Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-01-31
Spirit nt gsfersun.
0harles.Own, Va, January 81, 1871.
GOVERNORS MESSAGE,


the Constitution, recommends change or the
abOlishinZ Of the 'Regis,ration Law" urges
the adoption of the amendment to the COu>
stitutiOn proposed at the last session of the
Legislature $50 as TO strike out the clause in
Article III, section l, which DISTINGUISHES
persons who gave voluntary aid to the rebellion,
aud to further amend the same section, so as
to make the language therein conform to sec.
ton l. Article XIV of the amendments to the
Constitution of the United States" On other
subjects he says:
FINANCES.
A full exhibit of the financial condition Of
the State will be found in the reports Of the
Auditor aud Treasurer, which are herewith
transmitted. From these it will be seen that
the balance remaining ln tbs Treasury, Oc-
tOber lst, 1869, was
ss!s1 10
Amount expended during the .42O 0I2 50
Balance in the Treasury, October Ist.
ISTO..................... S2I3.475 So
This statement makes IA favorable showing
for the finances but still d1es net set forth
the whole amount in the Treasury. To do
this there mus; be added TO the above balance
the invested irreducib!e school fund amount
ing to S229, ,3G0; making the amount of funds
actually in the State Treasury at the Irginuing
OF the present fiscal year, S442 ,775 IS.
The Auditor estimates the receipts and ex-
Penditures for the current year as follows
ReceiPts.. S6O6 S7s 90
EXpeAdituTes:..........- 533 9g7 ~
Leaving haISnce in the Treasury cub
leCt TO appropriation at the end OF the
year. Oi.... s 66'3Sl 20
The financial condition of tie State may
be regarded AS satisfactory. \ number Of the
buildings for public institutions arc now
finished and paid for, aud the remainder are
rapidly approaching completion, aud payment
has also becu made upon these as far us the
work has progressed. Since the formation Of
the State, We have expended upon these pub
lie structures nearly une million of dollars
and have raised during the same period by
local taxation. and paid out tor purchasing
school property aud building school houses.
upwards o; Il million Of dollars more. We
have besides, provided for all current expenses;
met promptly all our liabilities growing; oG; ot
the war, And yet have contracted no public
debt whatever.
Many valuable suggestions relating to the
public revcuur will be found III the report of
the Auditor. aud they have direct bear
ing upon subject in which the entire people
of the State are vitality interested. commend
them TO your prompt, early, aud careful con-
sIdeTatinn.
COLoHED POPULATION OF THE STATE.
At the recent election, for the first time in
our State, the colured citizens exercised the
privilege of voting extended To them by the
XVIII Amendment of the Constitution Of the
United States. They generally avuIet them
selves of this newly conferred right, aud in
the exercise of il were careful not to give Of
fcnse To thuSe who honestly doubted the wis
dom of placing political power in the hands
of the black man. The zeal with which they
embraced the new privilege, aud the modera.
ton with which they used it, dsnrmcd much
of the opposition heretofore existing to re,
cognlZiug the iull political manhood of the
coiored race in our midst. II is worthy Of re.
mark in this connection. that no serious at
tempt was made TO prevent this new class of
voters from freely exercising the elective fran.
chse.
1t is bnt simple justice to these newly en-
franchiscd people to say, that as class, they
are orderly aud Industrious. and are making
laudablc efforts to acquire homes for them
selves and education for their children The
folish prejudice against them. growing out of
their former condition Of bondage, is fas; dis
appearing and will soon pass away fOfever.
\ policy that will encourage citizens OF this
class IN pursuits of industry aud the acquisi-
tiOn of property. and secure TO them the adj
vautages OF free school instruction, will greatly
increase their Usefulness. aud insure their
permanent devotion to the State.
WEST VIRGINIA INSTITUTION FOR THE
DEAF. DUMB, AND BLIND.
As required by the act of March 81, 1870,
l appointed the board Of Regents for the
West Virginia Institution for the Deaf. Dumb
and Blind and have the pleasure of LAYING
before you their first annual report, accom-
panied by that Of the principal, and other doc
umen's. As will be seen, the Regents have
located the institution at the town Of Rnmney.
in Hampshire county, upon property donated
10y the citizens of that place consisting of
building and fifteen acres of land, the whole
valued at $4,000. a merited compliment, is
paid, in the reports to the public spirited citi
Zens who made this muniicent Offering, and
also to the people of Romney for their hearty
cooperation in the inauguration of the iDsri.
tuition, and their assistance in its successful
working thus far.
The building haa been fitted up so as TO ac
commOda,e only the number of purils rro-
vided for in the present law. The bill for the
establishment of this institution. as first pre.
seDted in the Legislature, was intended only
for the benefit Of the blind and the number
of pupils fixed accordingly the provision for
the deaf aud dumb was added afterward With.
out changing the number of pupils to cores
pond, and the mute being more numerous
than than the bliud. it was soon discovered
that the accommodations we're too limited for
both classes.
If it be the intention of the Legislature to
provide for the education Of all the deaf nDd
dumb and the blind children, of school age in