Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-12-07
The oovesnor 5 Me-ssse


pens ryaop,i- Of it, contents. with such re-
mark. upon the positions it takes aud the pohc,
IL atlvises.as u hssiy perusal has suggested. The
document is the must lsbered sn1 ambitious that
has enansted from she present Executive. but
does not increase our admiration ct Ills Excel
iency's craftsmanship, learning UT Intellect
and though entering somewhat largely into de-
tails and statistics, fails to impart any informa
ton with which ,nen ordinarily familns with pub
lie Affairs we're not already acquainted. For til"
Ia l;crcus esorts ut fine writing, and the aborivc
attempts at correct construction OF SEN
fences, Of which the paper furnishes So many m
stances. all generous minds will accord the writer
the credit of good intentions.
The message opens with the pleasan assurance
to the Legislature. that though 10 session has
been held for two years. the interests of the Com
monwealih have mol thereby suffered. Whether
this is due to the absence of that sage body. and
does not raise presumption against It's public
utility, the Governor leaves the mem5ers TO de-
eide for themselves. He congratnites them ON
the general prosperous condition of our beloved
Commonwealth and informs them that nothing
has happened TO mar our felicity except 1.-The
pesuence which has prevailed for the last three
months in Norfolk aud Portsmouth but tha',
he is "happy to say. is fast passing away The
Governor shows himself IN this little behind the
times-snid pesiilenoe having not prevailed for
8. the last two months, TO any extent. and having
some weeks since entirely past away. But this
is not important
He reminds the Legislature that the honor. in
terest and future welfare of the Commonwealth
are committed to their charge--and hastens To
inform them that the finances ofthe State cannot
be rep esenied as "in n prosperous condition.
This may have been done with n prudent refer
.ence to the remaining instaimout of the gaber-
aatorial salary, sh,rtly 10 fall dueas he admon-
shes them OF the necessity of making immediate
and ample provision 10 meet erery liability. The
deficit of treasury receipts, less than democratic
estimates he states at S3S5.0ls 9}-to which
must be added "sundry appropriations made by
law, and which were to have been paid within the
last fiscal year. bat were not--amonnting,i the
aggregate. 10 abb ut-S 1890, 600 Under This awful
deficiency the Governor has managed To keep
the wheels Of government going by l,ans from
various banks to the extent of $500, 900 What
the effect Of Withdrawing from business com
munitics this amount of bnnk accommodation
has been. the message does not inform US. The
States ''negoiables." ike all other "negota-
bles," have time for falling due, and the State
being in the condition of many others who deal
in bank, without 1.-THE wherewith" To meet them
the Governor sagaciously recommends their re
newa. In addition 70 this. the Interest on the
public debtnmonn,ing to 1927 0o0.falling due On
the at Of January and il not being certain that
funds sufhien t. pay 1t will be in hand the
Governor has Suthorizrd the Lseasurer ia no
gotiate further temporary '"su for whatever
amount may bo requisite" he banks are gen
orally understood 10 have been created for The
benefit Of the people. but under the neeessitie.
Of democratic fnancierng they seem about to be
appropriated to the uses Of The State But We
pass On.
The Board Of Public Works. too.are under the
weather. for want Of funds. They have not been
able, his ,Ezce!Iency tells US, ITO negotiate the
loans necessary 10 carry on their works, and to.
meet their liabilities, "ond he calls on the Gener-
al Assembly to "reliese the Board from its en-
Bad business this Democrat
ic management of finances The actual amount
Of the public debt, at the end of the last Fl seal
year, exclusive of sums borrowed during the year
is put down at $24.7O5, 40 63, being an increase
on the preceding fiscal year of S6,663.70l 10
In addition TO this actual present debt" the
Commonwealth is bound, for subscriptions and
appropriations nude by law, for the sum of So
734.65l U3. and for other subscriptions, contin.
gent ON the formation of companies and private
subscriptions, in the sum of 50 325, 7IO-mukine
a total of S6,06O,59l 03 OF this amount tho
Governor thinks not more than $500, 900 90
will ever be called for The securities for the
States entire indebtedness aud the means of
meeting it are referred to in the following passa-
ges of the message
Independent OF the provision made in the con
sutton requiring seven per cent. to lie annually
set spartto pay the interest upon this debt and
to redeem the principal which will hquidate the
entire debt in about thirty four years. the Com.
monweaith Possesses stock representing the on
tre amount And while candor aud truth require
it to be stated that these stocks will not produce
anything like the estimated value in the market,
yet the stocks or the improvements Themselves
would produce very large amount, reducing
the actual debt by their value
Of productive stocks. the Fund for internal
improvement holds s5,s95,5s2 46. yielding an in
terest OF moie than 6 per cent. In loans to in
ternal Improvement companies. secured by mort
ga1es upon the several works the Commonwealth
holds S4'e75,273 80. The Internal Improve
ment Fund also possesses,in stocks of uninishe,
works, ga ,nO.3GU IS. portion Of which. whel
finished. will become an. Interest bearing fund -
And it holds in improvements Completed. but un
productive. S2,9-9,SA 63. making an aggregat
OF $27,26l 1851 81. Surely, with such al
amount ct property to represent her indebted
ness the liabilities of the State .cannot be SAT-
TO be beyond her resources, more especiall
when she is compelled by her Fundamental la,