
already, proves conclusively that the Com
monwealth is greatly the gainer, in a finan
c.al point of view, and it has been equally
demonstrated that the people at large have
been as well, if not better, accomodated by
the change.
It would, in my judgment, be a pnblic
calamity, if, by the happening of any con
tingency, the Commonwealth should be
constained to again become the owner, and
resume the managemen. of any portion of
the public improvements.
500,000 00
3,875,000 00
The power of the General Assembly to
the act of 21st of April, 1858, relative to
the sale of the State canal was questioned
before the Supreme Court of the State,
since the transfer of the Canals; and, after
full argument; the constitutionality of the
act was sustained by the unanimous judg
ment of the Court,
Since the sale of the public works, and
the settlement of the principal outstanding
claims against the State. it is obvious that
there is no further necessity fora board•of
Canal Commissioners, or Canal Depart
meut. I, therefore, recommend the aboli
tion of the Board, and that provision be
made for the transfer of the records to the
office of the Auditor General.
Iu view of the foregoing exhibit of our
resourses and financial eoddition it is appa
rent that a most interesting era has been
reached ;n the history of the Common
wealth. Relieved from the entangling
embarrassments of an extensive system of
internal improvements, the means of the
State are now ample for all legitimate
purposes, and her public debt is gradually
but certainly disappearing. From these
and other causes, governmental action has
become greatly simplified, and the nature
of the subjects of its operation has changed
in a degree no less remarkable.
The Dhow entire disposal of the lands
which belonged to the State, has already
dispensed with one of the departments cre
ated for their care, and will ultimately ren
der the oilier unnecessary, except for p re
serving the evidences of their transter. .
The state of the public works has relie
ved the. Executive branch of the govern
ment of many of its most responsible and
perplexing duties, and in effect, dispensed
with ono of its most formidable and diffi
cult departments.
In the same proportion, the action of the
'lesion of the Legislature will, if the repro
sentattves of- the people be true to the in
terests reposed, and sternly refuse to entan
gle the public with those numerous pro
jects and enterprises which are continually
seeking its alliance, be simplified and econ
omized, purified and strengthened-
And it is as remarkable as it is propi
tious, that an era which has thus relieved
the State authorities of burthens that con
sisted, either of mere material interests, or
the care of local administration—commit.
ting the one to the local sovereign-y of the
people, and the other to private or associa
ted enterprise—should also present for
consideration and promotion intellectual
and moral claims of peculiar importance.
It is at this period in our history that the
system of public education challenges the
attention of the most unobservant. And I
shall be much mistaken in the cautious but
steadfast character of the people of Penn
sylvania, if their representatives do not
make it the first object of their solicitude.
The annual report of the superintendent
Common Schools will lay before you the
present condition of the common whoa!
system, and of its operations during the
past year. Your close and scrutinizing
attention is invited the details of that doc-
owning the dif.
y mortgages, were,
and by my appro.
Ito Treasurer, to
Ins of dollars. and
$281,000 00
250 00
281,260 00
ument
Including the city of Philadelphia, it
will be observed,that there were in the pub.
lie schools of the State, during the year
which terminated on the first Monday of
last June, 628,201 pupils; these were in
structed during the average term of a little
over five month, in 11.281 schools, by 28,
866 teachers, at a total cost of $2,427,682,
41.
Here is a public interest, which--weth
er we regard its ramifications into every
portions of our social fabrick, its large cost
the important powers over the present
which it weilde, or its incalculable million°
upon the future—undoubtedly transcends
all others committed to the care of the se•
cuter authorities. This being the case,
have no hesitation in asserting that the time
has arrived when its full importance should
be recognized, and that its dun administra.
tion should be made the duty of a fully or
ganized and effective, as well as a separ
ate departntent in the government.
But the mere care and promotion of our
system of common schools—important and I
extensive as it obviously is,—should not
be the sole object of such a Department.
