Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-12-14
The Governor warmly advocates the adop.

tenn. He charges that the masses who de-
rive no benefit from our colleges are taxed to
support them. He adds:
"The subject Of the education of the freed
men is attracting great and undcserved at
tention all over the country. It is admitted,
on all hands, that if the freedmen shall be
made valuable member Of the community,
it must be done by aFording him the means
Of intellectual culture. | am gratifed to be
able to state that considerable sums of money
have been raised by benevolent societies of
the North for this purpose, and that num-
Der of schools for the education Of freedmen
are in successful operation in the State. 1t
is proper and just to these benevolent ASSOC
Citations to add, that in addition to the freed
mems schools provided by them the Soldiers
Aid Society of the North have established in
this city schools for white children, provided
with competent teachers, which are now
prospering, and where upwards of three hum
dred children are gratuitousy taught"
He states that the land scrip donated by
Congress for the creation Of an agricultural
college has not yet been delivered to the agent
appointed to receive it, but believes lit is
now nearly ready for delivery" 1t remains
with the Legislature to designate the location
Of the institution which shall receive the ben
eft of this donation. The Governor suggests
that it be made to the interest Of William and
Mary College to change its location to Rich
mond by adding to its present endowment the
proceeds OF the sale of the lands donated by
Congress. He renews the recommended tons
contained in his last annual message. These
are in ubstance, that the college to which
the donation is to be applied shall be located
in Richmond, and shall be a polytechnic
school, teaching modern languages mathe-
MATES. natural philosophy, mechanics, en-
cheering, mineralogy, geology, vegetable
and mineral chemistry, with chairs of design
botany and agriculture, aud military tactics
to complete the list,
He treats Of the subject Of immigration,
making numerous suggestions He opposes
all appropriations Of money by the State to
immigration societies, and thinks that private
enterprise, directed and assisted by the COM
missioners Of immigration already appointed
will be more successful in procuring a good
class of immigrants
He makes a recommendation in favor of
providing for a geological survey of the State.
He recommends an appropriation to pro-
vide artificial limbs for those who lost their
limbs in battle during the war.
He suggests the repeal of all fence laws, :"
and thinks the subject should be left 70 the
common law, in which we concur.
He devotes much space to the subject of
railroads complains that their tariffs dis
criminate against our own home cities and
people in favor Of those without the State,
and thinks that they should be compelled to
reduce their local rates and make them uni
form He presses vigorously the principle
Of consolidation, and proposes that the Nor
folk and Petersburg, Southside, Danville,
and Virginia and Tennessee roadsshorld con
stitutc one road the Virginia and Tennessee,
Orange and Alexandria, and Virginia Cen
trail should constitute one road the Peters
burg and Weldon, Richmond and Peters
burg, Richmond connection, and Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac roads should
constitute one road. When transportation
is required at any depot on any Of these roads,
it should be received and transported to any
|
that may be desired at uniform rate of
charges on the basis above stated, and tick
cts, checks and bills of lading given accord
ingly; and for any loss or damage sustained
in transportation, the party injured should
have his right of action against any compa-
ny over whose road the passage was SO con-
tracted for
He adds:
IF all our roads were consolidated, and
put under the management Of one or two in
telligent heads, there is no reason why their
bonds should not become as good as seven
thirty bonds of the United STATES in any mar
ket. But to defeat this object, leading men
from different parts of the State were brought
to the capital, and retained to attend the
meeting of the stockholders of the Virginia
and Tennessee road, where the whole scheme
was denounced as an Infringement of the
franchises OF the company, and as an innova-
ton upon the customs Of Virginia, and other
arguments about as reasonable urged upon
the private stockholders"
He says he sees but one way in which the
object he aims at can be accomplished, and
tddu ID w lCPCeai tuC le,W GlllCu HCdICS Tie
vote of the State and instruct her proxies to
vote for consolidating the management of the
roads lie refers especially to the Virginia
and Kentucky and Covington and Ohio
roads.
The message closes with an elaborate ex-
position Of the Constitutional Amendment,
as understood by the Governor. He APP
proaches the subject cautiously and with man
ifest reluctance. 1t is disagreeable subject
but, having broken the ice, he plunges right
in and advises it's ratification as the best means
of averting more onerous measures. He IL
dicates plainly that he considers the Presi-
dent powerless, and the dominant party the
power entitled to govern and as likely to
hold command Of the situation 'sfor many
years to come" He thinks the conditions
imposed BY Congress s'are not nearly as hard
as they might be-" The Governor thinks
that we would incur no disgrace by consent
ing to an amendment which ostracises those
who bore the brunt of the war