Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-10-02

1 nave Deen IN the discharge OF the Executive
duties three years, and during that period
have been called upon and found it my duty
to veto seven acts of the Legislature The
first of these was, the veto of bill in rela-
ton to street in the town of Brookevlle,
and the reason OF the veto was, that the Le-
gislature had Immediately before passed an
act precisely the same in words, in letters
and IN figures.-Q Qaughter.) thought that
an act of hasty legislation, and | said so to
the Legislature in my veto message. The
next was the veto Of an act for the construc-
ton of railroad through some of the inte
counties of the State, and twenty two, out of
the thirty Senators present, sent a written re-
quest to me to veto that bill, because it had
passed without their understanding its provis-
ions.--( Great laughter.) The next veto [
sent to the House of Representatives. or the
Senate, | am not now certain which-was
that of the apportionment bill, which not on:
ly violated the Constitution, but which depri-
we'd large portions of the people of their right
of representation right sacred to them,
and formidable to demagogues ouly: (Great
applause) The next was the veto of bill to
restore to your Court of Quarter Sessions ofthis
city & county, the power over licenses, because
| believed that power, whether or not proper
ly vested under the law then existing, would
be better vested in any other place than in
courts called on to pass upon the rights, lib
erty, and reputation of citizens. Another
case was grant to company of the exclu-
sive right of navigation, by steam, portion
of the Susquehanna river. As that river was
public highway, penetrating three States of
the Union, | conceived the Legislature had
no constitutional authority TO deprive any
portion of their citizens from navigating it by
steam. The sixth was a case of divorce,
clearly within the jurisdiction of the courts,
and, therefore, expressly prohibited by the
constitution from the interference of the Le-
gislature. The last was of bill which re-
qured In all the rural districts of Pennsylva-
MIA, that lawyers, or gentlemen learned in
the law should be elected associate Judges
You may not appreciate the force of this OBJ
lection, because in your city and county, the
associate Judges are sufficiently remunerated,
while in the rural districts, the same class of
officers receive about S$l25 or $40 per year.
You can easily imagine what kind of a law
yer could be obtained to serve for that mon
ey | believed, however, the Legislature, in
assuming that none but a lawyer should be
elected as associate judge, transtended the
power vested in them. lnasmnch as their re-
formed Constitution had placed no limitation
upon the people in the choice of these func-
tionaries; | vetoed and sent that bill to the
House in which it originated, and so satisfac-
tory were the reasons assigned in my message,
or so entirely was that House convinced of
the propriety of the views | entertained, that
although but the day before they passed the
bill by large majority, not single man had
the hardihood to record his vote against that
veto messag age.-(Great applause.
These are, then, the cases in which have
exercised the veto power during the time |
have presided over the public affairs of the
State; and for this exercise of that power,
charges have been made against me that vi
oated pledges given to the people. Observe
all the instances in which have been cal
led upon to use that power, were cases where
the Constitution the State had been violated,
or were it was manifest there had been hasty
legislation-the legislature itself admitting it
to be so. know of no other accusation in
reference TO the discharge of Executive du-
ties, or Executive rights, that cur political
opponents have seen proper to bring against
me.
With these preliminary observations pro-
ceed to show that important questions are in
rolved in the resul, ,S the next election
And here frankly declare, | have no other
interest in the contest than that which be-
longs to all within the sound of my voice
To me the prosperity of the State is bless
ing-it is the same to each and every citizen;
to me the injury or downfall of the State,
or its Institutions, would be lamentable evil
as it would be to every man who hears me.
| have no interest separate or distinct from
yours, and desire to have none. | am per-
fectly willing to stand or fall-sink or swim
with the majority of the people Of Penn
sylvania. (Applause.
The first subject to which | will ask your
attention, is that of the public debt of the
State. know its discussion is necessarily
dry, but am satisfied you will bear with me
for the few moments | will occupy your
time in explaining, so far as ! can, the action
of the present administration in reference to
it. The public debt of Pennsylvania was in
Cured for the purpose of constructing your
great lines of Canals and Railroads. That
system of internal improvement was COM
menced in lS24-5. 1t was originally designed
to connect the waters of your beautiful Del
aware with the waters of the Ohio and the
waters of Lake Erie. 1t was extended so faI
as to embrace Improvements up the river
Delaware to reach the coal fields, as well as
to develop the mineral resources lying upon
the differnt branches of the Susquehanna.
In 1885, when the late Governor Wolf re-
tired from Office, the pulic debt Of Pennsylva
MIA amounted to about S25,O00. The main
line of the canal and railroad, extending from
the city of Philadelphia to Pittsburg, wa;
then constructed and canal was made a
long the Delaware, called the "Delawart
Division" and another was constructed along
the main trunk of the river Susquehanna, ane
extended a considerable distance up the Nortf
and West branches. A canal was also com
menced upon the waters Of French Creek
and upon the waters of the Beaver riy
er, these being parts of the extension of the
public improvement, as was the original de
sign, to the waters of Lake Erie. The deb