Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-02-07

ced until that payment shall have been
made. L recommend this subject to the
careful and deliberate consideration and
judgment OF the Legislature, and if it should
be found that the tax can be repealed, L
recommend that all laws authorizing the
levying OF local taxes On bonds, mortgages,
loans and all property OF that kind be also
/ repealed. Such a repeal would largely en-
/ courage the investment OF capital In this
! State, and add immensely to the wealth Of
! the State, while the local authorities would
! lose very iIstle, as it rs notorious, that from
/ the difficulties Of the assessment, they re-
/ celve very little from these sources. In
/ case of such repeal, [ recommend the adop-
4 ton OF some eftectual measures for entorc-
+, Ing correct returns of such objects OF taxa
/ ton, with appropriate penalties for the neg
/ lect or refusal TO make them. | make
| these recommendations, believing that 1t
| will lead TO mere equitable local taxation
| and to greater economy IN their disbursement.
Many acts are on our statute books, in
| cooperating companies for various purposes,
! which companies have never been organ
| lied or gone into operation. | recommend
that all such acts be repealed BY a general
| law, and that provision be made that IN fu-
! ture every act authorizing a corporation
| shall become void, unless the corporation
| shall organize and use Its franchises within
q limited time
Since my last annual message the war
against armed treason has been brought to
| close OF the large contributions made
by Pennsylvania TO the National army, but
! few Of the men nov remain In the service.
| The spirit which animated our people, at
| the 0utset Of the rebellion, has never flag.
| ged and we can look back with pride and
| satisfaction to the part taken by this State.
! in aiding % nluttaiu the unity OF the Gov
ernn:eu5 and III lis defence against the as
suits OF its enemies. Ia my first inaugural
address l took occasion to declare that
Pennsylvania would, under any circumstan-
ceS, render tut! au3 determined support of
| the free institutions OF the Union. The
| pledge 80 made was based upon nay knowl
edge OF the solid patriotism OF her citizens.
| At thar time oliager threatened, but no one
| anticipated that it-wotild break forth so
saddenly, nor that ii would grow TO such
proportions as il 10 a brief time assunIet.
aly eoisGieace in PenuSy ,vaIi;s, IN her even,
yet stubborn will, her AGILITY and resousces
have been fully justified by the n,anner il
which she has dong her duty during the late
eveHtfcl 9er:oS.
0a the request Of the President of the
| United States, | made a communication TO
| the ilegis!ature, on the 9Th day OF April,
| 1861, setting forth ihat military orgaalza
tons, OF ! formidable character, which did
not seem 10 DC Gemanqed by any existing
| public exigency, had been formed in certain
! OF the States, aB,. that, whist Pennsylvania
yielded to no State, In her respect Tor and
Willingness 10 protect, By all needful giaran
tees, the constitutional rights and constitu-
tionai Independence Of her sister States, no
contemplated attempt TO resist the enforce
ment of the National law could meet with
| sympathyor encouragement from the peo-
! pie OF this Commonwealth, and asked FOR
authority and means to organize q mlh-
tary bureau at the Capital, and TO so amend
and modify the militia laws as to give vitai-
ty and energy to the military organizations
Of the State On the 18th day OF the same
month, | signed bill providing for the pur-
poses indicated in my message. 1t will be
remembered that this patriotic action OF the
Legislature occurred before it was known
that hostiliities had actually commenced
and it is believed TO be the frs official ac-
ton by the authorities OF any State. or by
the National Legislature.
The first call made by the President for
troops to aid In suppressing the rebellion,
was on the 18th of April, 1851, for seventy
five thousand men; and that of this num-
ber. the quota of Pennsylvania was four
teen regiments, to serve three months un-
less sooner discharged. With unsurpassed
alacrIty and earnestness, volunteers answer
ed to this call, IN such numbers as nantes
ted the iatuitiye conviction OF the people.
that the monStrous wIckedness which had
conceived an armed rebellion against the
the Constitution and the laws, could not be
/ suppressed but by colossal force
/ Major General Robert Patterson was as
/ signed, by the GenC raj Governments, to a
command, which included the forces raised
in Pennsylvania Within week after the
| call of the President, communication with
| Washington was almost entirely cut oil.
General Patterson, prompted by the neces-
sites of the situation, made. on the 10Th OF
April, q requisition upon me for twenty
! FIVE additional regiments of infantry and
one of cavalrv, to be forthwith mustered
i into the service OF. the United States. Tn
der this requisition, [ accepted, from "a
mongst the many pressing to be admitted
7 into the service, sufficient number OF com
panies to fill it; care being taken TO allow to
/ ea5h county, rs nearly as possible, tar
representation Only eleven regiments how
ever. in addition to the fourteen called tor
by the President, were organized and mus
tered into the service, before the order OF
General Patterson was countermanded by
him. under instructions from the w ar De-
partment zns
On the f4th day of May, 1861, the Sec
retarv OF WSr. in letter communicating
the plan of organization. FIR three wears
regiments confirmed the revocation OF the
order in the following language: Ten reg
7inients are assigned TO Pennsylvania. max
ing in adlHian g. the, thirteen regiments
! of three months militia. already called tor,
y twenty three regiments. 1t Is important
to reduce rather than enlarge this mum
4 = lot