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


are certain abuses in regard 10 these criminal
charges that have no doubt would bc cor
rectcd there is a prevalent opinion that as the
money comes out of the State Treasury 1t may
be spent more freely and 10 say the least of
IL, great hberality is in many instances prac-
ticed. My object is 10 bring MI these expenses
as near 10 the Taxpayer as possible, and rs he
makes the offices, aud pays the expenses, II
VIII tend to produce at least Circums speCtiOn,
II viii have a good tendency to keep the idea
close to the aX-paycr that his taxes depend, to
certain extent, on the good order OF the COM
munity; each man becomes to n greater OK.
tent conscrvatoT of the peace. There Is also
n positive justice in this arrangement. In
some counties there are but few persons, If
any, in the lails, whilst in others the iails ira
crowded. There is no Justice in taxing tn"
counties where peace and order prevail tC AS
sst more disorderly communities. Nor is it
believed that the officers Of the law would he
any less vigilant In bringing crime 10 punish
meut If the change wer" made.
The criminal charges in the cities are greatly
augmented for want Of some kind OF work house
or mode OF employing those convicted OF petit
! offences. 1t has been credibly stated that til"
| boarding OF the prisoners in the Richmond
city jail costs more than the board OF all the
! convicts in the pcntrntiary. This needs cor
rection, aud the law should he so altered rs TO
reduce these expenses. l am inclined to think
couyicts in the jails in the country could be
| worked to some profit on the county roads-it
would depend somewhat upon their number
and the amount Of guard necessary. L make
the suggestions for your consideration. l be-
lIcyc that by ludicous legislation YOU can re-
duce these suggestions to practice, save the
people from large amount OF taxes for crinl-
nal expenses, and at the same time have better
order.
/ In connection with this subject would re-
spectfullv recommend the abolition of the
called courts. The reason for their existence
has long since ceased. think 1t will be found,
on investigation, that the expenses of the
called courts are equal to those of the final
/ trial. The law should be so altered rs to vest
in the committing justice all the powers now
exercised by the called courts believe this
Is the only State in the Union where such
/ court has IN existence.
| | would recommend, too. that the county
courts should have authority 10 try, ut their
monthly terms, persons charged with petit
larceny, either by jury or by The court At the
I election of the prisoner. Owing 10 the large
| amount of petit offences committed, ana the
inability of the persons charged TO give bail,
| this would greatly facilitate the admins ira
| tIon of Justice.
! THE vAGRAST LAW.
would recommend notifications OF the Va
grant law passed last winter. The agents of
/ the Frccdmcns Bureau have called my atten-
/ tiou 10 the fact that large numbers OF freed
men are congrcgat"d i'll certain counties, some
| of whom are lit subjects for the poor house
admission 10 which has been refused them on
the ground thai they have no legal settlement
! in the comfy. The support OF this class has
| been thrown upon the bureau, and objection
|
| they lived while slaves when an attempt is
made to send them back 10 their former places
| of abode. u hope you VIII devote such atten-
tion TO the subject as il requires n your hands
KEdIsTRATI0S OF FREEDMEN.
| recommended to you, at your last session,
the propriety OF providing by law for regis
| try, 10 bc kept by the clerk OF each county
court in his Office, of all the freedmen and
frecdwomen who had been married while III
| slavery and acknowledged the relation of hus
| band and wife toward each other also, of the
| dates of their marriages and the names of their
| infant children and that this aCkuowlcdg
ment should constitute 4 legal marriage and
legitimate their children. No action was
taken Oh this recommendation. To supply
that want, the agent of the Freedmen Bureau
has caused 10 bo made what he believes TO he
nearly a complete registry of al the freedmen
in the State and their children, III all cases re-
ceying the Acknowledgement of both husband
| and wife ~ 10 their marriage. IhlS record
has cost a great deal of labor, ana may here
after be of great service. The ~ccdmcn's Ru-
rrau may leave the State with these records.
l am informed by the agent that he is willing
10 place them III the clerk oiiiCe OF each coun-
". | would advise that some act be passed
, requiring the clerks 10 receive and preserve
| them, aud to continue the registry.
CAPITOL BUILDING.
In my last annual message L urged upon
YOUR attention the want of room iii the capitol
| for the officers OF the Government and the
committees and officers OF the Legislature, and
10 the insecurity of tlat building as Il dcpOsl-
tory of the archives OF the state.
| submitted 10 you a plan for Il new building
for the accommodation of The State officers
and the Court OF Appeals, aud as 4 depository
for the State archives. Room may be obtain
ed by additions 10 the capitol but owing 10
the combuStiblc character OF much Of The ma
tcrals of which the capitol is composed. ]
would recommend the erection of 4 separate q
building FOR the purposes indicated. If no ap-
propriatiOn for the purpose of building shall
, Ia. Al 4, ~
Il commission 10 consider and report upon the
subject to the next General Assembly.
STAY LAW.
, The law passed last winter TO stay eXecu.
: tions for debt will expire on the lst day oi
January, 1SGS. III my opinion, some action
should be taken a your present session in re-
gard TO the collection OF debts after the eXpi.
ration OF the term prescribed by the present
law, in order that those Interested may max,
arrangements accordingly. Alarge number oi
judgments have been rendered, and II e&ecu'
| tions shall be issued as soon rs the law expires
| great distress viii BE- brought upon the nulne.
rous debtors in the State. If the terms of fu
ture payment shall be now prescribed. 1T will
. give those debtors time 10 make arrangements
, TO discharge their debts. have been PANIED
| 10 hear that many well-informed men, in dIt-
ierrnt parts of the State, have been discussing
| the subject of repudlatInS, III whole or III part,
private debts. The discussion OF This subJec'
can be only productive OF EVIL; IL tends tC
| weaken the sense of moral obligation, and de-
| stroy confidence between the members OF The
| community. The charge against any man
that he had refused 10 pay his just lndlSiuua
debts, whilst he retained large amount ol
real and personal estate, would be offensive
vet the object seems TO be TO secure tie pas
sage of Il general law 10 Justify private repu
) diaton. But this is all impossible 1ou can
not pass any law 10 impair the obligation o
| contracts. Devices have been reSorted 10 II
other States TO shield property from sale by
having valuations made, and torbiddins ny
sale unless the property should sell Tor one
half or two thirds OF the valuation. These
laws have all been declared unconstitutional
| BY the highest courts OF the United States
All laws that have for their object the post
: ponemcnt of the collection OF debts are odlou:
! 10 creditors and it is doubtful how far Il law
would be sustained by the court that exempted
| specified amounts OF real and personal pro
perty from execution for debts contracted be
fore the passage of the law; and there /:
danger in passing stay laws shat look 10 Ions
: postponemcnts OF executions, that they may
be cons strued by the courts 10 come under th'
| constitutional prohibition against impalrint
the obligation Of contracts. / believe The LIE
gisature has full power over the subject o.
: priority OF liens and / think the great error
} In the law of last winter was in failing L
abolish the priority of judgment liens anc
placing all creditors upon an equal footing
The law rs it stands, has only provoked suit:
by the more importunate creditors. But WI
must now look 10 the future, ana II strikes M
, that il would be wise, and perhaps the conrt
| and creditors would concur in the measure x
direct the further stay of executions upon th'
payment by the debtor of the interest anC
| wv enty-i five per centum OF the principal with
| in ninety DAYS from the lst day OF January
lS6S, and 4 like sum with the interest each en-
suing year
LEGAL RATE OF INTEREST.
The scarcity Of money in the State makes
| ~ t.,fl laua in prnrp Df