The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-01-13

cannot be built for less sum than thirty
thousand dollars. II the Legislature
should concur IL that opinion, the srpro.
priation. should be Increased accordingly
The report of the State Librarian viii
inform you of the progress made in the cat
; aloguc authorized by the last Legislature
and the general condition ofthe Libra
ry, which has grown to be an institution
/ that deserves your fostering care. would
! commend to Jour attention the uggestions
of the Librarian.
The report of the Attorney General,
which will be laid before you, will exbib-
it the operations of the Law Department
OF the government, for the past year
The act of the 3lst Of April, 1857, which
requires the Attorney General to keep an
Office at Harrisburg, and which provides
that all debts due to the Com monwealth,
shall BE collected By that officer, has
proved to be highly beneficial enact
mcnt. Under its provisions large sums
are saved, which were formerly paid for
commissions and counsel fees. And the
improved state of our finances is in no
inconsiderable degree owing to the prompt
m manner in which outstanding claims arc
paid into the State Treasury.
The Adjutant Generals report, which
will be laid before you, will show in de-
tail the present condition of the Military
Department. | would respectfully call
the attention of tho Legislature to the
rccommondatio of that officer.
The militia law of 1858, has not been
fully tested; but it is believed to be, in
the main, an improvement on the laws in
force at the time of its passage. One of
its best features, and one that should be
strictly enforced. is that the system is
self-supporting In no contingency should
that department be a charge upon the
public Treasury in time of peace.
In referring the attention of the LegIs-
lature to the elaborate reports of the Au-
ditor General and State Treasurer, rela,
ting to the finances of the State, which
will be laid before you, | cannot refrain
from giving expression to my views on the
Importance of change in the mode Of
keeping and distursiDg the public opeys
The State Treasurer receives and dis
burses between four and FIVE millions oi
dollars annually; and it not unfrequently
happens that there is balance in the
Treasury exceeding one million of dol
lars. The bond of the Treasurer is but
for eighty thousand dollars. He deposits
the money wherever he pleases, aud it is
paid exclusively on his own check. The
monty settlements With the Auditor Gen
eral afford some security that the funds
of the Comm monwealtb will not be misap-
piled; bat it is entirely inadequate to the
complete protection fthe public interests.
Until the State shall adopt different
system for the collection, safe-keepine
aud disbursement of her revenues, the
money on hand must be kept either in
the Treasury vault or deposited with the
banking Institutions iD the State. For
many years the latter mode has been a
dOPted. | respectfully recommend that
provision be made by law that no money
shall be deposited in any bank by the
State Treasurer without requiring securi-
ty to be first given TO the Commonwealth
for the repayment Of the sums deposited
that all checks issued by the State Treas
ure shall be cOuutersigned By the Audi
tor General before they are used and
that daily accounts of the moneys receiv-
ed and paid shall be kept in the Office OF
the Auditor General as we'll as in the
Treasury Department.
The Commissioners appointed to revise
the Criminal Code of this Commonwealth,
are progressing with the duties of their
appointment. and will report the revised
code before the adjournment Of the Leg
islGture.
The various charitable and reform ato.
~ institutions, which have heretofore re-
ceived pecuniary assistance from the State,
such as the State Lunatic Hospital, at
Harrisburg. the Western Pennsylvania
Hospital. at Pittsburgh, the Houses of Re-
fuge, at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the
Pennsylvania TrainiDg School for idiotic
and feeble, mindedEchildren, the Asylums
for the Blind and Deaf and Dumb. at
Philadelphia, the Northern Houe for
Friendless Children, at Philadelphia
recomeud to your fostering aid and care.
TIE annual reports exhibiting detail of
the operations of these noble and excel
lent charities, during the past year. will
be laid before you. cannot recommend
appropriations to charitables associations
of a purely local character, however
praise worthy the objects and motives Of
their founders and supporters, or however
useful they may DO to their particular 10.
calities.
The present condition of the revenues
of the General Government, demonstrates
the urgent necessity of increased duties
upon foreign importations. The people
Of Pennsylvania have ever taken lively
interest in the proper adjustment of a
tariff; and they have with singular unan-
unity, at all times, fovored such an assess
ment Of duties, as would not only produce
revenue, but furnish the largest incden-
tai protection to the great mineral, N au-
ufacturing. and industrial interests of the
country. Had their voice hitherto been