The colored Tennessean., 1865-10-07


arc confIofied By Union men. Especially IS this
/ true OF Fast Tennessee. The Edgefled and Ken
tucky and the Louisville, Clarksville and Mem
| phs roads have beer placed In the hands of Re-
| ceiyers as the law directs. They are in the hands
of reliable and energetic men, and have all con-
| hdence that they viii be managed to advantage.
o~ HERMITAGE PROPERTY. 5 rs
feel Il my duty to lay before you the condition
| of the Hermitage Property now owned by the
/ state. This property was purchased by one OF
| my predecessors, under the act of 1856, chapter
80. Tor the sum OF forty-eight thousand (S48 0O0)
dollars, for which amount the bonds of the state
| were issued to the occupant on his mortgage.
The act provided that Mr.. A. jackson, the propri-
etor should retain possession for two years there
| after. unless the General Government should ap-
| ply for II for branch of the Military Academy
| at West Point, for which purpose the state Gov
eriiinent Was To tender it, In the event the Gen
| eral Government did not accept the offer within
two years, it was made the duty of the Governor
OF the State to have fifty acres laid Off including
the mansion, spring and tomb of the il,istrious
nero oil New Orleans. and expose the balance to
public sale for cash, and report the sale to the
Legislature OF 1659-G0.
| b. the act Of March 2Ith 1860. the Governor
ana Secretary o1 state are required to make such
repairs and improvements as in their Judgment
are deemed necessary, and to employ laborers to
keep the mansion, garden tomb and surround
ings IN good state OF repair This act recites
by way of preamble, that the property was at
that date in sdilapidated condition. 1t seems
that nothing was ever done under this act in the
way OF repairs And as the property was in a
"dilapidated condition in 1860, you can readily
great civil war. II
At the request of Major VIM b. Lewis and my
SELL Major General Thomas, of the United States
Army has ordered preliminary survey of the
Hermitage Property, and the report and plot are
In my possession for your inspection. Impeled by
spirit OF reverence for the illustrious dead Gen
Thomas has generously had the tomb repaired
and otherwise materially benefited the property
for which he has the thanks of all good men
The flooring of the tomb has been raised and
properly relaid and new corniecs made; but the
ROOF. which is of copper, leaks badly and if not
soon repaired, will destroy the ceiling flooring
etc The mansion is much damaged from leaks In
the roof and deficiency i'm tfe gutterng The
ceiling and plasterng are badly cracked, and in
many places the plastering is falling off Some of
the joists have rOtted from the same cause: the
foundation has been undermined and the brick
walls CRACKED open in consequence. should this
connltlOn OF Things continue another year it Will
build the mansion -ti.-'- .-'''s Il
The liability of the State on account of the Her
mltage property, principal and interest, now
a4lounts to about seventy thousand ($70 0U0) dol
lars. propose to the Legislature to lay off one
hundred acres, including the tomb and mansion,
and tender it to the Federal Government or use
it as a State institution for Hotel des In
valides," or asylum for invalid soldiers, similar
TO the one founded in Paris by the Emperor Va
Poieon; Let the remaining four hundred acres
be sold, the debt against the State be discharged
ana the surplus go towards the purchase of a
formed That the large and convenient brick
ling in front of the Capitol is for sale and
recommend its Immediate purchase for that pur-
pose. Inc great State of Tennessee should by all
means, provide for Governors residence The |
present incumbent of the Executive Office would |
derive no advantage from such il purchase but |
asks that it may be made for the honor of the State
and the accommodation of hissuccessors in Office |
whoever they may be.
PENITENTIARY-BRANCHE RECOMMENDED |
Your attention is especially called to the con- |
dltion OF affairs in the State Pententiary details
OF which will be given by the new Board of In |
spectors, appointed to act with the newly ap-
pointed pointed OF ofncer IN charge of the Institution. A
United States military authorities for the past
three years suggest the appointment of a joint
special committee of your two houses, consisting
ol business men, who shall make q thorough in
Vestlgaton of affairs and report at once for your
action Meanwhile, in view of the fact that
convicts are rapidly increasing since the co,rrts
are being generally held and no more ground |
can be had in the vicinity of the present Peniten-
Liary for its enlargement, revive the PROPOSE
branches at Knoxville and Memphis. The cost
II building on a modern scale would be saved to
.ne state IN fifteen years in the several items of
transporting cOnvicts in the reduction of the |
cash market in each end of the State for provi- |
'lons to subsist and raw materials to keep the |
'onvicts employed in manufacturing-such as |
lumber, marble, iron leather SC. East Tennes
zee affords all these materials in abundance |
Nhlie Memphis has the advantage of steamboat |
Navigation, putting her in direct and speedy |
communication with the great North West |
starting out ON a moderate scale the erection of |
buildings would furnish employment and cash |
wages to q large number of laborers and me- |
hanlcs and as there are several salaried OFF,
ers attached to such institutions, it would dis
rlDute large patronage in the three natural di-
lslons OF the State. In a short time the enlarge
1ent of these prisons could be carried ON by the
abor OF the convicts, and the whole made self !
