Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-12-17
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGIN

10 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA:
FELLOW CITIZENS I'm the performance of
duty enjoined by the Constitution, present to you
the condition of our Commonwealth, and my recon-
mendaton of such measures as are calculated i'm nv
Judgment, TO improve it.
In the performance of this duty for the first
time, have to regret that cannot be as full and as
precise as to be sasfac tory myself or as seems
to be contemplated by the Constitution. With
few exceptions, the law requires all reports rela-
tive to the public business to be made to you on
the first day Of your annual session, and l am
thus deprived Of the assistance they would afford
me in the performance of my present duty Had
possession of these reports, in time. should not
only have my opportunity greatly improved, of
thoroughly understanding the condition OF the
Commonwealth, but should he able to detect or
rors Of fact or of principle. if existing, and TO
make suggestions for their correction with force
and clearness that cannot hope now to attain
Our fiscal year has for many years commenced ON
the first Of October-the Penitentiary year likewise
commences at the same period and, by resolution
adopted March 10Th, 1889, all Internal Improve
ment Companies in which tho State is interested,
are, in this particular, put upon the same footing and
are, moreover, required to furnish their respective
reports to the Cd Auditor on or before the first day
of November y."-If this rule were general,
and all the public agencies were required to make
their annual reports up TO the first of October to be
delivered to those to whom by law they direct
ed on or before the first day of November and such
reports now required to be made to the Legsla
ture should instead of that body, be required TO be
made to the Governor, and to be delivered to him
on or before the time last mentioned, to he commu-
nicated with his Annual Message, ii is obvious that
he would be more able to see 'sthat the laws he
faithfully executed" and TO acquire much more
thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the con-
dition Of the Commonwealth, and that his sugqes-
fInD no onfif to
Grafton than under present circumstances he can
anticipate. And if it should be your pleasure tc
order that these various reports should be printed i'm
octave form, be bound, and be laid upon your table
on the day on which you assemble, you would have
large amount oil information, in most agreeable
and compendous form, of easy and ready reference,
which is Indispensable to you, and would he of great
interest to every citizen. l, therefore, recommend
the passage OF resolution, directing your public
agents hereafter to make their annual reports i'm
conformity with these suggestions.
1t affords me great pleasure to inform YOU that
the finances Of our State in highly satisfactory
condition. On the first day of October. IS45. the
balance in the Treasury was $lO6,3S6 O6. On
the first day of October, of the present year. it was
loI ,433 dollars. BY certain laws of your last ses
sion, appropriations, were made from the Treasury
chargeabe upon the then accruing revenue portions
oil which, estimated to amount to 81 900 dollars,
were undrawn at the close OF the last fiscal wear
and drawn therefrom, there would have been still
LETT at the period aforoooid balance OF do 122 dol
lars; and this after promptly meeting every demand
upon the Treasury, and paying off 1866 CT of
the public debt, which debt was only payable at the
pleasure of the Legislature But many of the
in their character. OF such charges many cannot.
and none may again recur. And have the salts
faction to inform you that, under rate of taxation
annually decreasing for the last three wears. after
defraying all the charges of Government and other
permanent appropriations, you will have at your
command during the present fiscal year an estima-
ted surplus of upwards of so 900 dollars
This prosperous state of our finances would seem
to call for further reduction of our taxes But in
stead OF such policy, / earnestly recommend
small increase of them, upon licenses pianos clocks
and watches, dividends and upon interest, except
that payable upon our State bonds.
also recommend restoration of the tax on mo-
ney. Money may be regarded as the most efficient
form OF property. Not content with ordinary pro-
MS, the owners OF money generally hold it for the
purposes OF usuary or speculation. And therefore
think may safely assume, that there is no portion
OF the property of Commonwealth that can with 50
much proprety, be called upon to contribute to the
support Of the State.
The Literary Fund exhibits the same GENERAL
features as were presented by the last Annual Re-
port. Although the permanent funds have received
substantially the usual increase from fines forfeit
LUIS and penalties, from sales of runaway slaves
from escheats and derelict estates from delinnuent
and forfeited lands and from the Brstoe estate vet
me Report Will show the material reduction of S63
o5o--a loss to the funds, resulting from the depre-
citation Of the stock of the Bank Of Virginia. and
now developed under law of your last session
Ihls fund also sustained heretofore loss OF Is O5O
dollars on United States Bank stock This fund
since ITS CREATION has at different periods lost heovi
~ on dividends 1t still owns 3,767 shares of Bank
s.ocK' now worth, 1t is supposed, 49, 10 dollars
1t does seem to me that this valuable fund ded;ca
.ed oy your enlightened and patriotic predecessors
TO she intellectual improvement of our feow-cit;
1ehs, should not be identified with our monetary
system, Iaole to all its losses, and without anv coT
responding equivalent. Therefore recommend. that
the state take this stock, on her own account and
pay p 10 the Literary Fund perpetual annuity Of
io,f9O dollars, that sum being an interest of six per
cent. upon the estimated value of the stock aforc
SAID or that the President and Directors of the
Literary Fund be required to exchange it. as they
can, at par, for any safe six per cent Investment
The Literary Fund also holds State bonds IN tho
amount Of 81 900, 500 so, upon which tho St,to
pays an annual interest Of SOL 1923 80 WIN
should this relation Of creditor and debtor bct,,oo1
me State and the Literary Fund be maintained q
wherein consists its utility The old idea that
". ,e o.ate might refuse 10 make such an appropria
ucn, Is entitled to but little consideration and Ger
,,y less respect The day is past, if it ever ex-
t s'eo, when Virginia, unmindful of her honor and
, us Iuty, would refuse to pay specific and ac-
h"owlcugeo debt, destined too, to the education of
uol own cnlloren. ] therefore recommend that the
bonds IN question be surrendered to the state 10
IG cancelle T and that the Legislature pay to the
Literary FUND, for and in cone;dorat;r ~ ~ -
perpetual annuity of 81 1913 dollars al 90 49,.
The two suggestions which have ri d % 'en'S'
hexion with this subject, if adopted. will ~ ,t po III
end to frequently recurring and Sometimes 80 '
yenient inquiries-will to some extent
the EXPENSES of 1nananinn the fund 81 '.-'.IIisu