Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-01-16

ofiApril until they were called away by other
duties. Col. Scott remaining until he became
connected with the War Department, Colonel
Ball until the lst of June aud Colonel Wright
until the 23d of July; for the time thus de-
voted to the service Of the State they have
refused to receive any compensation.
Coils Joseph D. Potts, A. l.. Russell, J.
Brown Parker, and Craig Biddle were in ser.
vice up to the 2Gth of December The De.
partment of Telegraph aud Transportation was
under the exclusive control Of Col Potts
Vhe system and economy Of its management
show how faithfully and well he fulfilled his
Office.
1t is but just to all these gentlemen that
should bear testimony to the untiriHg zeal and
fidelity with which their duties were performed.
The quota of the State having been more
than filled, and her military force organized, l
was enabled on the twentieth Of December
last, to dispense with a personal staff, and
the temporary arrangement which had been
made for its employment was then closed.
BY the 18th section Of the Act of the 18th
OF May, 1861, l was authorized to draw my
warrants on the Treasury for a sum not ex-
ceeding 5000 for compensation to such per.
sons as might be required to serve the country
in O military capacity, &c. OF this furd |
have drawn from the Treasury $500, out of
which / paid the compensation of my personal
staff, also other expenses of the military de-
partmeEt, and the actual expenses of persons
employed on temporary service, noue of whom
received any further compensation, and ex-
penseS of the commissions appointed to inves-
tigate alleged frauds, &c, and the expenses of
establishing military patrols on the Maryland
line and FIVE hundred dollars on secret service
My account is settled in the Office OF the Au-
ditor General up to the 1st Of December On
that day had expended Sc, 400, and except
some inconSiderable payments made since, the
balance remains in my hands.
The report of the Auditor General will ex-
hibit the items of the account.
An account of military expenditures by the
State on behalf Of the United States, as far as
the same had then been ascertained and set
tied by the accounting departments here, was
made up to the lSt day of September, 1861,
and presented on the 18th of that month at
the Treasury Department of the United States
for settlement and allowance. The sum of
$606, 900, has been received from the Treasury
Department on that account. The repayment
by the General Government of the expenses
attending the organization aud support of the
Reserve Corps, may not be provided for by
any existing act of Congress As these ex-
penses were incurred by the State for the ben
eft of the General Government, and have been
productive Of results most important TO the
welfare and even safety of the country, it
would be right that an act of Congress should
be passed providing expressly for their repay
ment. 1t lies with the Legislature to adopt
the proper means for directing the attention of
Congress to this subject.
Assurances have been received from the
Treasury Department that the examination of
the military accounts of the State will be pro-
ceeded in without delay, so that the State may
receive credit for the balance due, in time to
apply the same towards the payment of her
quota of the direct tax. Assuming the com.
pletion of this arrangement, il the State shall
assume the direct tax for this year, saving of
fifteen per cent will accrue to her, and no pres,
ent increase of her taxation will be necessary.
Whether this credit be given or not, | re-
commend that the payment of the direct tax
be assumHd by the State.
In case the State assumes the payment of
this tax there should be such revision OF the
tax laws as will hereafter equitably apportion
the burden among the various interests now
subject or that can properly be made subject
to taxation. The saving of fifteen per cent
to the people of the State by the assumption
is a matter worthy Of thought, but more i'm
portant consideration is that it will enable you
who represent all the varied interests OF the
Commonwealth to apportiou the tax ia such
manner as to bear equally upon all Our rev.
enue laws lad imposed on real and personal
property as its full proportion bat little more
than onethird Of the taxes needed for the Or
dinary expenditures Of the government. By
the act of the 10Th May last, the tax on this
species of property has already been increased
One-sixth. Should the State refuse to assume
the United States tax the whole burden of it
will fall upon these interests, iterestS too, most
unfaVorably affected by the war, whilst other
kinds of property and other sources of reVesue,
judged by our own laws able to pay nearly
two-thirdS OF the present revenues of the State,
would not be called on to contribute one dol
lar of additional tax
The militia system of the Commonwealth is
very imperfect. | recommend the establish,
ment of commission to frame and report a
system more adequate to the exigency of the
times.
l earnestly recommend to the legislature
that provision be made for the military in.
struction of youth. The appointment of mil
itary instructor in the normal schools, would
in short period give teachers to the common
schools who would be competent TO train the
boys in attendance on them. 1t would in my
opinion be wise also to provide for the pur-
chase or leasing by the Commonwealth of a
building for a military school, and for employ
ing competent instructors at the expense of
the State, requiring the pupils to defray the
other expenses. No pupil should be admitted
TO this school without having passed thor
ough examination on mathematics and all ht-
ting subjects Of Instruction excent the military