Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-02-18
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

The following message from his Ex-
cellency Governor Walker was com
municated during last week to the
General Assembly:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of
Delegates:
On entering upon the discharge of
my duties as the Chief Executive of
the State under the constitution on
the 9th day of January last. except
ing that of Acknowledgement, | found
nearly every Office in the Common
wealth either vacant or filed by
military appointee. The office OF
Lieutenant Governor, made vacant
by the resignation of Hon John +.
hewis, was filled by the appointment
of John l.. Marye. Esq, who duly
qualified on the 27th of January last.
The authority for this appointment is
contained in the fifth section of the
fourth article of the constitution. =
The necessity for the prompt exercise
of this authority was SO apparent and
pressing that | was unwilling TO as
sumo the responsibility of delaying it.
Twelve days would elapse eefore the
assembling of your honorable bodies,
and probably several days thereafter
before you could make suitable pro
vision for filing the office. In the
meantime the death of the Governor
would have left the State without an
Executive head. and inevitably thrown
its affairs into confusion iraught with
the greatest dangers. The commits
sion Of Lieutenant-Governor Maryt
will expire thirty days from the com
mencement of your present session
and il will be the duty of the Genera
Assembly TO make timely provision
for filling the office thereafter The
Secretary of the Commonwealth. thu
First and Second Auditors and tho
Register of the Land Office, seyerally
rendered their designations to me, L
take effect ON the LIST instant Fo
many reasons | did not deem it advi
sable to accept any of these ,resigna
tions, and the duties appertaining Z
those Offices have continued to be dis
charged by their former incumbents
To solve all legal doubts as to. whetl
er these officers could hold over aite
the restoration of the State to civ
government, as well us to perfect tn
prompt organization of the State GOV
enment under the constitution,
trust the General Assembly will pre-
eeed at once 20 fill these offices, q
that of Treasurer.
PENiTENTIARY.
You have also to elect Superil
tendent and General Agent al
Storekeeper Of the penitentiary, an
the earlier you perform that impo
tant duty the better, both for the i
terests of the State and the safe
and well-bemg of the prisoners. II
acting General Agent and Storekee
or has already rendered his resign
tion, but the Superintendent has No
\ The condition of our pentitentia
demands your prompt and serio
consideration. During the past ye
the number of conyicts has increas
10 an alarming extent. Oh tue lsl
January. 1863, the number of priso
ers remaining in the institution "
357. while on the LIST of JanuaI
1870, the number had increased
60l. The expenses for the fiscal ys
ending September 80, 1868 We
sos, POI SO, while for the fiscal "
ending September 80, 1869. they b
increased TO $40, ,O37 73. Most of
prisoners are able-bodied men, a
ought to be employed at some mech'
icai business, thus tightening the b
then which this institution has alw'
been TO the State, and benehtting
prisoners themselves by providl
them regular and healthful eNere
for both body and brain, and tea'