Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-01-13

ol leyc, together with tho progress and re. |
u .ts of the experimental farms duriag the |
Z ar Just ended
LAND DEPARTMENT.
The report of tho Surveyor RNeNeral fur.
slshes detailed account ogthW land office.
During the past fiscal war S,5S0 patents
were issued, covering & Sfe,SS0 acres, being
more than one-ftly sixth part of the area
ni the state, The expenses OF the Office,
includlngimprov tments, was $2i, 400 whilst
IhC receipts, troin foes alone, amounted 10
St6, 70S 81.
PARpoNs.
The numbe.r OF applications for pardon
during the past year was twelve hundred
aud forty, of which siXty-two, or five per
cent, we'o granted,
60 NsTlrCTIoNAL CONVENTION.
Four years experience as an executive
officer has given me abundant opportunity
for AreOl observation upon the workings
Of cur fundamental law and the legislation
of the state. This experience has strongly
! oppressed me that there should be II thor.
ough revision of the state constitution with
such amendments as the wisdom ofa con-
vcntion assembled for that purpose would
undoubtedly suggest and an enlightened
public sentiment demand.
BayonetS at the Polls.
The employment of United States
troops nj elections without the consent
of the local and state governments,
has recently received considerable at.
tention and apprehension. II is re
garded as an interference with the
sovereign rights of the states, which
was not contemplated by the founders
of the general government, and, il
persisted in, must lead TO result disas.
trous to peace and harmony. The
practice is one so serious in It's charac-
ter, and so injurious in its tendencies,
as TO merit prompt consideration and
decisive action, not only by the gene
raj assembly but by congress. One of
the complaints af the colOnists against
the British King was the oppression
growing out of the assumption of this
power. They said, "He has kept
among us in times of peace standing
armies, without the consent of our
legislature" and, what is especially
pertinent to the case in point. "He
has affected to render the military in
dependent of, and superior to the civil
power" The alleged authority for
the use oftroops Mt our state elections
is derived from the tenth section of an
act ofcongress, approved May 81. 1870,
entitled "An Act to enforce the right
OF citizens of the United States to vote
in the several states in the Union, and
for other purposes which authorizes
United States marshals TO call TO their
assistance, "such portion of the land
and naval forces of the United States,
or of the militia, us may be necessary
to the performance of the duty with
which they are charged, and to in
sure a faithful observance of the fif
teenth amendment TO the constitution
of the Uuited States" But it must be
= forced construction of this law that
lTill justify the presence of armed ma.
i, 1nal forces at our places of election
VII en- no necessity exists therefor, and
who're their presence is calculated to
prov oke collision. With a good
the exercise of the power
.eferrrd to might have no injurious
'esults, but in the hands of bad man,
governed by personal ambition, il
night pr I'VE exceedingly calamitous.
Jnconseio usly good President might
,e induced to employ it wrongfully
,ad one would be almost certain TO use
t for his own advancement. Under
my circums tances, in my opinion, il is
Unsafe, and antagonistic 10 the princi- |
,les that should govern our republican |
Institutions. At the last October elec- |
ion United States troops were station
d in Philadelphia for the avowed pur-
nose of enforcing the election laws.
This was done without the consent or
ven the knowledge of the civil au-
horities of either the city or the state,
nd without any expressed desires on
he part of the citizens and rs far as
an be ascertain, ed, without existing
ecessity. From a conscientious con.
ictiOn of its impor lance, | have cal
ed your attention TO this subject. A
eglect TO have done so might have
een construed as an endorsement of
MEASURE that meets my unqualified
isapproval. The civil authorities of
Pennsylvania have always been. aud
re still, competent to protect its citi.
ems in the exercise of their elective
and the proper and only
ime for United States military forces
0 intervene, will be when. the power
{ the commonwealth is exhausted and
heir aid is lawfully required.
j. W. GEARY.