Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-08

charged Win the management, an ample STOCK could
have been laid in for the years operations. This is
concussey demonstrated in the of Georgia and
Alabama and what has been done In those states could
have been done in Virginia, if those invested with the
management and control had possessed ordinary bust
ness qualifications. 81. ~ ~ $500.
i have made recommendations in regard to this ns
tution in several previous messages which is uot
csMy here TO repeat, but TO which now again invite
your attention; and particularly invite the attention
of the committee on the penitentiary to them. re-
gardmauy of them Of the first Importance; and
less some 70 carry them out shall be speedily
adopted, serious ischefs will in my judgment result
On the night of the 5lh Of December last three con-
victs escaped from the penitentary, and fourth
seriously injured in the attempt 10 escape. So
the fact was made known to me, ordered invest-
gaoh TO be made. The report from the directors has
been received and is herewith transmitted.
The same men who succeeded in making their oscar
on the 5th of December last, made Intellectual effort
to escape in the month Of April previous. The
interior guard duty both occasions, and wee
found asleep in the guard room, if am correctly in
formed. A law Furnishing such neglect of duty should
be passed Immediately, and the punishment should be
sufficiently severe to the evil. Such csreessness
and negligence might result in the most serious and
alarming consequences, and behooyes us to apply the
proper remedy at the earliest moment.
~ coarESsirIoH or cLERKs
transmit herewith The proceedings Of meeting of
the clerks Of The several departments Of the govern
ment of the slate, asking Tor increase Of compensa-
ton, upon the procpeso Of the bill passed by congress
at the last session It, IS absolutely necessary that
snme action shall be Immediately taken upon this sub
ject, or we will lose all onrmost valuable and efficient
clerks. Already several Of our best clerks haye
signed and entered the service of the confederate gov
eminent, where The pay better The salaries paid By
the state are not sufficient for their support in this day
of ertrsvagant prices; aud they have therefore been
driven by sten necessity to seek new positions, where
COMPENSATION will secure them the means Of living.
1t is the pride and boast OF state that the several
departments Of the government have been managed by
and ths ntbii huafn hos haan
dispatched promptly and efficiently. This has been
owing mainly to the fact that clerks were kept In
Office long they were faithful andatte6iTe to their
duties; and being familiar with the law and its require
mens, they dispatched business accurately and prompt
y Clerks Of intelligence; educated in the branches of
business in their several departments familiar with all
the Details and experienced in the performance of
their duties, are invaluable in the management Of the
operations of government. OF such is the corps Of
Virginia clerks composed; and we should have wisdom
enough TO adopt policy which will retain them in our
service The heads of the departments have important
duties TO perform that engross much the larger portion
of their time, and il cannot be expected that they
educate set Of clerks every six or twelve nbnhs.
can conceive of nothing better calculated to prejudice
the public business delay lis execution, andto produce
confusion, than frequent changes Of the clerical force
which the government is compelled 10 employ in its
service Such results ought to be avoided and they
can be avoided by doing sheer justice only to this
deserving class of public officers. The adoption Of
the policy inaugurated by congress will solve the pro-
blem, and retain in the service Of Virginia corps of
clerks inferior 10 in the service of either of the
states of the Confederacy.
FORGERY WARRANTS THE TREASURY.
Since your late adjournment, forgeries to large
amount upon the treasury have been discovered. When
the fact became known to me, Il instructed the hrst
auditor and treasurer 10 make report Of the amount
of the forgeres, and all the attendant circumstances
The report of these officers is herewith communicated
aud will furnish full information to their number
and amount, and the facts connected WITH as well as
the result Of the examination Of the party suspected
which took place before the mayor OF Richmond. The
genuine signatures of the auditor and treasurer at
tached TO but one OF the warrants. This warrant Is
for 1896, and was paid by the Farmers Bank of Virgil
MIA All the others absolute forgeries, and
losses sustained by the banks, and not by the state
When they examined, 1t is surprising with the era
and nterlneations upon the face, they did not
excite suspicion, and thus lead to the arrest OF the
guilty parties who presented them at the banks for
payment. | commend the subject to your attention.
THE LAND OFFICE.
In previous message presented my views in regard
TO this department, and amongst other things, recon-
mended that the issue of patents should cease am
satisfied that there must be very little, II any, vacant
land 10 the state and under these circumstances, the
issuance Of patents is calculated 10 encourage fraud,
and furnish the means OF imposition upon the ignorant
and unsuspectng and besides, the continuance oil the
present system is we'll calculated to keep land titles
unsettled, and thereby increase litigation Population
is not likely to seek settlement where titles are UNI
certain and where parties compelled TO take with
their purchases the expenses OF long and angry con-
troversies. ~
Since the state withdrew from the federal Union,
have taken the responsibility of refusing 10 sign pa
tents for land in the dsloya counties, and in other
counties have withheld my signature, where had no
satisfactory that the parties applying for the
patents were loyal and faithful citizens, true alike TO
The State and the Confederacy. 1t is impossible TO
procure conclusive evidence in these cases and the
consequence has been, that the register and myself
have been compelled to rely such Information as we
could get from persons visiting the capital.
| recommend therefore, that the issue OF land pa
tents be discontinued, and that the books and papers
be conded the custody OF the register, who can re-
spond to all calls for patents and plats as hey may be
required by parties, in connection with legal contro-
yersics now existing, which may hereafter arise,
growing out of conflicts to titles for lands.
ACT CONCERNING SLAVES PoE WORK ON FoRriFIcArioSs.
This act which passed near the close of your last
session. requires amendment in several respects and
invite your early attention to the notifications sug-
gest
that il does not prescribe with certainty the mode OF
ascertainng the slave population of the countless cities
and towns. The calls made upon me under this law
have been predicated upon the census OF 1861 and IN
many Of the countless cities and towns called upon the
slave population by the casualties OF the war; has been
very seriously reduced and 10 addition the draft falls
with peculiar severity upon the people, who can lily
afford to part with their available labor They have
been severe sufferers Houl WaEt Va
their aboring force and the oyerrunnng OF their terri
tory aud some regard should be paid 10 these consde-
rations in all such cases. |
In the second paco-the act requires the Confederate
government to pay the value Of all slaves that may es
cape and not return to their owners, or that may be
seized or killed by the public enemy, or by the want OF
due diligence, lost il any other manner or that shall
injured by want of proper care But II contains no
proyison declaring the manner by which the value OF
The slave is 10 be a.certaned before he enters The
vice The Law should be explicit upon this point; and |
when the value Is asceraned, should be regarded
conclusive When have been consulted in regard to
IL, have made rule to advise that il was the duty
of the courts either TO FIX the value, designate reia
bic and udicous men TO doso, and file the record OF
q &C IL.