Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-01-12

of otter improvements Of the State, from
which they could derive bu, little adyan.
tagc 1, will, also, add to the prosperity
and consequently to the revenues Of the
State
As made ny duty, By IN act Of he Le-
gislaturs, approved the eth of April last,
providing for the sale of the main line Of
the public works, sealed proposals for its
purchase were invited, up TO the frs; Mon
day Of July last No ofors were made
under this invitation: and public no:ice
was again given, on the 9Th Of Novem-
Der last, in accordance with the 20'h see
,ion Of the act, for proposals to be submit
tel to the General Assembly; bat none
have been received. This improvement,
i, therefore, still the property Of the State,
subjec. to such disposition as the Legisla-
tu-e may deem necessary, Ny mind las
Undergone no change, on the subject of
selling TIE public works, siu.e the period
# my last message. think the policy 0f
the measure depends mainly upon the price
that can be obtained, and the condition on
which the purchasers may be wiling to
hold these works for the use o. the public
With fall and fair Consideration, and on
terms amply protective Of the rights and
interests Of the Peopie,;n the future enjoy
men: of these highways sale might not
prove injurious to the public veal. But
it is certainly neither wise nor polite to
assume that they must be sold for what
ever can be obtained or .ha; they should,
in any event, be given away. Nothing
could have more prejudicial effect upon
the interests Of the State, as involved in
these Improvements, than the avoWal Of
such determination.
The powers, privileges and restrictions
ofaBy corporation getting The works should
be infinitely defined. Past experience
suggests these prudential counsels; for we
have often seen in this State, how difficult
j, is to eonine the operations Of these ar
t.fcial bodies within the Limits prescribed
by the law; and we should no: al 70 pro-
fit BY the lesson.
By the 29th section Of the act Of the
9th Of May last, providing for the ordi-
nary expenses Of government and other
purposes, Nimrod Strickland, Of Chester
and John Strohm, Of Lancaster
county, were named as Commissioners to
settle certain claims and debts against the
c Commonwealth Ii was also made the
duty Of tie Governor to supply, By sp-
any vacancy in this c5mmis-
sion, which nigh; occur. The gentlemen
already named having declined to serve, 1
accordingly appointed William W. VIII
aDson, Of Chester county, Wm. English,
os Philadelphia, and John c. NagiIl, Of
Wes;moreiand county, in their stead AZ
ter tedious and laborious Investigation,
these gentlemen have completed the duty
assigned to them, and the result viii be
to you, in detail, in their
5wn report. l Iregrctt to perceive tha: the
accounts 50 examined and settled, exceed
he amount Of the appropriation nearly
$3.50, GEO is well, however, to see the
md Of c.aims Of this character and h-v-
ag accomplished this, it viii be prudep;
0 guard against the recurrence Of a SINH
II state cf affairs Indeed, the practice
i contracting debts on the public works
hoa.d be Al once aud :5r ever abandoned
t has been fruitful source Of confusion
4 the accounts, If 10: Of PalPable wrong
poa the Treasury. The right to scatter
lie credit Of the Commonwealth il this
way, is, l venture to assert,
7iihout parallel in the management Of
ublic Affairs. OF the many defects in
be system Of managing the State improve
lonts, this has been the most Productive
f evil.
Repeated attempts have been made to
apeal SO much Of the act Incorporating the
'ennnsylvania Railroad Company, is re-
uires it to pay into tie Treasury annual
:, certain per centage on the amount Of
,uuage which may pass over that road as
D eqaiva,en, for the privileges granted b
le Commonwealth but the General As
,mbly have as repeatedly rejected the
and I sincerely hope, that 50
ing IS the State may need the revenue
ON this source, all future attempts to ac-
,mplish this end, may meet 4 similar
tie. Having been connected with the le-
isla,ion which brought this company in
and clearly coguizlnt Of the
osives and purposes which governed the
legislature in imposing this condition on
lie grant, l can discover no reason, in
,bscguent events to justify the rclinquish-
ent Of this valuable reservation but
any on the contrary, to sustain The jus
ce aud utility
The administration Of Gov Skunk CON-
epcei the cancellation of the relief issues;
Il !