Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-01-24

five years, under former laws, was A an'
nuaIy, while under the present code the
number run up 10 9l, and the actual aver
age 10 SO, being an incnase Of thirty Pc
cent. in three years Il isbelieyed by th'
superintendent, from these facts, tha
crime is increasing under the existing laws
that shor, imprisonments are less effective
and the laber OF the prisoners less profita'
bic. Examples ere given Of The increase
Of imprisonment from 1919 10 1923 Of loC
per cent, while similar punishments pie
vailed, and afterwards, when the policJ
was changed, imprisonments diminishct
Al per cent, up to 1917. ltsppeats, also
thai in five and half years, from 1915 ,s
1921, the clear loss on manufacturing ae'
coant amounted 10 SSs43 90 per aRnam
while in FIVE years, from lsi4to ls49, the
clear gain was Sl,9s074. lnthe last two
years, under the new law. the aggregate
clear gain was only s7s5 90. Tie boar
Of directors and superintendent Thereof
conrur in emmending on increase II
the minimum terms ol confinement us the
best remedy. While the moral effect up
on tho community and the reformation o.
offenders are the first great objects Of tht
system, a proper economy should be con
suited; and il the punishment, car be Sc
adjusted as to attain The first great objects
and refund the expenses Of the establish
men,, tho public interest will be dOably
promoted.
The increased numbers Of our free col
orsd population, as exhibited by the late
census, Is conclusive proof tha. the legis.
la,ion Of our State in relation 10 this un.
fortunate and anomalous class. though die
tated by the soundests principles Of phi
lap,hropy, has failed Of its objects; and
unless a policy. more energetic and eff
cient in its operation, be devised, il il
feared that this population. which has al
ready grown to be an evil, will increase
Whilst the census Of 1850 shows that III,
increase OF our white population, during
the ten years preceding, was 2l per cent.
and that Of our slaves was 81 per cent
il exhibits the startling fact, that our frs,
colored population, during the same peri
Cd, has increased at the rate Of 725 pc
cent.-snd that too. during the eprratieI
of those law, which were designed 10 rit
US Of this improbable class Of cur people
To drive them from the State BY law, with
gu, assistance or providing them home
weuld be oppressive und harsh and yei
to permi, tho evil 10 grow still greater, il
forbidden as well by considerations Of hu
manity as II is contrary to the dictates o
wisdom and sound policy.
This question was dermed Of sufiicien
Importance 10 make Il the subject Of con
stiiu,ional ac,ion, but il Is obvious ths
further Legislation is necessary; and | be-
leave, therefore, respectfully 70 bring i'll
your attention, to ask for Il, as II deserves
your IaSst serious consideration. -
Th. State credi, is usually COED, and n
difficulty, which has no, been overcome
has been encountered in procuring none!
10 carry on the extensive improvements il
progress. Nor is any such difficulty a2
pretended in the future. State bonds ara
now selling at the treasury for a premium
Of three per cents and in the other money
markets Of the country al even higher
price. The rise in the price Of State stock;
during the past year, may be attributed &c
tho wise provisions in the new csns:itu
tin, tending to prevent in the future rast
and lavish appropriations Of money 10 b
raised By loans, and for sinking fund 4
extineuish, in a short period. the existing
debt, as well as to the change authorized
by law in the form Of the binds, and ill
the place for the payment Of the in,eres,
thereon. Until last winter state stock
registered in the Second Auditors tffice
and Transferable on the books thereof By
the person by whom it was issued, or his
attorney, only could be sold nor eoult
the interest on such ttock be paid else
where in the United States than at the
State treasury. The coupon bonds author
ize6 10 be issued by the General Assembly
at lie last session, being transferable by de-
livery only, were better suited to tho mo-
ney markets Of the United States and 10
commercial communities generally. Thi:
change in the form Of tho bond, and the
power 10 agree 10 pay tha interes, on i
anywhere, enabled the Board Of Public
Wsrks 10 make sale Of these stocks beyond
the limits Of the commonwealth.
Tim actual debt of the State was, on the
lst Of January, 1852, about SlI, ,92l OBS 80
this debt. under the operation Of the pro.
visiens Of the constitution in relation ID
the sinking fund, will be extingnished in
about thirty.three years; and any new
debts contracted after the first day Of Jan
uary, 1852, under the same provisions o.
the constitution, will be paid at the end nl
thiny.tour years from the creation thereof
The exerIons 10 be made for the purpose
or paving The existing and future debts
will doubtless be very Sensibly felt BY Tho
country. The revenue raised by taxation
must needs be increased at least fifty pei
cent, unless the internal improvements o.
the State, Of which the State is either th'
part or sole owner, can be made much
more productive than they have hereto
lore been. That the internal improve
menls Of the State may be made more pro
titabls by iudicious appropriations thereto
either for the completion Of those that ar'
unfinished or for tho removal o( oihrr en-
barrassments thereof, and by better man
agemcn, of these Improvements, ] ranno
doubt. AS il is the will Of the people o
Virginia ,hO, the State debt shall be paid
md that speedily, surely the internal i'm
provemenis oi the State, TO make Nhlcl
tho deb, was chiefly contracted, should b.
made 10 pay as much thereof, as well al
the current interest thereon, as may be-
And must say In this connection, that
thinkappropria,ions Ot this time, TO inter
nal Improvements which will no, in OIL
probability becsme diyidend paying i'm