Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-24
GOVERNOR VAN BUREN'S MESSAGE.
Nude TO both Houses IF The Legislature, Tues
day, JanuCTy 6, 1929.
CoNCLCDED.

Cdy, JGnuGTy u, 1879.
CoNCLCDED.
Our duties in this great concern, snav truly be
said 10 be full OF delicacy, and surrounded hv dif.
hculties But i; is our consolation 10 know that if
the held OF duty is bcsct with dangers there are
enduring honors that lie beyond it, The Interest
which attaches itself to the representative charac
Ter, can never be greater than when fll6iinent
OF the trust committed 10 The representatives may
bring him in conflict with Tie claims of the great
monied interests Of the country. Where can we
find n political exhibition more truly gratifying
than to see tle iiitl public servant after hay
ing turned away every approach. and put far from
him every sinister consideration that could divert
him from the discharge of his duty, return 10 his
constituents, conscious that he deserves and feel
ing that he possesses, their urabated confidence (,
sincerely hope that SUCH may be the GOOD for
tune that awaits conduct. We have every
thlnSto stimulate lis TO peTscr eTance and Gtelitv
We are members of state, that is rapidly progress
ing IN improvement, IN public spirit, and in all the
attributes Of great and GourshiRg repubIic-a
state of which, without, exposing ourselves 10 the
Enputadon oil vanity, we may DC proud 10 Call
ourselves citizens. we shall, trust, shey carr
eelves worthy oil tllisexaled privilege. by guard
ing, with seepicsS vigilance its Interests is hn
nor, and lis future glory.
Allow me also 10 call ycur attention % another
subject, in which The state has an interest tlat
deserves your notice. aliude 10 the duties de-
fiYed from sales at auction. The amount Of revc-
nue. received from that source during the last
year, is two hundred and fifty ca thousand one
hundred and eghty-seven dollars and forty cents;
and for the last five yeas, has arnoun.c. to oae
million three hundred ami nine thousand seven
hundred and sixty EIGHT dollars and eighty cents
Its appropriation for the Latter term has been as
follows: To the canal fund, one million one hundred
Il forty-two thousand two hundred & sxly-eight
dolls and eighty cents 10 the hospital in the CITY of
New York, one hundred and twelve tllousan,i iipo
hundred dollars; for the support of foreign poor in
that CITY, nifty thousand dollars; and five thousand
dollars to the Economical Schoo! and Orphan Asy-
lum.
numerous and very respectable class OF our
citizens, who think themselves aggTieved by the
existing regulations have applied 10 congress for
the imposition of federal duty of ten per cen
tam, with the avowed design OF destroying The
business altogether. II is respectfully submitted
whether the amount OF revenue derived from this
source by the state; the valuable purposes 10
which il is appropriated, and the difficulty of sup
plying its place, should not induce you to consider
whether measures may not he adopted by YOU
which, whilst they save the iutaress OF
the state, would at the same time respect ,hose OF
the compliments.
The leading objection that is made 10 the pro
cent system, is, that the business of selling rood
at auction, in the mode now practsed, is. 10 every
essential purpose, the occupation Of merchant:
end that therefore sales by auction. as regulated
Ivy our law, constitute monopoly, securing all
she advantages OF that branch Of trade 90 few in
di uals, TO the exclusion OF the rest of the com
InuDity. Whatever reasons may have existed az
the commencement OF our system, Tor inakne, the
privilege Of selling by auction exclusive, they are
certainly not very apparent az the present day
Fully convinced Of the general Injustice and mex
pediency OF commercial inOnoDoiies and appre-
bending that there is reasonable cause 10 regard
sales by auction. as at present regulated obiec-
Gonable OH that score, respectfully submit 10
your consideration the policy OF so modifying The
existing law, as 10 allow every citizen, who can
give security for the duties. TO sell at auction by
wholesale only upon alicense 20 be obtained from
some proper tribunal TO be for that purpose desr
mated and empowered by law. Such is now the
law in several OF the largest states: and there il no
reason TO believe that their regulation has been
less advantageous than ours
That such provision, whilst IL secured and pro
b9biy improved the revenue Of the state would OBJ
viae the leading objection that is made 10 the pre-
sent system, IS undoub,ed. 1t would not however.
oil itself, reach all the grounds Of complaint that are
urged. Many OF them consist of aledged nal prac-
tees in the mode Of conducting those sales, which
Tuay be reached, ana onli be reuedicd by state
legislation. Those who object TO the present sys-
ten 90, tits true. attribute TO IL other INJURIES 10
trade, and Of character which could moi be reach
ed by any law that you could pass short Of an entire
prohibition OF sales by auction The aleeations
That are made in ihisTespect may al be well found.
en- and the responsibility Of the source whence tiev
dave proceeded, leaves no DOUBT Of tire sincerity
with which they have been advanced But those
Nsho make them are too enlightened not TO be sensi-
bic, and would D. too candid not TO admit, how Of
enitis, that we find measures thath have become
obnoxious TO any portion Of the community. made
responsible for results which IL is found in the Sc
qpel, they have had no agency in producing. This
may be so in the present case, and il would at all
events seem TO be in season, after an experiment
oil the effect Of tie alteration suggested, 10
consider what further provision is necessary, and
tnay DE adopted, WIKI just regard 10 the interests
9" all
] should disregard The admoDlions Of reeentez-
ptFienee, and fail IN my duty,wero not to bring 10
your notice The state Of the laws by which our e.
1ections are at present regulated.
81 orr Lost election, there were poiled more
Shah PIG, 600 votes: numter nearly double n !
fiatof any other state IN the cSafedcracy, aoa !
.'ns.ir.'ns 'ic argos S~ea s'rg.sge = ery sre.r