Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1867-01-09
35,622,052 l6
s2S,14s,o6o SO
22,5S6,o1s SO
Improvement in Treasury
SInca 1851
5,6I2.O4l At


The extraordinary expenditures, during
the war and since its close, In payments
growing out of it by authority of acts of As
sembly, have amounted to upwards of five
millions Of dollars, which, added to the ac-
tual payment of the Indebtedness of the State,
and money in the Treasury for that purpose,
shows the revenues, above the ordinary ex-
penditures, to have amounted to $l0,6I2,-
200, which would all have been applied to
the payment Of the debt of the Common
wealth In the last SIX years. A careful at
tention to the revenues Of the Common
wealth, with such Just and prudent charges
as may be required Id the future, and wise
economy in expenditures will, in my judg-
ment, insure the entire payment of the pub
lie debt, within the period of fifteen years.
The time fixed forthe redemption of S23,-
los, 626, "a of the indebtedness of the Com
monwealth having expired, recommend
that provision be made for its redemption,
by making a new loan for that purpose, pay
able at such periods as the prospective rev
enues will justify.
Il recur, with much satisfaction, to the
wisdom, prudence, and economy of the rep
resentatives of the people, In the manage
ment of the finances of the Commonwealth
during a period of much embarrassment,
uncertainty and distress, and congratulate
you and them on the near approach Of the
entire liquidation of the public debt
Since my last Annual Message, [ have
drawn from the Treasury, two thousand dol
lars of the fund placed in the hands of the
Governor for secret service and other extra
ordinary expenses, which / have expended
in payment of my personal staff, and for
other purposes, as heretofore, except five
hundred and sixty-tmee dollars and forty
eight cents, which | have returned into the
Treasury.
/ present for your consideration, the
amendments to the Constitution of the
United States, proposed to the Legislatures
of the several States by resolution of both
Houses of Congress, passed on the 10th day
of June last [ was glad that it was possi-
bic, without delaying the final adoption of
these amendments, TO ascertain the opinion
of our people upon them, at the general
election, in October last. By the election of
large majority of members openly favoring
and advocating the amendments, that opin-
ion seems to me to have been abundantly
expressed. Indeed, the amendments are so
moderate and reasonable In their character,
that it would have been astonishing II the
people had failed to approve them. That
every person, born in the United States, and
free, whether by birth or manumission, Is q
citizen of the United States, and that no
State has right to abridge the privileges
of citizens of the United States-these are
principles which were never seriously doubt
ed anywhere, until after the insane crusade
in favor of slavery had been for some time
in progress. What is called the decision Of
the Supreme Court of the United States, In
the Dred Scott case has made it expedient
and proper to re-assert these vital principles
in an authoritative manner, and this Is done
in the first clause of the prposed amend
ments
The right of prescribing the qualifications
of voters is exercised by the respective
States, under the Constitution of 1889;
three-ffth of the slaves were counted in as
certaining the representative population OF
the several States The amendment of the
abolished slavery in all the
States and Territories Though it was for
merly otherwise in most, if not all, of the
old Southern States, yet for many years
past the Negroes have not, in any of these,
been permitted to vote. At present, there,
fore, the late slave States would be entitled
to count the whole of their former slave
q i y l.