Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-01-11
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

LII GO hhNUh - mbDShOh'
We this week publish the annual message
Of Governor CURTIN to the Pennsylvania
Legislature, which assembled at Harrisburg
on Tuesds, January Sd. The message pre-
sents a very encouraging statement of pub
lie affairs both State and National The
perusal of this document viii impress the
reader with profound feelings Of gratitude
to Almighty God for the aid which this
State has been enabled to grant towards
crushing the wicked and causeless rebellion
which was thrust upon the Nation nearly
four years since. The troops furnished by
Pennsylvania to the United States Govern
ment, since the beginning of the war, num-
Der $50, IA, besides -, 900 militia for State
defence in 1862. Of the former number
81, ,To4 were raised during the year 1864.
This does not include the many thousands
who have left the State and enlisted in
neighboring States, and who have been
credited to the State i'll which they volun-
teered. These facts indicate that the spirit
of the people of Pennsylvania is such as to
leave no room for the enemies of the United
States, whether domestic or foreign, TO hope
for any comfort from the old Keystone.
Nor has the gallantry Of our soldiers in the
field been unnoticed, for no great battle has
been fought, and no brilliant victory achiev-
ed, in which our soldiers have not taken an
active and honorable part. The Governor
recommends an appropriation for pensions
to the volunteer militia men, or their fam
lies, who were killed or injured in the State
service in 1862 and 1863.
Attention is also called to the fact that
our State agencies at Washington and in
the Southwest have at their command a sys-
TEN Of machinery by which every soldier
can communicate with his family and con
tribute of his earnings to its support And
further: these agents attend to the collection
Of the claims of Pennsylvania soldiers from
the Government, free OF charge, so that
families and friends, or the soldiers them
selves need not hazard their interests in the
hands of private agents, and thus subject
themselves to exor6itant fees for collecting
their claims All should remember these
facts
Our school system is represented as in a
hourishing condition throughout the State,
notwithstanding gthecontinucd distracted con
dition of the country. The numberof schol-
ars has been largely increased during the
past year. To increase the efficiency of
teachers, and their number, the Governor
recommends that provisions be made for
superanuated or disabled teachers.
The finances are in good condition. The
whole receipts into the Treasury during the
year was Sc, $50, ,644 70 the disbursements,
S4,938, Al OG; leaving a balance in the
Treasury of 81, $40, 203 63. The whole in
debtedness on the lst of December 1868 was
$50, 1876. 596 rs; deduct SIG, 992 81 redeem
ed certificates, leaves public debt on Dec. l,
1864, $50, ,379, ,6O3 94 Deduct from this
sum SO, 100000 90 of bonds of the Penn
sylvania and Philadelphia and Erie Rail
roads, in the Sinking Fund, and the actual
debt of the State is $29, 079, G03, 81. This
exibit of our finances should be a subject Of
congratulation to the citizens Of the State,
as it shows decrease in our Indebtedness,
and revives the hope that the time is not far
in the future when the whole debt will be
liquidated.
The message contains many other subjects
Of interest, but our limited spacewill not
allow Us even to allude to them briefly. We
hope our readers viii give it careful peru
ment-concise, plain and pointed, and cal
culated to awaken deeper interest, on the
part of those who read it, in the welfare Of
the State and the Nation.