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Masence or ran Governor of Pannsylva nia.—The Message of Governor Johnson was delivered on Wednesday to the Legislature. It is short, but touches upon the various sub jects of general legislation which require at tention. It commences with a very proper tribute to the late President of the United States and to the purity of his character.— The Governor suggests that the judicial dis tricts be remodelled, and the number greatly lessened. An increase of the salaries of the Judges of the Common Pleas and District Courts is thought advisable in the event of a reduction in the number of Common Pleas Districts. He proposes to the Legislature to ablish spring elecions,as unnecessary and expensive. One election, in October, is sufficient for all practical purposes. The creation of an agri cultural department, he conceives, demands the attention of the Legislature, in order that valuable information may be diffused through the Commonwealth for the use of the farmer. The census will require probably an appor tionment of the State and Congressional dis tricts, and the Governor hopes that action on such important bills will not be delayed till the end of the session,a practice inconsistent with careful and correct lgislation. He refers also to the improvement of the public buildings and grounds, the necessity to have the weights and measures readjusted in the counties, the publication of the geolo gical report, and an arrangement of the geolo gical specimens, the preservation of colonial and revolutionary papers. He commends the Insane Asylum to be fostering care of the Leg islature. A revision of the laws in relation to taverns, beer-houses, and ten-pin alleys, they being now the common resorts of the young, is also recommened, and an equali zation of tax laws again urged upon the Leg islature. The finances of the commonwealth are as follows:—Amout of debt due on the 30th November last, $40,775,485; stocks and cash in hands of commissioners of sinking fund, $465,090; interest saved of special loan in the discontinuance of the inclined plane, $400, 000, which deducted leaves $39,910,394, a de crease of prolic debt since 1848 of$538,203. About $557,946 were extraordinary expenses, to avoid the Inclined Plane and to complete the North Branch Canal. These completed, nearly one million of dollars may be appro priated annually to the reduction of the pub lic debt. The receipts of the treasury last year were $4,438,131, being less than the es timates $128,167. The estimated expendi tures were $4,034,000; actual payments, $4, 653,193. The estimates for 1851 are—receipts, $4,296,000; payments, $4,101,300. All items of taxation applicable to the sink ing fund, the Governor says, should be re quired to reach the Treasury quarterly, under the severest penalties. The deteriorated con dition of the public works and “some recom mendations for their better management are presented. The improvement of the Dela ware harbor is urged upon Congress, in view of the interior trade which the completion of the public improvements will tend to enlarge, and the wealth of which will pour into Phila delphia. The project of a system of banking based upon State stocks is again revived by the Governor, and argued at some length. He also refers to matters of national legislation, the necessity of revising the revenue laws so as to give protection to manufactures, cheap postage, and lastly, the extension of slavery and the Union. The Governor denies that Pennsylvania has ever disregarded her constitutional obligations relative to fugitive slaves. He thinks that the present law for the recovery of fugitives re quires modifications, but urges obedience to it whilst it remains the law of the land. The kind of proof required should be indicated, and a full record of the entire proceedings be made and preserved. Processes issued should be returned, and the extradition of any color ed person, for whoth warrant had issued with out hearing and before the judge, should be visited with the penalties of kidnapping. The message is a plain and well written paper, set ting forth the views of the Executive clearly, and without any unnecessary amount of nords or discussion. Tail oF The ALaBama.—The new steam ship Alabama, of Samuel L. Mitchull’s line of Savannah steamers, made a short, but very successful trip yesterday, and one with which the numerous company on board, comprising many of our first merchants, Members of the Common Council, marine architects and en gine-builders, were highly gratified. She ran down as far as Sandy Hook, and returned at a seasonable hour, exchanging salutes with the steamship Baltic, on her way to Liverpool, and with the various steam-vessels lying at the piers. A bountiful and elegant collaion was partaken, of with goods, and during the speeches that followed, frequent occasion was taken to speak of the vessel, and the important commercial enterprise in which she is engaged, as among the strongest regiments that bind in one common brotherhood, re mote parts of the nation. The Alabama was built by Wm. H. Webb, and is furnished with a powerful side-lever marine engine, manufactured by Stillman, Allen Co., of the Novelty Iron Works. The cylinder is 75 inches in diameter—stroke of piston, eight feet. It is a very perfect piece of machinery, and worked with regularity, and little or no tremulousness of motion.— With fifteen pound of steam, the greatest pressure the engineer was permitted to carry, it made 164 revolutions. The wheels are 264 feet in diameter, with thirty-two twenty four inch paddles, and ten feet face. The ship is capable of carrying 1000 bales of cotton, 200 cabin and 100 steerage passengers. The fur niture and joiner work are by Robert Laton. Upholstery by N. M. Gaw Co. The ca boose and gallery fittings, which are very complete and ingeniously arranged were pre pared by T. M. Shepard. Capt. Chas. Ludlow is the capable and ex perienced commander of the Alabama—Thos. Strickland, mate; Chas. Wright, steward.— The A. sails on Saturday next.—N. Y. Jour. Com., 9th inst.
Newspaper Details
Augusta Daily Constitutionalist
Augusta, Georgia, US
Tue, Jan 14, 1851
Page 2
Full Page
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SC, USA 11 Oct 2025
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