tstalnng for it cannot be disguised that the de-
loralIzed condition of both our white and color
q population will crowd the Penitentiary with | .
onviets as the Courts go into operation. !
l.lr s.-.t LAND OFFICES. ..-F -. | +
invite the early attention of the LEGISLATURE | s
tne condition OF the land Offices of the State, |
4 tne nve registers elected at your Late session, il
OF one has been qualified by taking the pre- | a
,ribed oath and executing the necessary bond. S
he reason is to be found in the fact that the
es are wholly inadequate to command the SER
ices OF capable men; The consequence is that d
he records of the titles of all the lands granted
y the Stats are in the possession of those into -
hose hands they accidentally fell during the Il
ath nor bond. The interests endangered are q
nmense, so much so that the law requires y,
md of fifty thousand $50,000) dollars from " "
ch register. | recommend the consolidation | IA ~
the several offices into one and the concentra- =,
on of all the records in the Capitol If the fees ~ ~
the Office should still be deemed insufficient :, =,
they probably will be, the office may be con- a.
lidated with that of Secretary of State In u' o
hoh event the salary of that officer would have Il
be increased or clerk furnished him. ~
.- MISSING BONDS. . .- | le
Among the archives of the state captured in | m
'orgia: found the receipt of Brown, Bros. & la
=, bankers of New York, showing that in No fiji
ousand (41 oOo) dollars in State bonds to be for M
lrded to Brown, Shipley & Co. bankers in Liv- Sc
pool In February following Burton assigned al
sse bonds to the Governor. Comptroller, and ar
easurer ofTenneSsee Iwr0te to this Liverpool ar
use in July making enquiries as to the state of ali
'se funds. They replied that the funds were in
r hands, but they had recently received or | yO
s from Burton f0rbidding them to pay over ed
d funds to any one unless by his direction uI
is amount consists offorty-one Tennessee State Ca
Ids OF one thousand (4iO00) dollars EACH which W.
re given in satisfaction to the State of defal tn
ION ON the part of Burton's brother, a former W.
omas IL Dudley, the American Consul at Liv- be
DOL, sending all the necessary papers me
directing him to s+atn demand the funds Te
gment was refused, and under my in ca
uctions Mr.. Dudley brought suit. If JUS no
be done. Tennessee win recover these bonds, wi
If she fails it will be her duty to repu- dir
te their payment There will be no difficulty Ms
Identifying them as they are all numbered, and tic
lr numbers are recorded in the Comptrollers the
ce as well as in the aforesaid receipt of Brown de,
's Co, The correspondence is at your dis the
al: ask that you may approve my action in gen
matter, and place at my disposal the means | has
arrying ON this suit. .,r s,..s pei
APPRAIsEMENT LAW. So
our attention is called to tho embarrassed me- me-
dition of our people in most of the counties of nat
State, and prompt and positive legislation is our
mites they are not able to pay their taxes. In q
e counties they are overwhelmed with debts -
ted in part before the war and partly during =
war. advise the passage of q law requiring |
when real estate is sold for debt it shall bring n
thirds or, if you please, three -fourths Of its IL
SSeU Valuc, or 0LQefW1Se sale snail be null
void And advise that further time shall s.t @
iyen for the redemption of lands sold for debt wa
me such law is not enacted the lands in sew an(
ccmn1es Wa na ta nto the nandH & OF monled last
'essive aristocracy in the world. am not Lee
ocular as to the measures of relief de- to
|. but urge upon you appropriate legislation eitl
he relief of our people, just emerging from ,,,o
horrors of a four years civil war. Most of "ol
are of the people, and fresh from the people are
know what the wants of your constituents the
tnetfdore' contSne yse Win onese gem we
e the details, if you deem them practicable. 81
g. Il APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS. F9fsUI st
der the 7th section of the schedule TO the ~
nded Constitution and your resolutions of |
20 1865, i have filled large number of va n
les in the County and District offices by ap l. e
nlent. The necessity for this action was inn va
E officer. While do not doubt the VALIDITY Va,
1eSe amendments myself / am Informed | lon q