Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-01-06

backing are corrected by the geod sense of the
community, | congratulate the Legislature upon
the prospect of being relieved from the immcdi.
ate consideration of the subject for the present
season at least
The report the Superintendent OF Common
Schools, will exhibit their condition in detail
Every thing calculated 10 advance the interest of
this most important of all our public institutions
cannot be too strongly commended TO your attcn-
ton The vital interests of religion morality
aud civil liberty itself, are dependent upon the
chcrshing aid and enlightened support impaired
to our Common Schools and higher Seminarics of
learning. Here must be implanted the seeds Of
virtue. of intelligence, and Of all that coniers
distinction upon our citizens.
The report of the Adutant General will be
laid before you took occasion, IN my annual
message of 1880, 10 say that rour militia system
is tax. to II considerable amount, upon the state
Treasury which might be considerably lessoned
il the Adjutant General were charged with the
duty OF personally experimenting the system in
its details. and properly compensated therefor"
In every annual message since ! have urged the
Importance of some attention TO this subject,
The office of Adiutant General has been filled for
several years by a gentlemen of great practical
knowledge and experience who has devoted
much time and attention to the discharge of its
duties; and it has been matter OF regret that
lis suggestions have not had the weight with the
Legislature, to which they were so Justly en-
titled by the legislation OF the last few years.
ono description of persons after another has been
exempted from the payment of fines until the a.
/ mount received at the Treasury. during the past
year, falls short of the expenses the sum of Il2,-
rs 50 The state ofthnga is SO palp1bly wrong,
that nothing more is required than 10 bring the
facts to your notice, TO ensure early correction
ofthe evil.
Pennsylvania has force Of upwards Of thirty
( iivcthousand volunteers. that will compare with
any troops in this or any Other country. cam
not too earnestly recommend them to tie foster
ing care of the Legislature.
Under the act of the , lth March last. entitled
''An Act to create permanently the office OF state
Printer" Isaac G.. VI kinlcy and lIuttcr y Big
! Ter having claimed To be State Printers: the
former 10 do the English, and the latter TO do the
German printing of the Commonwealth. The
ianguagc OF the Act of Assembly seemed to me
to render the validity of this election doubtful,
and caused the question to be submitted to the
Attorney General. whose opinion on the subject
is herewith Transmitted to the Legislature | con
[ CURED with him and ndaccordinrly declined to APP
prove the bonds rendered, informing the parties
( that the whole matter would be submitted TO the
carly attention ot the LEGISLATURE Had the par
ties int rested reason to complain fthc course
pursued 10y the Executive they might have ap-
! piled to the Supreme Court during its session in
Harrisburg, for writ of maudJuuS. directing the
+ Governor TO approve their bonds which was
! mere ministerial duty unless he could show some
/ legal reasons for his refusal. was at all times
ready To have mct this isSua before that tribunal
and have at no time entertained doubt of the
result, or propricty ofmy course.
In addition to the legal argument presented
! by the Attorney General, which | regard as
unanswerab'e, there are some other clrcum-
stances connected with that election, which
make it peculiarly necessary that they should
! be brought to your most serious consideration
! The election was post poned from time to time,
from the 9th day of March, the third day after
the passage OF the law, and on which, according
To lis provisions, it should have taken place. to
the 10Th day OF April, on which, according 10
the certificate presented to me, 1t was made.
During this interval OF time, and before the day
on which the election was ConEummated, have
been informed, and have good reason to be-
/ levc, that negotiations were entered Into and
completed between the sald Isaac q. Mckln-
ley, lluttcr & Bgler aud other persons, Suppo-
sed to have influence with members o. the Lc-
gslature, by which large sums of money were
paid or contracted to be- paid, BY the individuals
elected, to those third persons, for their aid and
influence in procuring their election. In some
instances, as ! have been assured, the sums
paid, or contracted 10 be paid, depended upon
the number ofvotes procured by the contracting
parties for the successful candidates; and thus
was exhibited scene OF scnudaluus bargaining
and selling, alike GisgraCeful TO the parties con
cerncd, aud dangerous to the purity of elcC
tionS 1t Is not 10 be presumed that ths scheme
of Office purchasing was knawn To any member
of the Legislature; for, it It had been, the par
ties concerned would, ! have no doubt, beer
exposed and consequently defeated. AS TIN
; transaction more Immediately concerns the pu
rty and honor of the Legislature ITSELF meet
I In 81 >tap
and have 20 doubt YOU will feel 1t to be your du
iy 10 institute a thorough investigation into III,
, frauds, thus praciiced upon the Legislature, Il
procure an election. Should the facts npon eX
animation, be found to be, as | have the strong
es, reason TO t,ink they are, can it be- that sin
Gle member of the Legislature will rccognz
, the validity of an election thus procured lie
it be known that candidates can resort to sucl
means 10 accomplish their purposes, and Their
, is an end to all confidence aud respect for on
l Legislatures. II is one ofthe elementary prin
Z cples OF every enlightened system OF iurspru
c dcucc, that fraud yltlatcs every contract int
70 which it enters and, IN every stage of CON
plclIon, these contracts are arrested as soon a
Il the fraud is discovered. There can be no frau
= dulent practice more odous than one like hi,
striking at the purity OF legislation, and ar
= confident the representatives of the people WI
p apply thorough corrective the instant the
e are made acquainted with the facts,
n No Inconvenience has arisen thus far, nC
n detriment to the public interest from my ref,
sal To approve the bonds offered by the indlyldI
p ais claiming to have beeu elected. The Pc
n ton OF the law. therefore, pointing out the mod
81 of electing State Printers, no; having bee
c complied with the matter rests with you
e make such provision on this subject, as yoh o'
Is lieve the subject requires. The frauds pra'