Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1843-01-04
Governors M MeSSage.

TQ1fG
Fellow CITIzESs:-Having, in my former
messages, enteredsvery fully into the fnan-
ciai condition and other general interests sof
the state, deem it unnecessary to repeat the
views then submitted to the Legislature, but
simply to refer to them, and say, that they re-
main in all respects substantially the same as
heretofore expressed. l shall proceed at once
TO call your attention to those matters Of pub
lie policy, which seem to require, in the grea
test degree, the attention of the Legislature.
In common with every state in the union, and
with all parts of the commercial world, the
citizens of Pennsylvania are now undergoing
the severe ordeal of pecuniary embarrassment
Business OF all kinds is crippled and paraly-
zed: private and public enterprise has been
arrested; the timid alarmed, and even the boil
dest staggered at impending evils. But it is
some consolation for US TO reject, that these
difficulties are the bitter fruits, so far Penn
sylvania is concerned, of the rash and impol-
stic legislation of single year, and that none
OF the responsibility rests upon US.
For upwards of ten years Pennsylvania had
been gradually improving her condition, and
enjoying all the advantages that can arise
from substantial currency, and the entire
confidence ot all parts Of the world. At an
unfortunate period, the banking capital, which
had been, during this houriShng season, about
twenty millions of dollars, was increased to
near sixty; and, as one of the most fatal con
sequences, many unwise aRd impolitc public
improvements, neutrality-suspicious. ere
ated Tor purposes tar beyond their means to
accomplish, individuals contracted response
bllItles and entered into speculations, which
they were totally unable to bring to q success
full close; and finally 10 render the catastro,
ply more destructive, the explosion of this
enormous bank bubble has crushed all these
enterprises, public and private, and left in
every quarter OF the state some monument of
blasted hope and public folly. 1t will REQUIRE
little time to recover from the panic, and to
estimate, with precision, the extent of the
mischief. Ii will probably be found far less
than has been generally supposed. The VIZ
gor and industry of the community, sustained
as they are by our immense natural resources,
will soon overcome this temporary repuise,
and go on, as If 1t had never happened. Some
VIII De unfortunately ruined, but the great
mass ot the community will in the end be lit
tie aFected. That portion nf the community
engaged in agricultural pursuits is compara-
lively Tree from debt and embarrassment, and
possessed of all the benefits that arise from
favorable seasons and plentiful harvests.
lcan myself see no just ground for that des-
pondency which seems to pervade, so general
by, the minds of the people The injury to
our credit abroad, although productive Of
much temporary inconv venience, will ultimate
ly be servlceable to the community IL will
teach US to rely on ourselves, to turn our at
tention to the Development of our own resour-
ces, and to obtain that, by our own labor
which we have hitherto bought upon trust.
Whatever may be the fears of that portion of
our community, who are always predicting ru-
IN, and bemoaniDg the effects of causes which |
they do not understand, time will soon prove,
that the resources of PENNSYLVANIA, her ability
TO meet all her engagements, and the respect |
OF her citizens for the plighted faith of the
state, have not been in the slightest degree
shaken, by any OF the misfortunes under !
which we are now suffering. In nearly all in
stances, these fears will be found to haye had
their origin IN the croakngs of unprincipled
demagogues, who are willing to undervalue
her means, and the integrity of her citizens,
II they can thereby promote their own selfish
ends. IT there be any of our citizens, who
honestly believe, that Pennsylvania will prove
unable TO perform all her engagements, they
Will be found 10 be neither very deep reason
erS, nor very accurately acquainted with the
abundance and nature of her resources. III
there be any of her citizens, who think that
she will prove fathless and unwilling to dis
charge her obligations, we may safely say,
they know little of her true character, and
meet with no encouragement, or favor, from
any considerable portion of the community. |
she promises to pay, are two of her distin- |
gushing characteristics and he who would |
SEEK to induce her to forfeit either of them,
will find, that he gains neither the confidence
nor respect of her citizens by the attempt
She may be temporarily obliged to postpone !
the discharge of her engagements until more |
convenient season; but to deny the obligation
itself. or to refuse to comply with it, would be
areproach upon her integrity, which no public |
man dare advise or sanction.
However great her public debt may seem to
be, tax of few cents per ton upon her coal |
and iron, which are scattered in every hill and |
valley throughout her borders, will at some |
future day not only pay the interest on her |
public debt, but the principal also, probably !
within the lifetime of many of those who are |
now upon the stage of public action. This |
tax would be paid in great measure by the |
consumers Of those products in other states, |
and would be scarcely felt by her own citizens. |
Cut off this country now is, and must con- |
tinue to be, from the European supply of coal |
aud iron, on which it has hitherto chiefly de- |
pended, the day is not far distant, when Penn
sl lvania will supply more than three fourths
of the other states of this Union with coal, |
and majority Of them with iron. This is |
.if.u l. a. h,i