Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-01-15

war.
State AeeRcy.
The existence of the Military Stat
Agency at Washington terminated o
the 3lst day Of July last, at which tim
the appropriation for the payment {
i its expenses was exhausted. Muc
benefit resulted to many Of the so
diers of our State, and their represer
tatives, from this office, in which thei
just dues from the United State
! Government We're collected and traus
| mftted to them free Of charge
In August, after the agency ceased +
/ exist, there still remained a c0nsidera
bic number of unsettled claims, and a.
/ no one knew more about their condi
/ ton, or could possibly obtain an Garlic
/ settlement of them than the late agent
! Col. Cook, permitted him, upon hi
own offer, to close up the business O
| the Office, and to transact any Other
business for the soldiers of Pennsylva
MIA at one hoLf he fees that are charged
by any other private agency in Wash
ingt0H City. This Arrangement ha.
thus far been carried out, and ] ar
pleased to add, with very general sat
isiaction. All the books and papers oil
the agency will be transferred to the
office of the Adjutant General.
Registry Lar.
At the last session of the Legislature an
act was passed known as the Registry
Law, the intention of which was to pro
teet the ballot-bCx against corruption and
fraudulent voting to which il has for many
years been disgracefully exposed This law
seems 10 have been so defective in some oil
its provisions as to have received the con-
demnatiou of a majority Of the Supreme
Court, by which it was pronounced ''Incon-
gruous aud unconstitutional At the cleo
ton Immediately after this decision, it is
alleged that frauds were perpetrated, sur
passing in magnitude, perhaps, any that
have been c0nsummated heretofore In the
history Of the Commonwealth These
frauds have demonstrated the necessity Of
the passage of some law. OF laws, that will
accomplish the desired object, without be-
ing subject to the exceptionable features
pointed out by the learned gentlemen who
pronounced the opinion Of the Supreme
Bench
There is no subject Of such vital impor-
tance 10 the whole country as the sanctity
of the ballot-box, and the protection Of all
citizens in their right to the elective fran
chiss. This right Is our pr0udest boast. 1t
endoWS the American citizen with free
dom and power not possessed BY the sub
ject Of any other government 1t makes
him the peer of his fellow man, whatever
may be his rank, station or position In life.
To be deprived oft by any means whatever,
bis boasted freedom becomes sham-his
especial aud exalted prerogatiye mockery
and farce What ayaIls it to the citizen
that be is entitled to a vote; if that vote Is
to be nulliGed by fraud Such guards,
then, should be thrown around the polls as
viii effectually. if possible, preserve them
from the faint of a single Illegal vote. Not
only should false voting be severely punish
ed, but false swearing to obtain vote, be
visited with the pains and penalties OF per-
jury and with perpetual disfranchlsement.
The people must be perfectly free to reg
ulate their public business in their own way,
and when the voice o. the majority is fairly
aud clearly expressed all should bow to it
as 10 the voice of God. They are the soy
ereign rulers, and their will must be the law
Of the land Corruption of suffrage in a re
publican government Is the deadhest crime
that can be perpetrated; is assassination Of
the sovereignty of the people, and viii be
&. n -l,ltu VIZ oe money aud perjury. And
If this privilege be tampered with, sooner or
ater the sure and indignant popular con
iemnatlon will be rendered and conlign
administered All good citi-
ems OF whatever political opinion, should
end their aid for the accomplishment of any
ind every measure that may tend to secure
o each voter, not only his right to the cleo
i've franchise, but the assurance that his
7ote will not be rendered Yalueles5 By ille-
,ality, corruption or fraud.
Every proper facility for the naturaliza-
ion Of citizens Of foreign birth should be
forded; but the Legislature, in its combin
d wisdom, can surely enact some mode to
,revent the possibility Of single vote being
asst upon spurious naturalization papers,
nd thus fully secure the purity of the elec-
i've franchise
Rsvjsioa ofhe Girl Code.
The commissioners appointed to codify |
he statute laws of the State have diiigent- /
2 prosecuted the work assigned them, and .
18th every prospect that it will be fully com /
leted within the time prescribed by the /
;gjsiatiye resolutions of April 3, 1868; and /
, further compliance with Iueln, lrvJ w1Il +
ause to be laid before each branch Of the /
leneral Assembly, at its present session, /
arious titles ofbills, with brief abstracts Of |
be several sections of each, which have been |
latured.
Insurance Department.
Among the subjects of importance to the |
itzcus of Pennsylvania Is the establishment |
( an Insurance Department. such de- /
artments are in successful operation IN /
everal neighboring States, by means OF /
,hich the interests of insurers are guarded |
nd promoted. So careful a supervision IS |
ad over the transactions of insurance com !
auies that frauds are rendered almost I'M |
.ossible, and spurious companies can have
10 existence. The result of the protection
hus afforded, is, that whilst foreign com
,auies. thus protected do immense business
n this State. so little confidence is had in
hose of Pennsylvania that their business Is
imost entirely confined within the State
limits: and lately some Of them have with
Irawn their agencies from other States, be-
.ause no risks will be taken, in consequence
# the inadeouacy of the laws to afford pro-
action TO insurers, To this defect, more
,ver. NAV be attributed the operations OF
he number of worthless companies which
AVE suddenly sprung up, without any soId
oasis. and as suddenly expired, to the m
urv Of all whose confidence they obtained,
Ind to the dishonor Of the Commonwealth.
Whilst Pennsylvania insurance companies
.ransact little business outside OF the State,
4 is alleged that foreign life insurance com
oanies alone paid taxes last year on three
million eight hundred thousand dollars of
received in Pennsylvania great
proportion of which would be confined to
his State If the same protection was given
1y law TO its citizens as Is afforded by other
States. The report Of the Insurance De-
Dartment of New York, published IN 1861
shows that the companies which were dong
business in 1866, in Pennsylvania, and also
ia New York, had risks IN force for more
han FIVE thousand million of dollars; and II
/ believed that the risks in Pennsylvania
companies, which, for want Of a proper In
surance Department, can not be obtained,
would swell the amount to over SIX thou
sand million.
In view Of these facts, and of the costly
experience of the people who have been ln.
posed upon and defrauled by unsubstantial
and ephemeral companies, | repeat the
made to the Legislature at