Year: 1860

ledge is as essential to the art of farming, as
it is to all the other employments of life, we
cannot but feel deeply interested, that commu-
nifty so peculiarly agriculturaas as we are, should
have all the advantages of an education which
combines in itself, as we'll the knowledge of
the practical art of agriculture, as scientific
requirements in all those branches of learning
which are especially applicable to its profta-
BILE pursuit A school where agriculture is
practically taught, is a new field to which cur
attention has been called and one which, be-
cause of its great Importance, well deserves our
attention 1t embraces the principle, that
while youth are taught habits of industry, they
are impressed with the prond consideration,
that the labor of their own hands contributes
to their acquisition of knowledge. And thus,
too, education is brought within the reach of
many bright genius who would otherwise
struggle and languish for the want of the
means of acquiring it, Our School, within its
limited means has been in successful operation
during the past year having under its charge
one hundred boys, who, while they are care
fully instructed in all those branches of science
which pertain to high order of education, are
daily engaged in all the practical operations
of the farm-fitting them to return to rural
life, and to infuse throughout the State an
amount and kind Of knowledge which must
ultimately produce most beneficial influence
upon this most cherished branch of industry -
The practical workings of the school, for the
past year, have impressed the trustees, who
have it in charge, with the highest hopes of its
complete success. The great interest which is
everywhere felt throughout the Commonwealth
in the further extension and progress of the
Institution, commends it to our care and pro-
lection.


The State Librarian will report to you the
completion of the descriptive aud classified cat
aluoge of the books in the State Library, au-
thorized by the act of the 10th Of April, 1858,
"a work, from the details it embraces, of
much labor, bat which will greatly facilitate
the use of the Library. 1t will be seen, from
his report that the origin of the Library dates
far back in the history of the Provincial Gov
ernment, and that it received the fostering care
of the Commonwealth during the period of
the Revolution. 1t is gratifying, that, not
withstanding the waste. to which it has been
subject in past years, owing to the want of
proper attention, under the careful supervision
of the present Librarian, it has, since he has
had the charge of it, nearly doubled its num-
ber of volumes, and now contains in all p, 900
volumes-the largest State Library in the
Union, with the Singl exception of that Of
the State of New York The collection of
law boOkes, and especially law reports, is con.
sidered by those competent to judge, among
the best in the country. The Library, from its
intrinsic value and Importance, and its historic
relations, deserves, and trust it will receive,
the continued liberality of the Legislature


In my inaugural address, as well as in my
last annual message, expressed the opinion
that ourpresent banking system was extremely
defective, and that, unless it were radically
changed should consider it an imperative
duty TO withhold the Executive approval IRON
all bills creating new banks. Without again
giving in detail the reasons which influenced
my action on this question, or repeating the
suggestions and recommendations heretofore
made to the Legislature, it is. proper to re-
mark, at this time, that my convictions have
been confirmed, by time and refectiOn-that
my opinions remain unchanged, and that
cannot approve Of any increase of banking cor
porations under existing laws. If corporate
privileges for banking purposes, are needed,
TO accommodate the business wants of any
portion of the State, justice requires, that such
institution should be complied to protect the
community receiving its circulation, by re quir-
ing that ample security shall be given for the
prompt redemption of its notes, ihe sufficiency
of which no act Of the corporation could i'm
pair. All experience in this State, and else
where has demonstrated, that the present sys-
TEN affords little or no protection to notehold-
ers, beyond the personal integrity ofthe officers
controlling the management of the several
banks For full exposition of my views on
this question, respectfully call the attention
of the General Assembly to my last annual
message


The reports of the Auditor General the
State Treasurer, the Surveyor General, the
Adjutant General, and the Attorney General
will be laid before you, and will shOw,in detail,
the operations of their respective departments
for the past year.


Deeply impressed with the belief that the
present mode of receiving, keeping and disburs-
ing the public revenue, is entirely unsafe, aud
inadequate to the complete protection OF the
interests of the Commonwealth involved, !
again respectfully, though earnestly, invoke
| legislative action on this highly important sub
ect The receipts and disbursements of the
Treasury are each, annually, from three to
! four millions of dollars. At times there is on
hand balance exceeding one million of dol
lars The State Treasurer gives security tc
the Comm onwealtb in the sum of only eighty
! thousand dollars. He deposits the money OF
the State when and where he pleaseS, and il
is paid out upon his own check exclusively
His accounts are settled by the Auditor Gen
eral, once month, and this is, apparently the
| only safeguard provided by law to prevent the
illegal use Of the public funds while under the
control of the State Treasurer That the Trea-
sury OF the Commonwealth has hitherto esca
ped from disastrous defalcation,s owing to the
integrity of the officer, and not to the eficien
cy of the laws and while our main reliance, il
the future, must be on the honesty Of the off