The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-01-18
Governors Message,
rello,O-citi=ens Of the Senate and House
of Dsls1ates:

Of Delegates
As the Chief Executive OF the STATE,
extend to you q most cordial welcome
TO the seat Of government and in do,
ing so, may be permitted to express
the hope, that the session upon winch
YOU are just entering may be one In
which harmony, wise counsels, and q
generous charity will prevail, and that
your labors may hasten the growth and
development of the material interests OF
the State, and secure the peace and ad-
vance the prosperity of its people.
proceed, as required by the Consti.
tuition. to communicate to you, as briefly
as can, the condition Of the State, and
to recommend such legislation as will,
in my opinion, promote thegeneral well
fare.
SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.
As required by the act Of the Legisla-
tire of February 26, 1869, had the
books, papers, and other property be-
longing TO the State, removed from the
city of Wheeling to the seat Of govern
ment at Charleston, Kanawha county,
on the lst day Of April, 1870. In this
the citizens OF Charleston afforded me
every facility in their power, and aided
me very much in the transportation of
the property, and in securing comfort
able offices for the several departments
until the capitol building should be
ready for occupancy.
think it but just to make particular
mention of the fact, that the Bank OF
the West in Charleston, gave the entire
building, heretofore occupied by it, for
The use Of a number Of the State officers,
Tree Of cost, until the capitol was CON-
pletei; also, that the Merchants Bank
of Charleston furnished a portion Of its
building to the State Treasurer for the
same length Of time, also without COM
pensation; while the authorities OF st.
Johns P E. Church gave the free use
OF their school room for the State
Library.
The capitol building was completed, and
formal delivery thereof made to the au-
thorities Of the State, on the 10th day
OF December last, and it was immcdi-
ately occupied by the State officials. 1t
ia, as you cannot fail TO observe, neat,
c0mmodious, and substantial structure,
and reflects much credit upon the pub.
lie spirited citizens under whose man
agement it was commenced and finished.
| did not feel that | had authority
under the act aforesaid to purchase new
furniture, and other materials necessary
to tit up the rooms in the building in
appropriate style. 1t needs no argument
to satisfy you, that the present old and
worn out articles in the halls Of the two
Houses, and ia the different executive
offices, should be replaced by others OF
a more modern. convenient, and sub
stantial kind
A full exhibit of the financial con.
dition Of the State will be found in the
reports Of the Auditor and Treasurer,
which are herewith transmitted. From
these it will be seen that the balance
remaining in the Treasury, Oc ober lst,
1869, was:
66,l67 10
In ,lSS Il
Amount expended during the year i3O,9l2 6S
Balance in the Treasury, October
lSt, 20
This statement makes a favorable
showing for the finances; but still does
not set forth the whole amount in the
Treasury, To do this there must be
added TO the above balance the invested
irreducible school fund, amounting to
$229,30G making the amount Of funds
actually in the State Treasury at the
beginning Of the present fiscal year,
S442, 2,775.5S.
The Auditor estimates the receipts
and expenditures for the current year as
follows:
w
ENl e 55ssS' "
Ieavinga balance in the Treasury
subject To appropriation at the -
end of the year, of..~..........".s 1881 ~
The financial condition OF the State
may be regarded as satisfactory. A
number of the buildings for our public
institutions are now finished and paid
for, and the remainder are rapidly ap
preaching completion, and payment has
also been made upon these as far as the
work has progressed. Since the for
nation OF the State, we have expended
upon these public structures nearly one
million Of dollars; and have raised dur
ing the same period, by local taxation,
and paid out for purchasing school
property aud building school houses.
upwards OF million OF dollars more,
We have besides, provided for all cur
rent expenses; met promptly all our
liabilities growing out Of the war, and
vet have contracted no public debt
whatever.
Many valuable suggestions relating
to the public revenue will be found in
the report OF the Auditor, and as they
have direct bearing upon a subject IN
which the entire people Of the State are
yitally interested, | commend them to
your prompt, early, and careful consid-
Grafton.
rrRLIC DEBT OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
The Governor of Virginia, in his an
nual message to the General Assembly
OF that Commonwealth, December Z,
1870, takes occasion to say that, thus
far there have been no satisfactory in
dications that the State Of West Nir-
ginia intended to acknowledge herself
liable to us for any portion Of the pub
lie debit" and adds, information de-
rived from prominent and influential
citizens of West Virginia, has led me
reluctantly to the conclusion that the
prospect of voluntary and satisfactory
settlement Of this matter is not Of the