Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-12-02
ANNUAL MESSAGE
Ofthe Governor Of Virginia.

Cx..,.-.r. DEPARTMENT, Deer LIST, 1915.
Cit nave The honor 10 enclose communal
.,;nn - no General Assembly, and 10 request
49,, NAV he Submitted TO the House oil Dele
yates. lam, most respectfully,
Your obedieDt servant,
JAS. MCDOWELL.
n he Speaker OF the House OF Delegates.
Esllor- Cih-ens Of The Senate
and If the House " Delegates
lam gra,,fisd 10 say in this nual commune
c,,;on that nothing has occurred since the Time
nj vonr adjournment 10 affect, in any WISE The
internal Quiet, good order and security Of me
State or To disturb for single moment the Gus,
,omary and lawful pursuits OF the ci'lzen. All
has been tranquil and all sate-the duties ana
obligations of the government fulfilled ~ilhou'
embarrassment, and the objects OF private INDUS
try pursued without oppression IRON pubic pur-
thens or prejudice from business disorders. Oh
all sides We have been free from any unusual dis
asier affection or wrong; have maintained ~
violate The laws and credit OF The S!a,e; nave
suffered in nothing from which sound condi-
,ion Of public Justice and private morals couid
protect Us; have been blessed generally oy Il hihu
Providence, with our usual health, ard, II IN par
ticular places The profits OF our hnsoandry nave
been los, from the severity ol The season, our Se-
neral means OF subsistence are qiate equai, u i
believed for our general wants.
And here, 10 further enumeration Of ad"ana-
ces. | will add, that our temporary debt, winch
amouRted 10 three hundred and h,y thousand
dollars three years ago. has been entirely c%tn-
gusbed That our State stock is al premium,
and that onr revenue for the present calendar
wear will be more than adequate 10 The ordinary
wants Of the government-resuli which have
been ACCOMPLISHED under two successive reduc-
lions in the rate OF tar and under system OF
taxation bv far more satisfactory and more equila.
bic than the one il has 50 recently sncr"eded.
In all these rcspects-and they comprehend
large and important aggregate OF genera good
tba condition of The State is highly satisfactory,
and furnishes, 10 certain extern, Inc evidence VI
a we'll doing and a welorered COMMONWEALTH
But, 10 other respects, and those inseparabiy con-
nec,ed with every form of public and private wei
FIRE thai condition i. much less satisfactory, ana
;s .nch indeed. that no wise and provident REQ
ME having the control OF il in their own HANDS
should permit 10 continue. This is true especial
IL Of The labor and education of our people =
those parental interests which lie al The founda-
t;on of all others, and whuse Improvement ana
union form together 50 essential part OF me re.
fnement, visor and prosperity OF STATE. Instead
of cherishlng thes interests with the ansiet' and
care which was proportioned to their value, and
which il was the clear duty o! the government 10
have done we have aided neither OF Them by any
effectual system OF pnblic means, and nave very
generally minisiered 10 the wants ot both WIN as
reluctant and backward a spirit as il the welfare
and efficiency Of a State consisted IN soineth,hS
else than in The number Of hands and minds that
were freely. inelsenlly and usetully employed.
No communty tree and able as ours Is, 10 pro-
vile for its welfare as il pleased, and pressed as
ours is By the growing necessities OF suffering
and critical situation 10 make that provision
boldly and completely, has ever, perhaps per-
mted so enriching an amount OF lis intellect ard
industry TO be given up 10 so much lnprovuence
and waste The Illuminating extent Ia which .sie
very alphabet Of knowledge is unknown amongst
Us. Tells how deeply our intelligence has suffered
and is still suffering from neglect, whilst The no
less hnmilaring amount OF our internal and eS-
port trade when compared with the size and Ter
iity OF the Stale, tells how etieclually part oil
our priva,c labor has been DESTROYED b. the over
towering difficulties which attend the lransforta-
lion and exchange OF It's products. Bul This is
no, all. Another, and probably worse effect Of
this neglect, is the disturbing AMI unhappy in
fluepce which il exeIis over the internal relations
and harmony OF the State. The great loss TO the
produc;iveness Of labor which it has occasioned
having fallen with more severity upon certain
geographical portions OF the State than upon
others, il has excited an impatience and sense
of wrong amongst them, which is foreign TO the
interest OF common people, and which Is daily
superadding 10 lis other causes OF mischief a
strong and bler one OF sectional disaneciol.
