The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-03-01
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
HARRIsBURG. Feb. q, 1861

.
moments of leisure, will jot down
some desultory notes touching things
at the State Capital. The legislature
is not in session at present, having adj
journed on Thursday last to meet on
Tuesday next. This adjournment, it
isalleged by some of the majority, was
effected because of the respect the Leg
islature are supposed to entertain for
the memory of that old Virginia rebel,
George Washington but it is shrewd-
ly surmised that since Andy Johnson's
disquisition on defunct ducks, the Rad
icals regard this as dies irdc, and, there
fole, think it best to keep quiet whilst
its hours are passing. At any rate the
glorious Twenty-Secondw was permitted
to go by without any demonstration in
its honor by the Radical Legislature of
Pennsylvania.
There il still some little talk about
the Pittsburg and Connellsville Rail-
road bill which was lost in the Senate,
a few days ago. The bill will soon be
acted upon in the House, but | think
will fail there also. There is good
deal of acrimony between the friends
of this bill and those of the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad, and in the debate upon
the bill in the Senate, the Speaker was
frequently compelled to check Senators
in their attempts to reflect upon each
others motives. 1t is a sad thing that
jealousy of sectional interests should
thus divide and distract the counsels of
the legislature in regard to railroad inn
provements, and the people should a.
wake to thenecessity of electing men
to that body whose broader views and
earnest desires for the good of the peo-
pie of every section of the State will
put an end to legislation which favors
one locality to the edetrimentof another.
| fear that there is but little prospect of
the enactment of Free Railroad Law.
True, there may some law be passed
which will bear such title, but the bills
which | find on the files of the two
Houses, protesting to be ''free railroad
laws" would make an infinitely worse
system than that which exists at pres
ent. One of them, for instance, propO-
ses to erect a RAILROAD Bureau" the
Comptroller of Railroads." to be APP
DO;ptod hxy +I,o Co,arDor rVi,ara iS
too much one man power in this to be
a safe measure, andat any rate we want
as few 6lTeaur in this country as possi-
BILE. There are generally too many
Ordl0erS in such institutions to suit the
pockets of the people. Another bill
(the "free railroad" law par ercellence)
constitutes the Secretary of the Com
the head Of a railroad de-
partment, and requires that fifteen
thousand dollars of stock shall be sub
scribed for every mile Of railroad to be
built, ten thousand dollars of which
must be subscribed and ten per cent. of
the ten thousand dollars paid up, be-
fore permission will be granted by the
Secretary of the Commonwealth to a
ny company to act as a corporation.
This bill, also, makes the members of
companies individually liable for every
incurred by such compa-
MES. | should like to see the railroad
that will be constructed under such
law as this. If we are to have ''free
railroad law" at all, let it be free in the
true sense of the term. Let us have
no Railroad Autocrat at Harrisburg,
but, as railroads are a public blessing,
let us have law which will permit a
ny man, or set of men, under proper
restriction, to constructall the railroads
they please. If we cannot have such
a "free railroad law" it will be inf
nitely better to have none at all.
There is not much said about the pro-
posed Constitutional Convention. The
Radicals are very reticent in regard to
the matter. Is there any doubt that
such body should assemble? think
not. Our State system needs remodel
ing. The local interests Of this great
Commonwealth are so various and di-
versified that justice to all Of them de-
nands that communities rather than
counties or municipalities, should have
representation in the Legislature. A
gain, the Office of Auditor General
should be abolished, and instead there
Of, board of State Auditors should be
to consist of two persons, both
TO be chosen at the same election, and
each voter to cast ballot for but one of
them. This would operateas an effect
lal check to all partizan white-wasb
ing Of the plundering of the Treasury.
Other reforms, of which | have not
space to speak at present, would also
engage the attention of such a body.
[, therefore, hope, almost against nope,
hat the Legislature will yet adopt a
.all for such Convention.
/ have Just learned that Gen. A. II.
Joffroth, Assessor of Internal Revenue
ior our district, and Col. r. c. Swope,
Collector of Internal Revenue for the
same, have both been rejected by the
U. S. Senate. | am sorry for this, per-
'onally speaking, as they were both
excellent officers and good friends of
he subscriber. ] cannot see why the
Senate refuses to conrfim the appoint