If it is true that the power to punish crime
includes also the right to prevent it, by pro
viding for the proper intellectual and mor
al train'ng of the pe3ple, it would <teem
to follow that the Deportment charged with
the latter momentous duty, should also be i
in possession of all the sources and sub
jects of information, calculated to shed
light upon the object of its nction• Hence
the collection, arrangement, and pra ctical
.
deductions from populatton and industri
al statis tics, from natural defects, such as
deafness one dumbness, blindness and. lu
nacy; from crime in its various forms and
developments; together with such control
over all the literary and scientific institu
tions in the State, as shall bring their full
condition into view—should also belong
to the same Department.
Therefore, I most respectfully, but ear.
nes:ly, urge upon your favorable coast&
eration, at the present propitious moment,
the organization of such a Department, in
the room of those for the care of mere mat
Icr whose agency has been or soon will
be discontinued by the onward and upward
progress of the Commonwealth.
A suitable Department of Public In
struction, will not, however, of itself, effect
all that is needed in this direction, Phe
general results of the common school sys
tem already cited, show the importance
of its nature, and the magnitude of its op.
citations. If we look, also, into its special
statistics, the conclusion will be equally
clear that cert sin improvements in its
working machinery, are indespensible.
It is needless to at empt to prove the
truism that the properly qualified teacher
is the life and success of the school. But
the facts are startling, that of the 12,828,
teachers of our public schools, exclusive of !
those in Philadelphia, only 5,088 are re.
ported as "qualified" for their important
trust: while 5,387 are returned as "me
dium," or such as are only tolerated till
better can bc obtained; and thut 2,313 are
stated to be "until." In other words: of
569,880 children attending the schools
out of Philadelphia, only about 230,000
(less than one half) are under proper in
struction and training; while about 240,0001
are receiving insufficient insustruction frorri
inferior teachers; 100,000 are actually in
charge of persons wholly unfit for the
task.
This presents the subject in a light that
can not be shut out, and though the great
and commendable efforts recently made by
the teachers of Pennsylvania, for their
own improvement, are fully recognized, it
can not be concealed that there is a work
yet to be done, in this relation, which
would seem to be boyond their •stia:ded
power to accomplish.
When, however, we look further into
the special statistics of this branch of the
system, the material for improvement is
'sand to be of the most rotuising kind.
of the 12,828 teachers of our common
schools, 10,889 are under thirty years of
age, and 10,946 are naives of Pennsylva
nia; and a larger proportion than is most
of the other states, are permanently deco.
ted to the profession of teaching. 'l'o
render these flt for the position which they
aspire—undoubtedly one of the most use
ful and honorable in the worla—and to
raise up a constant supply of well qualified
successors, is the work to be done.
Varions modes of effecting th!e object
have been suggested or tried; but, after
mature reflection, I urn led to prefer that
devised by the act of May 20, 1867, enti
tied "An set to provide for the due
training of teachers for the common schools
of the State." It places, in relation to the
State, the teacher on the same footing
with the members of such of the other
learned professions as have been recogni
zed by public authority; and it if to be re
gretted that the prostration of business and
scarcity of money, that so soon followed
the passage of the act, had the effect of
checking many laudable efforts to pnt its
provisions into operation. Under these
circumstances, does it not become the du
ty of thu State to afford such aid, or at least
hold out such inducements as shall enable
this measure to be fairly tested?
The passage of law guaranteeing the
paydient of a moderate sum to one teaoh
leg school in each of of the districts cre
ated by the act of 1857, would no doubt
cause a sufficient number to establish the
efficiency and practicability of the plan, to
bo completed in a few years; the money
not to be paid till the schools were in full
and approved operation. It is not proba
ble that this grant would cause any consid
enable draft on the Treasury; but, even if
the whole twelve schools should ultimate
ly be established the boon would neither
be out of proporition to that which has 1
VOL. XXIV. NO. 2.
been conceeded to other literary institu
te ins, nor the number of graduates beyond
the wants of the community. Up to the
present time. Pennsylvania has appropria.
ted about $600,000 in aid of her colleges
and academies, and this maiuly in the hope
of ,obtaining from them teachers for the
common shools. Though the benefits of
this munificence have been, in other res
pects, quite equal to the amount given, it
wi:l to asserted by no one that the avow.
ed object has been to any considerable ex.
tent effected. It would, therefore, appear
to he time that the aid of the State should
be brought directly to bear in favor of the
great object so long contemplated.
