The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1868-02-06

,lemeb, enleteu upon lnelr WORK hnl
woud.haye had it done, no doubt, ha,
It not been for the illness OF one Of then
which made il necessary that he shonlC
desist from business fjr some months o
the time intervening since his ap,
poinmen. think msy now sag
however, that the revision will b.
completed and a report lhereoi submit,
ted to tho Legislature during the prcsen
session.
! Allow me again TO caS attention -tc
the usury law in our State. and rrpea, .
portion Of wha, sail on the subject il
q former message. This law imposes
/ heavy penalties for t-kiag more than six
per cent interest, and is the subjcc! o.
great complaint BY the business commu
nifty generally. ut is conle, ded thai
experience has proven that six per CEN
is not at all times 4 sufficient considera
lion for The use Of money, and that it il
not at oil times a sufficient consideration
for the use Of money and that It's price
should be left Of law to the market, as
any article cr merchandise. Aud in
support Of this proposition the facts are
cited that large sums are borrowed by the
United States n more than six per cent
that some Of The States have adopted q
greater rate, while Others, raIaining the
legal rate. allow much more to be taSgn
on spcrio conIrac, |, is also claimed
and believe correctly that persons en-.
g1gei in active business are often will
ing, and can well an1rd to pay more
than six per cent for money: ba! this
being allowed by other States, not only
prevents capital from coming into our
State, hut actualy draws it from US; that
men desiring TO invest their mems OF
enter into business, seek locations where
a more liberal policy prevails; and thus
we arr deprived ofrhe use of much capi'
tai, AMI of the enterprise of many useful
citizens, the result of which is o neces
sariy to retarl our prosperity. AMI f.
oaly. it Is anirma that tbs Jaw is dis
regarded and evndsd By the un3crupu-
lous, and thatit is only operative to the
prejudice Of the law a5iiiing cilizeus"
It's now asked, if the Legislature viii
not amend the law SO as 10 allow a grea.
ter rate OF interest, that it DO so modi.
fed as to subject the Lander to a forfeit,
ure Of only the cxcCssofinlcrest over the
legal rate ghish he may take or con45sei
for fom tho borrowed | submit this
proposition for your consideration.
-
The permanent.locaion Of the capital
orthe State is a su5i9r! which wilt. no
doubt. be considered by you at The pres
ent session. In my message 10 The first
Legislature of the State, in 1868, rec
commended immediate. &c ion on this
question, and my opinion ever since las
been, as expressed in subsequent MESA
ges, ithatits settlement would tend to the
harmony and prosperity Of the State.
refer to what have heretofore said, and
have nothing to add on Ills suhjsct,
As | was about concluding my mess
age, received from the Commissioner
of migration his Fourth Annual Report,
which | take pleasure in laying before
you, Tie delay in its transmission is
satisfactorily accounted for by the CON.
missioner, bat it reached mo so recently
that | have no time TO call special eten-
ton to the several matters detailed in it,,
request, however, that the members
will read it and give to its contents that
consideration which in my Judgement
they are entitled to. 1t will DO found
to be a very interesting paper, contain
ing much that is valuable in oonnec ion
with this important subject, aud show.
ing what has been accomplished during
the past year by The uuaided and unre-
quilted labors of the Comm ssioner. 1t
will be seen that he has secured q CON.
siderable number OF migrants from Eu
rope who, through the inslrumentalilies
that no has been able to bring into req
Oi5ition, had fixed upon West Virginia
as their OBSTINATE before leaving their
homes in the Old World; and | am now
fully satisfied that no has laid the founda
ton for securing a fair share Of foreign
immigration to our State for the future,
if the Legislature will second his efforts
TO that end. He is most competent!
and faithful officer. and has devoted
much Of his time and office for the ben
eft Of the public; and now; with reasona
bic oncour'g cement from the Legislature,
the fruits of his labors may soon be
realized. But he has received no moro
than a mere pitt'nCe for his services,
while he has incurred some small debts
in Europe, as may be seen from his re-
,.,h..k ,,,,,t H.. all 70 L.,