Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-15
IL y q l,,raL. Ln.lgne.el reneMLnc Lhc chn1ler

- ~ q N'f'd' Iuetcttroi renewing the chatter
d Iie o"e about to- expire, establish Il nc,. % e,
i.rt Is subscription books be 6pon to all, end d
Il oa advantageous, let all share IN It's ENJOY.
'ent. who may choose to do so and if no, ud-
iantageous let all Participate iii bearing the
'bUlii,en.
HSs;',ce, it is not fit time 10 renew bank
t'hrtcrs, or to establish new ones. The pubic
inInt s not settled on this subject, nor can we
'7nuy appreciate the soundncss, or unsouHdueSs.
'ittHc banking System, until resumption oi'
gpCcle payments takes place Let the rrCunl-
1ncnHations have now submitted to YOU, tie
selq;'ed, aud let us wait year at least to Judge
oI their results. This experience will essen.
''onai'y aid future Legislation, and perhaps res.
cue US from fatal errors. The history tf She
Legislation of this Commonwealth, in regard to
aunks, is succession of plausible theories :; let
us hereafter rest it on the solid basis uf enIgih-
"nch experience. Then may we hope To cs.
cape The rock; on wlicb'al onr banks ure now
temporarily shipwrcckGd. / hope aud trust
most, Itot all OF them, are able to resume trC-
ave Payment; but 1t is impossible to know this,
ur to Coniido in their ability and disposition to
do so, until we have the proof, which they alone
can furnish. The public has ceased to weld It's
credit TO any corporate prciensons, winch are
rot supported by corresponding atts. i-haye
appended several tables CONNECTED with this
subject, as ailording matters oi.convenent re.
terence.
The general subject of'crcatiur and rcgula-
hag corporations, Is 50 intiuatcl, blended with
that oi the banking institutions otthe Common
wealth, as to claim place next il our cons!d
eTatlon. have remarked in former messages,
that the creation OF corporations for all purposes,
las been carried 10 II fearful extent IN this
State. Year after year they have been spring.
ing up around MS on all sides, and JnFs 'repidlv
becoming competitors with individuals in all
surts OF business. When confined to their lc-
gtimale purposes, such as the construction of
canals and railroads into our fertile interior.
Gid rich mineral regions, | shall not utter
word OF complaint; bHt 10 this limit, strictly
should luey be restrained. The increase 'ot
corporations rs growing evil ! have ag&in
and again cautioned the Legislature against
Tie granting Of corporate privileges cannot
too strongly impress this caution upon your
hinds On ftrrng to the acts OF the last
Legislature, we find the grant of corporate
privileges to have been free and almost indfs.
Lnmlnate. So much 50, that OF ll7 laws cnac-
ted, more than one third were either acts Of
Incorporation, or acts supplementary thereto.
| adhere to the opinion, heretofore expressed,
that corporations ought never 80 be created,
where the object tobe accomplished is within
the probable reach ofindividuul exerton They
tbsuve men from personal liberty, GId may
tent, 10y Undue combinations and concentrated
action, to cmhGrrass the operation of govern
ment, and interfere with the popular serer-
tiguty. Let the present Legislature SGT the
"y.dlnple of resisting these inonorOlizmg en-
creGchments If the propn,ty Of this course
vas ever doubtful the experience ri few
Years past has dissipatcd all ldoubt and clearly
marked out the path Of duty.
On this suhipCt there is another matter
which has been repeatedly brought under my
notice. | allude TO the extension OF the author.
lty 10 create corporations for various purposes,
conferred on the courts of common pleas, hy
the 18th lith, 10TH aHd 10th sections OF the
sctof the 43th of October, is40, entitled "An
act relating to orphans courts aud fr other
purposes" Charters Of Incory,oral ION are pro-
cured under TINS law on application to tic re-
spective courts OF common pleas, without beng
.ublcctedto any oIherrestraInt or control, than
their wn llaSly perusal. Notice to be sure
- directed to be given, but that Is Of little
avail There is no common s;anGard for tlrC
whole State, as was the case when these char
tiers were to be approved by the Attorney Gen
tral, and tie judges oithe supreme court and
enrolled in the department of State, at tire
seat of Governmcnt.-Und the old system
there was uniformity IN the provisions contain
ed III these chaItCrS, but now, under this new
law, the discretion d. different courts may es-
sentlonalv differ. aud ultimate confusion and
disorder cannot fail tOens'ie. These domestic
CorpUrat ,ons as they may he calicd, are Oigrcat
service to the public, but il may he fairly ques.
toned whether 1t Wti ,lot rctract ftom their
uscs, To render their creation matter too rca-
dV and unchecked. / invite le'E attention 10
this subject rad ry6u should agree with me
IN opinion, II W II be easy 90 renlove all ground
of compliant by restoring the power OF granting
these charters to the hands in which has
been safely lodged for upwards of hslf ccn,u-
~. The delay and Inconvenience OF the old
system, were tuIly counterealsnced by the Ger.
fainIy, consistency and uniformity of the cor
porate powers aGd privileges enj1ycd BY the
corporations created,
The Legislature, 10y the act of 10Th Jrrne,
1856, conferred equity, courts OF common pleas
and district courts, in certain specified ses.
There are also certain other enaCtmcnts, IN the
ZANE subject, in the Both section of The act Of
18th June, $50, ar,l perhaps in other acts. II
Is stated that some ofira provisions 0t these va
rious laws are incongrutrs, that the jurisdiction
conferred is not expressly defined, and il b; :
been decided by the supreme 'coart that the
parties aggricyed have no redress by appeal
from the inferior tribunal TO the supreme court
or by writ of error from the latter To the formcr
fit be deemed advisab to retain the feature,
of these enuctmcuts in our jurisprudence, il
would seem requisite, that Tie evils complnincc
Of should be removed by legislative enactment
would also recommend an examination int,
the state aud condition ofthr extent business .
The several judicial districts Of this Common
wealth, so that the amount of lab,r Of the scv
eral President Judges, some ot whom are a
present overburnencd, may be III sumr ncasur,
,qnalized.