USA > Pennsylvania > A geography of Pennsylvania : containing an account of the history, geographical features, soil, climate, geology, botany, zoology, population, education, government, finances, productions, trade, railroads, canals &c. of the state : with a separate description of each county, and questions for the convenience of teachers : to which is appended, a travellers' guide, or table of distances on the principal rail road, canal and stage routes in the state > Part 13
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" In elections by the citizens, every white freeman of the age of twenty-one years, having resided in this State one year, and in the election district where he offers to vote, ten days immediately preceding such election, and within two years paid a State or county tax, which shall have been assessed at least ten days before the election, shall enjoy the rights of an elector; but a citizen of the United States, who had previously been a qualified voter of this State, and removed therefrom and returned, and who shall have resided in the election district, and paid taxes as aforesaid,
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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
shall be entitled to vote after residing in the State six months :- Provided, That white freemen, citizens of the United States, be- tween the ages of twenty-one and twenty-two years, and having resided in the State one year, and in the election district ten days as aforesaid, shall be entitled to vote, although they shall not have paid taxes."
The Judiciary power is vested in a supreme court, in courts of oyer and terminer, and general jail delivery, courts of common pleas, orphans' and registers' courts, a court of quarter sessions for each county, and in justices of the peace. The judges of the several courts are nominated by the Governor, and with the con sent of the Senate are appointed and commissioned by him. The judges of the supreme court hold their offices for fifteen years; the president judges of the courts of common pleas and other courts of record, and all other judges required to be learned in the law, are appointed for ten years; and the associate judges of the courts of common pleas, for five years. But for any reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground of impeachment, the Governor may remove any of them on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the Legislature.
Sheriffs and Coroners of the several counties are elected by the people, for three years ; but no person can be twice elected sheriff in any term of six years. Prothonotaries of the supreme court are appointed by the court : prothonotaries and clerks of the other courts, recorders of deeds, and registers of wills are elected by the people and commissioned by the Governor, for three years.
Justices of the peace and aldermen are elected by the qualified voters in the several wards, boroughs and townships, and are com- missioned by the Governor for a term of five years.
No person can be appointed to office in any county who has not. been a citizen and inhabitant therein, for one year next before his appointment. No member of Congress from this State, or any person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, can hold any office in this State to which a salary or emoluments are annexed by law. No member of the Senate or House of Re- presentatives can be appointed by the Governor to any office during the term for which he is elected. All officers for a term of years hold their offices only on the condition of good behaviour, and may be removed on conviction of misbehaviour in office or of any infamous crime. Any person who shall fight a duel, or send a challenge for that purpose, or be aider or abettor in fighting a duel, is deprived of the right of holding any office of honour or profit in this State, and may be otherwise punished according to law.
In the Declaration of Rights attached to the Constitution of Penn- sylvania, it is declared among other things: That all men are born equally free and independent; that all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments founded on their authority : That all men have a right to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences ;- that no man can of right be compelled to erect or support any place of worship or maintain any ministry
1
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GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATION.
against his consent, and that no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishment or mode of worship. The free- dom of elections, of the printing press, and the right of trial by jury are affirmed. It is declared that the people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions, from unreasonable searches and seizures: that in all criminal prosecutions the ac- cused has a right to be heard, and that he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself, or be deprived of life, liberty, or property, unless by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land. No person can be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb for the same offence; nor can any man's property be taken for public use without the consent of his representatives and without just com- pensation being made. Excessive bail shall not be required, exces- sive fines imposed, nor cruel punishments inflicted. Imprisonment for debt is not to continue after delivering up the estate for the bene- fit of the creditors, unless there is strong presumption of fraud. No ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts can be made. It is declared that the citizens have a right to assemble in a peaceable manner, and to apply for redress of grievances by petition, address or remonstrance : that the right of the citizens to bear arms in defence of themselves and the State shall not be ques- tioned :- That no standing army shall in time of peace be kept up without consent of the Legislature,-and that the military shall at all times be in strict subordination to the civil power.
