Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-09-08

Tic UiukS anu TillTp'sI ''u-p'lhicS uo tue esiIIS
thing, the people may we'll become alarmed.
The consequences Cannot 'e'l 10 be most dis.
astrous. We cannot change the action OF
Congress, bu, W. Gan remedy the errors Ct our
avn leg!slaT On. and thus show that We are
disposed :" up!IG,d the credit aud currency Of
the Confectionery.
The APPROPRIATION for The Snnp0rt 81 III"
conyictS in The l"nlcnIiary is exhausted and
it is necessary thar further provision be made
ar the "arl;"Si moment ilr their maintenance
durin . tho yesr. His is owing to tho fact
that the prices III all articles necessary for the
conyicts have greatly increased. and are still
advancing. lii. condition OF the country
must 10 kept steadily in view when lesisla-
ting on subjects Of tins kind, and we mus in
regulating appr0r-iaticlI bear in mind that
nil articles al prime necessity have increased,
and viii cpntiruc 10 increase. unless some
speedy measure, are adopted Ia reduce the re-
duniancY &c the currency. Besides. the con-
vic,s are increasing and the experience #
the last six months warrants the conclusion
that the number will be uncommonlv large
before the close Of the year. The legitimate
offspring Dt 1t s;arc Of war are lawessr.Ss
and crime, and during It's continuance, there
fore, we may reasonably calculate upon an
unusual increase OF cOnyicts. There are now
nearly three hundred ard ff:T confined in Il
prison intended originally to accommodate two
hundred and fifty.
In previous messages have earnestly invited
the attention Of the Legislature 10 tie afSiirs of
the penIteni'ary, and the management of the in
stiiution aud the convcts. / lave always be-
lieved and still! think, shat with prudent, judi
cious and energetic management, the labor Of
the convicts wcnid support tho institution, and
pay handsome revenue into the Treasury
annually. take pleasure in saying, that under
the present superintendent, tic discipline and
management is greatly improved. have here
toiUrG submitted various recommendations, III my
communications 10 the two Houses and without
repeating tG1sn recommendations | will content
myself with calling attention TO them. They are
accessible to I'LL, having been published in The
documents OF the past three years. In this
connection, also invite your a:tout;ou to the
very able report this subject, prepared by
Commissioners Raymond, Johnston and Camp
bell. This report contains recommendations
and suggestions Of much value and Importance,
aud commend them to your favorable cursiGe,
ration.
This is a niat:erof practical Importance, and
requires early attention. Tho interests of the
State demand tina. the reforming hand Of the
Legislature should be applied TO it. With reg
Mar supply or raw material, SO rs t. keep the
convicts constantly employed. and with an
Intelligent and iudciuns application of their
lah"r. we may reasonably hope that The ins;itu.
ton will be demonstrating, ii no more:
/ submit the report vi Captain Edward II
Fitzhugh, now in charge of tile Quartermas:cr
Generals office. 20 which invite your attention
|. presents clear AID surcinct statement d; the
condition Of Affairs in that office from the crgaHi-
cation uf the State Line forces 10 the present time.
AMI will doubtless b" read :si'h great interest, cs
peciay when il is rccoiccled that lust before
tho State Line troops we're diSbandcd il was quite
currently c;:ar-cd that the entire appropriation
hal bean exp nled. This report shows that the
sun OF one million tr"n hunlred and twenty five
th,usand dollars hal been drawn from the treas.
ury for that department. and rila. since the force
Was GsbpIdel, six hundred and sixteen tliors-
and tive i:uu'ired and seventeen dollars and
ninesy'.r0 crsis had been refunded, leaving the
nctnai cos: Of the ctate Line forces so far as that
depa tment is concerned, six hundred and
eight thousand four hundred aud righty.two dol
lar, ard eight cents Othrr property now being
collected, and which will be turned over TO the
Confederate Government, will further reduce the
cns.. Noreport has been received from the pay
master generals department.
