Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-10
LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA.

The Legislature of the State of Virginia assem-
bled at Richmond on Monday last. Each House
organized by the re-appointment Of the old off,
GERS, with the exception of the Sergeantt Arms Of
the Senate, who was not candidate for reelection.
The Message of Governor JOHNSON was commu-
nicated to both Houses. We make few extracts
from summary of its contents which appears in
the Enquirer:
The finances of the State are represented to be in
prosperous condition. insomuch that the present rate
tax with the productive stocks held by the State win b,
found sufficient to meet all her engagements The ag
gregate outstanding public debt the 30h of Sepem
Der last the termination of the fiscal year. was IS t
dollars. The par value of the productive investments
the State is SIS, 256,l7l Deduct this from the
aggregate outstanding debt and have balance OF
,920275 Of unproductve stocks Subscriptions ap-
proprations and loans authorized by law render the
State liable for additional Of ST. 750 739 which,
added to the above amount of So will exhibit
aggregate Of Indebtedness and liability and above
productive stock of ST., 1911 OLA And If add this
sum to the amount Of productive stock wit 8 256
we will lind that the grand total Of outstanding debt and
liability is S25, ,937 lS6. Moreover, the State is subject
to contingent liability for 81 0S0being the amount
Of subscription TO companies of whose organization in
formation has been received thus appears that the
whole debt Of the State exclusive Of productive invest
ments, amounts 800 5S1 094 or $2S 266 if we
include the Of productive investment But the
amount of unproductive debt, to wit $40 1856 054 is
small in comparison with the Of the State The
auditor Of public accounts estimates the value Of proper
ty in the State at 5000 600 000 The be raised
for the support Of government including the payment Of
interest the entire debt is but 50 600 900 SO that an
ad Uao tax at the rate Of thryfve cents in the hun
dred dollars will suffice for the demand. IL exclude
from the calculation the amount Of property exempt from
taxation-estimated third Of the whoe-the rate Of
tax the remaining S400 900 900 will be in the proper
tion Of fifty cents to the hundred dollars But the
State derives about half Of her from other
ces it is manifest that much less proportion in the hun
dred dollars will be reQuired-nOt believed
than onehay that amount. In enumeratng the liabli
ties Of the State account is taken Of the literary fund.-
that being regarded as debt from the State to itself
The total productive capital Of the literary fund is
81 ,606, ,802.
The receipts into the Treasury during the last fiscal
year, including the balance hand we're 81 ,959,ST,
and the expenditures for the period were ST.
leaving an unexpended balance in the Treasury Of
$lS6259 1t is estimated that the receipts for the
rent year viii amount TO 900 000 and that the expen
ditures for the period will about equal the receipts
The message states that large increase Of crime has
taken place in the State since ls47 This is attributed
in part TO the operation Of the code and IL is sug
gested that the minimum term Of confinement in the peni
tentary be restored to three years The proportion Of
crime between whites and free negroes sIee
This fact confirms the opinion expressed in former
sage that should be adopted to remove the
great and growing evil Of our free negro population
The labors Of the colonization board commended
but at best il is thought they only the
nua increase in the free negro population leaving the
original number Of 55O 900 free negroes in the State
large portion Of the message is devoted to con-
sideration Of the internal improvement system Of the
State 1t is manifest that the Governor regards the sys
tenn with much favor aud anticipates from its completion
the development Of the vast Of the State The
system is pushed forward with commendabe energy and
il is thought that the Board Of Public Works will i'm
part additional impetus to its progress The message
recommends appropriation sufficient complete the
great leading lines OF railway at the earliest possible pc
riod-deferring any expenditure collateral works until
their construction shall involve embarrassment Of the
Treasury.
The message repeats previous recommendation thai
point at Clifton Forge be selected as the
western terminus Of the James River and Canal
and that appropriation be made carry il further
The Governor informs the Legislature that on ac-
count Of the Importance Of the principle involved in the
case Of the Lennon slaves he has ordered an appeal
the decision Of the court below the Supreme Court Of
New York. and he suggests that provision be made for
the employment Of and for the payment Of the
cessary expenses that may be incurred