The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-02-08
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

Governor CURTIN's Message. which
was sent to the Legislature on Tuesday.
furnishes the people of this commonwealth
with information which is usually impair
ted at the beginning of the year. The
Message shows us that the financial con
dition of the State has been extremely
prosperous We received over six mil
lions two hundred thousand dollars dur
ing 1855, and there was balance at the
beginning of that year Of nearly two mil
liens of dollars. We paid out during the
same period over FIVE millions and three
quarters, and had balance in the trea
sury on the first of Deceu Der OF S2,3I3,-
55Sl4 Out of the sum paid away, we
appropriated, in redemption of :he State
Indebtedness. Sl,903 3,3l5SS. Our debt
on the same day was s37 76,25S, ,06.-
We had assets on that day amounting to
Sl3.623. .66S.l4, leaving our liabilities in
excess of assets at S23, 1862 1892. As
coutrasted with the year 1860. when our
liabilities exceeded assets $26. 40S l68.-
81, we stand more than two millions six
hundred thousand dollars better off than
we were at that time. When we consi
der what We have gone through in those
five years, the heavy expenditures re
quired for defense, and expenses incident
to the war, we can well congratulate our
selves at having done so well, particularly
when we know that other commonwcaltbs
have added immensely TO their debt
The Governor believes that the annual
receipts Of the Commonwealth are large
enough to justify removal of all State
taxes or real estate, and recommends that
it be done 10 regard to the old tax OF
% cents per 800 there is no difficulty
but the tax Of cents per Sl00, laid by
that act of 1864, was pledged for the re
payment of S3.000,0 900 loan, aud caunot
be removed until that money is paid
Perhaps this will have to remain, but the
greater tax can be removed, and no doubt
it will be done.
The Governor recommends that, in case
the State tax on real estate is removed.
the levying of local taxes on bonds, mort
cages. loans, and all property of that
kind, be prohibited. He says:
such repeal would largely encour
age the investment Of capital in this State
aud add immensely to the wealth OF the
State, while the local authorities would
lose very little, as it is notorious that,
from the difficulties of assessment, they
receive very little from these sources"
! The governor sums up the result Of
the action of Pennsy lvania in supporting
! the cause Of the Union during the Rebel
lion with proud consciousness that We
have done our duty. We furnished the
United States during the Rebellion with
/ 362 ,2S4 soldiers, exclusive Of militia
and volunteers for emergencies. and ex
elusive Of men sent into the navy. OF
the latter the Message does not give u>
the numbers, except that in 1868 there
were &c. .5SS of these troops furnished 70,
the emergency preceding the battle Of
/ Gettysburg. The number Of men farm
ished to the navy might have been 90.
600. Assuming that it was only 10000
the whole number of men furnished the
( Government for service duriog the Rebel
lion could not have tJeen less than 40S .S72
a record Of patriotism scarcely to be ex
ceedel by any other State in the Uuiou