IL ih:I CONNECTION, il IS ?prro pirate and be
canning thu: ] shonli refer to the distinguished
commander OF the State Line, whose ce Is run,
whose !abors are ended, and who wv quietly
sleeps wltn the dead. General Floyd waS no
ordinary man. lie was blessed with rare intel
lectTIl endnwments. lIe possessed uncommon
energy and great physical endurance. His in
formation was varied. extensive and valuable
As ~ orator, he hat few supcriors-as - states"
man, he WAS equal to any OF the men of his day
land AZ u pa riot, devoted TO his country and
his country's cHasC--his services in thiJwar best
attest his merits. lla was equal 10 every posi-.
ton TO which :e wRs.called-as Delegate in the
General Assembly, rs Governor Of this State, As
Secretary nt War under the Old Government, us
BriGadiar General commanding the Confederate
troops, or rs Mn or General commanding the
State Liuc. When the news nf his death reached
this city, caused the State flag to be Displayed
a: half mast. and The Offices to be closed for the
day, in token OF respect to his meuory
On the Gjsh day ct August last ra1risit!on
WAS made upon me Ivy the Secretary Of War for
5,3lu sCvcS To work upon the Notifications
AROUND Richmond Copies of the papers are
herewith submitted to your consideration; and
| particularly invite vuur attention 10 the draft
made upon the several counties. The apportion =
ment upon tho counties seems to be entirely
arbitrary, and bears very uucqually. In some
cases iiye per cent Of the s.ven is called for, and
in niher gases less than one per cont Thus
Amelia, with upwards Of .ngO slaves assessed
with taxes in loG2. is required to furnish 81
while Al!rgsary. with less than 1uu, is required
to furnish 81. The country OF Albemgrle, with
l16-l Is called upon for 200, while brunswick
with 9,2l2. is call upon for 25O. The county
of Augusta. with i,i3J, is called upon for ~,
while The comfy of Rockingham, with 2.lGi, is
called upon for 100. Hanover, with SG2l, is
called upon for 30, while Prince Edward, with
/ G.9JS, is called upon for l5U. These examples
vi,,., bn,, la
is distributed; uuTI trust that some amendment
will be made to the litw, which will afford pros
tcc!ion against such inequality.
The law requires that the value ofsuciI slaves
rs may escape !oin the Confederate authorities
and rot return to their owners, or be seized or be
killed by the public enemy. or may, by want of
due diligence Oh thu part of tho authorities OF
The Confederate States, in any manner be lost 10
the owncrs, shall be paid by the Confederate
States to the owners OF such slaves; and in like
marner compensation shall be paid for any in,
jury TO slaves arising from the want Of due dill
gence on the part of the authorities of the Con-
federate States" alany cases of peculiar hard
ship, arising from the loss of slaves, have been
brought TO my attention, and much complaint
has been made by the owners, i'll consequence al
the acs that they have 10! received the value as
| provided for in this net. In several cases the
only SINE capable of fell labor that the owner
possessed has been lost, aud compensation not
having been made, he has been unable to
! supply his place. II the value had been prompt.
~ paid the hardship in sucb cases would have
been greatly relieved invoke your carly at.
tenton TO this subject of-;o much Importance to
our common constituents.
In my las; message recommended all increase
of the salaries of the officers and employees Of
tie government, and assigned The reasons which
prompted the recommendation. Subsequent tx.
pcricncc has greatly strengthened those reasons
and l now. therefore, without repeating them, re-
new the recommendation, in The earnest hope
that it will meet your approval.
have received communication from the
President of the Central Railroad enclosing re-.
pol made to linn by the superintendent, on sub.
irct Of great Importance 10 the roal andnos less to
he State ard the Confectionery. Tho demands
for the transportation OF passengers and freie hi
over this and The other ri! roads Of the State
haa ur,1 4 H., L., L.,