Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-12-14

people, will have been corrupted and lost, or i,
VIII be redeemed, and that in no faltering, buck
STEERING or equivocating spirit, but only the more
promptly and tho more willingly, because Of the
very absence of all positive human authority 10
compel It. Tie faith Of the State is necessarily
and alone the law Of her debt. There is no other
law which can regulare, guarantee or enforce il
and Hence II is one which can never be checked
but by itself, nor its unlimited capacity for evil
ever DO controlled but by preserving it as supreme
In purity us 1t Is supreme In power. That this
vii, be done in Virginia, an early and practical
| proof has already been aiforded-a proof embra-
cling both Legislature and people, and tes,fying
10 all VINO may care to know, that the sovereign
~ and faith OF the State arc incapable of any IT,
Mon with improbiiy dshonor.*
1t was the policy of the last Legislature, in
framing its revenue law, TO raise a sum which
should be sufficient to extinguish within the pre-
sent year the temporary debt, as it is called
which is due from the Commonw ealth TO the
banks, and thus to remove, at once, this extra
burthen from the ordinary charges against the
Treasury. The failure Of the law to produce the
whole amount which was requisite for this pur-
pose, has defeated this policy for the present.
Should il, however, be considered wise one and
worthy 10 be prosecuted, as cannot but think il
Is, not only will it be necessary for you to con-
tinue the present range of taxation, but il may be
necessary also TO adopt some precautionary meas
ures to prevent future disappointment. Such
measures may especially be required in the case
OF the new subjects of taxation which have yield
ed so little because, unguestonably, of Temporal
~ and eXirinsic causes, and which for the most
part ought to be made, as they be made, strong
and healthy contributors to the public burhens
from which they have been so long and so gener.
ously exempted.
The temporary debt which is here spoken of
consists of loans which have been made from
time TO time by the bank TO the Commonwealth.
beginning some three years ago, and continuing
TO the present day. These loans have been regu-
larly passed through the form Of repayment eve
ry year from December, 1910, when they amount
ed to two hundred thousand dollars, to December,
1912, when they had risen IN 10 three hundred
and fifty thousand, the Treasurer for this purpose
and In obedience TO law, taking in the December
OF each successive year as much of the newly
paid revenue, then on hand, as would nav M, To
the banks their loans to the State and immediate
ly thereafter commencing these loans afresh, ard
continuing them just as before. So again, in the
present month, the three hundred and fifty thou
sand now on loan to the State and due 10 the
banks, VIII be paid up usual, and such
balance Of that sum as the additional revenue
of the present year will not be sufficient TO ey.
tinguish will be borrowed again, unless it shall
be thought best by the Legislature to provide for
it otherwise.
was for the express purpose of arrcstns this contn.
uai resort 10 the banks to rcplenish the treasury with
daily and give it the independent command of
whatever means were required for the public service
was
tended and this purpose would been carried into
successful effect had the yielded according to
expectations and the State been relieved from the pay
meht Oh years interest on her guaranteed bonds
Should the James River and Kanawha Company for
whose benefit this years interest paid be required
ana De able without injury TO refund it, should the diy
bends OF the State Stock in the Bank of Virginia be
raised from their present TO their ordinary amount and
the subjects of taxation Weld an
OF only one half than the sum already received
from them, the whole amount thus arising if appropra
ted TO the payment of the temporary debt would Lave
I fh..n ,pff
year But the revenue alone, if left unimpared by any
act Oh The Legislature will in all probability be quite
sucicht oil Itself to extngush this debt entirely within
the present and the succeeding year In the mcanwbiIc
however, 1T will be necessary anticipate the funds
which may be relied upon in this matter by authorzino
the Executive, as heretofore, either from the
banks or to raise upon the credit of the State in some
other form such sum- not exceeding two hundred two
hundred and twenty thousand dollars as existing def
cencies may from time to time require.
After thus much upon particular objects and a-
plicatons Of the will be almost snpcruous 10
say, generally that diminution of it can be recon-.
mended as at all compatible with the public service
That service whilst would well Justify in some of ;,s
branches an additional revenue be properly con-
ducted at present. with less that if The iegis.
lature should deem wise to change in any respect The
nodes rates or subjects OF taxation, il will be hardly
possible TO contract in its general range and results
without ntictng npon the public interest," point
serious disadv antage There is branch de-
parment oil state concern now resting upon the treasury
for its support that could be stripped of il without more
or less disaster to the public whist there many OBJ
Jects oil benecent influence receiving little if any thing
to which parental could be safely and wisely
extended The commerce, the schools, the admnistra
ton OF Justice and the police, upon which, the most
part, the of the State now expended are
all of them fundamental to Government and cannot b
impaired without corrcspondcntly impanp an ultimate,
purpose of civil organization itself If first one and
then another of these objects to be thrown aside
upon the ground that would be better spare them
than the money which supports them, irrational
tation could only result in the expensive and runous
economy OF supporting Government incompetent to its
ends. And ii is with Government with every thing
else intended for human that is cheapest and best
which best answers the purpose for which il pro-
vidcd Taking for granted that you would be unwil-
ling abridge, any respect the sauty action of the
Government and that therefore, heartily concur in
the wisdom and experience which have long prescrb-
cd the general objects of civil list as essential TO lis
nature aud to the general good of the community take
it for granted Also that you will heartily concur in
providing for these objects the which shall be ne
ccssary and sufficient TO sustain them This You will no
doubt consider IT your duty TO do. 1t is however no
necessary to efficient and useful Government 10
MAINTAIN in suitable capacity for service, than have
that capacity suitably directed and hence legislative
duty which oycrooks the administration of the means
winch tits yet both liberal and careful to supply is but
partially accomplished. Whilst, therefore, you are la
boring maintain the Government in condition which
will render blessing to the State, and arc for this
purpose freely extending your demands the propcrt
of the people, would BE- scaSonabc exercise of duty
look every branch Of the public service and sec
whether the administration of it could be altered VIII
Their it would be practicable without producing more
real evil than real good To dispense with any existing
cmpoyments; to rcrcnch any existing allowances OF
expenses OF 10 introduce III any way or at any point
strctcr soundcr economy.
Whether the present Legislature will continue tl,
plan oil taxation adopted by the last
that unless the burhcns of it arc distributed a,
much possible, they will fall with unequal and opprcs
svc weight upon particular interests and classes of pro
perry That they should be distributed at all times
is more indeed than just, and perhaps coulc
be more Fl; than the present for converting this principle
OF abstract justice into rule OF established action
*"3. For the payment Of tho interest and The fina
redemption of the principal Of any be borroc
in conformity to this act the stock of any joint stool
company subscribed for purchased by the money 81
borrowed, together with the dividends and other net