Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-12-07

| defence Of our borders.
But. the average annual surplus for the two cur
reht Hseai ysars IL S447,o2 IL. This enables the
payment II seven per cent interest on hss NIL.
Ions OF dollars. and leaves. e<nargiusk eslNe Of
rsinouaes 10 you then, in dsv n shis st.lvpen.,
fhA you may iafey appropriate tpe n''H'opsm aoii
iarF 10 ne hljc works aud addthat amount %, The
|pabc debt without impairing pabe credit Il refer
you 10 the accompanying sJnopsss, prepared ny the
first auditor
This briggs us TO our
PUBLIC WORKS.
Wehaye seen how much We can venture 30 expend
At once on our improvements. We baye but to re-
view them as they nov stand, 10 see their relative
importance. The great argument for them all 49,
that they Indispensable to build up fpr US CEN
ne Of trade aAd for the value and effect OF that
must refer you to my message TO the last General
Assembly - ~
repeat That The most important line of the State
IA the James River and KanawhA Canal IL shonld
not be left where 1t is any longer. On the lim pf
February, 1855 reported that this great work was
left without funds without credit bound by mort
rage and resting Its whole weight on The arm Of the
State Since then nothing has been done but 10 ap-
rropriate the sums sufficient TO meet the interest due
on ts debts up st July last and then the appre-
priations failed and the State failed to pay its inter
cat on guaranteed bonds. This affected the State
credit iDuriously than it did that OF the ean'd
ask for immediate appropriation Of this interest,
and for permanent provision for il in the future.
For the reasons given in my message Of 1856, Ire
peat tue recommendation then made that the capi-
tal stock Of The company shall be increased to the
amount Of so ol0 shares, OF which the State shall
take 60 900 in payment of her debt and liabilities
due By the canal and the remaining 10000 shall be
sold il practicable to private nd viduals, thus
mutng the debt and liability of the State into stock
of the company" This will complete the canal to
Covington and when the Covington and Ohio rail
road Is completed, the revenue, II is supposed will
nay he inf mn he whole Investment
Resides the connection of this work with the knn-
awha ii has another connection, which embraces
one of the grandest developments Of our State. The
continental watershed East of the Andes is from
North TO South. The only exception remarkably, is
chiefly in the Western part of Vrginias territory.
The New River rises far South in North Carolina,
and pas sing our line Northeast TO Montgomery,
and thence West Of North, cuts through the whole
range of the Allegheny mountains, and rms North
to the mouth Of the Gauy thence Northwest to the
Kannwha 1t is one Of the most remarkable water
passages in the world and full of development in
every respect. Opposite its junction with the kaua-
villa, eastward, the heads of the Monongahela rise
and run Northward to Pittsbnrg Thus Virginia
alone has waters, for hundreds of miles, running
from South North contrary TO the general flow of
There is great power in this peculiarly OF
formation and time will show that it is of the
elements of our future progress and greatness in
wealth. II invites Virginia, by all means to COM
meet the James and the New rivers first, and the
james aud the Nonongabela if practicable, attsr-
wards believe that the connection with New liiv-
er is practicable aud surveys ought to DC ordered
for it. Looking to this, and secondarily to test the
pre- sent location of the james River Canal across the
Allegheny ridge, | ordered Il small reconnaissance
out Of the contingent fund the past summer. The
President and Engineer Of the canal gave me every
facility and assistance, and was further aided by
Col Smith of the Institute with corps of its grad
yates. The report OF Engineer Lorraine will be sub
mtted to you. trust the General Assembly will by
liberal appropriation enable the Institute to pur
chase II complete set of Typographical instruments,
and to organize corps of civil engineers for surveys
generally, and especially for ascertaining the best
mode of connecting the James with New River, md
Of improving the navigation Of the latter. COM
mend to your attention the full and able report OF
Col. Ellis on the affairs of the James River and Kan
awha Company.
The next most important work Is:
sls THE CONVICTION RAIL ROAD
1t ought to be completed in the shortest possible
time To that end ! recommend an appropriation
of two millions per annum until the work is finished
TO the Ohio. Argument is idle on this policy. .l.s
The others work should be classified according to
their state of completion The Charlottesville and
Lynchburg road is nearly finished the Norfolk and
Petersburg road is finished the York River Road has
reached the Pamhnkey; the Danville road will soon
be Connected with the works of North Carolina. Up
on the whole, then, recommend for the next two
years the following appropriations: -
TO the Covington aud Ohio road ..... "a 900 90
To the Manassas Gap rosd................ 2o000O 90
To the extension of the Danville road. 100000 90
To the clearing of James h Appomat- y "a'". ID
tox rvers...... $50 900 90
To all other works rs il may he distri-
bnted. Observation-Disclosures. 100000 90
- Total recommended. ........ So, 900, 900 90
And by oil means urge the charter to construct
the railroad from Strasburg TO Winchester. 81 So, q,
And the Haipers Ferry branch Of the Manassas
railroad, the Loudoun branch,) diverging from the
main stem twenty-one miles from Alexandria and
forty three miles only in leugth upon witch $780,
600 has been expended, ought to be constructed, to
give us access TO the Northern border of our own
territory. 'L
Tire late transportation Of troops from every point
to Charlcstown and Harper's Perry and back re-
quircd that we should pass through the District OF
Columbia and Maryland, for the want Of iS miles Of
road, which the people have petitoned in vain TO be
allowed TO construct at their expense II is pos
lively necessary to the State II this border war ren
tnues, or ever be renewed. The ways are absolute
ly necessary for defence. 90. .f.tl l.f4.I
REVENUE. -e.. .-1
1t s worse than idle to urge the oocc ioa of RIVE
nuc in specie. The banks and brokers would make
profit and the people lie oppressed by it, even if II
was practicable ut ALL but it is entirely mpractica-
Bile. The Federal Government can collect in speric
because it has the power of levyng daties upon
foreign commerce.. aud thereby control coin 10y other
means than its mint. But the State has no customs
! and no mint. The collection Is safe through the
banks circulation, and the convenience of the tax
payers is the most material consideration Of taxation
| and revenue. --'. 'N'
do not recommend any reduction Of taxes, but
arenrrangem cut of taxes especially on merchants
licenses. The small daclers with retailers u, e
now made topay higher taxes than the Weather
| who are able 10 purchase by wholesale from, the
| large merchants or the cities; for the tax np,n
merchants is hut II TAX upon their customers, the
consumers The propnrtion OF tax upon trade is
| too largo for the tax On lands.
! The present mode of assessment is unequal and
unjust, and tempting to perjury aud fraud There
ought To he sworn appraisers. A better system
| creasing the rate Of taxes
Aud rcnent rcennl:uc I'd at;an. raar. -aast