Amendments to the Constitution of the State may be proposed in the Legislature, and if agreed to by a majority of both Houses, are to be entered on their journals; the Secretary of the common- wealth is then to cause the amendments to be published three months before the next election, in at least one newspaper in every county ; and if the next Legislature shall agree to the amendments, they are again to be published in the same manner; after this, if the people shall ratify and approve such amendments by a major- ity of the qualified voters of the State voting thereon, such amend- ments shall become a part of the Constitution; but no amendment or amendments shall be submitted to the people oftener than once in five years.
Of what three branches does our government consist ? How is the legis- lative power vested ? What is the number of senators, and how elected ? Mention the qualifications of a senator. How many members are in the house of representatives, and how elected ? What are the qualifications of a representative ? When does the legislature meet ? What are the powers exercised by each house ? What is done with bills after having passed both houses ? What if the governor should not approve them ? What is said of corporate charters and divorces ? How is the executive power vested ? For how long is the governor elected ? What are the qualifications for go- vernor ? What powers has he ? In what manner is a vacancy in the office supplied ? Who are entitled to vote at elections ? In what courts is the judiciary power vested ? How are the judges appointed, and how long do they hold their offices ? In what manner, and for how long, are sheriffs, coroners, prothonotaries, clerks, registers, &c., chosen ?- Justices of the peace and aldermen ? What persons are disqualified from holding office under the State constitution ? What provisions of the declaration of rights can you mention ? How may amendments to the constitution be made ?
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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
15. DEFENCE.
The defence of the State is entrusted to the militia of the com- monwealth; the constitution declaring that "no standing army shall in time of peace be kept up without the consent of the legis- lature; and the military shall in all cases, and at all times, be in strict subordination to the civil power."
Unlike the governments of Europe, where the support of stand- ing armies is a heavy burden upon the people, our free institutions and the republican simplicity of our government require the main- tenance of no armed force for their support. A government ema- nating directly from the people, and subject to their will, can have no employment for a military force except to repel foreign aggres- sion or to quell domestic violence. As a member of the Union, Pennsylvania has a right to protection by the federal government against a foreign enemy ; and instances of domestic turbulence are so rare and so little formidable among us, as to be generally soon quieted by the civil power. In a moral and intelligent community, the principle and the practice of self-government supersedes the necessity of employing force; and a great saving of expense to the people is the natural consequence of order and obedience to the laws.
Our State constitution provides that " the freemen of this com- monwealth shall be armed, organized, and disciplined for its de- fence, when and in such manner as may be directed by law :- Those who conscientiously scruple to bear arms shall not be com- pelled to do so, but shall pay an equivalent for personal service."
By the existing laws of the State, every free able-bodied white male person, who has resided within the commonwealth for one month, and is between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, is to be enrolled in the militia. Those exempted from militia duty are the vice president, judicial and executive officers of the United States, members of congress, custom house officers, persons employed in carrying the mail, postmasters, inspectors of exports, pilots, and mariners employed in the sea-service, ministers of religion, teach- ers, members of the board of health, directors and controllers of the public schools in the first school district, judges of the courts, mayors and recorders of cities, servants of foreign ambassadors and consuls, sheriffs, gaolers and keepers of work houses.
The militia of the commonwealth is therefore enrolled and or- ganized into divisions, brigades, regiments, and companies, elect- ing their own officers, and meeting at stated times for parade and exercise in military duty. Our militia system is, however, so con- fessedly defective and so little popular, as to have fallen into a state of neglect and even of contempt in some parts of the State. Those who feel an interest in military affairs, and are desirous to improve themselves in martial knowledge and practice, mostly decline to appear in the ranks of the militia, and have formed themselves into volunteer companies, which are handsomely uniformed, armed, and equipped, and frequently parade for exercise and im-
107
FINANCES, REVENUE AND TAXATION.
provement in military tactics and discipline. They present, in general, a soldier-like appearance, are well drilled in the manual exercise, and a martial spirit is kept up among them which, in the event of their being called into service, would render them a much more effective force than the undisciplined and irregular body of the militia.
