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

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/ Since the sale of the Public Work
and the settlement of the principal ou
standing claims against the State, it
obvious that there is DO further necessit
for Board of Canal Commissioners, 0
a Canal Department. l, therefore, re
commend the abolition of the Board, aD
that provision be made for the transfe
of the records to the Office of the Audito
General.
In view of the foregoing exhibit of ou
resources and financial condition it is ap
parent that most interesting era ba
been reached in the history of the Com
monwealth. Relieved from the entang
ling embarrassments of an extensive sys
tenn of internal Improvements, the mean
of the State are now ample for all egiti
mate purposes, and her public debt i
gradually but certainly Disappearing
From these and other causes, governmen
tai action has become greatly simplified
and the nature Of the subjects of its oper
alton has changed in degree no less re
markable.
The almost entire disposal of the land
which belonged to the State, has alread
dispensed with one of the Department.,
created for their care, and will ultim ate
ly render the other unnecessary, excep
for preserving the evidences of theil
transfer.
The sale of the Public Works has re
lieved the Executive branch of the Gov
ernmeDt of many Of its most responsible
and perplcxing duties, and in effect, ,dispen
sed with one of its most formidable and
difficult departments.
In the same proportion, the action o
the Legislature will, if the representa-,
tives of the people be true to the inter.
ests reposed, and sternly refuse to entan.
gle the public with those numerous pro.
jeCts and enterprises which are continual.
ly seeking its alliance, be simplifed and
ecouomized, purified and streng bened.
And it is as remarks able as it is propi-
tious, that an era which has thus reliev-
ed the State authorities of burtheus that
consisted either of mere material inter-
csts or the care of local administr alton,
committing the one to the local sovereign
ty of the people, and the other to private
or associated enterprise. should also pre-
sent for consideration and prom motion, in
tellectual and moral claims of peculiar
importance.
It is at this period in our history that
the system of public education challen-
ges the attention Of the most unobservant.
Aud | shall be much mistaken in the
cautious but steadfast character of the
people Of Pennsylvania, if their Repre-
sentatiyes do not make it the first object
Of their soieitude.
The annual report of the Superintend.
ent of Common Schools will lay before
you the present condition of the Common
School System, and of it, operations dur
ing the past year. Your close and scru-
tIniziug attention is invited to the details
of that document.
Including the city Of Philadelphia, it
will be observed that there we're in the
public schools of the State, during the
year which terminated on the first Mon
day of last June, 62s, POI pupils; these
were instructed during an average term
of little over FIVE months, in 1,28l
schools, by l3,s56 teachers, at a total
cost of 81, ,427 ,632 al.
Here is a public interest, which
whether We regard its rami6cations
into every portion of our social fab
ric, its large cost, the important powers
over the present which it wields, or it's
incalculable influence upon the future
undoubtedly transceuds all others com
mitted to the care OF the secular authori-
ties. This being the case, have no
hesitation in asserting that the time has
arrived when its full Importance should
be recognized, and that its due admins
tration should be made the duty of ful-
ly organized and effective, as we'll as a
department in the government.
But the care and promotion of our sys-
TEN of Com mon Schools-important ard
extensive as it obviously is-sbould not
be the sole object of such Department.
If it is true that tho power to punish
crime includes also the right to prevent
it, by providing for the proper intellectu-
al and moral training Of the people. it
would seem to follow that the department.
charged with the latter momentuous duty
should also be in possession of all the
sources aud subjects of information. cal
culated to shed light upon the object of
its action. Hence the collection, arrange
ment, and practical deductions from pop
ulaton and industrial statistics; from nat
ural defects, such as deafness and dumb.
ness, blindness aud lunacy; from crime
in its various forms and developments,
together with such coutrol over the liter
ary and scientific institutions in the State
as shall bring their full condition into
also belong to the same
Therefore, [ most respectfully, but
earnestly, urge upon your favorable con-
sideratiou, at the present propitions mo-
ment, the organization of such Depart
ment, in the room of those for the care
Of mere matter whose agency has been or
Al