The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-01-15

( tHt HuHuEtu, any Oh WHICH cOuiU eaSl-
ly berecruited to the maximum number
/ if required for active service. The
! State that always maintains the high
/ est degree of preparation, accomplish
/ es most and suffers least in the conflict
ofarms ;and by being in readiness it Of
/ ten prevents improper encroachments
/ upon her rights.
/ The Adjutant General presents a full
and detailed statement Of the disburse-
/ ments in his department during the
/ year ending November 30, 1868, with
an estimate for the necessary apprOpria-
| tions for the current year, and also for
/ such amounts as have been discover
/ ed to be due from the transportation
/ department, contracted during the
war
State Agency.
The existence of the Military State
/ Agency at Washington terminated on
the 3lst day of July last, at which time
the appropriation for the payment of
its expenses was exhausted. Much
benefit resulted to many of the SOL
diers of our State, and their represen-
tatiVcs, from this office, in which their
just dues from the United States
/ Government were collected and trans
{
! In August, after the agency ceased to
| exist, there still remained q cOnsidera-
( bic number of unsettled claims, and as
no one knew more about their condi-
ton, or could possibly obtain an earlier
settlement of them than the late agent,
Col. Cook, permitted him, upon his
own offer, to close up the business of
the Office, and to transact any other
,c
mia at one hdif the fees that are charged
by any other private agency in Wash
ingtOn City. This arrangement has
thus far been carried ont, and | am
pleased to add, with very general sat
isfaction. All the books aud papers Of
the agency will be transferred to the
Office of the Adjutant General.
Registry Lat0
At the last session of the Legislature an
act was passed known as the Registry
Law, the intention Of which was to pro-
tect the ballot-box against corruption and
fraudulent voting, to which it has for many
years been di.gracefully exposed This law
to have been so defective in some of
its provisions as to have received the con-
demnation of a majority of the Supreme
Court, by which it was pronounced ''incon
gruous and unconstitutional. At the elec-
tion Immediately after this decision, it is
alleged that frauds were perpetratcd, sur
passing in magnitude, perhaps, any that
have been consummated heretofore in the
history of the Commonwealth These
frauds have demonstrated the necessity of
the passage of some law, or laws that will
accomplish the desired object, without be-
ing subject 10 the ezceptional le features
pointed out by the learned gentlemen who
pronounced the opinion Of the Supreme
Bench
There is no subject of such vital impor-
tance to the whole country as the sanctity
Of the ballot-boX, and the protection of all
citizens in their right TO the elective fran
chisa. This right Is our proudest boast. 1t
endows the american citizen with a 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 De his rank, station, or position in HE.
To be deprived oft by any means whatever,
bis boaSted freedom becomes a sham-his
especial and exalted prerogative a mockery
and farce. What ayails it to the citizen
that he is entitled to a vote, if that vote is
to be nullifed by fraud? Such guards,
then, should be thrown around the polls as
will eItecfuaIy. 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 a vote, be
visited with the pains and reHaIteS Of per
jury and with perpetual disfranchisement
The people must De perfectly free to reg
ulate their public business in their own way.
and when the voice Of the majority is fairly
and clearly expressed all should bow TO it
as to the voice Of tod They are the SOW
ereign rulers, and their will must be the law
Of the land. Corruption Of suffrage in a re
publican government is the deadliest crime
that can be perpetrated; is a sassination of
the sovereignty OF the people, and will be
followed by deSpotism, the motive power
Of which will be money and perjury. And
if this privilege be tampertd with sooner or
later the sure aud indignant popular con
demnation viii be rendered and conlign
punishment administered. All good cti-
zenS, o whatever political opinion, should
lend their aid for the accomplishment Of any
and every measure that may tend to secure
to each voter, not only his right TO the eleo-
tive franchise, but the assurance that his
vote will not be rendered v4lueiesS by lie
gai'y, corruption or fraud
Every proper facility for the naturaiza
ton of citizens Of foreign birth should be
afforded; but the Legislature, in It's combin-
ed wisdom, can surely enact some mode to
prevent the possibility Of single vote being
cast upon spurious naturalization papers,
and thus fully secure the purity Of the elcc-
tive franchise
Reriaioa ofdhe GIRL Code.
The commissioners appointed to codify
the statute laws Of the State have diligent
ly prosecuted the work assigned them, and
with every prospect that it will be fully COM
pleted within the time prescribed by the
legislative resolutions Of April s, 1863; and
in further compliance with them, they will
cause to be laid before each branch of the
General Assembly, at its present session.
various titles Of bills, with brief abstracts of
the several sections Of each, which have been
matured.
Insurance Department,
Among the subjects Of importance to the
citizens Of Pennsylvania is the establishment
OF an Insurance Department, Such de-
partments are in successful operation in
several neighboring States, by means of
which the interests OF insurers are guarded
and promoted. So careful a supervision is
nau over the IfanSacHOnS OF Insurance com
panies that frauds are rendered almost i'm
possible, and spurious companies can have
no existence, The result of the protection
thus afforded, is, that whilst foreign con-
panies, thus protected, do immense business
in this State, so little confidence is had in
those of Pennsylvania that their business is
almost entirely confined within the State
limits; and lately some of them have with
drawn their agencies from other States, be-
cause no risks will be taken, in consequence
of the inadequacy Of the laws to afford pro-
lection to insurers, To this defcos, more.
over, may be attributed the operations of
the number of worthless companies which
have suddenly sprung up, without any SOLD
basis, and as suddenly expired, to the in