The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-01-11


permitted TO retain parsimcnious possession
Of vast masses oil natural and unproducive
riches 0nEpredecessors were wise in o.
pening these avenues TO trade aad CON-
merce and {, wD wish to bo rated wise
hereafter, We shall not rashly and hastily
throw away the advantages of their future
use. This use, 10 The full extent, 10 the
event oil sale, can only be secured by a
jealous protection of the right of the people
10 enjor ii. The very first conditions of
such measure should be, that the works.
and every branch Of Them, be kept ai all
times in good order and in operating condi-
lion, and remain forever public highways,
for the use OF all persons who may wish to
transport goods or merchandise over them,
npon rates not greater than those charged
upon other similar Improvements. No cor.
poraIion should sc. possession of these valu-
able avenues, on such conditions as would
enable il 10 impose unreasonable burthens
on the internal trade and tonnage of the State,
or in any way 10 encroach upon the rights
Of the individual citizen. To obviate such
results, the powers, privileges and restric-
tons Of any corporation getting the works,
should be ndlnuiely defined. Past expert
onca suggests these prudential connsels :,
for we have ofFn seen in this State, how
difficult il is II confne the operations of
these artificial bodies within The limits pre-
scribed by The law, and we should not fail
10 profit by the lesson.
By the 29lh section of the act of the 9th
OF May last, proyiding for the ordinary ex-
penses Of government and other purposes,
Nimrod Strickland, Of Chester county, John
~ Purviance, Of Butler county, John Slrohm
OF Lancaster county, were named as COM
missloners 10 settle certain claims and debts
against the Commonwealth. 1t was also
made the duty of the Governor to supply,
by appointment, auy vacancy in this COM
mission which might occur. The gentle-
men already named having declined to
serve, 4 accordingly appointed William W..
Wiiiia"nsnn, Of Chester connty, VIM Eng.
lish. Of Philadelphia, and John c.. Magill, of
Westmorland county, in their stead.
After tedious and laborious iuvestiea.
ton, these gentlemen have completed the
duty assigned to them, and the result will
be communicated to you, in detail, in their
own report.
| regret TO perceive that the accounts so
examined and settled, exceed the amount
OF the appropriation neatly si50,oo0. 1t is
well, however, 10 see the end of claims of
this character; and having accomplished
this, ii will be prudent to guard against the
recurrence Of similar state of affairs. In
deed, the practice of contracting debts on
the public works, should be at once and for.
ever abandoned 1t has been fruitful
source of confusion IN the accounts, if not
palpable wrong upon the Treasury. The
right 10 scatter tiIs credit of the Common
wealth in this unguarded way, is, venture
10 assert, without parallel iu the manage
men. OF public affairs Of the many defects
IN The system OF managing the State i'm
provsments, this has been the most produc.
tive Of evil. In my first, as also in my last
annual message, most earnestly urged the
General Assembly 10 provide. by law, Mat
no debt should be contracted by The officers
on the public works = that the necessary
labor and material to main tain these works
should be paid for in cash--und that each
officer should be compelled 10 settle his ac-
anti, no
made, demonstrate still more clearly the
necessity for such reform.
The administration Of Gov. Skunk COM
menced the cancellations oflhe relief issues
and ,ha, Of my immediate predecessor ar.
rested the process, leaving $3.50, l63 90 Of
this ursghlly currency IN circulation. In
the spring of 1853, the policy Of cancella.
tion was again resumed and up TO this
dale, 4s5, ,3sl, IS had been received into the
sinking fund, applicable to that purpose,
leaving the meagie sum of Si54, 1881 10
provide for. The gratifying fact is apparent,
therefore, that, without any further legisla.
tion on this subject, the entire outstanding
balance Of relief notes can be Withdrawn
from circulation and destroyed during the
current year. 1t is true that these issues
have not come into the Treasury as rapidly
as the funds fol their cancellation have ac-
cumulated, and that, consequently boriion
or the receipts have not been invested but
the difficulty will be obviated in June next,
when line law will go into operation which
forbids The banks and receiving officers OF
the Commo nwealih 10 pay out these issues,
and requires them 10 be, presented a, the
Treasury for cancellation. We shall, there
fore, soon see the last Of a currency which
has polluted the channels OF circulation for
thireen years past; and trust that The les
so n thus taught has been quite Sufficient 10
warn US against similar errors for all time 10
come.
My opinions on all questions that concern
the currency, have been so often expressed
that they must be we'll known 10 the Lesis.
la'ure, and need not be given, al length, in
this com nunicaiion. Without, at any time
assuming It would be wise for this State, re.
gardess OF the policy of other Common
veal, BIS, 10 dispense suddenly and entirely
with banks Of issue, ii has been uniformly
held that the amount of banking capital as
as a basis iof circulation should be closely
limited 10 the urgen, wants of commerce and