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


C6lt0te Oitu 1xVts5c " LcsegOtcS.
welcome you, with great pleasure, to the capitol,
and offer you my congratulations upon the condition
in which you will find the general interests Of the
commonwealth. Notwithstanding the fears express
ed by many lest the liberal spirit evrced IN The moro
recent Legislation of the state, touching the improves
menl Of ruads and canals would embafass our fnan.
ces, the reports herewith transmit to you from
the several departments, will show that our condi
ton Is sound and prosperous. Indeed, there is ev
~ thing in il to vindcate the wisdom Of The legis
ature, and to crafty .hefriends Of judicous but
liberal system Of internal Improvement II will be,
am sure, gratifying TO you and to the people at
large to know that Virginia has at her command
ample means to discharge all her subsisting public
debt, with the exception Of very small and incon-
siderable sum. Ii it were thought desirable to'mor-
row Ia wipe out the public debit sale at par OF her
profitable and interest paying stocks would eflectt
This present subsisting debt amounts to ~ ,54l,-
2N H. The annual interest and dividends receiv-
ed by the state amount to $4SO,f52 Us; shelving
that the stocks yielding this sum are worth, at par,
l79 200, or about the amount Of the public debt;
that s within $780, 0OOnf our present Indebtedness.
There is, however, an additional sum of So ,000.-
600, which under existing laws, may be called for
out of the treasury and about $5 600 600 Of which
will, it is thought, be certainly demanded In the
course of few years hence this sum, although
not now asubsisling debt, will become so and ought,
therefore to be akenlnto the estimate OF liabilities
This view shews the precise condition ofour financial
situation and is fully sustained by the reports and
documents which win be laid before the legislature
The state, it is true, has guaranteed loans to
siderable amount, for various incorporated companies
which secnrityship some have regarded part of
sthe public debt but this is unqueslionably an er
'ror for knowledge Of the resources and the pros
pects of the companies, whose b0nds have been
guaranteed, will satisfy all, tina, they are or will
ultimately be, amply able to pay their bonds, up
to this time, they have always done the interest
'them.
This exposition is cheering one to all, but TO
none than the friends of internal improve
ments for which the debt has been mainly created.
However, whilst il shews the perfect capacity of
the common wealth to manage her present debt
without Inconvenience, it alsu shews the necessity
of the greatest prudence and crcumspecton on the
part Of the legislature 10 avoid such increase of
indebtedness may result in future embarrassment
and additional taxation. Nothing ought to be more
cautiously avoided, or earnestly deprecated by the
advocates Of the recent liberal system of improve
"fnent than such result. | would recommend,
therefore, that, except such sums necessary
TO carry on The great works already begun, or such
aas essentially necessary to contribute 10 their
success and profit, no farther appropriation should be
made for the present oat Of The treasury. l make
this recommendation with the greater confidence,
because believe The success OF a permanent and
wise system Of internal improvements depend upon
it.
Ifanythino can ever restore TO Virginia that pc
cunary and commercial ascendency which she
r6nce possessed in the centederacy, II must be the
contamination Of the system of internal improve
ments she has already embarked in, and the con-
,pleon Of the truly great works already eommenc
ed To endanger the system, or TO impede Che pros
ecution of those works, is 10 strike faa! blow at
Jhe resuscitatnn of the commonwealth; and nothing
would be so effeciual for Ii!s as lavish eKpendi
ture of public money upon insignificant projects,
from which The Stale al large could never receive
any benefit.
The great works Of internal improvement, already
undertaken aud generously sustained by the pub
Hic funds and public CREDIT, teGetter with two
proposed but not yet determined upon are caleHa-
ted develop very fully the OF the state
and to swell the tide of her commercial prosperity
to its utmost limits. The entire energies of ,.,eoo
'rnonweath should be devoted to their c6np,elion,
but in such way to avoid embarrassment and to
escape onerous taxation. That This be effected
by the prudence and wisdom Of the legislature,
have no doubt.
1t is now reduced almost TO an axoirr,, that the
greatest commercial prosperity in the Atlantic States
is only attaiaabe by connection with the valley of
ahe Mississippi and hence, from Massachusetts, to
Georgia, we see almost every state along the sea-
coast competing anXiously and earnestly with each
Other for the shortest, cheapest and safest
nicstion.
The commercial ascendeRcy of Virginia was at
oneperiod of our history undisputed her natural
advantages OF navigable streams, climate and soil
gaveit her. Trusting TO these, we have neglect
cd those artificial means which could alone secure
it to us permanently 4; and therefore the commerce,
which once whitened with its sasou- seaports, has
almost disappeared from our waters. Theexample
sot us by neighbors at the north is of wis
dom, and deserves our most earnest attention. In
spite Of bleak climate, and sterile soil, they have,
by judcious policy afforded such facilities to inter-
communication and trade, tina; with her
golden tides has filled the land with plenty, pros
perity and wealth. Our natural advantages remain
still the same they are unequalled by any Atlantic
state; and whilst it is now probably Zoo late to di-
vert the commerce Of the Atlantic cities from its
present channels still it is in the power of demon
stration to shew thata vast deal of what we have
unwisely lost, be regaihed, and that we can still
secure fair division of that commercial wealth
and power which is now monopoliZed by the North.
Situated about midway between the horthern bdun
Diary of the u. States and the Gulf Of Mexico, we
escape in great degree the rigors of the northern
winters, and the searching heat Of the South. Our
eastern border upon the river Potomac and the
Chesapeake bay, is dotted with harbors unsurpass-
ed in safety and capacity. The fleets of the whole
esrh could ride safely at anchor within them. Our
western border is washed for several hundred miles
by the Ohio river, and at other points along it, the
rich region of Kentucky and the fertile valley Of the
Tennessee are Of easy access Besides this, the
country lying between the eastern and western
boundaries, of which speak, is unsurpassed for its
fertility and the variety of lis products Minerals
of every description 10 be found Of the most stl-
perer quality, and in quantities absolutely inexhaus-
tibls, while the earth in which they are embedded
unlike other mineral regions, is Of the desra-
bic character for husbandry. Let this country be
penetrated by improvements connecting our seaports
with the 0hio,with Kentucky and The valley Offer
nessee and it will inIuse spirit Of enterprise into
the population, which must, in short time, fully
devclnn ali ofo