Year: 1861

ent is not the proper time to renew grants to
| institutions of these classes which heretofore
received State aid If it were, the public au-
thorities do not possess the requisite data for
a safe and Just extension of Hberaty. The
period will arrive when all public educational
agencies must be included in one great system
for the elevation of mind and morals; and when
the State will no doubt, patronize every proper
effort in the good work.


For the details Of the system, during the
last school year, the attention of the Legisa-
ture is respectfully referred to the annual re-
port of the Common School Department,
herewith submitted.


| desire again, specially, to call the attention
of the General Assembly to the Farmers
| High School of Pennsylvania as an institution
which prop oses to accomplish an object which
! has never been attained in this couHtry-the
supply of want which has ever beea felt by
the agricultural community: the education OF
/ their sons, at once, to scientific knowledge,
habitual industry, aud practical skill, to fit
them for the associations of rural life, and the
occupation chosen for them by their fathers.
! The gains of the farmer, however certain, are
small The education Of bis sons should there
/ fore, be measured by the nature of his business.
lutIC SCclucS W IIC uO Pa A1CCiSoi tbONC va SLN"'
ening education, but by combining an amount
of expenditure, within the ability OF farmer,
with the daily labor of the student so as to
make the institution so nearly self sustaining
as to bring it within the reach of that class
who constitute so important branch OF the
industry of our people. The original design
of the school embraced the accommodation OF
! four hundred students, number essential to
the economical working Of the system; and
although the applications for admission are
nnmberleSs she utmost efforts OF the trustees
! have rot enabled them 10 complete more than
one-third of the building, or to accommodate
more than a corresponding number OF students.
! Many individuals drought the State convinced
Of the merit of an institution which promises so
much good, have contributed literally to what
has already been done; and the board Of trus-
tees have labored with zeal which cannot
tail to commend itself to the kind feeling of
all our citizens Scientific education has ad-
vanced the interests Of every aVocatlon of
iife-agrculture far less than any other--and
for the manifest reason that it has not reach
ed it TO the same extent, and never viii reach
it, unless the body be educated to the plow, as
well as the mind to the philosophical principles
which the plow's work deveopes


[ have always looked upon the Farmers
High School with peculiar favor, as well be-
cause of my own convictions of its promised
usefulness. as the favor which has hitherto
been shown 20 it by the Representatives Of
the people its charter requires an annual
exhibition of its receipts, expenditures and
operations generally, and these will doubtless
be laid before you.


BY the act passed by the last Legislature
establishing a system of free banking in Penn
syvania, and securing the public against loss
from inSolyeut banks, radical changes were
made in the banking laws of this State Ia
stead of corporations created by specia! laws,
voluntary associations are authorized to tanSact
the business OF banking. without further legis-
lation and as an Indispensable prerequisite to
the Issuing Of bank notes for circulation as
money ample security must be deposited with
the Auditor General for their prompt redemp-
ton. The law makes provision, not only for
the incorporation of new banking associations,
but enables those banking Institutions that are
already in existence, TO continue their business
for twenty years after the expiration of their
present charters, upon complying with its pro-
visions, by Withdrawing their old circulation,
and giving the securities required for the re-
demption of their new issues The public |
am sure will rejoice that no further necessity
exists for legislative action, either on the sub
! iect of creating new, or re-charterlng Old
banks; and that the timeand attention OF their
Representatives will now, happily, be no
longer monopozed in the consideration Of a
subject hitherto productive of so much strife
and contention, if not positive evil


The rapid increase of private banks, through
| D,,rt ho Stntn t1v- rfrhf th.r
they should be placed under proper legislative
restrictions, and that the large amount OF
capital, thus employed, should be made to con-
tribute its fair proportion TO the revenues Of
the Commonwealth Their business, in the
aggregate, is now blieved to amount TO sum
almost, if not quite equal to the whole bus-
ness of the regularly chartered banks; and yet
it is entirely unrestricted, and with the excep.
ton of a merely nominal license tax, is free
from taxation. This is unjust to every other
class of our tax paying citizens, and especially
so the banking institutions holding charters
from the Commonwealth, for which they have
each paid liberal bonus, and are, in addition
subject TO very large tax On their dividends
| respectfully commend this subject to the at
tention of the Legislature.


A high sense of duty impelS me again to
call the attention of the Legislature to the in-
adequacy of existing laws. regulating the re-
ceiving, keeping and disbursement Of the rev.
nues of the State The public moneys are
now paid directly to the State Treasurer who
deposits them out in sums, either small or great
upon bis own unattested check exclusively
the amount thus received, kept aud disbursed is
annually between three and four millions of
dollars, with balances on hand at times exceed
ing one million of dollars; while the bond of
the State Treasurer is for only eighty thousand
dollars. His accounts are settled monthlY by