The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-07

We have the authority of the Au-
r Of Public Accounts for saying that
interest will be promptly paid =; and
.,ondbolders need not give themselves any
concern about that matter. We will say
further, that so long as Virginia is under
tho control of our present district COM
mandcr-and his power under existing
laws will not cease until the State is fully
restored to the Union--the bondholders Of
Virginia have the highest guarantee that
the interest on the public debt will be
punctually paid. He is determined not
only to maintain the peace but the credit
of the State in the trying crisis through
which we are now passing.
General SCHoFlELD has already in
structed Che Auditor Of the State to pre-
pare the necessary books and blanks for
the commissioners Of the revenue for the
assessment Of the taxes Of 1868. These
will be assessed in accordance with the
last tax bill adopted by the Legislature
i. e., thirty cents on the hundred dollars
assessed value Of both real and personal
property, and the same rates of license
taxes now in force. The commissioners
books will be forwarded to them early in
the ensuing month, and they will COM
mence their labors Immediately thereafter.
A question has arisen as to the authority
of the State officers to pay the expenses
of the Convention now in session out Of
the moneys in the public treasury. The
present Constitution Of Virginia declares
that "no money shall be drawn from the
treasury but in pursuance of appropri-
cation made by law" No act having
been passed making an appropriation to
pay the expenses of the Convention, the
Auditor has no authority to draw his war
rants on the treasury for that purpose, and
nothing in the act Of Congress under
which the Convention meets authorizes
the passage of an ordinance which would
give the needed power to the Audi
tor. In this state Of the case it is under
stood that General SCHoFIELD will issue
such orders in regard to the disbursements
for the Convention as will protect the
State officers against personal liability 10
the future. There will be money enough
in the treasury to pay the interest on the
public debt, the appropriations for the two
lunatic asylums, the deaf, dumb, and blind
institution, the Virginia Military Institute,
the usual civil expenses Of the State, and
all reasonable expenses Of the Convention.
All these ordinary expenses the State
officers will be directed to pay as provided
by law, and special directions will be given
from time to time in regard to the expenses
of the Convention.
A rumor was current on the streets yes
terday that q petition to Congress was III
circulation among the Radical members
of the Convention praying that an act be
passed authorizing the Convention TO elect
Governor in place Of Governor PEIR-
POINT, whose term Of office expires on the
3lst instant, and to declare all State Offices
vacant, and allow the Convention to Till
them. We could not ascertain with GER
tainty that such O petition was being
SIGNED. but we have the best authority for
saving that efforts Of this character have
been and are now being made in Washing
ton, with the view of placing the State
under Radical control during tie process
OF construction.
Our information leads us to believe that
all such attempts will prove abortive that
Governor PEIRPoINT and all our State
officers will continue to hold over under
General Orders No. l, section 2, issued by
General SCuoFIELD March Is, 1867, in
which he directs that " all officers under
"the existing provisional government OF
"the State of Virginia will continue to
uperform the duties Of their respective
"offices according to law, unless other
"wise hereafter ordered in individual
cases, until their successors shall be duly
elected and qualified in accordance with
"the above named act of Congre S."
This closes the door against these move
ments and unless Congress chooses to up
turn tho provisions of their reconstruction
laws these gentlemen cannot attain their
object.