The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-12-14


sffoe Governor, svbieb differs from the for.
srer. iraj;nneb as il Is profs1sdlv sprifsen on
s. BIS repoaEbiiit, aione," and " is not to be |
eon6dered as containing fhe Ienfinests Of TIE |
council, or as rendering them in any degree. ref
ponFbk for any errors or nnpropriefieJ svbieb''
its venerable svri.er MAJ baVe exprs0sd.
Exfra8s from Governor Pages communicate
on to the Virginia Leg;Qafure.
fhall lay before the prefent General Aaembly
eoncile aeement Of fueh fuggeions as have appear
ed proper for their confederation, refpeeting
the finances, the militia, the armoury, Penitentiary
penal laws and public guard, and few other fubjee
NOT hitherto contemplated by our Legislature
Fir, our finances, think it proper to fnggeR
20 the Legislature the confederation Of the advantages
which might be derived, from their having more a
dequate funds appropriated certain important OBJ
jeSts of government which will occur to them in the
courfe Of their deliberations, and of compelling more
fpeedy and certain collection of the taxes, without
however, relying the collection Of their arrears as
an tem 70 large as it has generally been etnnated by
che committees Of ways and means, and Of avoiding
the mock which the public credit receives by the def
cheney of money in the treaury certain periods,
well the injury fuftaied by meritorous creditors Of
the ate and may be worthy of confederation how
tar rigid adherence tn particular appropriations may
accord with due regard pubic credit, without an
accurate etinle Of the funds and expenfes of govern
nent or, till the buiinefs of finance is perfect
Iy undertood, than hitherto it Teens to have been
and more correct edimates be formed of the var
Gus annual expenees ofthe government, than have ge
Morally been exhibited 70 the Legislature. With all
due Difference and refpea to the General Afemby,it
Is humbly fubmitted their confederation, whether If
the nett produce Of all the various thrown
into one aggregate general fund Except the duty
on tobocco exported, which is renrained by the
Aitntion TO appropriation therein degnated) fub
yet to every appropriation and rendered fully ade
quate thereto it would not be likely fatisy all
public claimants only by putting them all
quafonting with refpea to thefund to which they
REFERRED but by anwering with more certainty, every
demand than any one fund might be, to anfwer the
drafts on when falling Mort of Legislative Ultimate,
and be more agreeable to republican Gmplicty, than
appropriations to various pee6c purpofes Of variety
OF funds, and indeed not uncommeny of unequal de-
9rees of Produfivenefs 1t fuppoed that the maxi
mig up the public accounts the trealury the irR
of October, the day which the Anembly ufed to
meet when this regulation elabliihed, infead of
the frt Of January, has been the of producing
Interpretations in the minds of the Legislature with
repeet to appropriations the fums which appear
have been expended by thofe accounts, mu always be
conGderably les than they muf actually to on
the tiIft OF January following, the rR of De-
cenber, meeting of the Alen,bly and therefore, if
appropriations be made to the amount only of the
funis appearing to have been expended as fated by
the rreafurer in his accounts thus made up feh APP
preparations muf prove deficient the full amour,
OF aliexpenditures from the frl of October, to the
hrh Of January. 1t would be convenient therefore "a
dree that the treaurers accounts in future fal be
made up to the fr of January, or the meeting of the
Ah.mbly.
Secondly the Militia think the defeas in il,
preent fyhem, fIch, require the ferrous atten.
ton OF the Legislature the Militia alone in cafe
ii inddeD and unexpected invafion, as well as in
mi OrpF .f,,r
trely rely 1t is true, however, that defective this
yhen Is, it might aniwer every purpofe intended il
our fellow citizens competing the militia and the
~ courts who recommend officers, would but recol-
t thar their country in its declaration of rights, de-
eiared that soeH reguial militia competed Of the
body OF the people trained arms, is the proper ma.
tura and fate defence of free ate and that Handing
armies in time OF peace hould be avoided as DANCE
rous to liberty, for il this recollecfed and pro-
Pery attended to, il is mpoble that the body of the
people fhould not with patriotic enthuafn vie with
each other in being trained to arms and qualifying
themieivss to defend the invaluable depot, entrufed
ioeiy to their charge Nor could the county courts
ever fail to recommend the mon fkifu and meritori-
Gus perions to perform the important duties of militia
oicers; and ihort the time is which by law is al
lowed to training, and much more with domeHic fafe-
ty in our Prefent fituaton be fpared it might
be inheient for that purpofe if properly employed
for the manuel exerci(e with flight attention. and in
Jingle day by perfons who from early youth have been
accuomed to the ufe of fire arms. Indeed, this part
OF training every one, who wifhes to acquire it,
might learn at home and ufe it as whoIefome e1-
ercile when confined by bad weather to his houie-
and as TO the neceaary maneuvres of an army, they
might alto foon be acquired, few of them are more
difficult TO be performed, than the various move
ments OF country dance-perhaps it might Emulate
the officers to acquire perfect knowledge ofther
duty and to apply ir properly if of them hould
be permitted TO retain his comn,Iion uulefs in one
year ne houd produce the Executive certificate
from the officer to be degnated by law for the pur-
pole that he had exerced with ability his company
battalion, or regimen, the cafe may be--aud il the
bigadiers were required by law attend the Gene
ra Multers of the regiments which compoie their ref
Pettvc brigades, and make immediate returns to
the executive of rhe number ifrength and equipment
thereof, allowing them Reasonable co,peufation for
their trouble and expenses in the courlt of their bu-
fneis, il might have good efed As the law is e.
lent with relpe the governors authority to inter-
fere with the training difciplning the Militia,
whit the contribution gives him with the advice of
the privy council, right en,body them and when
embodied gives him the ole DIRECTION Of them under
the laws of the coun,ry (Constn. Art xIII) and he
has generally been looked to by militia officers, as
the commander i'll chief; whereas in fac, he is not,
and by law no fIrb nnicsr Lnnun IL Caeros