The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-24
RATES OF ApVERTIsING.
The Gorernor,s ,Te.snge,
Editors Intez,i0eneer:: La

of internal improvement commenced
Where single new enterprise or busi-
ness of any Importance being under
taken, or likely to be, unless there is a
change of policy? The oil operators that
thrOnged the State soon after the war,
have all disappeared, except about the
Little kanawha river, probably to re-
turn no more. The parties negotiating
for the Covington and Ohio Railroad,
and James River Canal, two great i'm
provements we had hope in, from
whom there seems to have been receiv-
ed no certain information.
The only evidence adduced to sus-
tain his views, with exception of the
school houses, which look encouraging,
Is, that it appears by the Commission
erS' books returned to the Auditors
Office for the year 1866, that the person.
al property exceeded in value the per-
sonal property for the year 1865, more
than 25 per cent, and the number OF
persons assessed with capitation tax,
exceeded those returned in 1865 more
than II per cent, and that the re-valu-
alton of real estate as far as returned,
exceeds the valuation made ten years
ago. ---. ..- --..-.r- .-..4. t..--.-r
Now the Governor seems to have
overlooked these facts, viz:
1st. That the return of former resi-
dents of the territory now comprising
the State, from the Federal service and
loyal States, as well as from Dixie, be-
tween the first and second assessments
he refers to, may satisfactorily ac-
count for this difference in the capita
tion tax.
I'd. That the assessments of personal
property brought back with those re-
turning as above stated, with the per-
soual property in the back counties for
1866, in which counties the taxes and
obligations to assess for previous years
were formally released by the legisla-
ture last winter, except "non-resi-
DENTS" may account for the difference
in the value of personal property as
sessed. And the difference between
the present re-valuation of real estate
and the valuation which took place in
1856, ten years ago, may be attributed
in a great measure at least to just
valuation, in the last instance, of rich
bottom farms, belonging TO rebels,
which were notoriously undervalued
many hundred per cent, in many in
stances, in 1856, rather than to any very
general appreciation Of the lands of the
State. These facts, 1 had supposed,
were known to all, and may not leave
the evidence so "unmistakable" as the
Governor supposed
A statement of the finances immedi-
ately precedes, from which it appears
that four hundred and dseyenty-eight thou
sand fpe dollars and thirty one cents was
paid out of the treasury between Janu-
ary lst and October lst, 1866, leaving
only balance of S34, 1913 in the treasu-
Treasurer'S report, which l presume
conforms TO the 11th section of article
of the constitution, and gives IAN ac
curate and detailed account" of all the
receipts and expenditures up to that
day. The statement of the message
also gives an estimate for the ordinary
expenses of the current year, which is
three hundred and Tifty-oHe thousand one
hundred and ffty dollars.
We used to calculate soon after the
constitution was made, that from S100-
600 to SI50,OOO would surely pay the or
dindry expenses of the State Govern
ment per year. This enormous excess
that has arisen so soon, calls for close
scrutiny of these expenditures, it seems
to me, as the people of our infant State
Just emerging from the war, can ill bear
it, when, at the same time, they have
also to bear the comfy, township and
national ia xation. And history shows
that no people burdened with unneces-
sary taxation will long sustain the po-
litical party that imposes it. 1t may
also be observed that all extraordinary
expenses, such as erecting public build
ings, military claims, &C., are excluded
from this officiaf estimate.
1t is stated, however, in explanation,
that the last legislature changed the
fiscal year from January 1st to October
Ist, and that the statement given,
showed the receipts and disbursements
only to October 1St, and that the larger
portion of the receipts had accrued
since. But the account shows also, that
the disbursements made were limited to
the same date, and for aught that ap-
pears, these may have increased pro-
portionately with the receipts since Oc-
tober Ist. This last fact seems to have
been overlooked, and we are left in the
rIar fn hn nj a
expenditures since October 1st, with
only an estimate" about which we
are to know nothing further till next
January
The Governor speaks OF the Is, 900
square miles of our land that is under
laid with coal and iron of unsurpassed
quality, and the timber, &C., covering
It's surface, and recommends geolo-
gicaI survey to be made at once and
published to the world. My belief is,
and have some means of knowing,
that the real resources of our lands are
already known and appreciated in this
and other countries, and equally well
known and understood is the fact, that
the titlet to much ofourlands is uncertain
and unsettled. The latter is the great
obstacle in the way of the introduction
of capital and emigration, and no such
survey as is proposed will contribute
in any degree to remove It. Besides,
much OF our mineral lands have been
already geologically surveyed.
The Governor seems TO think that the
main difficulty about our titles has
arisen from an act Of our Legislature,
passed November Is, 1858, forfeiting
The property OF rebels and all who aid
ed and abetted the rebellion: and says
as 20 action has been taken under the
Law, and no one named whose duty it is
made to enforce it, it therefore should
be repealed and SO recommends.
Now the Sd Section Article 5th of the
Constitution contains this clause, viz:
she, the Governor shall take care that
the laws be faithfully executed :" and
state are placed in his hands for the
But If the interest held by rebels,
which was in nearly all instances only
eogorabLe title. derived through junior
orants-was forfeited and became abso-
lutte in the State upon the reasonable
acts being commitIed-which the Ian
guaSe of the act and decisions of Vir-
ginia, and our Court of Appeals in the
attorneys case, makes clear 1t was
| the mere repeal of the law by
| the Legislature would not, I appre-
hend, revest the title, such as il Is, in
the rebels again; but the same would,
nevertheless, remain vested in the state
| Nor can it be supposed that the Cover
| nor or Legislature wish to restore the
/ interest, such as it Is, to the rebels,
while they are behaving as the message
1 represents them to be at the present
| time: but must wish for the State TO re-
| tain the interest SO vested by forfeiture,
/ 10 be used by the State TOR the purpose
/ OF settling and quieting her land titles.
! by releasing to loyal men who hold the
/ true title. or who deserve to hold it.
Such a disposftfun of the interest may