Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-01-01

code so as TO punish capitally certain OF
their higher offences, to punish their sec
.ondary offences with solitary imprison>
lmenl; an TO cond the minor offenders
andthe idle 10 labor ON the public works
A code of discipline would soon rid US oil ..
ali the yicions and sdesolute. and retain TO
us the trustworthy the virtuous and in
dustrious.
also call your attention to the pro-
ceedings of the commissioners ofthe Mon
ument fund. The equestrian statue OF
Washington has arrived here. and is
waiting 70 be raised to-its plynth. The
eminent artist who modeledit. is no more.
de did his work well, and the commission
ers have engaged another artist. equally
eminent, to take up his chisel and TO
complete what his brother of the arts left
unfnished-lhe Lewis. the Nelson. the
Marshall. the emblems.for the lower ped
estals and tho bass reliefs and the shields.
And ask your approval of the accompa
nying programme of ceremonies adopted
BY tho commissioners fol the 22d of Feb
ruary next. when it is proposed to hold a
solemn festival in memory ofaWashing-
toms birth, and to pronounce his statue
placed upon the monument erected by
Virginia. i ask also for liberal appro.
priation, and that you will take orders
and appoint a committee for that occa-
sion.
ARCHIVES.
recommend that special appropria-
ton be made forcollecling. arranging and
preserving the ancient archives and re-
cords Of the commonwealth.
LIGHT HOUSE.
The light house board of the federal
government requests me to ask for the
cession Of 50 much land near the mouth
of urgoteague creek in the county of
Accomac as viii be necessary for the
erection Of light house near the place
Of one destroyed in the ice storm on the
18th Of January last. That was placed
on iron piles in the water at the bar Of the
creek. But tindingt that house will no.
stand there. it must be constructed on
the land Of tie opposite shore. and
the cesson is required which recon-
mend.
PUBLIC OFFICERS AND THEIR SALARIES.
We take just pride in Sac dig
nifty, and are proverbially jealous OF
State rights. If the dignity and the
rights of the State are to be maintained
with strength and power, we must tempt
the ablest men among US to take places
under the commonwealth, and take part
in the labors OF her honor and interest
Nothing is more consolidating in the feds
eral government than the higher hohors
and emoluments which it offers to talents
and ambition and with which it draws
them away from State service. The State
officers OF Virginia have grown immense
| Iy in magnitude within the last ten years.
! Any gentleman for example who could
state an account of debit and credit. and
who was competent to make commits
sioner's report. was qualified some years
past to be auditor of our public accuuts.
Not SO now our finances are enlarged.
and greater qualifications are required.
The public debt has increased to twenty.
seven MILLIONS Of dollars. and the questions
Of ways and means to carry on the gov.
eminent in all its departments, arc in
creasing in magnitude every day. But.
! if the duties and qualifications we're the
same, the salaries now allowed are wholly
inadequate. No chief officer with wife
an! tour children. say. can live in Rich
mond and pay the absolutely necessary
expenses "f living. with salary of ST.
SUI. Yet HE highest salary oil executive
office provided by stateSis but So 900.
| The must excellent and eminent S.cret0.
~ Of he communwe alth. for example.
dues all the duties Of his office proper
with untq"aed pune uaIity. promp'ness
and precision. and has imposed on him
besides, the duties of commissioner OF
the board Of the sinking fund. Of q com
! missioner OF the monument fund, Of COM
missioner Of the colonization board, and
ct librarian, and Of salesman Of the books
bought and sold by the State (; and from
all these Offices, requiring great activity
and continued application, he realizes not
more than $2.5 with burdensome
family to support. and high respectable
lty Of station to maintain. He is invalu.
able to the commonwealth. necessary al.
most for reference to her laws. her jour.
nails and her archives, and performs la
bors which at Washington would COM
mand $4,000 per annum. Here be has in
great part to find himself and family and
work Tor the State. take this case only
as an example. The same may be said in
respect to compensation of all our exvcu.
tive officers, first and second auditors,
treasurer and register. and their clerks.
They are faithful public servants, whose
labors are not more than half paid, and
are employed at an exceedingly costly
place OF residence. where they canno,
int in thupo al nd for
resorting to private means. This is not just