Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-01-14
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF
j A M L s p Q L Q G K
GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA.
To the Honorable the Senator's and Members O.
the House Of Representatives Of The Genera

To the Honorable He Senator's and Members OF
the House Of Representatives. Of Tie General
.4Ssem6iy:
FELLow-CITIzENs In obedience to tbeCon-
stitution and laws of this Commonwealth, you
have assembled TO discharge the important and
responsible duties that devolve upon you. To
protect the rights and privileges of the peo-
pie, advance their interests, and promote the
welfare and prosperity of the Stat, should be
the aim and end of all your legislation. In
the discharge of my duties, it will be plea
sure to cooperate with you in the accomplish
ment Of these objects.
The past year has been one of unusual pros
perity The bounties of a kind Providence
have not been withheld from Common
wealth a plenteous harvest has rewarded
the labor of the husbandman. Honorable in
duSiry, in all its departments, has been encOur-
aged. No financial embarrassmcnt-no COM
mercial diStress-no political or social evils,
have interrupted the progress, or checked the
energies of the people. The great interests Of
education, morality and religion, have been
cherished or sustained. Health and peace,
with their attendant blessings, have been ours.
To him 'Swho rules the Nations by his power,
and from whom Cometh down every good and
perfect gift.'' are we indebted for these mer-
cies, and TO Him should be given the homage
of our deyout gratitude and praise.
The financial condition of the Common
wealth is highly satisfactory. Every demand
| upon the Treasury has been promptly met and
paid, without the aid OF loans. The operations
of this department viii be exhibited in detail
| in the report Of the State Treasurer.
For tie fiscal year ending November 30th,
| 1856, the receipts at the Treasury (including
| the balance in The Treasury on the first of De-
cember, 1865. of $1.2i3 .697 $50 have been
| Sc. .62l ,931 a. The total cz penditures for the
same period, were S5.377 ,142 D. Balance in
the Treasury, Dec. /. 1856. S1.244, ,795 II.
| Excluding the balance in the Treasury on
| the first of December 1855. the Teceip pts, from
! all sources, were s., ,37S, go 33. The ordina-
/ ~ expenditures for the same period, were
| $4.l13. l41 n, showing an excess of receipts
over ordinary expenditures of 81 ,265.095 So.
| The extraordinary payments for the same
! year, were 81 ,2G3, ,997 10. as follows, viz: To
| the completion OF the Portage railroad. and
! for the payment Of debts previously contract
| ed on that work, S1Sl ,494 II to the North
| Branch extension, Sl22,I23 81; to relay the
south track of the Columbia railroad S267.-
600 00 fer motive power in 1855, S1lS.049 AZ
! to enlarge the Delaware division OF the Penn
| sylvania canal, Sl3.960 90; for general repairs
! in 1853 '54-'55, SG3, 965 | to domestic cred
! itors, SI5l 63 to old claims on the main line,
| examined by the commissioners, and paid un-
der the act of May %, 1856, S13O,5l2 90; to
the redemption of loans, 1927 ,S24 AZ and re-
! lief notes cancelled. $685. 90.
| The interest on the funded debt which fell
| due i'm February and August last, was then
| PAID, ana that which becomes que In eOfua-
! ry next, will be paid with equal promptnesS,
| ont Of available means now in the Treasury.
| The punctuality with which the interest on the
| public debt has been paid, and the ability of
| the Treasury TO meet all legitimate demands
| upon it, have inspired public confidence in our
| securities, and contributed largely to estab-
! lish and sustain the credit of the Common
| wealth.
The Commissioners OF the Sinking Fund re-
| port the sum of S122. .432 93 as due by the
| Treasury TO the fund. This amount will be APP
| piled to the redemption of relief notes now in
| circulation, and to the payment of the funded
| debt. Heretofore the available means in the
! Treasury have been applied, TO some extent, in
payment of outstanding temporary loans, which
| bear an annual interest of six per centum it
| being deemed advisable as matter of econo-
my TO pay these loans, rather than the funded
! debt, which bears a much less rate of interest.
| 1t is expected that the balance of the tempo
rary loans will be paid before the close of the
/ current year, and the operation of the sinking
! fund resumed and continued as directed by law.
The funded and unfunded debt Of the State,
| including temporary loans, on the first of De-
| cember, 1855, per reports Of the Auditor
| General and State Treasurer, was as follows
| FUNDED DEBT.