Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-01-14

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the request of the President, volunteered to serve
In the war with Mexico, and are mustered into
service of the United States better DISPOSE
ton could not, in my opinion, be made of a par1
of the public domain
| 1t Is to be regretted that, as the contingency
which has arisen was not foreseen, there was nc
provision made by the Legislature, for defraying
the expenses of the marching of the volunteers
| to the place of rendezvous. The allowance made
by the general government, for this purpose, was
little more than sufficient, with the most rigid
economy, to pay the cost of transportation
These men were hurried from their homes. with
little time for preparation,and when they arrived
and were mustered into service, the small sum
for defraying their travelling expenses, which
was their only compensation up to that period,
was nearly exhausted. [ submit to the General
Assembly, the propriety and justice of refunding
to them, the expenses of the march to Pittsburgh.
The sacrifices they have made, land the spirit they
have evinced, merits, in my opinion, this small
acknowledgement from the representatives of the
people.
1t is proper to add, that, although this subject
has been presented to the general government, mo
provision has yet been made to defray the expens-
es incurred by the volunteers, in preparing them
selves to muster into service, under the request
of the President, of the 10Th of May, last This
subject, too, is worthy of the consideration of the
General Assembly.
A detailed report of the proceedings in this
Stete for organizing the troops, to serve in the
Mexican warwlll be made as early aspracticabe
by the Adlutant General, and submitted, as soon
as it is received, to the General Assembly.
In connection with this subject it is my duty
to state, that to the industry and ability of Adju
tant General Bowman, and his assistant, Colonel
Petrlken,I have been essentially indebted, for the
prompt,methodcala and satisfactory arrangements,
by means of which the duty that devolved upon
me, IN the organization of these troops, has been
performed and as existing laws make no provision,
| respectfully submit, that suitable compensation
for the services which have been rendered should
be promptly made to these officers.
The debt and finances of the commonwealth,
present one of the most interesting subjects that
can engage the attention of the Legislature.
The following is an exhibit of the State debt,
on the lst of December last, as appears from the
Report Of Auditor General:
Total fund debt, $3S, ,e5S,970 50
Relief notes in circulation, 1,0S1 ,66l 90
Interest certificates, outstanding, 703,S10 SO
Interest certificates, unclaimed, 4,433 IL
Interest on certificates, to August
l, lS45, when funded, 44,423 81
Domestic creditors 96,274 as
Total public debt, on the lst
December. 1916, S40,7S9, SIT 90
December, lS45.
The payment Of the interest on the funded debt
had been suspended for two years and half pre-
It, I'll
tifcates were issued, which constitute part of
the existing debt In consequence of the nom
payment Of theinterest, the balance in the Trea-
sury had accumulated on the 1st of December,
1874, to the sum of $685., ,S51 IS; and on the lst
day of February, l845, the payment of the in
terest on the funded debt was resumed, and has
been continued up to the present period, and the
credit and honor of the State maintained.-This
is source of high qualification to our citizens,
and has tended greatly to restore our good old
Commonwealth, to the elevated and proud posi-
ton she formerly occupied, and which, trust, she
is destined to occupy for all time to come
While, however,we mlngle our congratulations
upon this comparatively prosperous state of af-
fairs, it is proper that the true condition of our
resources should be actually and critically exam
ined, and always kept in view,not only to guard by
punctually to meet all the demands upon the pub
lie Treasury, but to make provision for the com
mencement of a system for reducing the public
debt.
1t has been my constant endeavor, espe-
cially in the annual message Of January last,
and the special message of the 21st Of April
following, to impress upon the representatives
of the people, the necessity and importance
of this subject. In presenting it to the legis-
lature, at the last session, it became my duty
to show that the taxes assessed on real and
personal estate, together with all the other
that accrued within the fiscal year,
ending on the Both of November, l645, were
less than the expenditures of the year, by the
sum Of S4l4,199 80, which deficit was sup
piled out of the balance in the treasury on
the Ist Of December, 1914, and by dimi-
mutton of the outstanding taxes. Thus,
On the lst of December, 1874,
the balance in the Treasury
was, S663,S5I SS
And on the lst. of December,
1915, it was S4,8S6 90
reduction of the bal
ance in the Treasury of $27S, S,965 79I
On the LIST of December, 1874,
the estimated amount of
available outstanding taxes
was SlO097 776 %
And the 1st December.
1874 they estimated
at $S74544 50
Showing diminution Of the
outstanding taxes of I35 233 So
And making aggregate diminution of the