The militia force of Pennsylvania consists of 17 divisions, con- taining 35 brigades, 148 regiments, 1,312 companies, and 201,666 men. The volunteer companies are 564 in number, containing 33,458 men, of which 4,772 are cavalry, 3,829 artillery, 11,994 infantry, and 12,863 riflemen: thus making the total effective force of the State 235,124.
The expense of the militia system to the State in 1842 was $33,164.94. Of the large amount of militia and exempt fines paid for non-performance of military duty, only $13.30 reached the State treasury in that year !
Arsenals for the preservation of ordnance, arms and military stores belonging to the State have been erected at Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Meadville. There are also several belonging to the United States.
The fortifications within the limits of Pennsylvania are Fort Mifflin on the Delaware, and the works for the defence of the har- bour at Erie, which are supported by the general government. The naval defence of the commonwealth is also entrusted to the government of the United States.
To whom is entrusted the defence of the State ? Why is no standing army required in this, as in the governments of Europe ? What is said of the advantages of self-government ? What are the requirements of the State constitution in reference to the militia ? Who are to be enrolled by law ? What persons are exempt from military duty ? How is the militia organ-
ized ? What is said of the militia system ? Of volunteer companies ? Mention the number of militia and of volunteers. What is the total military force of the State ? What is the annual cost to the State for militia ex- penses ? What amount of fines is paid into the treasury ? Where are State arsenals erected ? What is said of fortifications, and of naval de- fence ?
16. FINANCES, REVENUE AND TAXATION.
THE financial affairs of Pennsylvania are at the present time in a state of considerable embarrassment and difficulty. The practice of borrowing money on the credit of the State, in order to prosecute our extended system of public improvements, has been so long persisted in, without any adequate provision having been made for the redemption of the loans or the payment of the interest ac- cruing upon them, that our State debt has reached the enormous amount of more than forty millions of dollars.
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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
The revenue arising from the tolls on the State canals and rail roads has not been found sufficient to meet the annual expenditures on them; much less to aid in paying the interest on the cost of their construction. In order to meet the deficiency, money has again been borrowed to pay the interest due on former loans ; and thus the State debt has gone on increasing from year to year, while the work on new and unfinished lines of canal has still been car- ried on by a further extension of State credit.
But though Pennsylvania is thus involved in debt by the con- struction of her rail roads and canals, it should be remembered in the consideration of this subject, that these public works have added far more to the intrinsic value of the State than their actual cost. The increased facilities and the reduced prices of transporta- tion and travel; the great rise in the value of land in many parts of the State, from the creation of a market for produce, or the easy and cheap means of conveyance to a market ; the reduced cost and more abundant supply of merchandise in the interior of the State; the developement of our mineral wealth and the ready transporta- tion to places of consumption of our inexhaustible supplies of coal and iron; all these, and many other advantages to the citizens of Pennsylvania have accrued from the construction of her public improvements. Thus while the people have been reaping the ad- vantage, the State has become embarrassed with debt; and the only means which now remains to extricate the treasury from its difficulties, is for the people to contribute a portion of that which they have gained from the use of the public works, towards paying their cost and sustaining the credit of the State.
The value of the real estate in Pennsylvania has been estimated at $1,300,000,000, and the personal property at 700,000,000; making the total value of property in the commonwealth amount to $2,000,000,000. A tax of one mill to the dollar, or ten cents to the hundred dollars, if fairly assessed upon the whole of this amount, would yield 2,000,000 per annum; or a tax of two per cent. would pay the 40,000,000 of State debt at once.
