Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-12-05


inp forwarded in the Havre packet oul 'he
packet sailed before the arrival oil the Vessei
with tie maps in New York, and they were al
forwards. as I am now informed, shipped In the
Charlemague, but no account OF their arriva'
ia Paris has yet been received. MY letter, aa>
dressed to Mr. Brown, was forwarded oy mai,
and arrived in New York before the sailing Of
,hc Havre packet, and was sent therein. nave
received a reply from Mr., Brown, aeknowledg-
ing its receipt, unaccompanied with the Maps.
Comics of nv correspondence with MIR. brown,
snd nv letters addressed to the President OF the
Geographical Society OF Paris, and 10 GENERAL
Lafayetie, on the occasion, are forwarded here
with, for the information Of the General Assem-
bly,.
In virtue of an &C, Of tie General Assembly
of the c2d of February last, auhorising ;he En-
ecutivc TO purchase stock, or 10 loan 10 indi,i-
duals, the money deposited in the Treasury,
| generally called the "Washing,on Monument
| Fund" the Whole amount has been loaned 10
| individuals, upon security believed to be ample
and unauestionable. Some difficulties occurred
in the execution of this act, in consequence OF
differen Of opinion in the interpre, alton oil
some of its provisions. 1t was clearly ascer>
tanned by the report OF a committee, that no
! public stock could be purchased which would
produce six per cent per annum, with the inle>
res, payable half yearly: not even FIVE per cent
could be obtained by the purchase OF pubic
stock. Under one Interpretation OF the law,
| obtaining six per cent was deemed an indis>
pensable prerequisite in making the loan, and
the interest could be ob,aine ID from individuals
| upon safe and ample landed and personal secu-
rity. A majority OF the Council determined on
complying wi h this reqd:sition OF the law, &C
cording 10 their understanding OF it. Some I'M
avuidable delay took place after the loans were
agreed upon by the parties, for the purpose OF
ascrrlaining the titles Of the lanes pledged tor
the half yearly payment OF the interest, and ui-
timate reimbursement Of the principal. All the
papers connected with this subject are deposit
ed in the proper offices, and are believed to be
! perfectly safe and satisfactory.
In the month Of October OF the last year,
sale of the convicts then in the Pentenliary, was
made BY the Executive, to Richard Lyon, up
on terms then believed TO be advantageous 10
the State, bu: il is now unprecedented that they
will turn out very differently. 1t is feared that
the whole, or great part, Of the money con-
,racted to be paid for the convicts, will be lost
10 The STATE Il now seems that Lyon prac,
tised an intended imposition upon The Execu-
tive Council Lyon is an inhabitani Of Amelia
| county, and resides not far distant from hence.
He represented himself to be one of the veal
thiest farmers in il. He pr oduccd respectable
references to the Same effect, accompanied with
certificates, think, both from the Clerks OF the
counties of Amelia and Cumberland, showing
an amount Of properly, held by himself and Sc
curi,ies, which with their unaxed properly was
estimated TO be above the value of seventy thou
sand IS dellars, and that no part Of il was under
Their County Court Although having but little
| personal acquaintance with Lyon myself,
| added my belief, upon the best information !
could obtain, 10 olher assurances laid before
the Executive Council, Of his entire competen-
cy to the paymen, Of a much larger sum than
the purchase money OF the convcts, which a.
mounted 10 above $4,000.
Should any ultimate loss occur in this case,
it can justly be attributed, only TO impositlons,
well calculated 10 escape detection, even by Tie
most 'igilant circumspeclion.
1t must afford some consolation 10 the Gen.
eral Assembly, as well as to The people Of Vir.
ginia, TO be informed, that Dotwith s,anding the
genera al lmpoverishments and distresses thro'-
out the country, there has been no abatement
in the punctualiIy Of paying The taxess into the
Treasury; and tina. the balance 10 the credit of
the commonwealth on the 26ih Of November
Of this year, exceeded that of the last, by an a.
mount somewhat above 81 5000 in the whole -
The prospects Of the Treasury are sIill better
for the next year. II is calculated that there
will be balance in the Treasury on the hrs,
ofOctober 1929, Of about S65, 900; excluding
from the estimate the deficiencies Of The la,e
Treasurer; applicable to any extraordinary
Calls, which may be made upon the Lceisla.
ture.
The contract made by the Executive with
Mr.. I. w. White fot printing the Journals of
the two Houses of Assembly from l777 10 1890 |
has been fully and satisfactorily execured on his
parl.-I regre, however TO inform the General |
Assembly, that after the most diligent enquiry,
thirteen sessions OF the Senate, aud one Of the |
House Of Delegates, could not be procured -
Mr.. White suggests tina, in consequence Of the
deficient sessions, he has sustained considera-
bic loss in executing his contract, for which |
he claims an equitable remuneration. Believing
myself, that the terms Of the contract were
more favorable TO the State, than the contrac-
tor, and that there was not an entire compliance
with the contract in fut n hiny tho ~ b,,la or