Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-08

our prosperity. | am in favor Of ans scheme
that is likely 10 be successful, guarding care,
fully, however. tie ~.ntrrcsts and rights Of our
citizens. II: SECTION in regard to tolls ouch.
to be changed and modified, rs l am inclined
to think it will prove burdenso,nc and onnrcs
sive to the coal, salt, and perhaps other into.
rests. am sure you will scrutiniZc tic agree
ment, and secure ample protection for the
rights and interests Of the people Of the State;
and | am satisfied that very little trouble will
be experienced in adjusting the details to the
satisfaction of all parties interested.
recommend the whole subject to your IA
vorablc attention, arA earnestly hope that a
wise and considerable policy will be adopted.
looking 10 the early completion Of this great
central Improvement. The intelligent Prcsi.
dent Of the company will take pleasure in lay.
ing before you such information as you luay
desire.
IN informed that Mr.. Bellol des M;niercs
is expected here i'll \ short lime, and the ASST
RANGES have received induce the confident
belief OH my mind that he will come prepared
to execute the contract on his part.
PRINTING.
Reform 4 greatly needed in This branch of
expenditure. Under the law the quarterly
statements l al the banks arc required to he
published i'll the city papers, and a. large aunu-
al expense, without corresponding advantages,
so far rs | can see or undcrStandS For the year
ending September 80, 1859, thci: publication
cost Sl,G.3 @6, and for the past ychr, 81. j34 81.
In addition You have these staterlcntS publish,
cd Tor your own Use, a! 4 heavy lost. No two
oil them arc made up is the same way-and it
is utterly Impossible. therefore, to prepare a
comparative statement from the returns which
are sent to this department. | recommend that
the law requiring their. publication in the city
papers he repealed, leaving 80 much of the law
in force as requires thclu to be published by
the banks in the towns and cities in which
they are located. | recommend also that so
much OF the las rs allows Il salary Of 81, 100
to the printer Of the Senate, be repealed. The
pubic printer receives no salarS, and can
conceive Of no reason for allowinf a salary TO
the printer Of the Senate. Let HIN he paid II
falr anu rcnlncratlve price for the printing he
may be required TO execute, and that is nil he
has 4 right to ask or expect.
Under the law ttr public printer is PAID 4
commission of ten lEIr emit. on the purchaf of
paper required for tlc execution Of the plJnt-
ing. This is wrong both ia principle md
policy. 1t is an encouragement To Inc eXpcrdi.
ture Of publi: money. !Ihe more paper con.
sulned, the greater are his commissions. \
temptation is thus hdld cut constantly to this
officer to cxpend rs much AS possible in this
particular. Enough will bc expended even
under the most favorable circumstances. Held
out no lnduceinent to eypend more han is ab-
solutely necessary for any branch Of the pubic
service. In recommending that lhis, clause Of
the law bercpcalcd, and that the public printer
be required to furnish every thing necessary
for the execution Of the printing, aud thut lie
be paid fair and just prices for his labor. in.
tend 10 cast n" reflection upon tlIst cs!igubie
and prompt officer.
TIE rrpLlcAnS >.
Our statute requires thst each county and
town III which i corporation court is held, shall
provide 7 secure and sufficient Jail. i am en-
tively satisfied that many of the iai'y in Tn.
State, if not absolutely worthless, are certainly
Insecure and insufficient. Reports of prisoners
escaped, aud applications To oiler rewards for
their arrest, are constantly coming in to the
Executive, and in several cases in which re-
wards have been offered, tic prisoner has been
shortly thereafter arrested. If the courts will
not sec that safe iails 4. ic"vided. and their
criminals escape in c0nSeq : Of the INSULT
cheney Of the Jail, | will not l.l the whole State
to insure their safe. excepting.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
communicate herewith the report Of the
superintendent. Ii prcscnts truly the condition
Of the several public buildings. and the repairs
necessary 10 be made to put them in good con-
ditiOn. On the score Of economy, these repairs
should be made as soon as practicable. The
longer they are delayed. the greater will be the
expenditure required. The recommendations
made by this faithful anI excellent public eli.
Ger are deserving Of approval. So much Of his
report as relates 10 the Capitol, | recommend
TO your special attention, and cordially endorse
his recommendation.
FINANCE.
The report Of the Auditor Of Public Accounts
will exhibit the financial condition Of the State
in all its details, and to i; ! refer you FOR full
and accurate information Oh this interesting
subject. On the first day Of October last, the
close Of the fiscal year. the balance in the
treasury was $13!,3 500 IS. The estimated re,
ceipts for the fiscal year 1SG0-'Gl, were
So, 43S,47G IS, and the estimated disbursements
for the same year. 81. 1921 81. The csti-
mated balance IN the treasury on the first day
Of October, 1861, is Sl3s26S IS.
The total debt outstanding on the first day
OF DuIluuTN, 1901. Is SOO,'-g, ~ 10. vi kIlIS
amount S23,4ll. GAG SO has been created since
the first day Of January, 1852. The debt guar
anteed for the James River and kanawha Com.
panv, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Compa-
nv, the CITY Of Petersburg. the Virginia Central
railroad, the Richmond aud Danvillc railroad,
the city Of Wheeling. and the Alexandria CT.
nal, amounted, on the first day OF january,
1851, to . ,l7G,515. 1t affords me pleasure TO
inform tbnt thn iptnroct Nh thu St,tn IEIIt
was paid promptly on the first day Of this
month.
The financial arrangement, and the unccr.
tain condition Of public affairs throughout the
country, should impress upon Us the necessity
Of practising rigid economy, individually !, and
hs representatives Of the people. In stirring
and ~eventful times, such AS are now upon us.
I'VE know not what I day may bring forth.
The future is shrouded in gloom-and look III
whatever direction We may, 1--WE behold nothing
but danger and darkness" ] recommend,
therefore, that you confinc your appropriations
TO objects Of indispensable ncccssity-snch rs
are required to carry on the regular and ordi.
nary operations Of the Government, and such
as may be demanded il to put the Commonwealth
in Il condition to defend her rights and her
honor against assaults from any quarter. We
lHuSt leiIeilSH anu eloho"'t"e, VIZ '''"IS' "
rigid accountability, that We may ward oil the
evils which the financial storm, now raging SO
wildly, threatens to visit upon us.
THE BANKS.
On the 2lst. Of November last tie banks in
the city of Richmond suspended specie pay
ments, and very shortly thereafter the other
banks in the State followed their example. The
fact having been communicated 10 NE officially
by the treasurer, | caused the accompanying
order to be sent to that officer. Under the
circumstances, all of which were carefully con
sidered. | came TO the conclusion that it was
safer ard cheaper to make the three deposit
banks the special receivers and cnstodiar's Of
the revenue us it should he paid in by the col
Letting officers. The capitol is not tire-Pro"t;
and if | had directed the revenue to be received
and retained by the treasurer until il WAS