The annual productions of the State, agricultural, manufactur- ing, and mineral, are worth about $200,000,000, one per cent. on which would pay the interest on the State debt. It will thus be seen that Tolog of the property in the State, or one per cent. of the annual productive industry of the people, will pay the interest on our debt; while the payment of two per cent. of the value of pro · perty within the commonwealth would at once free us from the State debt. Viewing the subject in its true light, it will be there- fore apparent that Pennsylvania, instead of being bankrupt, is abundantly able to meet all her liabilities; and that her creditors have in her inexhaustible resources and the industry and integrity of her people a sure guaranty of the public faith.
The revenue of the State is drawn from various sources, the principal of which, with the amount derived from each, will be seen by the following abstract from the Auditor General's report of receipts and expenditures for 1842.
FINANCES, REVENUE AND TAXATION.
109
Receipts.
Lands and land office fees
$21,846 85
Auction commissions and duties
77,287 38
Dividends on stocks owned by the State
35,778 79
Tax on bank dividends and corporations
82,008 79
Tax on writs, offices, and salaries 45,483 41
Tax on collateral inheritances
38,717 44
Tax on real and personal estate
486,635 85
Tavern licenses
50,275 59
Retailers' licenses .
84,178 57 7,349 45
Brokers' and pedlers' licenses
Canal and rail road tolls
907,093 12
Loans
934,764 83 13 30
Sundry other sources
4,751 16
Miscellaneous
4,423 87
$2,780,608 40
Expenditures.
Commissioners of internal improvement fund
$1,987,353 29
Expenses of government 329,337 61
Rail road and canal companies and turnpikes .
31,705 86
Militia expenses
33,164 94
Pensions and gratuities
44,151 66
Education
315,372 43
Loans .
221,394 33
Interest on loans
44,767 79
Penitentiaries and House of Refuge
28,021 00
Damages on canals and rail roads
32,992 10
Delaware division of canal
27,747 85
Domestic creditors .
209,589 43
Premiums on silk
6,716 77
Seat of government and State library
4,697 76
Sundry other expenses
11,823 30
Miscellaneous
7,523 39
$3,336,359 51
The Judiciary system of Pennsylvania is the most expensive in the Union, costing the State for the maintenance of the several courts upwards of $106,000 per annum; while that of New York, larger and more populous than Pennsylvania, costs the State but $35,128. The legislative expenses in Pennsylvania are very great, and require extensive reform: the State printing alone amounts to about $60,000 a year; that of New York, which is done in a style much superior to ours, costs $28,241. Our militia system is sup- ported at an annual expense to the State of more than $33,000; in New York this item of State expenditure is $18,171. These com- parisons are made for the purpose of showing that a more strict
10
Militia and exempt fines
.10
GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
economy in the expenses of government is required in Pennsylva- nia. In these times of financial embarrassment, a searching and thorough reform is required; and such items of State expenditures as are excessive or extravagant should be at once materially re- duced, or abolished as uselessly burdensome to the people.
In what condition are the finances of Pennsylvania, and what is the amount of the State debt ? To what causes is this to be attributed ? What advantages have resulted to the people from the construction of the public works ? By what means can the treasury be relieved from difficulty ? What is said of the value of property in the State, and the amount of taxa- tion necessary to pay the principal and interest of the State debt? What is the estimated value of the annual productions of Pennsylvania, and the proportion requisite to pay the interest ? What may we conclude from this concerning the ability of the State to meet her obligations ? Mention the principal sources of State revenue .- The chief items of expenditure. What is said of certain expenses, and of the necessity of reform ?
17. PRODUCTIONS.
In order to give a proper view of the immense resources of Pennsylvania, and to show the value and importance of her various productions, they will be considered under the following general divisions: 1. Of Agriculture: 2. Of the Manufactory : 3. Of the Mine: 4. Of the Forest.
Our statements of the quantity and value of these productions are founded upon the returns of the marshals who took the census of 1840; the returns of the commissioners of the several counties to the secretary of the Commonwealth in 1839, and upon much valuable information derived from other sources. The census re- turns generally fall short of the real amount, owing, perhaps, not so much to a neglect of duty on the part of the officers employed, as to the unwillingness of the people in many parts of the State to give correct answers respecting the amount and value of their property and produce, from an apprehension that the inquiries were made with a view to the increase of taxation.
