Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-14

mutual scrutiny into their manaSeiheht' ant
an examination into their condition, tha
would keep them under proper restraint:
and within legal bounds-and thus, each
improve the other.
1t is of great advantage to the commu-
nity that its circulating medium should be
known; and vet, of the nine independent
banks that have gone into operation, there
has been no public announcement, and II
is impossible for the people to know wheth.
er they are legally constituted or not
These consist of the Bank of the Old Do
minion, the Manufacturers and Farmers
Bank of Wheeling, the Merchants Bank OF
Virginia, the Central Bank of Virginia, the
Bank of Winchester, the Monticello Bank,
the Fairmont Bank, the Bank of Berkeley
and the Trans-Alleghany Bank. The char
ters of these banks exempt them from the
operation of the 7th section of chapter 5e
of the Code, and hence there is no provis-
ion for giving notice to the public that any
such are in existence. | recommend that
some such provision be adopted.
While upon this subject, cannot refrain
from expressing the hope that some provis-
ion may be made which will effectually pre-
vent the issuing, by irresponsible persons,
of "a worthless, irfedernrabtte CTcufdtf0r:-
The present law is admitted to be defective.
The consequence is, it is wholly disregard
ed cannot believe that law may not
be framed to prevent the evil, and punish
those who violate it. Nor do believe that
the courts and juries would fail to execute
such law I respectfully invite the at
tention of the general assembly to the SUBJ
ject. ;,
The report upon the pententiary, with
the accompanying documents, herewith pre-
sented, is recommended to your favorable
consideration. The melancholy fact, that a
large increase of crime has taken place in
the State, is clearly exhibited. One hum
dred and nine free persons were received
in the institution during the past year.
They consisted of 80 white and % free
colored persons. At the end of the fiscal
wear G67 remained in prison-consistng Of
| 100 white males, but no white females, Ia
fact creditaole to the females of the State,
81 colored males, and 6 colored females
exhibiting an increase of SO white and 8
colored convicts in the year. The report
presents the remarkable fact, that in five
wears from the 1st of October 1848, to the
3Oh of September 1858, no less than 304
whites and 102 free persons of color were
imprisoned. If we may regard this as an
index to crime in the two races, we shall
find, by reference to the tables of popula-
ton, that the proportion among the free per-
sons of color is nearly sirteen times greater
than among the whites. This remarkable
difference is not indigenous to Virginia or
other slaveholdIng States. A communica-
ton from the superintendent of the penten-
tary to a member of the Senate IN March
last, exhibits the average proportion Of
crime among the free colored population Of
Virginia and Maryland together, as equal
to 1923 10 white, whilst the average among
the same classes in the States Of Pennsyl.
vania, New Jersey, New York, Connecti-
cut, Massachusetts, and Indiana combined,
is in the proportion Of 1890 of the colored
to one of white.
Upon the subject of the increase of crime
generally. since the adoption of the new
Criminal Code.it is shown that in four years
prior to the 3Oth of September 1S47, the
annual average of convicts was about At,
whilst in the last year 109 were received.
1t appears that nearly one-fourth of the con-
victs are sent for one year, and more than
half for less than two. The superintendent
and the board of directors concur in the
propriety of restoring the minimum term of
Imprisonment to three years, as the best
means of checking crime and improving
the convicts, as well as to render their la
Dor more profitable to the State.
The manufactures have increased proba-
bly, in proportion to the increase of prison
ers; but IN consequence Of increased ex-
penses, mo additional profit has been derived.
For detailed statement, however, of Its
financial operations during the year, l res
pectfully refer you 10 the report and ac-
companying papers.
In my first message to your predecessors,
called their attention to the continued in
crease of our free negro population, and re-
commended the adoption of more energetic
measures for their removal. If anything
were wanting to remind us of the necessity
of removing this great and growing evil, it
is furnished in the facts exhibited in ther re-
port upon the pententiary. With such an
exhibit before me, cannot hesitate TO a.
gain call your attention to the subject.
By the act passed April the 9th, 1853, the
sum Of $780, per annum for five years,
together with the net amount to be raised
by tax of $40 per head upon every male
free negro between d and 55 years of age,
and the tax on seals attached to registers of
freedom, was az appropriated to be expended
by the colonization board in the transporta-
tion of these persons to Liberia. This act,
though designed to rid us of this evil, will
fail of its purpose, unless more urgent IN
ducements be used to cause this class OF
persons to consent to their removal.
Under the provisions of the act referred
to, 'colonization board" was duly organ
lied on the second of May, 1858, and
herewith submit their first annual report
This report is highly interesting, and to its
several wise and judicious recommends
tons invite your particular attention. II
will be seen that small as the amount ap-
propriated for this purpose was, it is not
probable that the whole will be called for
This is owing to the fact that but few can
be induced to avail themselves of its bene-
fits. The law of 1850 was in operation three
years, and in that time there were sent from
Virginia to Liberia 419 free blaek ks & slaves,
at cost to the treasury of $5,4lO. Under
the present law, in the first six months,
two companies of emIgrants, consisting of
240 negroes have been sent to Liberia from
Virginia. larger number than has gone
from any other State in the same time-for
which $500 have been drawn from the
Treasury, and $4,000 likely to be appropri-