I have thus briefly laid before you the
condition of our noble educational system.
It will afford me sincere pleasure to con
cur in the adoption of these, or any other
measures, for its perfection, that the wis
dom of the Legislature may advise.
In this country, the want of a school
which shall combine the elements of learn
ing and agricultural labor, and thus adapt
itself to the education of the farmer, has
been most seriously felt; for, whilst our
many colleges well fill the measure of use
fulness in their appropriate sphere of influ
ence, It must be conceded that the training
they impart is badly adapted to the art of
practical agriculture. In Pennsylvania
that interest is so important as to demand
at all tunes our anxious attention and act
ive support. ' , The Farmers' High school
of Pennsylvania," lately projected and
planned by a few public spirited ittlividu.
alit, and which has received, to some ex
tent, the patronage of the State, and the
contributionv of a number of our patriotic
citizens, is destined to afford a place where
young men may be educated at an expense
comtnensurate with their means, and to
condition qualifying them fir the persuit
of the business of the farm. Here, whilst
daily occupation will train the body to the
ability to labor, and give to the student the
enviable feeling that he contributes to his
own support and education, it will Instruct
■nd enlarge his mind, that it may. give
force and effects to his future efforts. The
design of the instution is to afford a school
where boys may be thoroughly educated
in all the branches of natural science, and,
at the same tiroe, be inured to the perform
once of labor; so that at their graduation
they may return to their parents abundant
ly prepared to join the domestic circle, to
give a right direction to the business of
agrleulture, and act well their part in every
department of life. An object so fraught
with usefulness is entitled to the highest
commendation.
The applioation of scientific principles
to the practical purposes of life, is but re
alizing the full benefit of those laws of
nature, to discover and to profit by which
is undoubtly one of the great ends of hu
man reason. The more this important sub
ject is held in view and effected by our
higher instituti )ns of learning, the more
valuable and useful .vill they become. The
Polytechnic college of Pennsylvania at
Philadelphia, is founded on this basis; and
its attempt to impularize science, and con
nect high acquirement with practical abili
ty, is presented to your favorable consider
ation.
Under a resolution of the last Hause of
Representatives a committee was appoin
ted by the Speaker of the House, exam.
tee the state and condition of several banks
chartered at the session of 1857. Them
elution directed the committee to report to
the Govoner the result of its examination
within ninety days after the adjournment
of the Legislature. On the 20th of July
last, the report of the committee, together
watt the accompanying evidence, was fit
ed in the office of the Secretary of tho
Commonwealth, a copy of which will be
laid before the House of Representatives.
In view of the facts reported by the
committee, reference to the organization
and subsequent management of the Ttoga
County Bank, the Crawford County Bank
and the Bank of Shamokin, I would rec
ommend a careful inquiry into the present
condition of these institut ions and if it shall
be ascertained that the public is likely to
suffer injury trim the further existence of
either, a speedy and certain remedy may
be found in a legislative repeal of the
rights and privileges granted by the acts
of incorporation. The power to alter, re,
yoke or annul the charter of a bank when.
ever its continuance may, in the opinion
of the Legislature be injurious to the citi
zens of the commonwealth, is expressly
given by the Constitution to the General
Assembly, —to be exercised, however, in
suoh manner ae that no injustice shall bo
done to the corpomtors.
Obedience to this constitutional injunc
tion would require that in the evert of a.
repeal of the charter of abank, care should
be taken that the rights of the stockholder%