The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1841-01-16
Nulsaber 3s.

duty to repeal the law instantly. No
part of the tax has yet been collected.
Seeing no other mode of extricating
the Commonwealth from the Difficult.
ties in which / found it, my views and
opinions remain unchanged. Yet if
the immediate representatives of the
people think proper to repeal the law,
and can substitute any other mode
less Objectionable, which will prompt
ly meet the exigency, be it SO; the res
possibility rests with them.
Lean never consent, by word OF
deed, to countenance the idea that the
faith ofthe State can be violated by
allure TO meet her engagements. If
fhere be any in our country who
twould be willing, if they were able,
to abrogate the contracts of the Com
monwealth, and be, faithless to her
creditors let their doctrine be distinctly
avowed and the issue fairly made up
before the people. The intelligence
and integrity Of our citizens would
speedily convince the world, that they
feel the necessity in a republican gov.
ernment of maintaining, g,unsullied. pubs
lie faith and national honor.
The deficiency in the funds set apart
for the payment of the interest on the
public debt falling due on the LIST of
February next, must be promptly
provided for. By the act of the elev.
enth June, last, the Governor is au.
thorized to oprocure it on loan, and for
that purpose proposals have been in
vited; whether the money can be pro-
cured know not: and in case it can-
not, | see no other mode left to avoid
the dishonor of the state credit, but
the sale of a sufficient amount of the
stock owned by the State, in one or
the other, or all of the banks in which
she is interested. The State owns the
following amount of stock in each of
the banks named, viz: Bank of Penn
sylvania $3.50 shares; Philadelphia
Bank 5233 shares; farmers and Me-
ceanic's Bank l7OS shares. The stock
fygaufd fyg9anulfd sJmQ9 most probably command
hope that not day will be lost, before
this possible blot upon the faith and
honor of the State is efiectually guard
ed against; by the prompt action of the
Legislature.
In my last annual message, the
question was distinctly presented to
the Legislature, whether the works
then in progress should be prosecuted
to immediate completion or not, and
the question was by them determined
! in the affirmative, d the sum of$600,-
600 appropriated to each ofwhat has
usually been denoninated the main
lines; and the works being SO far pro-
gressed in, as to warrant the expecta-
ton of their being completed in anoth-
| er year, all will now concur in the
opinion, presume, that provision
should be Immediately made for the
| completion of the unfinished works as
soon as possible.
A Judicious and immediate appro-
priation promptly made in anticipation
| of the usual bill, specifically for the
works under contraction the COM
! pletion of the reservoirs, at each end
of the Portage rail road-and for ordi-
nary repairs, is imperiously called for,
and will enable the contractors to COM
pIete the whole, and have them ready
for use by the opening of the naviga-
ton in the spring of ls42. The vast
Importance of the immediate compile
ton of the main lines, as well to the
citizensimmediately interestedin them,
as to the fiscal interests OF the Com
monwealth, cannot be too strongly
pressed upon your attention. They
will complete communication be-
tween the great lakes, and our com
mercial metropolis. They will also.
by a proper a, rangement with the au-
thorities of New York, connect our in
provements with those of that great
Commonwealth, thus aflording an op-
portunity of exchanging the products
of the two states, and Strengthening the
bonds of our national union. They
will also add largely to the revenue on
the work now in use,
Whatever differences of oplnionmay
have existed as to the policy OF com
meucing the Erie Extension and North
Branch Canals, there ought to be none
now as to their speedy completion.
Tbny are nearly finished. a compare.