Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-20

interest to the people of this State, are taken
| from the annual message of Governor BoRENAN,
communicated to the Legislature Of West Vir-
gina last Tuesday:
| JEFFERSON AND BERKELEY.
! During the last Fall, and since the return to
/ the county of Jefferson Of persons who had
| been actively engaged in the rebellion, there
has been party in that county who prefer Inv
/ ing within the jurisdiction OF Virginia rather
/ than in West Virginia, and have been contend
/ ing that all that has been heretofore done for
/ the purpose of transferring that county, and
the county OF Berkeley from the former State
/ To the latter, is irregular, unconstitutional and
void, and does not effect the purpose intended.
| And in accordance with their views on this sub
ject, they made preparations and declared
| their purpose To hold an election in Jefferson
county on tue 18th day of October, for mem
| berS OF the General Assembly of Virginia, and
| for representative in Congress from that State,
that being the day appointed by proclamation of
| the Governor OfNirginia for filling all vacancies
| in the legislature tthe State and in the repre-
\ SeMtatiOn in Congress from that State. Upon
| being satisfied that it was their determination
| to hold the election ut the time mentioned, !,
on the 9th day OF October, issued my procla-
nation, warning all persons against attempting
to hold such election, and directing the arrest
| OF any who should attempt IL. But rs the civil
authorities alone would not have been Sufi-
cient to prevent the holding of the election and
/ To arrest the offenders, if resistance had been
offered, | requested Major General W. IL.
Emory, commanding the district OF West Vir-
giuia, to aid the civil officers in maintaining the
! laws and il affords me pleasure to acknowl-
/ edge, in this official manner, the prOmptnesS
with which that gallant officer responded to
/ this, rs lac has to all calls made upon him since
nc has been in command within this State. AS
consequence OF these precautionary mea-
sures, no election was held.
| | am assured, and have no doubt Of the fact,
although not officially informed OF it, that, at
the instance Of the macOntents referred to,
the General Assembly of Virginia. at its pre-
sent .eSSiOn, has repealed the laws giving the
! consent of that State to the annexation of the
! counties of Berkeley and Jefferson to West
! Virginia. Ii is believed that this repeal can
not effect the status of these counties but in
order To avoid further controversy on the sub
! icct, it has been deemed proper to obtain tho
/ sanction of Congress to their transfer from one
State to the other. For tins purpose bill has
| been introduced into Congress, which ii is cX-
| pcctcd will pass, and thus quiet and harmony
| will be restored to the community Interested.
The effort to set up the authority OF another
State in the county of Jefferson, and the many
\ distractions thrown in the way of the eNecu-
tiun ut the laws in other portions of the State,
| have induced me to look into the law for re-
mcdy, but there seems to be none PROVIDED
| Chapter 1870 OF the Code ol 1850 might have
embraced the effort tn establish the authority
/ of another State within the limits of this State,
| but this chapter was repealed by act of March
| 3, 1864, and can now tind no law on the sub
| icct. There is no punishment at all provided
for many cases OF resisting the execution OF
l.. ,,l Si.n
il will be found wholly insufficient While |
do not propose to prescribe the details of le-
gi>lation that may supply these omissions, l
commend the subject to your careful conSld0-
ration.
| THE DEBT OF VIRGINIA.
The constitution OF our State, Art viii, sec.
| ), provides that "An equitable proportion OF
! the public debt of the Commonwealth of Nir
/ ginia, prior to the lSt day of January, 1861,
| shall be assumed by this State; and the legiS-
iature shall ascertain the same AS soon as prac-
ticable, and provide for the liquidation thereof,
| hv sinking fund sufficient to pay the accru
| ing interest, and redeem the principle within
tmrty-lour years" The execution Of this pro-
vision of the Constitution has heretofore been
| nnpracticable on account of the existence OF
the war; but now that peace is happily restored,
there is no reason, rs there is no desire on our
part, for further delay and it devOlves ON you
/ To take action with u view to an early and sat
! iSiactory settlement of all financial matters be
tween the two States. |, therefore, recon-
mend that You appoint, or provide for appoint
| ing, commissioners on behalf of this State to
! meet like commissioners from Virginia, for the
purpose OF making the contemplated settle
mrut and in the event that they fail to con
! cludc an adjustment, that you authorize the
| selection ut an umpire whose decision shall be
final. And it may be we'll to provide for noti-
| fving the executive OF Virginia OF your action,
| in order that he may lay the same before the
| legislature of that STATE for their cOnsidera-
tion.
| LUNATTCS AT STAUNTON.
In connection with this subject it is proper
that should bring to your notice the fact that
! | have received a communication from His En-
cellcncy, +. IL. Peirpolut, Governor Of Nir-
ginia, saving that he had been informed by the
Board of Visitors OF the Lunatic Asylum at
ta.utOn, that there are near one hundred pa
tients in that institution from West Nir
| ginia and that it was desired that our State
should make provision for their support. This,
it may be remarked, is an additional fact in
| proof of the necessity of an carly completion
OF the Hospital at Weston. Meantime, how
ever, ii is necessary that the number OF the pa
tientS at Staunton be ascertaned, and that you
provide the means for supporting them.
STATUE OF WASHINGTON.
ID will be rccOllected that on tho return Of
| Maior-G General Hunter from his campaign into
| Virginia, in the summer OF 1864, he turned
over to this State 4 bronze statue OF George
| Washington, taken from the Virginia Military
Institute at Lexington. / have recently re-
/ ceivcd 4 communication from the Adutant-
| General of Virginia, who is, er-CgiciO, men-
| ber of the Board of Visitors of the Institute,
requesting the restoration OF the statue; but
inaSmuch rs it was originally transferred to the
keeping Of the State, declined To take the
responsibility of allowing its removal. Yet
have no hesitation in saying that in my opinion
| IL should be at once restored aud in recon-
hcuding that you at once authorize it to DO
done.
| JAMES RIVER AND KANAwHA CANAL.
IN October last received communication
from Thomas II. Ellis, Esq, OF Richmond, Yir-
! gnd, President OF the James River and Kama
wha Company, enclosing me pamphlet con-
tanning - An Act to Incorporate the Virginia
Canal Company, and to transfer the rights and
franchises Of the James River and kanawha
| Company thereto" passed by the General As
Sembly of Virginia March 29, lS6l. The
pamphlet also contains a statement of Mr.. Ellis,
from which it appears that in 1860 an execu
| tory agreement WAS entered into between
/ McSsrS. Bellot deS Miners, Brothers and Com
pany, Of France, OF the one part, and the James
! River and Kanawha Company Of the other part,
! the object of which was, not only to transfer
the rights and franchises of the last named
company, but to bind the French company To
| complete the water line or canal between the
waters Of the Chesapeake Bay and tho Ohio
River and the act ct March %, lSGl, was
passed for the purpose of giving the consent
of the Commonwealth of Virginia to the agree
ment, and Of comforting on the French COM
! panv corporate poWerS To enable them 10 per-
form their part OF the same.
! The French company failed, on account of
the war probably, to comply with their char
ter, and it is therefore regarded as forfeited,
and as requiring further action TO- its revival
on the part OF the Legislature of Virginia,
and also Of the Legislature Of West lir-
| gna
submit the communication of Mr.. Ellis,
with the accompanying document, for your
consideration. Itcapitalists are willing to con-
struct through our State work OF the magni-
| tude and Importance Of the one contemplated,
it seems to me that they should be granted the
most liberal legislation to enable them to do