The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1844-01-18
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

TO the Senate and House of Representa-
tiucs of he Commonwealth Of Penn
Sy'Un,in.
FELLOW CITIZENS The term to
which my ehgIhIily As the Chlet Exc
culve officer of the Commonwealth, a.
restricted by The Constitution, being a.
bout TO close, submit 10 the Legisla.
ture, the las, annual m"ssage which the
duty of my station en- oins upon me. /"
the performance Of tins duy, | cannot
refrain from invoking your devout ac-
acknowledgements, with my own, to the
Great Author Of All Good, for His con-
slant care and guardianship over The in
leresis and welfare Of our beloved Com
monweath. Upheld by HIS pa:ernaI
arm, we have been rescued from the
most distressing embalrassmen,s and
difficulties 10 which, in a time of peace.
any people were ecer sub hjc'ed. Good
has sprung on, of evil--sately from dan
eer-wisdom from foIIy--and justice
from a spirit of uogeneious deracrion.
The clouds lha, for several years past, !,
have hung upon our horizon, are break
log away; and the sunshine OF prosperi-
~ once more begins 10 beam upon our
path.
Within ten DAYS after my induction
into Office, felt myself called upon, by
The highest considerations Of du'y, 10
communicate to The Legislature, a full
and frank exposition Of the state Of our
pecuniary affairs. Upon a careful ex
amour, of the puhic debt, including
Surplus revenue from he United States,
was lillle upwards Of thirty millions
Of dollars, and the deficit ia the Treasu-
~ during the year 1899, beyond the
income from all sources. was about f0ui
millions OF dollars. To meet this a.
mount, immediate provision had TO be
made, and, to add to tie perplexing EN-
borrassments, The great commercial con
vuson, which has since reached it.
he ghr, was then just beginning to be
felt in It's operation. For more than len
years Immediately preceding that peri
cd, the State Of Pennsylvania, from he
well known punctuali,y and great nalu
raj resources, had experienced no diff
Guilty in procuring upon loans, on favor
able terms, any amount of money sh,
needed, TO extend and carry on her stu
pendouS system Of internal improve
ments. Both Foreign and America
capitalists were competitors for the ac
cepiance Of her loans; and there seemed
TO be no limits 10 her credit and resour
ces, excep, those which he, own dscre
ton i'm posed. She made large loans 70
The undertaking aud completion Of ne
various lines Of improvement, and pai
The interest upon these loans by othe
loans. Stimulated by these facilities
and forgetting the day ever would arr iv
when her interest most be paid, not b
loans, but by taxation, a system of in
provements, by railroad and canal; wa
undertaken, tar more comprehenSiv
than her necessities required, aud ia
beyond her means 10 complete. Th
same reckless spirit which acluated tn
government, had seized upon her prval
cilizens, and Induced them to engage
undertakings cqntIly indi iscreet and ur
auAinable. Within very few yea
Immediately preceding The commenc,
men, of my administration, banks wei
created to an extent, and with capita
unheard Of in this Commonwe wealth at an
former period, These banks, controllt
by men moved by such impulses, yer
speedily exploded, ,and,as every ration
man ought 10 have forcseeu,ovcrwhelr
ed, ia their downfall, the entire bu
ass Of The community. Within abo