Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-15

out OF my power 10 INFORM you OF the amount !
assessed under said act. From the information,
however, received. feel warranted in saying
that it will amount to about half million, or
within fraction of it. That amount will be
considerably increased by the valuation aud
assessment provided by the "act to establish
uniform mode for the valuation of property and |
assessment of taxes" passed 18th May, last (;
the returns of which are required to be made TO
the Auditor General within the present month,
and will be laid befre you as soon as received |
The duty Of the county commissioners to
make returns Of the assessment, &c, to the
Auditor General, imposed by law, seems not to |
be designated and enforced with sufficient pre-
cision and certainty. To secure its faithful |
performance recommend a revision of the |
law.
During the existing state Of things, the con-
tinuance of taxes assessed for the payment of
this interest, or at least of taxes of some kind
for this purpose, appears to be indispensable.
If the distribution Of the objects OF taxation or
the mode of levying and collecting the tax be
unfair, or oncrous undoubtedly the evil should
be promptly corrected.
l have heretofore declared my determination
10 do all that belongs TO this department to meet
faithfully the engagements Of the state, and to
maintain unsullied, the credit and fidelity OF
our Commonwealth. My sentiments in rela-
ton to the sc matters have undergone no change,
and am pleased to find that on this subject,
there is no diversity of opinion among the
great mass of the citizens of the state. All
agree that, whenever the constituted authori-
ties Of the Commonwealth, have entered into
engagements coniormably to the constitution
and laws, whether these engagements have
been characterized by due prudence and
proper regard to the interests of the public, or
not, the honor Of the state, the pernanence of
our republican institutions and a sacred regard
to the sanctity Of public engagements, require
that the resources of the Commonwealth, and
the enevgics of her citizens, be put in requis;-
ton, to meet her public engagements promptly,
punctually, and unhesi,atingiy.N is the refore,
respectfully and earnestly urged upon the ! e.
! gistature, to take the necessary steps, at the
earliest possible day, to ensure this desirable
result.
As the u,ost efficient means that have oc-
Cured to my mind, wonld suggest the fol-
lowing course Let the Legislature ascertain
from the financial departments, both the ordi-
nary revenue, and the amount necessary to be
raised annually, for the payment of the interest
on the state debt, and the ordinary expenses
OF government. Let provision also be made to
cover all possible contingencies and losses on
COLLECTION. Add to this sum, though ever 50
small, for sinking fund, to be applied annu.
ally to the extinguishment of the principal OF
the public debt, and apporton it among the
several counties of the Commonwealth, desig-
mating the amount to be paid BY each, by an IT,
inform apportionment according 10 the trienninl
or last assessments, with such corrections and
equalization as shall be found necessary, and
, on the same objects now taxable, or any others
that the Legislature may think preferable
, Let adequate and certain penalties be imposed
on each county commissioner tor emitting tC
; have the duplicates issued in time, and on each
assessor for the non- performance of his duties
and allow the county such premium, as shal
be thought right, if its full quota be paid int
3 the Treasury, on or before the day required by
law. II is believed that a committee Of iht
0 Legislature would be as competent board al
could be raised, to apportion the quotas OF thu
{; several counties, as above mentioned, aided, a
they will be. by the late assessments and cen
& sus The establishment OF this system by law
would place the fund to meet the interest OF
o the public debt, on a permanent foundation
and silence forever all doubts which intereste
O spectators might seek to raise on this subject
= But it is not only to the loan holders of tn
8 Commonwealth, that she ought to be just i
/. meeting her engagements. A regard to econo
st my, as well as justice, to the men who labo
st upon the repairs OF our canals and rail road.
!. requires that they should be punctually paiC
p. The laborcr is worthy of his hire, and is me
I. ritorious a leditor as the Commonwealth ha
d and it is absolutely disreputable that he shoul
st be dependant on the borrowing OF money ft
a his pay, and be unable, at times, for months I,
f. gether, to procure as much for his labor as wi
,e buy him loaf fbrcad. 1t is respectfully SUI
NJ &c sted that when abundant means from taxi
Q. ton are provided to meet the interest OF I'll
s. state debt, that the tolls on our public worl
is shall be first applied TO their repairs, so that
IS, may know, at a glance, to what the nett rve'
IN ne, if any, arising from them respective
DIS amounts
,s- 1t is not to be disguised that we are deep
IA! in debt and that the times call for an unqua
ing fearessness in our public func,onaries,
sc meet the emergency, and TO provide the meal
ar, for our cxtrlcation The people are alreae
burdened with taxation, ana those burdens ca
not be diminished, if we expect to pay o.
Al debts. The conduct and motives of those wi
l5 make provision to pay them, may be mlsrepr
43 sented, and for a time misunderstood. PREF
dice, from the sordid feelings of interest, m,
be invoked and demagogues and unprincp
~ politicians will, doubtless attempt to use il,
ga answor their own purposes. But the respon
bility is one which every h nest public fnncto
II ary must meet fairly and frankly, and in 80 d
. ing he will be eventually susta ined by the pc
Is Pile at large, who never deliberately err, n
his who always will reward, with their confdent
nn- an honest and fearless devotion to their true
nth terests, even though il may, at first, have m
ore with temporary disapprobatlon.
The The means TO pay off the loan under the q
of 4th May, ,ls4l-lo pay the foregoing cred
ION ors of the state, and the interest on the pub
lth debt, must be provided bef,re the Jepi.at,
md adjourns. Sound policy nay common homes
or 1emsn nds this much st voIr hsnds and I ,