1. Productions of Agriculture.
Pennsylvania has long been distinguished for excellence in this branch of domestic industry, and there is probably no State in the Union in which the business of farming is managed on a large scale with such decided success and advantage. Much of our soil is naturally fertile, and requires little aid, except the requisite culture, to cause the growth of abundant crops. In many portions of the State, less favoured by nature, the skill and industry of our farmers have been so successfully exerted upon poorer soils as to render them highly productive, and in many cases to convert bar- ren wastes into fruitful and luxuriant fields. A careful attention to the collection and use of proper manures, among which lime is beginning to be justly considered as one of the most important;
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PRODUCTIONS.
the use of the best ploughs and other agricultural implements ; a judicious rotation of crops well planted and tended; and a general regard to neatness and economy in all their operations, are the distinguishing characteristics of Pennsylvania agriculturists in the older settled parts of the State.
The system of cropping varies in different districts; the follow- ing is one of the most common in the eastern counties. A field which has been in pasture is ploughed up for Indian corn late in the fall, or more usually, early in the spring. The corn is planted in the beginning of May, and well dressed and tended through the early part of summer: about the last of October it is gathered, yielding from twenty-five to fifty bushels per acre, and on rich soils frequently more. About the first of the following April, the same field is again ploughed, and sown with oats, which is har- vested towards the end of July, producing from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. The oats' stubble is then ploughed in, and the field, being well manured, is sown with wheat in the latter part of September. Rye is frequently sown instead of wheat, where the soil is light and thin, or where it is not manured; and many farmers sow both wheat and rye. In February or March, clover or other grass seeds are sown on the wheat and rye, which grow among the grain until harvest. The wheat and rye are generally fit to cut early in July, and commonly yield from fifteen to thirty bushels per acre. The field is by that time covered with young clover which is left until the following summer, when it is cut for hay in June, and a second crop gathered for seed in Sep- tember. The field may be mown again the following year, or pastured until it comes again in course for Indian corn. Some farmers prefer sowing their wheat on a field freshly broken up from the grass sod; some omit the crop of oats between the corn and the wheat or rye; others take off the Indian corn early and sow wheat or rye immediately after it. The mere order of suc- cession in the different crops is not very important, provided that the farmer is careful not to exhaust his land by too frequent repe- titions, or by neglecting to plough, manure and dress his fields in the best manner.
Beside the grains already mentioned, buckwheat, flax, barley, potatoes, turnips, beets and many other articles are cultivated. Different modes of culture and tillage are practised in different parts of the State, according as the variety of soil, climate or situation renders it necessary or expedient. In the more elevated and colder districts the cultivation of Indian corn is not very suc- cessful; but grass, oats and potatoes thrive admirably. In those parts where the soil is better adapted to grazing than tillage, the rearing and fattening of cattle and sheep is extensively pursued. Near the cities and large towns, where the farms are generally smaller, fruit, vegetables, poultry, fresh butter and other articles for immediate consumption are found profitable and occupy much attention. Scarcely a farm is to be found without its apple orchard of choice and selected varieties. Pears, peaches, plums, cherries and other fruit are abundant, and though some farmers have been
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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
careful to obtain the finest kinds, there is not generally sufficient attention paid to selecting and grafting the best varieties of fruit.
There is perhaps no class of men upon the earth more truly independent, or who have the means of happiness more imme- diately within their reach than the farmers of Pennsylvania. They are generally themselves the owners of the soil which they culti- vate; surrounded by comfort and plenty they find their substance steadily increasing by industry and economy; and though they may not acquire wealth so rapidly as is sometimes done by those who follow mercantile occupations, yet they are secure from sud- den reverses of fortune, and free from the harassing anxieties and the feverish excitement of commercial speculation.
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