Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-01-09


dends. | respectfully commend this
snbiect to the attention Of the Legisla-
ture.
A high sense of duty impels me again
to cal. the attention Of the Legislature to
the inadequacy Of existing laws, regula-
ting the receiving keeping and disburse-
iment Of the revenues OF the State. The
public moneys are now paid directly
TO the State Treasurer, who deposits them
at his own discretion, whenever and
wherever he chooses, and pays them out
in sums, either small or great, upon his
own unattested check exclusively. The
amount thus received kept and disbursed
is annually between three and four mil
! liors of dollars, with balances on hand, at
times, exceeding one million of dollars
while the bond of the State Treasurer ID
for only eighty thousand dollars. His ac-
counts are settled monthly by the Audi
tor General by whom the receipts for
money paid into the Treasury are count
lersgned, and these are the only safe
guards provided by law to prevent the il.
| legal and improper use Of the money ol
the State, by the State Treasurer.
Happily the revenues OF the Common
wealth have hitherto been safely kept
prope 'ly disburset, and promptly accoun'
ted for, by those in charge of the Public
Treasury, but in view of the serious deial
cations which have occurred elsewhere
and in other States, this fact should fur
nish no reason why we ought not to guard
against loss in the future. Referring to
my former annual messages, respectful
! lv, bat most earnestly, recommend that
provision be made by law:
Fust-That no money shall be deposi'
! ted by the State Treasurer IN any bank
or elsewhere, without first requiring am
pie security to be given to the Common
wealth for the prompt repayment of such
sum US may be deposited; and that such
securities shall be deposited in the office
of the AuCitor General.
iSScond-That all checks issued by the
State Treasurer. shall be countersigned by
The Auditor General, before they are used,
and that daily accounts shall be kept OF
the moneys received, deposited and dis
bursed, in the Auditor Generals office as
well US in the Treasury Depai tment.
7hird-That condensed monthly state
ments, verified by the signatures of the
General and State Treasurer shall be pub
lished in one newspaper in Philadelphis
and one in Harrisburg, showing the bal.
snces 10 the Treasury, and where deposi-
ted, with the particular amount OF each
deposit and
Fourth-- That the bond Of the State
Treasurer be increased to the sum OF
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Our various charitable and reformatory
institutions-th State Lunatic Hospital
at Harrsburg-the Western Pennsylvania
Hospital for the Insane, at Pittsburgh
the Asylum for the blind, and deaf, and
dumb, lat Philadel phia-the Houses of Re
fuge at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and
the Pennsylvania Training School for idi-
otic and feeble minded children, at Media,
will present their usual annual claims
upon the bounty of the State. These ex,
cellent charities are continually dispens-
ing benefits and blessings upon suffering
and erring humanity, which can scarcely
be overrated. They are heartily commen'
ded to the discriminating liberality of the
Legislature. refrain, rs | have hereto
fore done, from recommending, as proper
objects for appropriations from the State
Treasury, other charitable and benevolent
institutions, not because they are Jude
serving the confidence and patronage ot
the public, but because they nre local
in their character, and in my judgment
lave no claims upon the common funJ
which can he admitted, in justice to the
rights and interests Of other portions OF
the Commonwealth.
The inspectors of the State Penilentiary
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
in their annual reports for the years 1855
and 1859, called the attention of the Le-
gislature to the insecurity of such parts oI
the PenitentiGry buildings as were expos
ed TO their own fires and those of the
neighborhood, and recommended that
roofs Of such Of the corridors as were cov-
cred with shingles, and needed renewal
should be replaced with slate or metal
On visiting the institution, my attention
was called to the subject by tn e inspect
ors. The necessity for the change was So
apparent and urgent, that | advised them
not to hesitate in having the old, dilapi,
dated and dangerous wooden roofs of such
portions of the building as required re-
newal, replaced with some substantial fire
proof material. This has accordingly been
done, and respectfully recommend that
a small appropriation be granted to deiray
the expenses incurred.
commend TO your consideration The
report of the State Librarian, whose at
tention to the Interests OF the Library
under his care, deserves the warmest com
mendation. The system of exchanges
with the different States of the Union
ard with foreign Governments, commen
ced and prosecuted under his suspices,
has resulted in great advantages to the
Library, and deserves the continued coun
tenauce of the Legislature. The increase
of the Library, at a comparatively small
expense to the State, has been such, that
it now needs enlarged accommodations fol
the safe keeping of the volum es, and, il
the increase continues, will soon require {
separate building for IFS exclusive use.
The reports Of the State Treasurer, the
Auditor General, the Surveyor General
the Adjutant General, and the Attorney
General, will inform you, i'll detail, Of tn,
operations of the government, as present
ed by those several departments, for tn,
last Is cal year. They are entitled To thu