The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-01-14

OF the prOJccGlOn Iillto dci, II, lHdC
whilst foreign companies, thus protected,
do immense business in this State, SO little
confidence is had in those cS Pennsylvania
that their business is almost entirely con
fined within the State limits and lately
some Of them have Withdrawn their agen-
cies from other States because no risks viii
be taken, in consequence Of the iGadequa-
cy Of the laws to afford protection to in
surers. To this defect, moreover, may be
attributed the operations Of the number Of
worthless companies which have suddenly
sprung up, without any solid basis and as
suddenly expired, to the injury of all
whose confidence they obtained, and to the
dishonor of the Commonwealth. Whilst
Pennsylvania insurance companies trans
act little business outside of the State, it
il ALLEGED that foreign life insurance com
paDies alone paid taxes last year on three
million eight hundred thousand dollars Of
premiums received in Pennsylvania, great
proportion of which would be confined to
this State If the same protection was given
by law to its citizens as is afforded by 9th
er States. The report Of the Insurance
Department of New York, published in
1867, shows that the companies which
L
vana, and also in New York, had risks in
force for more than five thousand million
of dollars and it is believed that the risks
in Pennsylvania companies which, for want
of proper Insurance Department can not
be obtained, would swell the amount to
over SIX thousand millions.
In view of these facts, and of the costly
experience of the people who have been
imposed upon and defrauded By unsub
stantial and ephemeral companies, l repeat
the recommendation made to the Legisla-
ture at its last session, that an Insurance
Department be cstablis he'd, and a superin
tendent appointed by law, who shall have
supervision and control over all insurance
companies allowed to transact business
within the State, and annually publish,
under oath, full reports Of their transac-
tions. The community is deeply interested
in this matter, and demands the protec-
ton which can thus only be afforded.
The Governor then goes on to discuss
several subjects, of no special interest to
the general reader, including damages by
rebel raids, State beuefciaries, the cattle
disease, pardons, &c. The conclusion of
his message is as follows
since my last annual communication to the
Legislature have been unusually interest
ing and significant They have been in
iinitely more than political, and bear di-
rectly upon the great interests and most
sacred destinies Of the nation Apart
from the vindication of the principle of
the party which sustained the government
and the army during the contest for the
preservation Of the Union, and the cleo
ton to the Presidency of the first soldier
Of the age, is the fact that the people have
by triumphant majorities forever settled
our controversy upon certain fundamental
nrinrinlas p"~.;o- --.~J- s.4I undoubtedly
VIII arise upon other issues, but there can
be no future struggle about slavery. In
voluntary servitude, as monopoly of la
bor, is forever destroyed. The monster
obstacle to the national progress has been
removed, and hcnceforward all the facuI-
ties of our people can be developed '.with-
out let or hinderance" The fair and ex-
uberantly fertile States Of the South, here
tofore comparatively retrogressive aud
unproductiye, relieved from this terrible
curse, with the influx Of northern immi-
eration and capital, viii soon become the
rivals OF their northern sister States in all
the arts Of peace, and additional markets
will be developed in which to exchange
the very products OF the heretofore hostile
sections.
Hardly less magical has been the effect
upon other nations. General Grants
election has confirmed the hopes of our
nation's friends. and the fears of its foes
IN the Old World 1t supplements and
seals the verdict Of arms and the progress
Of republican principles. The downfall Of
the rebellion in the United States was
quickly followed by the great civil revolu-
ton IN England; the peaceful expulsion of
tho last of the Bour5ons from Spain the
unrest Of Cuba the concession of more
liberal principles in Germany; and the
necessary acquiescencc Of the Emperor OF
the French in the republican sentiments
he fears even as he has betrayed them-
What are these but the echoes Of the dire
catastrophe that has overwhelmed aristoc-
racy in the United States
Notwithstanding the Importance Of the
issues involved in the late canvass, and the
bitterness of feeling as we'll as the earn
cstness with which it was conducted, It's
termination has happily met with the ac-
quiesence Of nearly tie whole people and
at no time in the history OF the nation has
there been opened before US Il brighter
prospect of continued peace and increasing
prosperity and We have no greater cause
for universal coagratulation than that no
differences of opinion now exist that can
materially mar our national happiness, re
tard our onward progress, or threaten the
peace or perpotuity Of our government.
La conclusion, permit me to remark that
the voice Of Pennsylvania, rs well as that
of II majority OF the States, has at the bal
lot-box proclaimed to the world that all
our national indebtedness, no matter how
heavy the burden, will be paid according
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