Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-12-19
THURSDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 10, lsaa.

ExgcurtvK DEPARTMENT, I
December ?. 1874.
Fellow Citizens Of The Senate

| am happy to say to you at the out
set of this annual communication, that
you return to your duties a, the capitol
under circumstances of decided and gen.
eral improvement in tho private and pub
lie interests Of the State. The distress
ing embarrasments which have so long
disturbed and crippled the operations Of
business, have, IN great measure, begun
10 relax; tho abuses Of credit, with the
extravaganza, speculation and debt they
encouraged. to disappear; more rigor-
Gus and self DENYING irugalty TO be prac.
tised - and thus the foundation Of wiser
and safer system of individual .ransac.
ton has been gradually and extensively
commenced in the experience, habits and
spirit Of our people.
Whilst in these respects, affecting ad-
yau,ageously the source OF our private
prosperity for the future we have reason
to be gratlfed, we have, in other respects
affecting the sources ofpublic good, rea-
son for warm and patriotic congratu'ation.
The public revenue and credit of the State
those great interests which bring into
issue the character and we'll being Of a
whole public, and which to US for years
past have been the subjects OF profoundest
anxiety. have not only been rescued from
every danger to which they have been
exposed, but established upon footing
Of the greatest soundness and strength.
In 1910, the Treasury being unable to
meet the public Obligations then due,
such sum as was necessary to supply the
deficiency was authorized by the legisla-
ture to be borrowed from the banks. -
This sum, so borrowed for that purpose,
has been increased from time to time since
then, as the increasing necessities Of the
Treasury required, amounting in Deem
Der 1910 10 two hundred thousand dol
lars. in December last to three hundred
and fifty thousand, and constitutes what
is commonly called "the temporary
debt" or this debt two hundred and
fifty Thousand dollars were paid in be.
cember ls43, out OF the revenue of last
year and the residue of one hundred
thousand dollars will be paid off out Of
the revenue of the present year, with a
balance over, as it is now expected, of
near, if not altogether, hundred thous-
and dollars besides. Highly gratifying,
under any circumstances, as should be
the complete and rapid extipguishment Of
so considerable a debt, it is especially
gratifying to have had if effected in the
face and under the encouragement OF
many difficulties, anG by means, too, of
revenue system which, however untried
and novel amongst US in many Of its pro.
visions, has accomplished it all without
harshness, oppression or inequity.
Upon this branch, therefore, Of the
public service--the state Of the Treasury,
it affords me the highest satisfaction TO re.
port to you as now do, that every thing
is safe--that every engagement charge
able upon it within the present year, has
been, or will, be fully and punc,uaIly met,
and that handsome surplus will remain
for such appropriations 10 the public wei.
fare, as your wisdom shall determine.
Upon another, and associated branch Of
the public interest-the pecuniary credit
of the State, i; affords me equal satisac.
ton to refer, and in the same terms, that
every thing also is safe that the strenu-
Gus exertlons which are made TO main
tain it with inviolable fidelity, cost what
it might, have efrctualy protected i;
against every pretence of suspicion, and
that the bonds on the Commonwealth,
as consequence now stand, where intrn-
sicaIly they deserve always 10 stand, al
premium in the market-This happy
result is, IN both cases, the direct and
legitimate effect of bold and wise coun.
sol, promptly, heartily and faithfully sus-
tanned by those who, at last had to car.
ry them through. And rich in It's practi-
cal benefits as this result may be consid-
cred to be, it is yet Immeasureably more
so as having revealed in oh the circum.
stances which brought It about. and re-
vealed through the most inialllble oftests,
how keen and deep are the sensibilIties
Of our people to the obligations Of nation
al faith, and how mastering and I'M
corrupted amongst them is the vital sen.
timents of public and of private honesty.
| llauasstd in their individual labors by
every species of reverse which revul-
sion in business, having scarce parallel
in our history could inhict, they, never
theless, came forward, Instantly and with
out a murmur, at the call Of the State,
and promptly and generously, and in the
midst of distress, took from their own
wants whatever was necessary for the
supply OF hers. The unsullied preserva-
ton of our public credit by this patriotic
conduct of the people, is an achievement
worthy Of every taing has cost. and
worthy OF it ALL and yet more is the
graceful and noble testimony by which
that conduct proves that our public NOR
atty is always true to our public engage
ments--that Whatever is contracted up
on the probty aud honor Of the State as
the law TO enforce 1t, is contracted upon
a law which endorsements and reproach
have no power to weaken, and which
will no, be and cannot be broken.
But the early and successful extrica.
ton Of these branches OF public interest
from the dangers which threatened them
will not afford you higher, nor perhaps
so high and exalting qualification as the
evidence just furnished to the capacity
of our political system TO stand firm I'M
der the severests trials which attach TO
its nature. You have seen il encounter,