Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-01-11
CLEARFIELD Pa WEDNESDAY, JANUARY H. 1865.

! OF the prison society et Philadelphia, re-
! questing that the members of the committee
might be allowed To visit and examine the
! prisons and poor-houses throughout the
| Commonwealth. | transmit with this COM
munication copy of the report made to me
by the society of the results of their labCrs,
and commend the same to your attention
with view to the adoption OF proper mea-
! sures to reform the abuses which have been
/ found to exist
In connection with this subject, | again
| call your attention TO the expediency of pro-
! viding for the reception In the peDtentla-
| ries, of persons convicted of murder III the
! first degree, and who may be pardoned on
| condition of serving a limited term therein.
/ 1t has become a custom that an incoming
! Governor should not issue a warrant Of exc
! tiOn in cases left unacted ON by his prede
cessor, and it not unfrequently happens that
even in eases which are recent while some
| punishment should be inflicted that Of death
may appear to the Executive too severe.
| The result Is that there are at this time, IN
the various prisons, some eighteen or
twenty persons under sentence Of death,
and who may lie there for an indefinite pc
riod Of time.
The vast amount of additional labor which
has been imposed upon the Secretary Of the
Commonwealth by the existing state Of at
fairs renders it absolutely necessary that the
| clerical force Of his department should be ia
creased. The making out Of commissions
for our large army of volunteers in the field,
and the preparations Of election blanks re-
| quired by law to be sent to the aImy-the
receipt, filing and recording the returns Of
| the soldiers yOtcS-the enrolment OF the
yearly increasing number Of acts Of Assem-
| bly,, and Of charters obtained under general
laws and the making out Of letters patent
| for them-and these, together with the pre-
! vious heavy duties Of the otiice-form an
| aggregate, the weight of which must ulti-
mately break down his few subordinates,
| diligent faithful and enduring as they are.
| L recommend, therefore, that provision be
! promptly made to meet the necessities Of
! this case.
| 1t is a subject of just congratulation that
notwithstanding the distracted condition Of
| the country, our system of common schools
continues to flourish. The report OF the
| Superintendent, which | herewith transmit,
| shows that there has been an increase Of
| scholars during the past year. 1t isimpOrt-
ant to secure as teachers sufficient number
! OF men of suitable education and ability. and
| with a view to this object. | suggest foI your
| consideration the expediency Of making out
| of the school fund itself some provision for
| the support of such teachers as shall after a
I =
o: disabled while in the performance Of their
| duties
OF the fund placed in my hands by the
acts Of the 10th May, 1861, and of the 4th
Of May, 1861, and to be appropriated in my
! Judgment in military service. [ have expen-
| ded in the last year So, l24 6S in support
| Of the agency at WashingtOn-up until the
| Both Of May last, for my personal staff and
| other military service, an account OF which
| is settled in the office OF the Auditor Cen
eral. No similar appropriation will be re
| quired at this session.
| \ bill was introduced and passed the
| House at the last session Of the Legislature
| providing for the appointment of commits
| siOn to ascertain the damages done in the
counties OF Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Cum
| berland, York and Adams, by the rebel army
! in 1863, which failed in the Senate for want
| of time.
[ commend to your consideration the pro-
| priety Of the passage Of such bill during
| the present session. 1t is just to the people
of these counties who have suffered, as well
as to the Government that these damages
| should be fairly asceTtained and the evi-
dence pc; petuated, whatever may be the
| view to be taken on future consideration by
the United States or State Government as
to the propriety Of paying such claims.
Major General Hancock has been author
lied by the War Department to raise a corps
of veterans, to be called the First Corps:
One of the regulations is that on application
by the Governor of any State. recruiting
officers VIII be designated for such State. |
have been requested by General Hancock to
make such application, but have hitherto
declined to comply with the request 1T
appears to me that the families of men rails
ed on the plan adopted by the War Depart
ment would probably not be entitled to the
relief provided by our own laws for the fam
lies of volunteers. have inquired of Gen
Hancock whether the proposed corps is to
form part Of the regular army or of the vol
unteer force, and if the latter, under what
act of Congress it is to be raised He has
referred that communication to the War De
partment, from which | have as yet receiv-
ed no answer to it.
The following letters have passed between
Gen. Hancock and myself on this subject:
PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
HARRISBURG, Pa, Dec Doth, 1864.
GENERAL:-I received your letter at the
moment of my departure for Philadelphia
on Monday last. [ returned this morning
and hasten to reply.
Having no knowledge of the organization
of the corps you are to command than what
appears in the newspapers and orders L will
be obliged if you will inform me if it is to
be regarded as a part of the regular army
of the United States or as part of the vol
unteer service.
If it is part of the army of the United
States, [ certainly have no connection with
it, as Governor of the State. If it is or
ganized as volunteers, be pleased to inform
me under what act of Congress?
| need not say, General, that | would be
!!