The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-02-08
To the PRESIDENT.

| Your obedient servant,
A. G. CURTIN.
To the PRESIDENT.
The refusal has been persisted in, under
an opinion of the Attorney General of the
United States, a copy of which was sent
| to me.
recommend that the Legislature make
proper efforts to have this injustice cor
rected.
The report of David Wills, ESQ, p.e-
sident of the Soldiers National Cemetery,
| at Gettysburg, herewith transmitted,
shows the present condition of the ceme-
terry. As the battle of Gettysburg result
ed in glorious victory, and was in fact
the beginning of the end of the war, and
occurred on the soil of the Commonwealth,
think it would be we'll that it should be
commemorated by an historical painting,
to be placed in the Capitol of the State !;
and | recommend that the Legislature
take measures for that purpose.
The State of Maryland has proposed to
her sister States that they unite with her
In establishing cemetery for our soldiers
who fell at Antietam. l herewith trans
NIT copies of the Maryland statute, and
other documents or this subject, and re-
commend the passage of au act heartily
| accepting the proposition of the State of
Maryland. All the States having prompt
ly and generously responded to our pro-
position to have cemetery at Gettysburg,
1t would seem proper that we should re-
ciprocate, and unite in this. The duty is
made more sacred when we remember
that more of Pennsylvania sons fell in
that battle than those of any other State
The report Of the State Agent at Wash
ington, herewith transmitted, shows that
under his efficient management the claims
OF our soldiers are promptly examined
and paid. Every effort has been made to
apprise our officers and men that their
claims will be collected by the State
Agent (Col. Jordan, without expense to
them; yet it is feared that many of them
continue to employ private claim agents,
whose fees bear heavily on the claimants.
Since my last annual message | have
expended of the secret service fund, the
sum of four thousand three hundred and
thirty-three dollars and twenty cents, out
of which l have paid my personal staff
and other extraordinary expenses. No
appropriation is required for the increase
OF this fund.
invite your attention to the reports
of the Military Departments of the State,
to the report of the Superintendent of
Common Schools, which exhibits the pros
porous condition of our system of public
education, and to the report of the Sur
yeyor General, and recommend to your
favorable consideration the many excel
lent suggestions made by that officer.
commend to your earDest cousidera-
ton the suggestion made by the Surgeon
General In his report, herewith transmit
ted, Ola the propriety of legislation for the
protection of our people, by proper sani-
tary measures, from the ravages of the
cholera, which is now approaching our
shores.
l commend to the wisdom of the Leg
islature the subject OF providing for the
relief Of our maimed and wounded sol
diers Possibly this might be done by
continuing and eniarging the acts provi-
ding for boards of relief in the several
counties. | recommend the adoption by
the Legislature of this or some other plan
for doing justice to the class of men in
question.
By the joint resolution of'May 10th,
1861, authorizing me to give flags 10 our
regiments, it was made the duty of the
Executive to receive the flags when the
regiments returned This has not been
hitherto done, inasmuch as they have not
all yet been mustered out. As soon as
this shall nave taken place, the flags will
be received with appropriate ceremonies,
and recommend that the Legislature
make provision for causing them to be
hung in the new Library.
| refer to the suggestion of Brigadier
General Todd, Inspector General, on the
subject of the militia. l am not pre-
pared to make any recommendation on
this subject, as | observe with great plea
sure, that Congress IS proposing to estab-
iish uniform system throughout the
United States
The arsenal at Harrisburg is decayin1
and unsafe. The arms and munitions of
the State there deposited are of the value
probably of half million of doIIar5.
recommend that provision be made for re-
pairing it, or that new arseual be con-
structed in this vicinity, for the purpose
of securing their preservation.
Since my last annual message, the late
President of the United States has fallen
victim to the most foul aud base assas-
sination recorded in history 1t will af-
ford me pleasure and / will heartily unite
with you in any expression of Indignation
at the crime, and of appreciation of the
public virtue and services Of its victim,
Abraham Lincoln.
My uniform course during the late war,