New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-07
FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
MEETING OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
ssns.psBaesoe ofTbe N Y Tribune.
HARRISBURG, Pa,

Correspondence Of The ~ Y. Tribune
rtt HARRISBURG, Pa, Jan. f. 1860
For three days prior to the time liked by the Constr
tnon Of Pennsylvania for the meeting Of the General
Assembly, this town was nearly filed with strangers
apphcaHts for Office and Legislative borers In almost
equal profusion.
Both branches assembled yesterday, the House OF
Representatives at 70 o'clock, noon, when ninety
eight members out Of hundred answered TO their
names. The Hon. VIM. C. A. Lawrence Of DAu-
pAn Speaker of the last House, was reelected to the
same distinguished post by the powerful Republican
vote Of the body. The Senate having convened at
O'Clock .. M, the Hon. VIM. F. Francis (Rep.l, Of
Lawrence County, was elected Speaker Most of the
subordinate officers Of each branch were elected or
appointed to-day
To-day his Excellency, Gov. Packer, communicated
70 the General Assembly his Annual Message, which
IL more than ordinarily brief and yet contains vast
fund of information various important subjects
A il is highly probable the crowded state OF your
columns at this period would offer barrier TO any
very extended extracts from the official document In
question your correspondent has undertaken to give
condensed review or synopsis OF the principal topics
which il embraces. The receipts at the State
Treasury from all sources for the fiscal year, ending
On the 3Oth November 1882 were 49, 826 $50 IA; then
or 76, thus making the whole sum available for
abe year, $7lsS7 80. The expenditures for all pur-
poses during the same period, were, s3,s79,O54 81
leaving an available balance in the Treasury, on the
Id December, 1859, of 1886, 1913 O9.
The amount of the public debt actually paid during
the year was $s49,2 60; and the total of the
State debt, funded and unfunded the first day of
December last was $S 961 OF. Since the close of
49,. of he
have redeemed of the Five Per Cent Loans the sum Of
al6O OOO leaving the real debt of the Commonwealth
at this time &38 96l o. If we deduct from this
sum the amount of the bonds received by the State,
from the sale Of her public works, and now held by
hsr as follows Bonds of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Cempauy, 81 800 900; Bonds Of the Sunbury and Erie
Railroad Company, 50 600; Bonds of the Wyoming
Canal Company, s2sl 600; total OSl 900; we have
327 1897 ,96I O7--the remaining debt of the Common
wealth, the principal and interest to be provided for
from the ordinary sources Of revenue.
From the LIST December, 1858, TO 3lst December,
1852 period of 10 months, beside meeting all the
ordinary demands upon the Treasury there has been
actually paid ca the principal of the public debt,
81, 0O9, 282 60. When it is remembered that, during
this period the law reducing the State tax upon real
and personal estate from to q mills has been in full
force and that nothing for the last year has been re-
esiyad from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company on
account Of tax on tunnage making the receipts from
those two sources of revenue less by 100000 than
they were for the preceding year. source Of con-
CIRCULATION that under the circumstances, result 80
favorable has been produced by the ordinary opera
tons Of the Treasury.
For nearly two years past, the State has been en-
tirely free from the ownership or management Of
sanas and railroads and the gratifying result thus far
il, that her public debt is less than it has been
since 1872 and is decreasing at the rate Of nearly one
nillion of dollars per snnum.
The Message proceeds:
"She IPennsylyanial is no longer engaged in the
construction of great works OF internal Improvement
nor is she the proprietor OF railroads or canals ne
heyed Of these, governmental action IL greatly smpn-
Red and is now happily limited to subjects of purely
governmental character. Having ceased TO De inter-
eeted in ordinary business pursuits 1t Is her PLAN DUTY
70 devote her best energies 70 relieve her people from
The burden Of debt When this great result
shall have been accomplished, the necessary expendl-
lures Of economical administration Of the Govern
mat can be readily met without the imposition OF
StEe tax on red or personal estate-the remaining
sources OF revenue being than sufhcent Tor AL
legitimate purposes Until that end, so auxously
looked TO- is secured, true wisdom well as sound
Docy dictates that Our resources should be carefully
none OF our present sources OF revenue
n. Sud be cut off dimnished-tha all departments
n government should consult proper ecOnOmy-that
N Extravaganza and unnecessary appropriations should
n svoded-and that every scheme for embarrass-
at, .alse Treasury should meet with marked condem
Il on.
e f,necuragng as are the results of the past two
No ysare mutt not be forgotten that we have but
t commenced the payment Of the principal Of our
eIa. and that TO prevent Interpretation of tho pub
: IN anees and thereby insure continuance of its
duct ON from year gear is manfestly the frs duty
tbos placed by the Consultation in charge Of the
pblic Treasury, and 70 whom belongs the exclusive
oh, Of raising, ecOnOnizing and aPpropriati1g the
eiI;c re- venue. earnestly commend this whole sub
- N thu eansl attention Of the Legslatgre-entlre-
sseeI that tits the most vital Of all the interests
,n,u;t,ed 10 the charge of the General Assembly, IT
IN rseaiVc that consideration which its importance
esninen4Iy demands"
The Governor then notices the refusal of the Penn
Ivsnis RaiIrosd Company, since July, 1855, to pay
tbree-iu tax per tnD per mile upon freight. There
now due from fhst Company on that account, e1eln-
= Al interest,", $S5o,AO5. He next adyertS to the
~e,sJ sts that hsye been brought against the said
nnsyIya,ia Railroad Company, and which are still
pdog, In sspe form or esesr