The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-01-11
NO. 6.

| obseryed, that sale might be made at Il
/ price far too low TO effect such purpose;
and if so, to give them away would be still
( less likely to produce the desired result.
/ Should the gross sum received. not be e.
Quail to that on which the nett earnings
would pay the interest, then the effect
would be to increase rather than diminish
these annual burthens. This is not what
the people desire to accomplish by sale;
nor will they be satisfied with such dis
position of their property.
The real value Of the public works, is q
proposition full of difficulty; andI doubt
not the General Assembly will approach
the inquiry, duly impressed with its impor-
tance. Ten millions of dollars was fixed,
by the law of last session, as the price for
the main line. This minimum is said by
some to be too high, and the failure 10
sell, regarded as the consequence. 9th
ers attribute the absence Of the bidders, to
the condition of the money market-to
the stringent restrictions imposed upon the
law: and to the effects that had been pre-
viously made to disparage. the value OF
the line. But it is obvious that more
( than one of these causes may have opera
ted; and o greater than all may have
| been the hope of getting this property on
better terms, at future time. feel very
confident that the latter consideration
/ was not without its influence. But, lie
/ this as it may, it is certainly wiser to fail
| to sell from any one Of these causes, than
to hazard the works in the market, with
out anv restriction or limitation as 10 price
or conditions. A bad sale would assured
| ly be a greater misfortune, than no sale at
all.
The benefits resulting to the people from these
| improvements, have been numerous and diver
| sified. They have facilitated trade and com
merce: stimulated productive industry in every
| department; and have not only enabled the far
| mer to reach a ready market with the fruits Of
| his labor, but have furnished convenient out
lets for the rich mineral reasusures of the State.
| Without them, the miner would be deprived Of
his occupation. the transporter be left in help
| less destitutiOn, and the Commonwealth itself be
| permitted TO retain a paFslmOniOus possession
of vast masses of natural and unproductive rich
| es Our predecessors were wise in opening
| these avenues to trade and commerce: and If
wo wish TO be rated wise hereafter, we shall not
| rashIy and hastily throw away the advantages
of their future use. This use. to the full sXtent
! in the event of sale, can only be secured by Il
| Jealous protection of the right of the people TO
! eniOy it. The very first conditions OF sEcD q
measure should be, that the works, and every
branch of them. be kept all times in good order
| and operating condition. and remain forever
| public highways for the use Of all persons who
may wish to transport goods ormerchandise over
them. upon rates not greater than those charged
upon other similar Improvements. No cor
| pUrat0n should get Possession Ot these valuable
avenues. on such conditions as would enable 1t
to impose unreasonable burthens on the internal
trade and tonnage of the State. or in any way
| to encroach upon the rights of the individual
citizen. To Obviate such results, the powers,
privileges and restrictions Of any corporation
| rettng the works, should be minutely defined.
Past experience suggests these prudential c0un-
sells: for we have often seen III this State, how
difficult it is to cUninc the operation Of these
artificial bodies within the limits prescribed by
the law: and we should not fail to profit by the
lesson.
BY the, 29th section Of the act Of the
9th of May last, providing for the Ordina
ry expenses Of government and other pur-
poses, Nimrod Strickland, Of Chester coun-
ty. John \. Purviance, of Butler county,
and John Strohm, Of Lancaster county,
were named as commissioners to settle
certain claims and debts against the Com
monwealth. 1t was also made the duty
of the Go7eTror to supply by appointments
any vacancy in this eorhmission which
might occur The gentlemen already
named having declined to serve, accor-
dinghy appointed William W. Williamson.
Of Chester county, William English, of
Philadelphia. and John c. Magill, of
Westmoreland county, in their stead.
After tedious and laborious investiga-
ton, these gentlemen have completed the
duty assigned TO them, and the result will
he communicated to you, III detail, III
their own report.
regret to perceive that the accounts
SO examined and settled, exceed the 6
mount of the appropriation nearly $3.50
= 600 1t is well, however, to see the end
, of claims of this character; and having ac-
complished this it will be prudeutto guard
against the recurrence of similar state
of affairs. Indeed the practice of con
, tracing debts, on the public works,
, should be at once and forever abandoned.
, 1t has been fruitful source of confusion
in the accounts, if not of palpable wrong
upon the Treasury. The right to scatter
= the credit Of the Commonwealth in this
unguarded way, is, | venture to assert,
without parallel in the management OF
public affairs OF the many defects IN
: the system of managing the State I'M
, provements, this has been the most pro
| ductive of evil. In my first as also ~ my
last annual message, | most earnestly ur-
! eed the General Assembly to provide, by
r law, that 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
! cosh-and that each officer should fic
: compelled to settle his accounts promptly
; The examinations just made, demonstrate
, more clearly the necessity for such reform
, Repeated attempts have been made To
repeal somuch Of the Gct Incorporating the
: Pennsylvania railroad company, as re-
! quires it to pay into the Treasury annual
: Iy n certain ner pputnpe on the amount