The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-02
Balance on hand oct. LIST, 1861

s232 56S 50
The report OF the Sinking Fund Board,
herewith Ut insInltted, and the report of the
second Auditor, will furnish much valuable
Interesting, ana important information [
commend them TO your considerations
Inc report or the First Auditor is q docu-
ment OF very great ability. 1t embodies a
vast amount of valuable Instruction and i'm
p9rtant IL form alton on subjects OF interest
e STc1J c--::7:H:: of the State. The statistical
Information which it presents is extremely
valuable, and is presented in the best share
for ready reference. The industry, skill. and
Judgment which the tables exhibit in their
preparation, and the well known reputation OF
the Auditor tor accuracy, VIII cause this re-
Port to be highly appreciated by intelligent
men commend the report most cordially
to your careful examination.
The report of the attentive and indefatiea-
BILE Superintendent Of Public Buildings and
Grounds, and the recommendations and sug-
gestlons which it makes. are worthy of adop.
ton, especially those relating to the renova-
ton and repair of the Capitol building
! 4 portion Of The buildings at the Peniten-
| tlary, including the axe factory and the weav-
! Ing establishment, were DESTROYED by fire on
the list day of July last. So soon as heard
the buildings were on fire, [ repaired to the
| Penitentiary, and remained there until the fire
| was su0dued. On the next day directed the
superintendent to institute an investigation to
ascertain, II possible, the origin of the fire.
! The lire was beyond all question the work of
an lncendiary; but although the Investigation
has been prosecuted, we have not been able
to ascertain the guilty party or parties The
/ buildings nave oeen reconstructed, and nearly
all the machinery in the axe factory
! las been replaced, and in few
days work in that branch Of operations
will be resumed. The machinery in the
weaving department, regret to say, we have
/ not een able to supply, and | fear some con
siderable time must intervene before this
/ branch OF manufacture can be resumed We
! have found It impossible to procure oardiDg
and picking machines and looms, as we have
no manufactured of cards, picks, and looms,
! in the Southern COnfederacy that am aware
! of The loss to the State is between ten and
| twelve thousand dollars from the best infor.
! nation have been able to obtain. This loss
| has seriously embarrassed the operations Of
! the penitentary, and, as the manufacture of
axes was more profitable than any other
branch of industry carried on at the establish
ment, has greatly reduced our receipts for the
last half year.
In my last message, made several recon-
mendations in conneXion with this institution,
which | regarded as important, but none of
which. L regret to say, were acted upon.
Those recommendations [ now renew, and
earnestly hope the present General Assembly
will consider and act upon them.
| urge earnestly but respectfully that the
Committees of the two Houses, appointed on
the Penitentiary, will make a careful and thor
ough examination of the institution. It's man
agement, its accounts, the modes Of furnish
! ing supplies of raw material, the character of
that material and of the articles manufac-
tured, the management of the Penitentiary
| store, and indeed of everything connected with
! the establishment. Committees heretofore
/ have given very little attention to this insttu-
! tion-far less than it should have received at
/ their hands. IL has always appeared to me
! that if this institution were Systematically and
/ energetleally managed-managed with that
/ system and energy that business man would
bestOw upon any pursuit III which he was en-
| gaged-iJ ought to yield profit instead Of be-
| ing drain upon the treasury. 1t has never
! yielded profit so far but it does not follow,
! therefore, that it cannot DO made to WELD a
profit. Seeing, since have been in Office that it
| has been a burden upon the treasury, [ have
| been inclinedtp think that it would be better 10
rent out the establishment 10 the highest
! bidder, under such regulations as the wisdom
Of the General Assembly may suggest w hat
ever may be your conclusions on. the subject,
/ it is certain that something must be done to
secure more prOmp!Jude than has been here
tOfore exhibited in It's administration. The
fiscal year Terminated on the 30th of Septem
Der last, and up 10 this moment | have re-
ceived no reports showing that is Jransac-
tons have been settled up 10 that date. The
interval between this and the day Of the meet
ing Of the General Assembly is only three
days. Why this is 50 l am not able to deter
mine. | recommend that you pass law re-
curing the accounts Tor each qaarter TO be
settled up and closed Tlghin ten days after
the quarter has expired
/ communicate herewith reports from the di-
rectors of the Eastern and Western Lnnatic
Asylnmns. They were received at SO late day
that have had no opportunity to examine them.
/ No report has as yet been received from the
directors Of the Frans-Alleghauy Lunatie
Asylum. | suppose no progress has been
made with the buildings, rs Pierpout seized
and carried away all the money to the credit
OF the State III the bank at Weston, shortly
after the passage Of the Ordinance Of Ssces-
sion.
1t is expected tht the Military Institute
will be again open ior Re reception of cadets
early in the month Of January next. In Il
crisis like this, | consider ii mltter of the
first Importance to keep that institution in
operation. Ia ,ae pas. SIX months we have
had abundant reason 70 appreciate its value 10
the State The services which have beer
rendered by the professors aud cadets have
been invaluable, and II is difficult to sea how
they could have been dispensed with without
serious detriment to the C4Hm0nW ealth and
the Southern cause. This Institution deserves
to be fostered and supported, aud | trust you
will provide Literally aud generously for il.
Icommend also the University of Virginia
the first literary Institution in The Southern
Confederaey, TO your fostering care and at
tention. 1t has established itself firmly in the
affections of the people of the State and o
the Southern country, and whatever Is neees
sary TO enable it 10 maintain the reputation i
has acquired, should he cheegfuly acoorde,
to it.
The Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Asylum building
at Stanton now in the possession of tn
Confederate Government, and are used TO