14

ryland, with a view to becoming land owners at no distant
day. With some modification of the law, this number might
have been largely increased.

The Commissioner suggests that he should be invested with
the power to protect immigrants landing upon our shores,
from speculators and runners, who are always on the alert to
impose upon and mislead them. He recommends the estab-
lishment of an Immigrant Depot, with an officer in charge,
to whom such passengers should be compelled to report im-
mediately on their arrival; a designated landing place, and
one only, to be fixed by law, and authority given to exclude
all persons from communicating with such passengers,
except upon written authority from the Commissioner. In
these recommendations I fully concur.

The law creating this Bureau was necessarily imperfect in
many of its features; but sufficient has been demonstrated to
show its value to the State, apart from its connection with the
Board of Public Works. I would recommend a careful ex-
amination into the suggestions contained in the Commission-
er's Report, and the adoption and incorporation into the
existing organization of such as may conduce to the more
enlarged and successful working of the system.

The great inducements held out by our State, coupled with
the sound financial condition of the Treasury, offer temptations
unsurpassed in any other section, to the domestic as well as
foreign immigrant, and the General Assembly should not be
wanting in proper efforts to stimulate the population of our
cities as well as our rural, manufacturing and mining dis-
tricts; and to bring into immediate use our waste and unpro-
ductive lands.

MILITIA.

The Act passed March 10, 1864, chapter 284, to provide
for the organization and discipline of the Militia of the State,
expired by limitation on the 1st March, 1866, and the State
is now without any militia system whatever. It seems to me,
that something should be done, in this direction, without
further delay, if only to place the State upon some recognized
footing in this respect. There are occasions, whether in peace
or war, when such aids are not only important but indispen-
sable in maintaining the dignity, executing the laws, and
guarding the peace of the Commonwealth. I have been op-
posed to the institution of any plan which would entail a
useless burden upon the people; but I would strongly recom-
mend the passage of some law, which if it accomplishes no
mors, might remand us to the position which we have always
heretofore occupied, in common with other States, and enable
us to guard against possible and unforseen contingencies, in
the working of our domestic system.