The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-01-22
The Governors Message.

Ine governors Message.
Wepublish, on our first page, the Governors
Message, to the exclusion Of much othor useful
nattcr. Speaking in mere literary point Of
view, it is we'll written and some of its rec
concentrations are eminently just and proper.
The Governor informs us that the State debt
has been reduced, by the operations of the sink
ing fund, $954,720 40; and that the Treasury
has redeemed from the 1st day'o December,
1862, to tho 3oth day of November, 1868, the
sum of Ss51,6l7 04; still leaving the total
Indebtedness Gncluding the ''Military Loan" of
S3,000,0o0,) remaining on the first day of De-
cember, 1868, $50, ,49e,596 IS. This is, no
doubt, fhe amount of the State debt-so far as
it has been audited. But how much docs the
State'owe, besides, of CLAIMS that have not yet
been ascertained 1t is true this is almost i'm
possible to ascertain; but we venture ssguess,"
that it would swell this amount to much lar
ger figure. The governor evidently has some
suspicion of this, for, he says that, "althoush
our finances are still in healthy condition, it
u
the Legislature TO the consideration Of the means
Of maintaining them unimpaired in the future"
1t has heretofore been the law to pay the in
terest on the State debt in specie, or its equiv
ulent Tho Message recommends that this law
be repealed; and thinks tsat, ''Thc Common
wealth will have fulfilled her obligations by
providing for the payment Of her interest in the
currency of the Government" BY the "cur-
rency of the Government" the Governor means
"greenbacks," of course. This, wo think,
would be maintaining our Enhances unimpaired
in the future" with vengeance. There could
be nc, surer plan adopted TO injure the credit Of
the State. The fuctuation of the ''currency
of the government" would at once--the mo-
ment such law passed-causo fall in our
state stocks sufficient to impair our credit almost
permanently. But enough, in regard to the
finances the people will understand this sub
ject better when they come to consider Pennsyl-
vania's proportion Of the National Debt.
Further on, the Governor says:
. 81 recommend that the proposed amendnen!s
to the Constitution, giving TO citizens in the pub
tic service out of the State, the right to vote,
be passed promptly and submitted TO n vote of
the people at ms early day as possible, so that
such citizens may exercise their right to suffrage
at all future elections This would be only
doing justice to the brave mcn who are periling
their lives in our defence"
This is Recommendation to which We would
gladly agree, if we were sure that soldiers out
of the State would be allowed to vote their sem
siments and the whole army, under its military
discipline, not be converted into one vast "Vot-
ing machine" in order that they may finish with
the ballot in Pennsylvania and other free states,
what they have already begun with the bayonot
(under orders, ofcoursej in Maryland, Kentucky
and Missouri. If the army is to be forced
70 vote on tho side the party in power requires
them to, they, in thc field, and away from all
the civil affairs of life, will soon become the
rulers Of those who till the soil to feed them,
or throw the shuttle to clothc them. We must
say, that laying aside oil political prejudiccs,
we are opposed 20 the principle Of allowing
men 10 vote, out Of the State, on any pretext
whatever. We believe in the doctrines of our
earliest statesmen: that a standing army is
dangerous TO a Republic. And further believe,
that giving soldiers the power to vote, only
deublss the danger. There is only one view Of
the matter in which we can agree with the
Governor and that is in financial point of
view. Itwould save the expense Of bringing
them hons to vote for such men a. he, for such
responsible positions . he now occspiss. But
we intend to discuss this subject further here
after, and, therefore, shall merely review the
ssst Of the Message, and conclude this article
Since the commencement Of the war, the old
Commonwealth has sent into the service, at
different times, the vast army Of 277, 400. men;
and yet, .sThe Government" /" like tho Unsuitable
monster. Death, still cries, ''lnore,"
Ia<the conclusion, we arc informed that:
1Thc ultimate question truly at issue is the
possibility Of the permanent existence Of o
pswsrfI Republis Thst y the question now