Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-02-29
!Shor, Scssion-Lcgislatirc Dcl;nqucncy.

is in type, has been unavoiLajly omitted
'Shor, Session-Lcgjslatirc Delinquency.
We copy the following paragraph from The las,
Winchester Republican
"Among the bills pushed overheard in the hot hast,
TO have short session at all hazards one for giving
the States guarantee to loan aid the Valley Turn
pike company in paying OF thc claims pressing upon
it, The safety of such guarantee clearly demon
stratcd but deaf turned to the application and
the State by Withholding the use of her credit.
VIII be the largest loser herself accumulation of
costs. The tolls on this road regularly increasing
This is OF piece with the Senate's folly i'm
rejecting the appropriation to complete the build
ings of the Virginia Institution for the education
of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind State
work, half finished and of course useless, is thus
lett to the injury ofthe weather, while large year
~ rents are incurred for the accommodation they
are intended to afford! And why! Not because
OF the poverty of the Treasury; for that could
be no excuse. Enlightened economy would die
tate resort TO temporary loan, rather than stop
the buildings, since they must be finished, unless
the State abandons her humane policy, and breaks
up the institution. Then why the refusal! We
have heard 1t said that some of our Solons think
the buildings ought to have been put up on scale
answering to the original appropriation, some
$4,000, and that this was the reason! Can it
be possible that they expect adequate accommo-
da,ion could be provided for two such numerous
classes as the Mute and the Blind, in so large
commonwealth as Virginia. for half the sum ex-
pended by other smaller States in buildings for
only one of them? And would they, by thus
contracting the institution, crcumscribe its bene-
fits to few, and make their administration ne
cessarlly partial among people having equal
claims to them Assuredly this is not the kind
OF institutions the people Of Virginia want. If
the State supports them the whole people of the
State who need them should have their benefits.
Full, equal, and ample provision for all, is the
only just principle upon which State can act
in founding such institutions. But we believe
the Visitors, in this case, acted with all the dis
cretion possible, and took every precaution TO
avoid even the appearance of assuming undue
responsibility. Their plans were elaborated with
the greatest care, well with view to their
adaptedncss to the intended, as TO economy
in their construction; and estimate upon estimate
was procured, from experienced workmen, in order
that they might not exceed the means at their dis
posal. These estimates however, proved falla-
cious-as is usually found to be the case, i'm the
bitter experience of every body who undertakes
to build. The fault of the Visitors, therefore, if
indeed it can be considered fault by any, ORR
glnated In laudable desire to effect the most pos
sible with the means at their command and as
the buildings neither large for the purposes
intended, nor unnecessarily expensive in their
construction, we regard their conduct as greatly
more worthy of praise than censure-for TO have
put uD such buildings as would have cost but the
$4,000, it is now apparent, could have been lit
tie better than waste OF so mach money. Yet
suppose the Visitors had acted improperly in the
administration of their trust, does this excuse the
conduct of the refusing Senators? Certainly
not. The Visitors should have been censured, if
1t was thought they deserved censure but the
State interest in the institution ought not to have
been neglected. The conduct of the Tistors was
one thing, and the duty of Senators quite another
thing. We do not know, however, that il is
worth our while to argue this question here
We took up our pen merely to express, in gener-
al terms, our condemnation of the act of the Sem
ate, which is certainly at war with every princi-
pie of sound legislation, and douby injurious TO
the State by denying her the benefit of the large
expenditure already made, as well as placing her
in the false and humiliating posture of grudging
the cost of her own charity. 1t is indeed most
mortfyiDg.-There the noble edifce stands
which might be the comfortable and JOYOUS
home of the poor unfortunates for whose use it
was in;ended-and there, for another year at least
by this act of Legislative delinquency, it must
stand, abandoned and desolate, with nothing to
relieve its misunderstanding TO break its ST.
lence, save the low twitter Of some startled bird
which has made its gloomy lodging there, or the
sad music of the wind, it signs and means
through its empty halls.--But enough such
folly we hope, for the honor of the State, will not
be repeated.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTH DAY.
The 22nd of February was celebrated as usual
by the Stanton 1t. Infantry, under the command
of Capt. BALDwIN.--There fair turnout,
and the company made handsome appearance.
But for this spirited corps, our National events
l.. e 4 Ill.