Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-12-07
letter from Richmond.

met at noon to-day, there being comparatively
few absentees, and the officer. having been
previously determined upon. in 4 ra,'rls Of the
Conservative members there wa> ,in lrfly ia
the organization.
Nh Davis who has 50 long and we'll fulfilled
the lutie, Of clerk OF the Senate: vas rr.rl,r;tI,
with Mr. Harrison as Sergeant at-ArmS AMI
| Col. Minor, Of l.oudonn no1rkeeI"r. ;r!h
these gentlemen held the positions 10 which
! they have been chosen. at tho last session.
In the House Maj. Hanger, ni Augusta, wai
elected Speaker, Il position that he will till
with credit. Mr.. bigger, the former clerk,
and COL Crittendeu. Of rnlrerrl Ser@eanl,at
Arms, were reelected.
The Radicals, although in So Ircd:, :; Uni
uority. nominated and voted for one 81 their
own party for nearly every Office
Shortly after the organization Of Tic '~u
bodies the Governor sent in his uir,,a.r Il long
but carefully prepared and able documcnt,
treating ni cmlgra,inn. equalization u taxes.
the charitable institutions Of the State, the
penitentiay, education. the Congressional land
scrip finances, the elections, Nc. aLd concludes
with suggestions relative 10 joint stock COIN
panirs. the James River and kanawfa Canal,
&C. Th, Governor thinks the great need Of
! cdIital aifl 80 ,
q thoroughly organized system Of ugcnces
abroad for the diffusion faccululc Information
and the management of the business there, and
recommends plan for building up the waste
places, and filling the State with cmi grants,
which will doubtless receive the careful consIdc
ration of the Legislature The Governor says
that We have not n0w Il correct a::>G ;suIrnt 81
! lands ia The Commonwealth SOHO bc:un Us.
sesseu too low, and some too higli. lie tayOrs
40 equalization Of taxation. The report, of the
three insane asy!ltms, lie asserts. challenge COM
parisou with any institution Of like character in
the country, and one or both. OF the present
asylums, he thinks ulust DC emarged ora new
one erected. The report Of the Board ni Dl-
rectors OF the peutcntiary exhibits marked
improvement in the affairs Of the institution.
and the Recommendation Of the Board and Tia.
Superintendent for the extension of the prison
accommodation, is endorsed The Governor
calls the attention Of the Leg isature to the
frequency Of elections, aud regards i; As one Of
the most serious objections to the present Con
stitution He thinks there oug ht NOT to lie more
than one election each year lor Stale purposes
and recommends an amendment to the Con
sti,ution requiring all State elections tn hc heNl
on the saule day every two years. and I'll Diff
terent day from that fixed for the Federal .!ec
tons. This, he tavors. because 81 til" inter
ference Of Congress BY the passage OF the Ell.
torccuIent act. Speaking Of this, he says -
FINDER pretcncc Of protecting the freedom Of
the ballot. it strikes down the freedom Of the
citizen, and under the guise OF ragnalngrhe
election 81 Congressman il soIl.gh! the control
Of the affairs of the State. iic says the sue
cess OF the school system InnueurAtcd ny the
last Legislature has exceeded the warnCst cX-
pectaion, aud 3nniinends the foresight and
wisdom ii The people, rallyng to Ii: support,
although 81 heavily burdcnad with debt and
crippled by the VAL. He approves l''- present
funding system adopted By the late Legislature
as the best HOW attainable, and :ays il has le
stored confidence everywhere in the irlc2rty Of
the government and the people meeting with
appreciation from the creditors of the State.
both at home and abroad. After referring TO
the assumption Of the President of the l.. 5.
in suspending the writ ofllabcas corpus he says:
Il would that could present !. less sonhrc
piclure-hat | could congratulate yGn upon
the complete restoration Of the nltiona govern
mcnt to It's pristine purity ana excellence: strong
in the affections Of thu, people aud the just exc
cuton Of their sovereign will. But as affection
i is not begottcn oi force. nor honesty Of corrlli,
tion 81 liberty is not nnrtured by tyranny. nor
peace by violence. Not until he people rise
ia their majesty ana rca5sert their liberties
now tra1npled upon, not until Kindness shall
superacjc hate, and patriotism r-:: superior to
partisan SeIfishues:, may We look for the !rau
guri:lon Of an erJ Of good feeling.
The Governor ,ievotes 4 considerable p'rrl1I
Of his message IT, The financial condition 81 the
State. which hr discusses with his wouied clean
ness and ability, but a. ii is the most import
ant feature. aud will probably be published i'll
full in thu li,zattr. 4 >ymJy=i: IL deemed IN
necessary.
The members who are held t. BIZ under uls1
bilities by the operation OF the XIV amend
ment, have taken their seats, fully rIr$uadcd
that Congress will l'aSs an amnesty bill at All
carly DAY, and no one for ! monenf believing
that tn. threat nt pru$ecutihn vii! t.: carried
out.
.Alnnn1 the aiseutecs in the Senair is 'rh1>
y. Latham, Of Fauuuier detained from his
seat by ndisposion, and whose detention is
much regretted by all. Mr.. i. was oat Of the
soundest and most popular members last session,
and there is general hope expressed that he
will Soon be able to re-0ecllry his seat.
In the Senate to-lay Mr.. Thomas, OF Fair
fax, offered the following joint resolution:
"Ptsohpd That 50 much OF the Governor ;
message as proposes amendments 10 tn" Con-
sttution Of Virginia be referred to :. Joint roln-
mittee o.! seven ua the part oil the li0l'. and
five on the part Of the Senate and that SAID
committee he authorized to consider tie cX
pcuiency of proposing such amendments To The
Constitution aS they may deem cXre,iic;it AMI
Necessary. in the mtnn2r now prescribed by 1T"
Constitution anl laws. Or the alternative nj pre-
seuting bill submitting the question Tor cali
Ing convention FIR the pnrp1;'. 1T framing
ncw Constitution for the State Of Virginia. aud
providing for the appnrt!0nInrnt aE'l election
| OF delegates