Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-04-24

question.
A committee of conference then appointed
Some other necessary business was done, ana the &C.
nate took recess.
The Senate proceedings of the afternoon were OF
character very similar to those of the House Mr. 10
qers reported from the committee OF conference on he
Improvement bill, the same items OF appropriations as
are contained in the bill reported in the House After
considerable discussion the report of the committee
was ncgatiecd, BY vote as follows: ,
Ycas-Messrs. Case, Coplan, Ewing, Hays, Myers,
Patterson Pearson, Purviance, Rogers, Snyder, Ster
rett, kngsbury, Spr.-l2 -,
NuusSalessrs Barclay, Bell, Brooke, Brown, Culd-
we'll Cochran Fleming, Fraiey, [Sch) Fraley, (city)
Killinger, Maclay, Miller, (Adams0 Miller, (Berks)
PenroSe, Plumer, Shorlz, Spackman, SteFisefe' o'e
yenson, Strohm, Willams-2l
The House, to-day, engaged IN the consideration
of the Improvement BILL or rather in amending the Sc
nate bill to incorporate the Perrysvllle bridge company
| They did amend 1t.
When the House met in the evening, several local
bills were disposed Of Among them, one !" amend 'le
oct cbarcrna the borough of Potsvc, under con-
sideraton when Mr. Nil moved to amend 1t by adding
his resolution approprating money for Internal I'M
provements and when in the course OF reading by tne
clerk the committee to wait on the Governor-hessfs
| Brodhcad and Burden-were announced, VINO stated
thai the Governor communication TO the Legislature
would be made in writing. This annunciatIon was
scarcely made, when the Secretary of the Common
wealth appeared at the bar-was announced ana de-
yered the following
To the Senate and House Of RprcSeatat1es o. ne COM
non,ocaiM Of Pennsylvania, and TO tie mtaoeTS mere
| iglercas the Constitution Of the Commonwealth
conEars upon the Governor the power OF convenlng
the General Assembly, on extraordinary occasions
! And whereas, provision has been made ny law lor
the payment thc interest now due and falling due on
the State debt between the present time and the meet
ing of the next Legislature, and for the repair and
current expenses of the canals and railroads OF the Com
monwealth for the prosecution of the public works.
now under contract and IN state OF approaching com
petion and in the construction OF which our enormous
State debt mainly contracted, must III great mea-
sure not altogether to be fit for use, whereby
not only will the public suffer great loss and nconve
nence but the character of our improvements itself tor
stability and usefulness, will receive heavy blow from
which it will not recover and the revenue OF the
Commonwealth, already 50 lamcntaby inadequate to
meet the demands upon it, will be rendered little short
of three fourths of millions of dollars within the en-
suing year; and the public works. now in state otaP-
preaching completion, in the undertaking oil winch the
Commonwealth has very large sum OF money already
invested must remain idle and useless to the serious
dninuton of the public revenue, and to the detrnent
OF those sections Of the Commonwealth, especially,
through which they pass. And whereas, by the act
passed the Sd day Of April lslO, entitled "Rcsolu-
luton providing for the resumption OF specie payments
by the banks and for other purposes, the sum of three
millions of dollars is provided for the purposes herein
mentioned, in the Legislature cnacs the 2ppTcpEi-
ate laws, applying it TO the same. And whereas, one
of the principal for giving to the banks, great
an extension of their present suspension of specie pay
ments as until the 18th of January 1884, to obtain
this fund of three millions of dollars, for the relief OF
the Commonwealth from the financial endorsements
BY which she is at this time bcset And whereas fail
to provide for applying the same to the purposes
lor which it was designated, entire surrender OF
this important advantage secured TO the public by that
law, and is total release Of the banks, from an es-
entail part of the consideration on which the lndul
dence they enjoying, was granted, which appears
TO me, to be the course OF policy nether wise nor
just.
| And whereas, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
with her resources and her magnificent system OF
public improvements, owes it TO her own character for
steadasness strict observance OF engagements, and q
high sense Of state pride and public faith TO pay with
punctuality the interest becoming due the public
debt-the respective debts due to those who have Ia
bored to construct and keep her public improvements
in repair-and TO exert all her energies to continue
those improvements fit condition to transport upon
them whatever products her citizens and those OF
neghborng States, may have created purchased on
the faith, and with the expectation and assurance that
these improvements TO be and remain their high
wa to and from market And whereas should there lie
no remedial legislation in The present emergency, the
confidence of the world IN the engagements aud cgs-
ative consistency of this great Common wealth must be
deeply shaken if not ultimately lost Therefore, have
felt il TO be solemn and imperative duty, to convene
the General Assembly again this extraordinary
| sion, to hold session ON THE SEVENTEENTH
DAY OF TIE PRESENT MONTH.
i have chosen this early PERIOD before the members
had dispersed and returned to their homes to relieve
them from the trouble of returning at nconve-
nien season, to the Commonwealth from the large
amount of expenses which she would necessarily
in the recalling of the members from their several
places of abode and to the most speedy
ton OF the Legislature the subjects above referred
to, that is practicable because they of nature too
pressing and important to admit of much delay. Ii is
matter of unfaiGned regret me- be Obliged
rpstt he of he 10 llIesa nd
homes, bat the I'M unctions of duty too stern and
unfolding to be srcgarded; obey them with readi-
ness and shall trust to the enlightened wisdom Of the
members of the General Assembly, and of common
constuentsthe people, to sanction the act and to
der it instrumental in promoting the public good and
in saving from impending reproach the faith and honor
| of Pennsylvania.
In the fund for the payment of the interest the
public debt, the deficiency within the next nine months
will be not less than SoOO,O00
For the repairs made by the present officers,
the several lines of canal and railroad,
there is YET due and unpaid, at least 100000
For repairs 10 be made during the present
year it will require exclusive Of the Frank
lin linc) at least 100000
There is due also for ropes locomotives, &c $4,000
Also for locks on Eastern Division, 7,402
Also lover and above appropriations 10 con-
tractors on the Erie extension 100000
| On North Branch, 10000
On Wisconsin,, 1000
On Snnemahoning, a,l2l
Gettysburg railroad, li3,3O7
Allegheny Feeder, LOO
Inclined plane at Columbia, 10000
| For work finished lines, pay Of engi-
necrs canal commissioners, &c, 10000
| For Damages 10000
| This large amount is due, or will become due
before the meeting Of the next Lcgis lature, mme
datey thereafter; and it manifestly impossible to
postpone the providing of funds to meet it, with any
proper regard to the contracts and faith of the State
and under this view of the subject it seems TO there
cannot be two opinions upon the course that ought to
be adopted among honest men. This whole subject
have taken occasion to bring before yen, in my former
message:-ample time for reflection and investigation
has been given and under the dictates of spirit
of Cancellation and forbcarancc, it appears to you
cannot consume upon its consideration, much more
than single day of your time.
DAVID r. PORTER
| Erccmrc Chamber .1prl 10, 1910.
After its rcadIng an adjournment sine die took place,
Immediately thereaiter-about 10 clock at night.
The House meets at II o'clock tomorrow, (Friday.)