Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-12-08
81 ( $ sage
FROM THE
Acting Governor Of Virg'a.
fello,c Citizens ofthe Senate

by the failure of the last Legislature
70 Nil the Ctice OF Governor, theu vacant,
the duties of that Office devolved on me.
atdsin pursuance OF one of those duties |
now proceed, under the requirement of
che Constitution, to call your attention to
the consideration Of such subjects as |
deesn expeaielf.
Whilst there are many topics which
might discuss and present to your consl-
Iteration, yet there are only few sub
jects which deem of sufficient magui-
tude to occupy large space in commu-
.nicatien of this character, and in relation
to these even, shah be as brief as posi-
Ase.
In relation to all merely local cues
TINS, you, being fresh from the people,
Know better than l possibly can, their
wants and am confident, that with a
knowledge Of the wants Of the people,
need not urge upon yea any specific
course. You and I are alike the repre-
.sentatives and agents Of the people, Sc
: lected by them to do their business, and
1T becomes us either to carry into effect
their wishes, or to return to them the Of
e aices we hold, that they may be filled by
9 such persons as can consistently with
their sense of right, conform their actions
to the views of the constituency. ifany
ether theory than this be adopted, all pro
per restraint over the representative is
destroyed, and the people instead of be-
any sovereign, become the mere tools of
political aspirants.
In time of profound peace, which has
continued for many years. with abundant
crops, a daily development of new sour
ces of wealth, and a plethorie condition
OF the money market Of the world, we
End ourselves greatly in debt, and prop
erty of almost all sorts reduced in value,
and the credit of the state and people
nearly annih:lated.
The question naturally presents itself,
why is this condition of things. and by
whose agency has it been produced P
Oar citizens, being all divided int polit-
zeal parties, charge each other with be-
ing the cause, and | am very much in
clined to believe, that1n this there is
anuch justice.
Ii we lock abroad for a ISOLATION of our
coaditian, we can find nothing in the his
tory of the past, from which we can draw
the least aid. Look to England, to which,
perhaps, we have accustomed ourselves
to look too much already, and what do
we seeP Anaton, with mineral and az
Ficultaral Resources, hardly exceeding
Virginia, with public debt almost TWEEN
ty times as large as the debts Of the fed.
,sral and state governments altogether,
Borrowing money of any of the nations OIL
the world witheut difficulty, at from TIVE
to three per cent. imterest-whilst oul
federal government finds great difficulty
IN borrowing small sums at six per cent,
and the state governments cannot even
borrow on as good terms as those. will
aow proceed to point out what | conceive
ito be the cause OF oar present embarrass
ment and difficulties, and in doing so
shall be very plain, as | am writing fol
the whole commonwealth, and not fer Z
party. ,.*.. = F. =.
In looking into the legislation Of the
federal and most of the state governments
l think | see much to have prodcced the
present condition of things. About 1880
both the federal & state governments were
clear Of debt or very nearly SO. Our own
Virginia owed nothing of Importance
the receips into the treasury were ,-abun
.dant, more than sufficient to meet the
demands upon it. Thus things continu
ed until about 1888, when the receipts
dnto the treasury were so much more
than the demaads'upon it, that the audi
tor and treasurer then actually advised {
reduction of the taxes. About this time
the legislature entered largely into the
spirit of interaal improvements, which
had been, as it was thought, fully .estet
Thy some OF our sister states, and promis
ed most glorious results. In 1882, tn,
act incorporating the present James Riv
err and kanawha Company was passed
and several railroad companies were eli
( Their Incorporated Or surveys ordered a
bopt the same time. The state tool
stock in most of these companies, ant
appropriations were made in aid of tn,
chesapeake and Ohio Canal, besides ma
nv other minor works. In the course O
a few years large sums Of money had t,
.be raised by the state. During the rag,
of the internal improvement fever, there
were in the legislature two internal i'm
provement parties. one much larger thar
Che .other-both equally DESTROYS of i'm
proving the state. The larger portion o
the party was headed by gentlemen .
the FIRST responsibility and talent in tn
state-gentlemen who had devoted mucl
of their time to the investi cation Of tn,
subject of internal improvement. The,
were always ready to 90 tor any interna
Inproyement scheme, and they were rea
DIV to borrow money to any amount
They, had satisfied themselves, and la
bored 10 convince others; and, unfortu
nateIy for the state, succeeded too wei