Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-12-08
LEGISLATURE.

Mr. Writ Harrison, of Richmond, was cho-
sen geant-at-Arms.
Hon. Jno. B. Baldwin, of Augusta, was
elected Speaker of the House, Mr.. j. 3.
Bigger, Clerk, and Mr.. Robt ". Burke, of
Augusta, Scrgeant-at-Arm
After the organization of the Legislature,
the message of the Governor was received
and read.
Not being able topublish the Message en-
tire, on account Of its length, we will give
the prominent features of it.
He first treats of the Public pebt," which
he shows to be little upwards of S41 ,00O,-
900, against 500, 100000 of assets, not all
of which are available.
He treats of the Literary Fund" which
he shows, for Ill practical purposes, to be un-
available.
In reference to the payment of the State
Debt and Taxation . we copy the Governors
language:
The holders of Virginia State Bonds
are pressing for the payment Of the interest
due On the first day of January next, the
interest due on those bonds will amount to
about six millions of dollars Various plans
have been suggested for funding this interest
and the issue Of bonds for the same, bearing
different rates Of interest; those who hold no
bonds, for the most part, propose that the
bonds issued to pay this interest shall not
themselves bear interest, whilst others, in
Guiding the bond holders, insist on the DIFF
ferent amounts Of interest from one to six per
cent. The English bond holders propose
that the State Shall fund the interest due
them, issue bonds for the same, and COM
mence the payment Of interest on the whole
debt on the first day of January, 1867.
This whole subject addresses itself to your
most careful consideration. The debt with
its interest must be paid at the same time,
we must look to the ability of the people to
pay. At present, we must rely mainly up
on the tax Of licences, and upon land for
raising the means to supply the wants of the
Treasury. The war has consumed large
amount of the live stock in the State We
can expect little from tax on incomes; a
large portion of our public debt is held by
our own citizens, and no tax can be raised
| from that source until the holders receive
the interest due on it, The banks, with
their dividends are gone, and some eight
millions of their circulation, having at pres
ent only nominal value, is, for the most
part in the hands of our own people: a
large portion of the income yielding wealth
of the State was invested in Confederate
bonds, or other issues, all of which are val
ueless. Slavery being abolished, no tax can
be derived from that source. Suppose West
Virginia shall pay her full share, according
to tie taxation Of 1860, the residue is to be
paid by Virginia. This leaves assessment
on each tax payer the same in proportion to
the whole The tax then was 40 cents upon
the one hundred dollars of assessed value
A large amount of improvements on real
estate was destroyed during the war; this
will reduce the value Of real estate, in the
aggregate, from its present assessment, so
that it will require tax on real estate of at
least sixty cents on the one hundred dollars
value, in addition to all the revenue that can
be raised from other sources.
He treats of the right to Tax the income
derived from the dividends of National Banks,
and argues that the entire income (not the
dividend) should be taxed and said tax be
required to be paid directly to the State.
He recommends the taxing of the priv
lege Of taking oysters, and licensing vessels
in the Oyster carrying trade, and confinng
this trade to residents of Virginia.
On the subject of Railroads, he recon-
mends the consolidation of the roads south Of
James River, under one corps Of officers, al
so the consolidation of the Orange and Alex
andria and Va. Central roads, and recon-
mends also the lease of the States interest
in railroads to private individuals for term
of thirty years, with the privilege to the les
sees of buying the States interest within
that time, but not to be leased or sold
at less than the cost to the State. It is
thought this will reduce the debt Of the State
$4,000, 900.
He recommends that the collection of State
taxes be taken out of the hands of the Sher-
if, and placed in that Of collector for each
county, to be appointed by the County court
at its levy term. He argues that this prop
osition saves time and expense.
He recommends change in the manner
of conducting elections by ballot in Virginia,
so as to have registered list Of persons en-
titled TO vote, and require the names Of par
ties on the back of their ballots
He favors common school system and
recommends the establishment of Polytech-
mic school. BY an act Of Congress, passed,
in 1862, the T. S. donated to each State,
| 80 900 acres of land, for each Senator and
Representative, for the establishment of an
Agricultural College, in which military sci
ence shall a.,ao be taught. He thinks Vir-
ginia's share OF this donation, should realize
her $500, 900, and number Of the Institu-
tons Of the State would add the Agricultur-
raj and Military features, to secure this en-
dowment, and as the Legislature has the To-
eating of this school, he recommends Rich
mond as the point and the Va. Military In