The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-05
VOL. xxx.

in order that the best prices might be secured.
sRLpKS, wITHERs \ co.
In accordance with the act passed nj your
last session in regard TO the claim OF the State
against Scldeu, Withcrs Co, | employed
counsel, who is giving energetic attention TO
the subject. at Alexandria, Washington, and
ST iouIs. After the conveyance made 10 the
State 10y Mr.. WilhcIs he made other convey
| auCes and i VIII. and has since died. by these
/ transactions the most OF the property convey
ed has become the subject OF new difficulties.
II - believed that from $4,000 10 Sloo,ouD Will
b" eventually realized hy the Stat" from this
debt, which was originally, believe, nearly
I SJn,eoo.
! NORFOLK AND PETERSBURG RAILROAD BONDS.
Ia lN5s the General Assembly authorized
the Board Of pubic Works 10 subscribe on
the part OF the Common wealth f30r,p'o in six
per cent State stock 10 the Norfolk and Pc
/ Trr~hurG railroad, TO enable the company to
complete and equip their road and provided
that said company should deliver To the Board
, OF Public Works a like amount OF their first
, mortgag" bonds in eXchang" for said stock.
1 About the time of the evacuation OF Rlch-
Iroud, in the spring of l>6d these bonds were
stolen from the Second Auditors Office. where
/ they had been deposited for safe keeping.
was informed last winter that n large amount
/, Of these bonds had found their way 10 Gin
/ ! ClEnaii and would hc delivered TO the State for
about iSc per cent. OF their value. Upon con-
. ! Suitation with the Committee on Finance,
which was then III session, II was deemed best
10 take these bonds upon the terms offered,
and pay the cXl snse out of the contingent
fund. | found that the bonds were i'll the
hands Of persons Of doubtful character, and
after much trouble succeeded in Obtaining up
wards of Slun.ocu Of them. Parties seemed to
be gathering them up in different sections of
the country. a few were returned without
charge. | found that it would cost the State
a considerable amount of money 10 redeem
them, aS some parties, representing them
selves aS purchasers, asked 10 be paid fifty
cents III the dollar therefore decided to pur-
chase no more OF Them. We have now Sll3, 900
OF these bonds. In the spring Of 1855, on dis
covering The loss of the bonds, notice was
given 10 the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad
Company, and they were notified not 10 pay
them. The public were also eau toned against
purchasing them through the ncwspapers. Al
though II Is The law, believe, i'll this country
ana In England that coupon bonds, or coupons
taken from bond, pass on delivery, think
these bonds are not subject 10 this general
law. \ coupon bond issued by corporation
is PECULIARLY the creature OF the Legislature,
AMI th" corpora tiou derives its power 10 make
and sell from the act of Assembly. The pur-
chaser Of Il coupon bond can only be- safe by
knowing that the bond has been put upon the
| market in accordance with law. These bonds
were authorized 10 BE- issued by III" Norfolk
and Petersburg Railroad Company, 10 be de-
HyoTrd to tn" Board OF Public Works = for the
benefit Of the State of Virginia. The Board
of Public Works were only authorized TO hold
| them for the benefit of the State. they We're
not authorized to sell, nor was authority ever
given 10 any person 10 dispose OF them. The
authority 10 sell 4 coupon bond by corpora
tion Is IL essential rs the authority 10 make 10
render il valid.
OYSTER LAWS.
The experience Of the last year has shown
thata handsom" revenue can he derived from
the tax on taking and carrying oysters.
| would recommend that the two acts passed
last winter OH this subject bc reduced 10 one,
and be amended 70 rs 10 rid tho law OF all
ambiguity. ! can Scc no necessity for re-
quIriug every person who takes out license
to take oysters to give bond and security. 1t
makes the law 100 cuinbcrson. 1t costs, un-
der the existing law, two dollars and forty
cents to get three dollars and sixty cents into
the treasury from thos" who take oysters.
This is unreasonable, - there IL no labor re-
uulrci from those engaged in collecting the
t:tN adequate TO lii" compensation paid. a
quest has been raised rs 10 the cons tItuton.
nIlty OF the law, but no Objection can be
urged against il that could not be applied with
equal force to any tax imposed hy the State.
