Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-08-31
Gov. Bigler's Administration.

There are certain distinctive features in the ad-
ministration of our present worthy Executive,
which have never received that degree of applause
which they Justly merit Their justice and impor-
tance secure their adoption without any consider
able opposition, and they have been allowed to
pass without scarcely any note or comment; but
on looking back to them, no one can fail to be
struck with their wisdom.
He has made it an invariable rule, to insist
upon the adoption of the individual liability
clause in every charter which has been adopted
Heretofore this has been rigidly insisted upon by
some of his Democratic predecessors in Bank
Charters, but he has made the rule of universal
application to all bodies seeking corporate pow
ers for business purposes. 1t is just proper that
a dozen or a hundred men when banded together
should pay all their debts, whether their specua-
ton proves profitable or the reverse, as that one
man should do so. And it is just proper that
manufacturing, mining, mechanical, or mercantile
companies should do SO as that Banks should.
The protection of the masses imperatively require
the adoption of this policy, and sternly and
strictly has he enforced it by vetong all acts of
incorporation which did not contain this protec-
tive feature. One of the most essential measures
for carrying out the old Wing war cry of pro
tecting American Industry" is to make careful
provisions against the industrious man being
cheated out of his earnings by dishonest specula-
tions, which can only be done, by making mem
bers of companies individually liable for the debts
their corporations contract.
The other feature to which we allude is the
complete destruction of the whole vile system Of
l., i. ! 1
iniquities have been perpetrated by our Pennsyl-
vania Legislature. In Gov. Bigler's last annual
message he set his face sternly against this whole
system, and the result is, that the people of the
State will find when the laws of the last session
come to be published, that for the first time fol
many years, every act is confined to bjects Of ono
class, and the object and character Of every hi
adopted, is expressed in its title This reform was
most imperatively demanded, and its adoption
will have an invaluable tendency in purifying oul
Legislation, for men will often hesitate about
openly exposing iniquitous schemes when they
know they will have to encounter a rigid respon-
sibility, which they would willingly support, i
their character was veiled and their true puport
unknown. 1t was by the omnibus system that
so many snakes were introduced into Legislative
bills by which men were inviegled into unwitting-
ly voting for objects which their judgment would
decidedly condemn. Another advantage of the new
system that everymeasurestands orfalls upon its
own merits and has not its fate linked with sub
ject, foreign to its character. Members have FIRE
quently been compelled by the omnibus system
to support provisions they knew to be wrong, fo
the sake of securing the passage of others they
felt deeply interested in. There are advantage
of the reform which will readily suggest them
selves to every reader, and for its enforcement
Gov. Bigler richly deserves the thanks of homes
men of all parties.