Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-01-20
vol. 81. no. III.

years. RfsH were consequently Apse 10 MAKE sear IA
Dor useful % The establishment Under the new law
IS Per cent d THE prisoners ore sentenced for one
year, so PER crat. for less than lhfce The average
number received in the lac: FIVE years under form
er laws, "A annually, while under the present
code the number has run up 20 9f, and the sexual
average TO So being increase OF thirty per cent.
in three years. II Is believed by the supcrintsnd-
emit from these facts that crime is increasing under
the existing laws, that short imrrisonmts are less
effective, and the labor Of tho prisoners lees prots-
bic. Examples are given Of the increase OF inpr:s
cnment from 1912 10 sss Of 100 per cent.sw
similar ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and Afterwards, WHOM
the policy wsschanged imprisonment aiminished4l
per cent up to ls47 II appears. also. that in Eve
and half years foan 1916 TO ieai. the clear loss
on manufacturing accounsamcansod to $s,st3 %
per annutn, whilo in Eve years. from let4 10 sac.
the clear gam was 1898 ~. In the last two
under The new law. the aggregate clear gain was
only $7D5 80. The board ofdircfcrs sndsupcrin-
tendens thercofeoncur ia recommending an increase
in the minimum terms OF confinement as the hest
remedy While the moral effect upon the comnu-
nifty and the reformation OF offenders are the first
great objects ofthc system, proper economy should
he consulted; aud il The punishment can be nd.
justed as TO attain the first great objects and refund
the expenses Of the establishment the public inter-
est viii be douhly promoted.
The increased numbers n our free cclosel pop,i>
proof tia. the legislation Of state in relation to
this unfortunate and anomslss class though dctat-
ed by the soundest principles Of philanthropy, has
failed Of lis objects and uneas policy. more encr-
gcsc and efficient in It's opcfation I've devised, it s
feared tina. thspopulatcn, which has already grown
to be an evil will increase. Whit tho census Of
1850 shows that the incresso Of our white populaA
ton, during the ten years proceeding, 81 psf
cent, and that OF our slaves 81 per cent, ex4
hibts tho startling fact, that our FREQ eolorcd popn.
lalon, during the sanc period has increased at the
ratio of s-5 per ccntard that too, during the ops
Grafton Of these laws which were designed to rid W
Of thsunpro6table class ofonr people, Todrive them
from the State By law without assistance provid~
iny ihetn home. woui W oppressive and harsh;
and yet TO permit the evil u grow still greater IL
forbidden az well by can. lcfai,ons of humanity az
it is contrary 10 the die,sts Of wisdom and sound
policy.
This question was dcrmed 81 sufficient import
10 make II the ruhleet "a constitutional action,
but i, i Obvious that further legislation il necessa-
~ aud beg have, therefore, respectfully 10 bring
i. to your attention, and ask Tor IT, a. 1t deserves,
your most serious consideration.
The State credit is usually good and no difficult
~, which has not been overcome, haa teencnconn-
tered in procuring money 70 carry on the extensive
Improvements in rrogrcrss Nor is any snrh diff
Gully apprthcnded in the future. State bonds
now selling at the treasury for pemiun Of thrcc
per cent, and in the other money markets Of tho
country at even higher price, The rise Ia tho
price Of State stocks. during the past year, may be
attributed to the wise prs s-."ns in the rev consi
tuition tending to prcvcns. s,e uuse fssl and Law
iah appropriations Of mcecy 90 he rsis<d by loans,
and for sinking fund 70 esnnguiyh ia short pc
ROD the existing debt III IS TO tho change
thorised by law in tie form at the bonds, and in
the place for the payment Of the interest thcreon.
Until last winter State stocks clustered in tho Sc
cond Auditors Office, aud transferable on the hooks
thereof BY the person by Whom il issued, or hs
attorney, only could be sold nor could the interest
sach stock b. paid elsewhere In the United States
than at the State treasury. Tho coupon bonds an-
thorized TO lie issued by the General Assembly, At
its last session, being Transferable by delivery only,
better suited 10 the money markets ofthc Uni
ted States and TO commercial communities general
ly. This chenge in the form Of the bond, and the
power 10 agree 70 pay the interest il anywhere,
enabled the Board OF Public Works TO make sale
Of these stocks beyond the limits Of the common
wenlth.
The actual debt Of The stats WINS. on the I st JAM
uary, 1852 ahont 81 92l 03s 30 this debt, under
the operation Of the provisions Of the constitution in
relation to the sinking fund. win be cxtnguished in
thrsy-thrre yeats, and any debts contarcis
ed after the first day ef January, 1882, under. the
same provisions of thn rorssttusion will be paid a.
the end Of thirty -four years from the creation there
Of. Tho exertons 10 be made for the purpose Of
paying the existing and future debts will doubtless
be felt very rensbly by the country. The revenue
raised by taxation must needs he increased at least
iiy per cent, unless the internal improvements Of
the State Of which tho state il cthcrihe part or solo
owner can be made mn-h more productive than
they have heretofore been. That the internal i'm
provements ofthe state may be made more prcfta-
bic by Jndicous appropriations thereto, either rthe
completion of those that unfinished or for the
mova of other endorsements thereof and by bet
Ter management &c tscxe improvements, cannot
doubt. AS II il thc Mil ofthe people Of Virginia
that the State debt shall be paid and that speedily,
surely the internal Improvements Of the State, 10
make which the debt was chiefly contracted, should
be made 10 pay as such thereof, well as the
rent interest thereon, may be. And must say
IN this CORRECTION. that think appropriations. ut
tins tr1e, 10 internal Improvements which will not
in all probability become dividend paying improve
mcnts are not advisable. The State Of Virginia
owns at this time s7,256.4i6 10 Of productive, and
xs,l07, SOC 03 Of unprodueti,e stocks. As before
Indicated this last class of stocks ought not at this
time to be increased. II Is worthy of remark here,
that the dividends aud interest the productive
funds with the addition Of the bonds on bank capt.
tai, is estimated in the accompanying report Of the
Second Auditor. to yield $5303s6 57--s sum
equivalent to per cent. on nine millions Of dol
lars.
IL appears from the First Auditor estimates that
the deficiency Of the revenue the end Of this fs-
cal year win be 35isSii 90. If seven per cent ON
the debt contracted aud % be contracted prior to
the Isl day Of July next be set apart out Of the
enue Of this fiscal year this deficiency win have To
be thrown upon the OF future years. II the
General Assembly, howevcr--and think il win be
wise and constitutional to do so-pay only tbs cur
interest Of the year heretofore, AMI satisfy
the further reqnieitons of the constitution to
sinking fand out Of the revenues Of 1888, which
will come into the treasury IN December next, then
the deficiency at the treasury the LIST day OF Oc
tobcr next, viii be only s3sl 1852 50; and taT.
which viii bring in fcvsnue 10 the wants Of the
I government, under the new Jonsfiiution, can her
devised at this session Of the General Assembly
I The subject Of internal Improvement, which for
many years has engaged the anxious attentions OF
our people, il rapidly increasing in interest and i'm
portance, and viii require your most serious and
careful censdsrato on. Whe9her We look TO the vest
amount III capital arsady Invested by the State i'm
the enterprise, the appropriations yet required to
carry gu, successfully the schemes already begun.
and, thereby make them availahs for revenue and
State Purposcss-or consider the magnitude Of the
Objects ssagt to be obtained, and the importance
Of the results anticipated from their completion IN
the aid they viii give III Developing the mineral and
AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES and HE manufacturing and