There j. no State in th" world, that know of,
that does not claim and enforce the right 10
regulate he taking of game ana 1ish within
It's borders. All experience has proven that IL
j. rnlurutly proper TO protect oysters 10y regu-
latin" the time aud mode of taking them, so
- 10 prevent the dnEtnutlou OF their increase
The right 10 tax the taking and carrying OF
uv>trrs j. equally extensive WIN the right TO
protect them. II is claimed that TO tax the
taking and then the carrying Of oysters Is !,
double tax, and therefore Illegal. This pro
posi- lliou is equally uutcuablc, Tor the oblect OF
, Tie law il 10 divide the tax between tho>" VINO
, take aud those who carry. II l. iurlhcr as
. serted that liz, llw operates hlrShly on owners
, Of large vessels engaged in carrying mlsccl-
. lancuus articles. All rcNcnu" laws VIII bc
. found TO operate harshly on some persons, and
If these vessels ar" exempted you may rs Well
| abandon the law; for they VIII carry all the
iuy>teT~. and til" small vessels engaged III the
trade viii bc stopped. BY perseverance" and
proper legislation the oyster tax will BE- made
/ 80 yIrld au annual revenue of more than two
hundred thousand dollars.
. COLLECTION OF ThNEa.
desire TO renew the suggestion presented
in my last annual message III regard TO the
mode Of collecting taN"s In considering the
subject, you may prefer TO leave the collection
OF the taxes with the shcrris, requiring Tho
} collections 10 be made i'll the manner l have
proposed. This Will save TO the people II least
one hundred thousand dollars annually III the
amount OF their taxes.
MILITIA,
Herewith transmit the report of the Adiu
taut- General for the present year, from which
il viii be seen that there are one hundred aHo
thirty six regiments OF mIlltla OF the me, ol
i. | which number one hundred and seven nave
. been organized The remaining twenty-nIne
regiments are i'll process OF organization.
| refer you 10 the report Tor iull details.
PESITESTIARY.
1t Will bc seen 10y the report of the direc
tors of the penitenlary that this institution
has been sclt-SustaininS and has 4 balance 10
! its credit Of upwards OF tive hundred dollars
! 4 II
slider the large influx OF convicts unacqutlnted
| with mechanic arts. But Il favorable oppor-
tuuity presented itself of employing Il NUM-
; Der of the Colorcd conYictS on the excavation
OF two short railroad tracks, where they were
! employed with mutual profit to the institu-
! tion and the contractor, and doubtless 10 the
welfare of the prisoners, they Were not over
! worked, and had the benefit OF the open ar
| think il would be well 10 enlarge the au.
| thurity of the superintendent, with the sane
ton Of The INecutiye, 10 employ this class ol
| cOuyicts outside of the pcnitcutlary.
| ] urged The dispensing with the ONCE ol
pruitcntiary slorrkcepcr last year, but the
= Legislature differed with me In conNerSine
| with those long acquainted with the opera
tions OF the institution, learn mat IL mas been
the custom of the superintendent 10 sell large
amounts of work ut the prison. These sales
> are for cash; the property is taken away, the
money i paid TO the superintendent, he pays
il over 10 the peuitentiary storekceper, and fol
| counting and receiving the money the store
| keeper gets the same per cent. as II the goods
had been taken 10 his store and there sold
: There is no reason for this, and percentage
ought not to be allowed on money going into
his hands in this way. He should only be al
lowed for the goods placed in his store and by
him sold. IL is wronss TO pay out money TO any
officer where there Is no compensation III ser
| vice. ,
] am informed by the superintendent OF the
, peuiteutinry that for the present the outdoor
! employlnent for colored conylcts has ceased
| These, with the new conViCts, has so swelieo
| the number that he has now near 100 prisoners
more than he can employ i'll the penltentiary
Additional buildings will have 10 be erected
or Il new pcnitcutiary built, unless means can
he devised for the out door employment OF the
cOnSicts i submit the whole subject Tor your
mature consideration.