Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1848-01-13


gauized, that the Auditor General might know
at all times. the condition Of the Treasury, from
books of his own Office, without being depend
ent on those of the Treasury. IL errors or
omissions sxist in the Treasury the Auditor
Generals books should detect and correct them.
This is not the case under the present organi-
cation and mode of doing bvsnesS In the two
offices.
1t also occurs to me, that greater security
against the misappllcation of the moneys In the
Treasury, and on desposite in the banks. to the
credit OF the Treasurer, should be proprlvld, by
the institution of soma bhecks upon his drafts
and payments The moneys of the Common
wealth, on deposite to the credit of the Treas
urer, varying in amount, for some months i'll the
wear, from four hundred thonsond, to near Il mil
lion of dollars, are subject to his draft, alone,
while he is only required to give security in the
sum of eighty thousand dollars Thus very
great and dangerous power is confded to one
man.
/, therefore, suggest the proprety of requir
ing the Auditor General to countersign all drafts
for the payment of money drawn by the Treas
urer, on the repositories, or for transferring
monevs from one depository to another.
The report of the Adjutant General, exhibits
the number of HE militia of the Commonwealth
as well as the arms and military stores.
This detail shows the elements Of the militia
ry power Of the Commonwealth--the strength
Of Republican Government. The experience
of the last few years, has added proofs to the
value of this institution, and presents the sub
ject, as one of great importance, to the care and
supervision of the Legislature.
The report Of the Superintendent of Common
Schools, exhibits a full view OF the progress and
steady advancement, of our admirable system OF
Common School Instruction, which is difiusng
IL Al or,d
strengthens all our free institutions. The man
who loves his race, cannot find more delight
ful subject of contemplation, than this universal
provision for the education of all the children of
the Commonwealth; and thus arming them with
knowledge and power, and fitting them for main
tanning the rank and dignity of freemen. The
perfection Of the system, is one OF the noblest
objects Of legislation, and will secure the early
and continued attention of the General Assem-
bly,
You are respectfully referred to the report of
the Surveyor General for information in relation
to the operation of the Land Office, during The
past year, by which it will be seen, the receipts
into the Treasury, from that source, have been
increased
The final Geological report, now finished and
ready for the press, has been deposited by Hen
ry d. Rogers, Esq, the State Geoleist, with the
Secretary of the Commonwealth. This report
is represented to contain general and sclenuf-
ic view of all the Rocky strata, and their con-
tents--their order of arrangement, and the re-
gion of country they occupy, and representing,
in detail the situation of every layer of Coal,
every important vein and bed Of iron ore, and
every other mineral deposite, of utility, within
the State The State has expended large
sum in collecting the materials, and information
contained in this elaborate and extensive report.
T. Lost
is published. /, therefore, recommended the
subject of publication to the eaaly attention of
the Legislature.
The rights Of property Of married women, pre-
sent, in my opinion, proper subject of legisla-
tive consideration. By our laws, the husband,
upon marriage, possesses the power of becom
ing the absolute owner of the personal estate of
his wife, by reducing it into possession, and
when he thus acquires this ownership, he may
dispose of it by will, at his death, to whom he
peases. She has the privilege, by law, of re-
nouncing the estate or property devised or be-
queathed to her by will and upon such renun-
ciation she is entitled to dover of her husbands
real estate, of which he died seized. The wife
has no control of her own personal estate, or of
that of her husband during the marriage, unless
it be an extorted allowance for necessaries; and
at her DEATH she has no power to dispose of
even that which was her own, by will; but the
whole belongs TO the husband. The husband
may cucumber his estate, by contracting debts
without the consent of his wife ; and by his dy-
ing intestate, she is only entitled to the one
third of the real estate, after the payment of all
the debts; and, if the real estate is not sufficient
to the payment OF the debts, she looses ALL But
the wife cannot cucumber the real estate she
holds in her own right, and upon her death, the
whole vests in the husband, during his natura,
life.
The policy, as well as the justice of this dis
tinction, made by the law in favor of the hus-
band, and against the wife, may well be ques-
toned. The liberal and enlightened spirit of
the age, has developed and secured the rights !
Of man, and has redeemed woman and elevated
her, from the degrading position she occupied,
and placed her, where she always should have
been, at the side Of her husband, his equal in |
rank and dignity. Then why should her rights
of property still be- to great extent, controlled
by the contracted and illiberal enactments of
an age, when her husband was her lord, and he |
might chastise her, by law, as if she were
Our law very carefully provides, that /
the husband shall not without the formal CON
sent Of his wife, convey his real estate by deed,
so as to bar her right Of dover, and if this con-
sent is not given, her right is protected, after
his death against the claims of his creditors =
Now, If this be sound principle, and worthy
OF the solemn sanctions it has received from