Such being the condition OF these Interests. |
submit them 10 the Legislature, with an earnest
recommendation 10 provide Tor them both rs spec
div and as efficiently az their importance and as
the power OF The State will Justify. In This, the
Legislature will perceive The renewed recon-
mendation Of policy which have heretofore,
on several occasions, urged upon iis adoption,
and which urge upon Il again, certainly IN no
spiri. OF idle Importantly, but from The most So
lemn cou, lciion that II IS not only ]n>t, wise
and benefcent policy, indispensable 10 The good
government, Of The State, but one which the Le-
eislalure cannot continue 10 postpone without IT.
reoarable evil, and which, sooner or later, ii will
be compelled 10 adopt upon principles OF sell.
defence. II Virginia would retain The masses Of
her people who are crowdins into other states,
and thus save tor her own power, The youth, enter
prise and wealth which she is annually giving up
10 the power of others she must so direct The ad
ministra,ion of her government as 10 ma ne u their
interest. as far as il can be done, 10 remain where
they are All that is necessary 10 accomplish This
purpose cannot indeed be done by The Govern
ment bu, what can be done, ough, TO be done.
The emigration which is en!eebing and wasting
us 10 a vital degree must il possible, be s'opred
internal causes and therefore within the reach Of
positive control, The Government can cooperate,
and is bound II cooperate in eilsc,ng. And that
ii is within the reach, 10 most available extent,
Of such control, is evident from the fact, that the
causes which generally Cypress the condition
Of people and dr-e them from their native
land 10 some other, as necessary process OF ma
tional or personal relief have scarcely even a
conceivable existence or operation here. We
have no territory incapable oil further settlement
or subdivision,-no population pressing on the
limits OF subsistence,-no capital AMI business
so concentrated in few hands rs 10 place The
grea, BODY OF society under their commando
have none OF these causes Of hardship. depend
ance or poverty for which emigration Offers
wherever they are found the common and efiec-
iual remedy On The contrary, Is known 10 all,
tina, il our population were several times greater
than il is il could be maintained and employed,
not only without the slightest buroeE upon our ca
liabilities. but with the most obvious and decided
benefit 10 their development and activity. Sill!
our people abanGon rs. Some 10 withdraw from
a slaveholding community: some 10 make more
profitable application OF their slave labor 10 he
staple products OF other States: some 10 avoid
associations which lime and charges have rem
dered painful some 10 retric"e, upon new thea
Ire, their losses in business, and olhc that they
may rush 10 the newest and most stirring scenes
and prosecute The purposes oi life in the midst
Of excitement, enterprise and adventure. These
make up movable class Of people whose emf.
grafton is but liue dependant upon The policy Of
The State, and whom, lnert fore, We may not by
any change in that policy expect TO retain
But there is another and very numerous class,
who are influenced by none Of The considerations
suggested a Woodworking, rrovideni and "alu-
able class, who are attached 10 their homes, and
10 all the usases, laws and associations which
surround them, bu, who are Obliged, reveI,he-
less, 10 abandon them all under the stern require
men,s of duty to themselves and their families.
Whhou, any adequate market near them, and
withou, any distant one TO which they have a
cheap and suitable access, the whole products Of
their labor are SO absorbed in the expense Of ex-
changing them, and The expense itself is 50 IRE
ducible by any economy or prudence O! theirs,
that the only alternative left them is 10 loi on in
comparaliye poverty, or TO 90 elsewhere where